So, Addie is like 80-90% reliable at "come". We built her a fenced in area, and when out in the main yard we would stick her on her leash and tether her to us. Over the course of the few weeks she became reliable and stayed right with us if we accidentally dropped her leash. Later we let her have free range with the leash on but not attached to anything. Keep in mind we live in a rural neighborhood with very little traffic. We don't even have paved roads yet.
She has had some interests in cars, but never did anything and we would redirect her into a sit or a down and she listened.
She was off her leash all day yesterday while we did some landscaping, and we had several cars and trucks drive by (like 4) throughout the day. She had no interest in like 2, one piqued her interest and one she started walking towards (I don't remember the order so I can't say as the day went on she got more interested). She redirected well and we leashed her but let it loose. Then, last night, at last out she took off after a truck heading down the road on her way back into the house. Her yard is about 20 foot steps away from the porch door. Hubby caught up with her in the front yard at the street 4 way stop (we are on a corner lot). She had had a running start - he was still trying to get the gate latched and had his back turned when she took off. She did not respond to come - hubby said she was "in the zone". She was probably riled up from being in her yard and playing with hubby. She has been doing this walk in, walk out successfully off leash since the first week we had her.
She is still small. What are things we can do now while she is little, and not as fast, to desensitize her to moving vehicles and to stop the chase? She is a herder, so I know it is ingrained. But. Is there anything we can do to minimize it? Or is she going to have to be tethered her whole life? Unless we get cows or chickens or something, we have no plans on fencing the whole property. She has a large fenced in area to run in. Eventually we are going to put in a dog door from the porch to her yard, but we have to work out the logistics.
But this would apply to any of our outings. None of the IL's have fenced yards, and my sister does not either.
She has had some interests in cars, but never did anything and we would redirect her into a sit or a down and she listened.
She was off her leash all day yesterday while we did some landscaping, and we had several cars and trucks drive by (like 4) throughout the day. She had no interest in like 2, one piqued her interest and one she started walking towards (I don't remember the order so I can't say as the day went on she got more interested). She redirected well and we leashed her but let it loose. Then, last night, at last out she took off after a truck heading down the road on her way back into the house. Her yard is about 20 foot steps away from the porch door. Hubby caught up with her in the front yard at the street 4 way stop (we are on a corner lot). She had had a running start - he was still trying to get the gate latched and had his back turned when she took off. She did not respond to come - hubby said she was "in the zone". She was probably riled up from being in her yard and playing with hubby. She has been doing this walk in, walk out successfully off leash since the first week we had her.
She is still small. What are things we can do now while she is little, and not as fast, to desensitize her to moving vehicles and to stop the chase? She is a herder, so I know it is ingrained. But. Is there anything we can do to minimize it? Or is she going to have to be tethered her whole life? Unless we get cows or chickens or something, we have no plans on fencing the whole property. She has a large fenced in area to run in. Eventually we are going to put in a dog door from the porch to her yard, but we have to work out the logistics.
But this would apply to any of our outings. None of the IL's have fenced yards, and my sister does not either.
