{"id":1818,"date":"2025-05-15T11:07:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T11:07:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/15\/how-to-effectively-handle-chasing-behavior-in-dogs\/"},"modified":"2025-05-15T11:07:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T11:07:23","slug":"how-to-effectively-handle-chasing-behavior-in-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/15\/how-to-effectively-handle-chasing-behavior-in-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Effectively Handle Chasing Behavior in Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Cars, squirrels, cyclists, skateboarders, cats, and joggers \u2014 they\u2019re all would-be targets. Any one of them could lure a chase-obsessive dog into a potentially dangerous situation. Chasing behavior can also trigger understandably hostile reactions. Some people might see it as aggression when a strange dog comes bounding after them.<\/p>\n<p>Until you can keep your dog from chasing, keep them on a leash in public. At home, make sure your yard is securely fenced with no opportunity for digging under or jumping over.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what you need to know about chasing behavior in dogs.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-causes-of-chasing-behavior-in-dogs\">Causes of chasing behavior in dogs<\/h2>\n<p>Almost all canines are hardwired to chase prey. Without that vital impulse, dogs in the wild would never have had a chance at survival.<\/p>\n<p>Domestic dogs, of course, don\u2019t need to hunt for food, but the instinct remains intact and manifests in some unlikely urges.&nbsp;What would a dog do with a \u201997 Chevy if they caught one anyway?<\/p>\n<p>Some breeds are naturally more prey driven than others. Greyhounds and certain types of terriers are notorious chasers. You must keep these dogs under control with a leash or a fenced-in yard. Make sure that yard is secure, especially if your pup is a known escape artist.<\/p>\n<p>But all of that doesn\u2019t mean that impulse control can\u2019t be learned and sharpened.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-treat-the-problem\">How to treat the problem<\/h2>\n<p>Teaching a dog not to chase takes time and effort. Getting help from a reputable trainer is strongly recommended.<\/p>\n<p>There are, however, steps you can take on your own:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>As with any behavior issue, providing plenty of mental and physical exercise reduces the need for your dog to find their own outlet.<\/li>\n<li>Present alternative means of release. Agility classes are both a fun and effective way to harness your dog\u2019s intense desire to chase. Play fetch with them or toss a Frisbee, and reward them only when they chase appropriate targets. In other words, train them to recognize that the only acceptable prey is the one you throw.<\/li>\n<li>Teach them the command \u201ccome.\u201d This improves impulse control.<\/li>\n<li>Continually add to their repertoire of tricks. The ability to respond to numerous commands helps improve impulse control, and it provides needed mental stimulation.<\/li>\n<li>Establish a no-fail cue word. That is, create a cue that signals to your dog that their very favorite treat is coming their way. Be prepared to deliver should the occasion demand it. For example, if stinky cheese sends them to the moon, cue the word \u201ccheese,\u201d using it only when the most high-value reward is necessary (i.e., they\u2019re about to bolt and have ignored your command to \u201ccome\u201d). Of course, in order for the cue to retain its holding power, you must deliver the reward any time they successfully respond.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-prevent-chasing\">How to prevent chasing<\/h2>\n<p>Establishing a strong foundation of obedience training is critical. Training creates a respectful pet. It also hones impulse control and reinforces their tendency to look to you for guidance.<\/p>\n<p>Teach them \u201ccome\u201d and \u201coff\u201d from the beginning, and make sure they\u2019re well mannered both on and off leash. You should rely on a professional trainer if possible, especially if you\u2019re not an experienced dog parent.<\/p>\n<p>Also, take care to not inadvertently encourage chasing. For example, if your dog runs off with your slippers, don\u2019t chase them. Participating in their game actually rewards the behavior.<\/p>\n<p>The prey drive is an instinctual part of canine behavior. Most dogs love the thrill of the chase. But because the behavior can lead them directly into harm\u2019s way, it\u2019s important to treat it, if not prevent it altogether.<\/p>\n<p>Early, comprehensive training and plenty of exercise are the two most effective tactics.<\/p>\n<div id=\"atatags-2175530721-6695e3e0ed317\"><\/div>\n<p><span id=\"wordads-inline-marker\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div>This post appeared first on dogtime.com<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cars, squirrels, cyclists, skateboarders, cats, and joggers \u2014 they\u2019re all would-be targets. Any one of them could lure a chase-obsessive dog into a potentially dangerous situation. Chasing behavior can also trigger understandably hostile reactions. Some people might see it as aggression when a strange dog comes bounding after them. Until you can keep your dog <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dog-training"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1818"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1818\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailspolis.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}