Teaching road safety to your pooch is important. Even if you keep him on the leash, there are many ways a dog can create an issue. Sometimes, dogs are afraid of cars on the road, and they may react by barking, pouncing forward, or running away.
What Will I Learn?
Why Do Animals Run in Front of Cars
This is not only for dogs but also for all animals. About 250,000 animals are killed by cars in the United States every year. Most of these animals run in front of the vehicles.
They do it because dogs don’t understand movement. It is their defense mechanism that was developed millions of years ago when they were hunted. They see these loud and fast vehicles as a threat. And, they will try to stand still to make themselves blend in with the surroundings.
How to Teach a Dog to Be Road Smart
There are some methods that can help your dog to be road smart.
Using the sidewalk
Some dogs cannot understand that vehicles are moving. They always seem to think about how to get off the sidewalk. You cannot keep them from running around. One way to avoid it is by training them to walk and wait on the sidewalk with the help of their favorite treats.
Waiting and coming with you
When you cross a road with your dog, irrespective of the traffic, train your dog to sit and wait with you until you give him the “okay” or the “come” command. You can also use the “down” or “stay” command until you want them to follow your lead.
Another use of the “come” command is when your dog is distracted and doing something in the middle of the road. No matter what you think, how good your dog is, always make sure that he comes when you call him by giving him treats and praising him.
Free-roaming
This is a crazy but effective way to make your dog understand the horrors of the road. Allow him to walk on the street in traffic but be with him all the time. Sometimes, it can lead to terrible accidents.
Some dogs will start to fear cars, some will never learn, and some will even run in front of the vehicles. So, be on your guard when doing this.
Call me by my name
Naming your dog and teaching him to respond to it will be the foundation for your healthy relationship with your dog. If you have trained your dog well, he will respond to you anytime, anywhere.
And when you call him by his name when he is in the middle of the road, he will come to you.
Leave it and drop it
Dogs will be so excited to uncover things that they don’t know, especially things on the road. Train your dog to follow the command “leave it.” Instead, keep him occupied by playing with him and giving treats. You can do tricks like balancing a treat on his nose.
Similarly, dogs will start eating anything they see or find on the road. Prevent this by with the “drop it” command. If you leave him to eat, it may cause stomach aches or even more severe issues.
Learning by experience
You can take your dog outside and ask someone to drive a car or bicycle near him, close enough for him to know the moving vehicle is a threat. He will start to fear crossing streets. You can see some dogs, who once got hit by a car, stay close to their owners and not leaving their owners’ side when they go out into traffic.
Avoid contact with strangers
Some strangers will come directly to your dog and try to talk to him. You can let them. But, some will try to give him a treat. You cannot trust a person you don’t know. He/she may have poisoned the treat.
Dogs sense training
Another thing to train is your dog’s sense of smell. By sensing the scent of something, he can avoid it if it is bad. One of the funniest ways to train your dog is by playing hide-and-seek. You can hide somewhere and make him find you with your scent.
Playing hide-and-seek will not only help to protect himself but also to find you on a busy road. Another game to play is finding the treat. Hide treats and wait for him to find them. Playing these two games will enhance his sense of smell.
How to Train Your Dog to Run Beside a Bike
Despite the horrors on the streets, you need to take your dog outside. It helps him to socialize with others and have some fun. There are two things you can do – take him for a ride in a bike trailer or have him run alongside your bike.
This will help both you and your dog get some exercise. First, ride your bike slowly with your dog on a leash. Let him walk leisurely beside you. During the break, reward him with some treats and praise him a lot. Gradually, speed up to moderate speed.