How to train an active, hard-headed dog to stop chasing livestock?

If the entire family can't be consistent in Zach's training it's going to be a tough battle getting him to follow rules. You need to first get your family on board with training as a whole before any big changes can be made. I would also talk to a trainer in your area who can be there in person, or enroll in a basic obedience class together so that you can start working on proper leash walking behaviors in addition to helping him calm down in a more structured environment. If the two dogs start to fight, separating them for a while before reintroducing is best, as well as making sure they aren't together without supervision. For the herding, that is a natural instinct in herding breeds and is something you probably won't be able to train out.

You can fence in your property or a small section for your dog. A tie out with a long lead can also work for exercise. Lastly, leash walking and correcting the behavior immediately may help. Walk with him by the horses regularly so he becomes acclimated to their presence. Be patient and be consistent.

Use plenty of positive reinforcement. Reward only good behaviors, correct negative behavior immediately. A head harness such as the Gentle Leader or Halti can be used to prevent pulling and to quickly correct negative behavior. To ignore distracts, she will have to be acclimated and desensitized to each one gradually. Expose her to one distraction for ever increasing periods of time until it no longer bothers her. Use praise and rewards as she progresses. Be firm and be consistent, above all, be patient.

Zeke is a very handsome guy! I see that he looks like an Australian Shepherd or a Border Collie. It's very common for herding breeds to try and chase fast-moving objects like cars. To address this problem, you will need to start with Zeke on a leash at a distance from the road. You need to be far enough away that is able to notice the cars going by without reacting - this may mean you need a *lot* of distance at first, depending on how sensitive he is. Each time a car goes by, praise and reward him with a treat for staying calm. When he's doing well with this, you can gradually begin moving closer to the road, one step at a time. If he gets too excited and tries to chase, just move further away until he can be calm, and work your way closer again. Eventually, with practice, he should be able to stand calmly with you on the sidewalk even with cars driving by a few feet away. It's also important to keep Zeke on-leash or in a safely enclosed area at all times, to prevent him from practicing his car chasing behavior outside of training sessions. It can be challenging to do this on your own in some cases, so if you're still having trouble, I would recommend finding a good reward-based trainer who can work with you in person. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

Hi there! Many dogs are highly aroused by movement and have a tendency to chase cars. What your trainer recommended - teaching your dog to do something else, such as sit or look at you, for a treat instead of lunging after the car - is indeed the best approach, and it's what I recommend as well. I would NOT use a shock collar, as this has a high risk of causing other behavioral issues such as aggression or anxiety, and will not do anything to teach your dog what you want him to do instead. Practice at a distance at first where he can be successful (which may need to be a long way from the road, at first), and praise and reward him with a treat for sitting calmly or looking up at you whenever a car passes by. As he gets better at this, you will be able to gradually move closer to the road until eventually he can do it even when the cars are very close by. You could also consider a Gentle Leader head halter to give you better physical control of him and help prevent lunging, if you need something that will work quickly while you're still working on training him.

Finding a high-value treat that your dogs enjoy can help increase focus. Most trainers will use freeze-dried liver or bits of chicken or hot dog as most dogs really enjoy those. Practicing focus with a long-leash of 20-30 feet can also help you "reel in" Orion when he becomes too distracted during training. Be sure to reward whenever he pays attention to you. Teaching something such as "Focus" or "Look at Me" (YouTube has lots of tutorials on these) can also help give you a way to direct your dog's attention back to you.

You can set up a situation with some friends to discourage Arlo from chasing cars. Have them go by with a driver, and a passenger behind the driver. As Arlo gets close to the car, have the passenger squirt him in the face. You might have to add a little bit of hot sauce, lemon juice or vinegar to the water. This may have to be repeated several times, with different cars, until Arlo gets the idea that chasing cars is no longer fun. Recognizing that a Border Collie naturally chases things, it is still possible to train him not to so that you don't have to resort to the suggestion above. If he is food motivated, you might try distracting him with food as a car approaches and rewarding him for leaving it alone. If he has not been to an obedience class, I would strongly suggest that as well. If you have further questions, you can click on the prompt to inititate a consult. Good luck with this!