He puts a smile on your face as soon as you walk through the door. He’s the only member of the family that always looks happy to see you. He’s playful, courageous and always up for a cuddle on the sofa in the evenings. However, because of his small stature, you worry about your little dog, especially near roads. He doesn’t seem to grasp the seriousness of staying away from cars. In fact, he actively tries to play and run around when he’s near them. This needs to stop and now.
Training your small dog to stay away from cars could well save his life. Not to mention, if he causes an accident someone else could suffer a serious injury. In addition, this type of training will reinforce your position as pack leader and instill some much-needed discipline. That discipline could then be used to tackle other bad habits too.
Training a small dog to stay away from cars is thankfully pretty straightforward. While you won’t be able to convey to him how dangerous cars are, you will be able to take a number of steps to deter him getting too close to them. You will also need to incentivize him to stay close by your side while near roads. In fact, if you can teach him to walk calmly by your side when out of the house, this will be the most effective way to keep him safe when cars are around.
If he’s a puppy he should be a fast learner and eager to please. This means you could see results in just a week or so. However, if he’s older and this habit has been developing for many years, then you may need several weeks to fully fix the problem. Succeed and you’ll never have to panic again when you see a car approaching and your little dog is some distance from you.
Before you get to work, you’ll need to get your hands on a few bits. A deterrence collar and a water spray bottle will be needed for one of the methods. You will also need to stock up on tasty treats. Alternatively, break his favorite food into small pieces.
A short training leash will also be required. Then set aside 15 minutes or so each day for training. You’ll need a nearby road to train near. Try to avoid really busy roads to start with.
Once you have all that, just bring patience and an optimistic attitude, then work can begin!