Puppy Scared Of Cars

[SearchJane]

Hi

When I take my 5mt staffy pup for a walk practically every time car goes past he sits down until it has disappeared. I can sometimes keep him walking but he slows right down but other times he stages a mini sit in!

I think he will probably grow out of this but was just wondering if other people have experienced this type of behaviour. It makes it challenging to take him for a walk along a major road (which we hardly ever do).

At least it beats him chasing them! :D

Thanks & cheers

Jane

Edited September 10, 2008 by SearchJane

[ellz]

It's not unusual. My now deceased red boy was the same. And if a car happened to backfire near him, he'd fair on poo himself!

Think about it from their point of view. They don't know what cars are. They are a lot smaller than a car and cars are very noisy for sensitive ears.

[GoldD]

I took my pup up to the busy road and sat on the ground next to him just watching and listening to the cars go by. We'd be there for 10 mins and then move on to the park for some fun....

The next step was going at dusk where the headlights were on, that too was another learning experience.

He learnt to be comfortable with trucks, cars, buses and the odd idiot who would toot!

Took a few weeks and all was well but the toot of the train at a level crossing sent him into a bit of a spin the other day - and he is one now!! :D

[TerraNik]

My pup had the same problem. Whenever we walked along a busy road he would lie down or sit until the car went passed. He was pretty scared of it!!!

So I decided to expose him a little bit more to it, so on our walk to the part every few days I would walk along the busy road (as opposed to the back streets) and just stand there with him waiting for cars to go past. He eventually became completely immune to it. Just don't make it a big deal and he will get over it. When he gets more comfortable, I would start expecting him to be able to keep on walking at least a few steps and just build on that.

[Bjelkier]

because I live in the country and cars are quite rare Mistral nearly had a heart attack the first time he saw one (where as Lestat grew up in the middle of the city so cars meant nothing to him).

I did what Terranik and GoldD did, and its worked quite nicely. He still stops and watches cars now but he isn't freaking out anymore so we are getting there.

[Sam&Saki]

My pup did the same when she was young but grew out of it. As long as you don't reward the fearful behaviour (patting to calm down or whatever) hopefully your pup will grow out of it too :D x

[GoldD]

Yes, as Sam&Saki says, dont cuddle him if he cringes, just sit or stand next to him and watch the world go by. It won't take long and soon he'll be fine...

[GSDhandler]

At least it beats him chasing them! :D

yes it does. my girl is ahlf way both ways. she loves trying to chase SUVs, which tests her restraints to thier limits, and is how the D ring on the collar probably met its match, but other times, when they are the classics i like to stare at and drool over she hates them. it would probably just be the noise. just try and slowly get him used to it, and hopefully he will grow out of it.

[ZEPING]

have him comfortable around a stationarey car you act like its no big deal !!

then i would do what the other people said having him just in the sit position and be at a distance and then a car comes past and he doesnt react reward him so he see cars and no reaction as a reward soon when he sees a car he will ignor it at look at you expecting a treat!!??