# Puppy Barks and Lunges at cars Help !



## Woodgates (Sep 11, 2016)

Hello

We live in a village which has fairly busy roads. When we take our 4 month old puppy Ruby out for a walk she generally starts out ok but then later into the walk begins to bark and lunge at passing cars. Once she loses her head she will then do same at cyclists runners etc and then start to lunge and bite at my wife's feet. 

We have read books, searched online and tried all sorts to try and ease the problem but to no avail. We have took her to places like supermarkets where cars are moving slowly and she's fine, we have sat her back from the road and praised and treat her, and also distracted her with 'watch me' and treats for no reaction but eventually she starts and then won't stop. We sit her down and try to calm her, tried picking her up and carrying her but she just struggles and growls to go back down. In quiet places with no cars she is mostly fine but will sometimes still react to runners and cyclists.

We are desperately in need of some help and advice please ! What should be a nice pleasant experience twice a day is becoming a dreaded nightmare. Do we need to get a dog behaviour specialist trainer to help or could she grow out of it as we continue to try and desensitise her as best we can ?

In the house she's a lovely puppy mostly well behaved other than chewing and mouthing us to death like they all seem to do. We are coping with that ok along the lines of all the advice in here till she stops teething.😊


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I would say you are on the right lines with getting her used to the slow moving cars and also getting some distance but just need to change your approach slightly when you are closer to the road. Fast moving cars are hugely tempting so asking for her to sit and watch you will lead to her feeling frustrated and once she has started she needs distance from the situation to calm down - anything else will fail as she is just too over excited.

Try instead taking some tasty food with you and every time a car is approaching feed her repeatedly until it has gone ask nothing of her just feed, feed, feed. You are looking to change her reaction to cars from "must chase" to "look at mum for food"


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## Woodgates (Sep 11, 2016)

Thanks It's a comfort we are on the right lines. Will up the treats to cheese and try keep some distance as you suggest. Do you think we need to avoid close traffic completely until we have her more calm around traffic and then slowly reintroduce closer busier roads ?


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Yes definitely - think along the lines that you want her to practice getting it right so distance is your friend as she learns you can gradually get closer. If she does lose the plot just calmly lead her away to give distance so she can calm down.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

I find when things stress Max out, he needs a job to do....so we give him something to carry in his mouth....usually a ball as he is very play orientated. He is happy to carry it on the lead ( not off as he try's to bury it) and he stops reacting to people and other dogs. Might be worth a try.


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## Woodgates (Sep 11, 2016)

Hi Thanks for that suggestion, she is just getting into liking her her ball but likes carrying sticks and tug toys so will certainlygive that a try.

Quick update, tonight we drove to a quieter are with wider tree lined roads and footpaths armed with nice treats and she was much less reactive and stressed so we were pleased.

She only started to react to one car and we distracted and treat her her before she barked.

So far so good thanks for advice


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Well done!
It is definitely worth putting in the work now to solve the problem before it becomes too much of a habit... thing is in their eyes they bark at the car and it goes away, so it is a successful way to deal with the stress of a zooming car. Having had a collie cross and now a collie - reacitveness to cars is a known thing in my family. 
Try practicing your general obedience in similar quiet areas to increase your pup's focus on you. The more she responds to you the easier all training is.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

There is a little mini schnauzer in our village, and her owner has somehow mis timed her treating, or has not progressed with it. As a puppy I would see them walking and yhe pup would lunge and bark. Owner would treat. Next the dog would lunge, bark, turn to owner for treat....and that's where they are still, two years later.


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## Woodgates (Sep 11, 2016)

Thanks Marzi 

We are continuing to follow advice and making good progress 

We were really concerned it would become ingrained from a young age but all the tips you have given are paying off. She is much better now so much so that she sees a car and instead of barking and lunging looks to us patiently for a treat. We initially gave her plenty of treats to change her focus as they approached and now we can wait until she has not reacted wnd treat her for great behaviour. We now have the much better problem of slowly weaning her off the treats at every vehicle &#55357;&#56842;


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## Woodgates (Sep 11, 2016)

That story of the mini schnauzer made me smile Marilyn 

Could easily be me if I don't keep seeking guidance on here 

Now how do we stop Ruby from eating her body weight in cheese while out walking ?


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Excellent progress well done 

It also sounds like you are well on the right track to wean her off the bodyweight in cheese too.

One of the best dogs who had trained his owners I once saw was one who sat down every couple of steps and was given a treat to get him to walk - which he did for a couple of steps before sitting again. The owner was convinced he was terrified - whilst he was actually playing her for all the treats he could get


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