Dogs Chasing/barking At Motorbikes

[girlx]

i have sort of adopted (started feeding) 2 grown dogs who were previously street dogs. i had some problems with them early on (eating neighbors chickens/rabbits, dragging out trash, following me and starting fights in the neighborhood, etc.). most of those have resolved as they have become well fed and comfortable... the one problem i still have is that whenever a thai person drives into our soi, the dogs run after them growling and barking and chase them away. it scares the crap out of the thais and they have threatened to shoot the dogs. i have tried screaming at them, throwing rocks at them, etc. and nothing works so far. is there any other way to stop them that anyone knows of?

[elfe]

as you have so many problems with your dogs i think it's really time to build a fence around your place... obedience training helps as well, but takes a lot of time and effort especially as they were grown already when you took them. your dogs defend their territory which is a normal behaviour, also some dogs do this sport out of boredom. for the safety of your dogs and by-passers, keep them secure...

[sceadugenga]

I live in a medium size village where dogs who chase motorbikes seem to disappear fairly quickly. I suppose it eventually gets rid of the "motorbike chasing" gene.

They save their chasing for "fat Farang walking small dog on a lead".

[girlx]

hmm besides a fence which is not practical for where i am, is there some way someone knows of training them? if nothing else i can muzzle them and see how that goes.

[JimmyTheMook]

hmm besides a fence which is not practical for where i am, is there some way someone knows of training them? if nothing else i can muzzle them and see how that goes.

There was dog like this down the street from me , chased even little kids walking past.

The dog has since been poisoned.

[November Rain]

girlx,

You can't really muzzle them all the time. How will they pant or drink - both necessary in this heat? If you can't build a fence around your property, can you build a smaller pen or compound where you can keep them during the day (or whatever period most motorbikes are around)?

[elfe]

one of my dogs has to wear a muzzle all the time as when he's in the mood he likes to bite others and injure them. i got a muzzle with which he can drink, eat and even chew on bones! here's a pic

this doesn't solve the chasing problem though, and unattended dogs can get tangled or strangulated when playing or in bushes etc. also people can get hold easier of your dogs and kill them!

[November Rain]

Mmmm, muzzling wouldn't stop a dog getting in front of a bike or getting under the wheels & causing an accident. That's exactly how we got 2 of our dogs. They caused a motorbike accident, by chasing (damage only, no-one hurt) were threatened with poisoning so the partial owners brought them to us. The worst part in their case was the owners had encouraged them to follow them on their bikes & of course, the dogs couldn't differentiate between OK to chase & not OK to chase!

Looks like a good muzzle, elfe!

[chubbly]

It depends on the temperament of the specific dogs, but it is possible that a loud noise will discourage them. If you have the time, you can borrow, or ride your own bike (get someone else to do it for you) and as soon as the dogs get to close, or start the chase, make a loud bang, something like popping a balloon etc, if this works and the dog returns to you, you need to immediately reward it. Hopefully the dog will associate bikes with noises it doesn't like. If the dog gets too used to this, you can try water, same idea just as well as a bang throw water at the dog as well. A friend of mine in the uk conditioned her dog to leave the postman alone by a variation of the above

[sbk]

chubbly has a good suggestion. But, if possible, get a Thai person unfamiliar to your dog to help you out.

[Macx]

It's very sweet of you to feed the strays (it breaks my heart to see starving dogs/cats too), but if they harm a local, you might find yourself charged as the owner of the strays.

I used to get chased by one particularly large and nasty dog. Once he even crashed into my bicycle and I nearly went down going 25km/hr. One day, I brought along a pepper spray canister and slowed down so he could catch me. And then I gave him a good blast in the face with it. He hasn't bother me since except with the angry barking from a distance.

A similar technique might prove helpful. Good luck.

[MsFigure]

i have sort of adopted (started feeding) 2 grown dogs who were previously street dogs. i had some problems with them early on (eating neighbors chickens/rabbits, dragging out trash, following me and starting fights in the neighborhood, etc.). most of those have resolved as they have become well fed and comfortable... the one problem i still have is that whenever a thai person drives into our soi, the dogs run after them growling and barking and chase them away. it scares the crap out of the thais and they have threatened to shoot the dogs. i have tried screaming at them, throwing rocks at them, etc. and nothing works so far. is there any other way to stop them that anyone knows of?

While it's nice to see that you've adopted these 2 soi dogs, part of that responsibilty should now include responsible dog ownership. This includes keeping them behind an enclosure on your property to protect them from themselves and from outside factors. By your own admission, these dogs are a nuisance to the public and one day they will cause either an accident, bite a person or attack the wrong the dog - so please don't shocked to do one day see something bad happen to these dogs.

Di

[girlx]

yeah i have had lots of problems with lots of street dogs since i moved here, been through dozens of them- but most of the problems resolve themselves in time without drastic measures such as my neighbors killing the dogs... the more comfortable and well taken care of they are the more docile they become (amazing the thais haven't figured that out). my neighbors are surprisingly patient actually, but they realize what i am up against and i think they are happy that i am taking care of some of the more troublesome dogs as they now leave them alone, other than this... good idea about conditioning the dogs with water or even pepper spray in the face- i will try that. otherwise yeah i am fully aware of the bad things that can happen to dogs around here, and for the most part i have to let nature take its course as i have not raised them since puppies. ce la vie.

[bina]

girl

get ahold of macb, pm him; if u condition the dogs by using water guns etc tthat they see, then they will only leave people on bikes with water guns alone...

the noise/waterpepper whatever has to come from source that is associated with BIKES not a particular person on a bike. the best method is putting dog on long lead and every single time a car or bike goes by, he gets recalled to u, gets a toy or tasty treat etc. and then never never never let off lead to chase even once. its like a drug for them, this chasing behavior, because chasing is a natural instinct in all basic dogs (not specialized pure bred types) so i t is very easy to reinforce the chase habit. with soi dogs, if u cant put them on lead, fence them.!!!!

i did a complete explanation a while ago on this forum in answer to someone as i had a boxer that was a chaser and would jump in to moving pickup trucks also. it took me a year of work, and then he was never allowed off lead near any moving vehicle, if i even heard a car he was back at heel and on lead so that he was not reinforced again. its the same with chicken chasing... hard to break .

and yes, u can teach them to follow only u on a bike; using heel or follow me as the command. when not told to follow me or heel, then the dog doesnt go with u on the bike. friends of mine use this on two mixed dogs, when on bike trips.

A your dogs are many and your time is few, then preventive methods are easier than cures at this time. when u have time, work on the dogs that seem 'worth' working with first; the leader forinstance .once u succeed with one or two u will find the methods and gain experience/also, if a few dont chase, the others might not go racing off as far, as they want to stay together.

the others keep fenced or tied. and never let the re trained dogs have a chance to chase again. its like alcohol or drugs, one small taste, and you are back to the beginning again.

look on net for ideas too.

edit: realized that its two that are problematic. well , easier to deal with. work on the more difficult dog (the dominant of the two). whatever he/she does the other will ususally follow. when u arent araound, crate them, tie them up, fence them in. when u are around, keep them on lead, or dominant one on lead, and be persistant and consistant. use tasty treats all the time. it has to be worth their while to stay near u and not chase and have fun.

good luck

bina

Edited April 19, 2007 by bina

[seagull]

i have sort of adopted (started feeding) 2 grown dogs who were previously street dogs. i had some problems with them early on (eating neighbors chickens/rabbits, dragging out trash, following me and starting fights in the neighborhood, etc.). most of those have resolved as they have become well fed and comfortable... the one problem i still have is that whenever a thai person drives into our soi, the dogs run after them growling and barking and chase them away. it scares the crap out of the thais and they have threatened to shoot the dogs. i have tried screaming at them, throwing rocks at them, etc. and nothing works so far. is there any other way to stop them that anyone knows of?

What? you screamed and threw rocks at the thais, and still it does not work?

Alright alright, I know, I will move along to other topics and stay out of this.

[helicoptor]

Same answer I would give regarding Pedo's - Castrate Them

[sbk]

Chasing motorbikes isn't a sexual aggression issue, I don't believe. Neutering the dogs wouldn't necessarily cure this problem.

[helicoptor]

Chasing motorbikes isn't a sexual aggression issue, I don't believe. Neutering the dogs wouldn't necessarily cure this problem.

Granted, but I would argue its a relatively safe bet as castrating male animals such as dogs and the like, significantly reduces aggression, sexual or otherwise

[bina]

heli,

read very carefully what i wrote;

castrating will not change a thing. it is a habit. this habit is fun. they get a reward/gratification from their chasing. only training or prevention will change this.

girls x please read what i wrote in my post a page or so back, before it gets lost in the next few answers that arent relavant...

bina

(having said all that i am now taking my own advic., my boxer bitch just chased a small dog and knock the owner over causing slight injuries and anger; this after two years of working with the boxer and she was doing fine about dog aggression etc. ; our new additon to the family (the lhasa apso pup) must have knocked her out of kilter. BACK TO SQUARE ONE IN HER TRAINING. SHE IS NOT ALLOWED OFF LEASH. EVER. UNLESS IN THE HOUSE. starting today.)

[Toni]

hmm besides a fence which is not practical for where i am, is there some way someone knows of training them? if nothing else i can muzzle them and see how that goes.

the answer of elfe is the only sensible answer according to my opinion! But needs a specialist to help you out and to train. I can remember there was somebody who offered a dog-training in BKK on Sundays but I do not remember where. Might be it was somebody of "Soi Dog Rescue" who are the only ones having a lot of experience with these kind of dogs and their behavior.

Even when you get puppies from somebody or from a Soi Dog they most likely have already certain behavior which they got instinctively from the parents. I experienced this with a puppy rescued from a nest in the field from a roaming dog in Spain and now here I got 2 Thai ridged back puppies who were right away aggressive to other dogs, even to puppy-dogs, which is not normal.

Try to do something for the sake of the dogs before they are getting poisoned !

[November Rain]

hmm besides a fence which is not practical for where i am, is there some way someone knows of training them? if nothing else i can muzzle them and see how that goes.

the answer of elfe is the only sensible answer according to my opinion! But needs a specialist to help you out and to train. I can remember there was somebody who offered a dog-training in BKK on Sundays but I do not remember where. Might be it was somebody of "Soi Dog Rescue" who are the only ones having a lot of experience with these kind of dogs and their behavior. Even when you get puppies from somebody or from a Soi Dog they most likely have already certain behavior which they got instinctively from the parents. I experienced this with a puppy rescued from a nest in the field from a roaming dog in Spain and now here I got 2 Thai ridged back puppies who were right away aggressive to other dogs, even to puppy-dogs, which is not normal.

Try to do something for the sake of the dogs before they are getting poisoned !

Pardon? Much as I agree that SDR have a wealth of experience & do a fantastic job & I think they are absolutely wonderful, I think you have been a bit harsh to others with this statement. Just on this forum we have Nienke, bina & macb. Elfe has a lot of experience too. BambinA is consistently on hand to offer expert advice.

Then you have the other dog orgs in Thailand; in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ratchaburi, Samui, Koh Phangan...etc etc. All have experience with difficult canine behaviour.

[Toni]

hmm besides a fence which is not practical for where i am, is there some way someone knows of training them? if nothing else i can muzzle them and see how that goes.

the answer of elfe is the only sensible answer according to my opinion! But needs a specialist to help you out and to train. I can remember there was somebody who offered a dog-training in BKK on Sundays but I do not remember where. Might be it was somebody of "Soi Dog Rescue" who are the only ones having a lot of experience with these kind of dogs and their behavior. Even when you get puppies from somebody or from a Soi Dog they most likely have already certain behavior which they got instinctively from the parents. I experienced this with a puppy rescued from a nest in the field from a roaming dog in Spain and now here I got 2 Thai ridged back puppies who were right away aggressive to other dogs, even to puppy-dogs, which is not normal.

Try to do something for the sake of the dogs before they are getting poisoned !

Pardon? Much as I agree that SDR have a wealth of experience & do a fantastic job & I think they are absolutely wonderful, I think you have been a bit harsh to others with this statement. Just on this forum we have Nienke, bina & macb. Elfe has a lot of experience too. BambinA is consistently on hand to offer expert advice.

Then you have the other dog orgs in Thailand; in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ratchaburi, Samui, Koh Phangan...etc etc. All have experience with difficult canine behaviour.

I am very sorry when somebody is feeling like that! I am not very experienced with all the people you mentioned and I just responded: "the answer of elfe is the only sensible answer according to my opinion!" as nobody reacted at that answer and I just gave my experience of a lot of animal care we did in Spain. Also concerning training.

I think you overreact a bit because not everybody can know histories, names and their back-grounds in this Forum, rescue-centers you name it. I just mentioned one which came in my mind. MEA CULPA!

[hecky]

Chasing motorbikes isn't a sexual aggression issue, I don't believe. Neutering the dogs wouldn't necessarily cure this problem.

the dog i take care of has been castrated but still chases Thai's on motorbike. last week he went under a car survivied that cured him..........for a week

it must be about the treatment they get as youngsters from Thai males, he never chases Farangs.

[chubbly]

Ok! don't shoot the messanger, but there is another potential solution...see attached links. Am of the option that a combination of training and positive reinforcement is necessary, but shock treatment worked for Pavlov.

http://www.k9magazine.com/viewarticle.php?...id=0&npage=

http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsea...CFQ-Wbgod9GwtHw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov

I'm not expressing an option on this, just offering it up as an option. Hopeful with a combination of some of the answers listed the solution may present itself.

Chubbly

[elfe]

i don't see a reason why you should let pets roam free and be a danger to themselves and others, only because this is thailand and it is a common sight here. if you care for your pet keep it safe, amen.

[November Rain]

hmm besides a fence which is not practical for where i am, is there some way someone knows of training them? if nothing else i can muzzle them and see how that goes.

the answer of elfe is the only sensible answer according to my opinion! But needs a specialist to help you out and to train. I can remember there was somebody who offered a dog-training in BKK on Sundays but I do not remember where. Might be it was somebody of "Soi Dog Rescue" who are the only ones having a lot of experience with these kind of dogs and their behavior. Even when you get puppies from somebody or from a Soi Dog they most likely have already certain behavior which they got instinctively from the parents. I experienced this with a puppy rescued from a nest in the field from a roaming dog in Spain and now here I got 2 Thai ridged back puppies who were right away aggressive to other dogs, even to puppy-dogs, which is not normal.

Try to do something for the sake of the dogs before they are getting poisoned !

Pardon? Much as I agree that SDR have a wealth of experience & do a fantastic job & I think they are absolutely wonderful, I think you have been a bit harsh to others with this statement. Just on this forum we have Nienke, bina & macb. Elfe has a lot of experience too. BambinA is consistently on hand to offer expert advice.

Then you have the other dog orgs in Thailand; in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ratchaburi, Samui, Koh Phangan...etc etc. All have experience with difficult canine behaviour.

I am very sorry when somebody is feeling like that! I am not very experienced with all the people you mentioned and I just responded: "the answer of elfe is the only sensible answer according to my opinion!" as nobody reacted at that answer and I just gave my experience of a lot of animal care we did in Spain. Also concerning training.

I think you overreact a bit because not everybody can know histories, names and their back-grounds in this Forum, rescue-centers you name it. I just mentioned one which came in my mind. MEA CULPA!

My response was to the sentence I had highlighted in your post "Soi Dog Rescue who are the only ones having a lot of experience with these kind of dogs and their behaviour", not to any other part of it (that's why I highlighted it). If you have no knowledge of other organisations or members of the forum, then you should not state that one particular organisation is the "only" one with relevant experience, as you don't know that to be true.

[Tim207]

i have sort of adopted (started feeding) 2 grown dogs who were previously street dogs. i had some problems with them early on (eating neighbors chickens/rabbits, dragging out trash, following me and starting fights in the neighborhood, etc.). most of those have resolved as they have become well fed and comfortable... the one problem i still have is that whenever a thai person drives into our soi, the dogs run after them growling and barking and chase them away. it scares the crap out of the thais and they have threatened to shoot the dogs. i have tried screaming at them, throwing rocks at them, etc. and nothing works so far. is there any other way to stop them that anyone knows of?

I have seen dogs around the village with things like bicycle sprokets on a collar around their necks. It seemed like a strange thing so I asked about it. I was told that iyt keeps the dogs from chasing things. When they try to run the sproket will bang on their chest and be very annoying/uncomfortable. Once broken of the chasing habit you can remove the sproket. If you can't picture what I am talking about, picture a necklace with a large pendant hanging from it. It looks cruel but it is far better than causing accidents or being poisoned.

[bina]

that last is actually a good idea; the only problem is weaning the dog off the thing hanging around their neck... as once again they associate one thing with an other... i guess its along the lines of hanging a dead chicken around a chicken chasing dog.

its a deterrent, not a cure... but it might be worth a try...

using shock collars: again, most dogs learn to associate the collar with the shock so once u remove the collar, then back to square one (just like a working dog learns that the harness/vest means he's on duty for attack/guard/search, and a regular collar means he's 'off duty'; or a stud dog knows that short lead rope is for 'work' and the other leash is for 'off duty' (even stud dogs dont screw everything that moves if they are trained properly!).

[Phil Conners]

I don't know how you should deal with YOUR dogs, I'd suggest, as others, you keep them in or put them down.

I find a sharp blow of a stick generally takes out their fighting will, in fact, I have noticed that alone having a stick seems to scare the carp out of Thai soi dogs so I'm probably not the only one using this deterrent.

[Nienke]

i have sort of adopted (started feeding) 2 grown dogs who were previously street dogs. i had some problems with them early on (eating neighbors chickens/rabbits, dragging out trash, following me and starting fights in the neighborhood, etc.). most of those have resolved as they have become well fed and comfortable... the one problem i still have is that whenever a thai person drives into our soi, the dogs run after them growling and barking and chase them away. it scares the crap out of the thais and they have threatened to shoot the dogs. i have tried screaming at them, throwing rocks at them, etc. and nothing works so far. is there any other way to stop them that anyone knows of?

Hi girlx,

First of all, as is mentioned already, altering the dogs will not change the chase behavior as it is learned behavior. On the other hand, altering does prevent unwanted litters as your dogs are free to roam the street (if I understand it well. But I assume you are fully aware of that.) and it might cool the dogs down in their territorial behavior.

Solving chase behavior like this needs a lot of time, effort and patience (especially as they are adult dogs and probably have shown the behavior already longer than several weeks), during which to all costs any chase behavior should be prevented, meaning that these two dogs need to be penned, crated or chained up. In the confined area the dogs should not have any possibilty to show barrier frustration with passers-by or passing vehicles.

Then you need to gain strong off-lead non-physical leadership over both dogs through positive re-inforcement training and by adjusting your own behavior towards them, that is attention-giving goes on your terms only and in limited amounts. Furthermore, food petting or any other interaction will only be given after they have followed up a one-word (and said only once) command.

Once that is established, you can start re-conditioning this behavior. First off-lead you train for full attention for you when walking 'on heel', sit, down stay etc., when a car, motor-bike or person is on far distance. Always reward for good behavior, that is full attention for you. especially praise the dog into heaven, when he looks at the vehicle or person and then turns its attention back to you YES: Click-treat!!!! Big treat.

be aware of the border-line. This is the line that the dog still can handle, does the vehicle of person goes over this line the attention of the dog for you is gone. Keep on training untill the dog responses well at least 15 times in a row, but over a couple of training sessions. Then move the border-line a little towards the dog, this can be only 1 or 2 meter, or sometimes even less, depending on the dog. Step-by-little step you can have this border-line come closer and closer untill the vehicle can pass without the dog loosing its attention for you.

Always reward the dog for good behavior and reward many times. That can be every meter or every few seconds in the beginning. be carefull though, that you use the (preferable) food treat as a reward and not as a lure.

Wish you good luck,

nienke