# Skateboarders and other wheeled movement types



## HecklingGopher (Mar 16, 2011)

So, both my dogs seem to get very aggressive/agitated to the sight/sound of skateboard in particular, and motorized scooters to a lesser extent. 

Is this a common problem? It's very frustrating with some of the kids that seemingly try to piss my boys off. They aren't snapping or barking at them, but the common sign that I know something is about to happen is the ears pricked up and turning headlong towards the target. Granted, a correction is always given based on how badly they act out.

Will that aggression or hyper reactivity ever go away? Or is that something in these dogs blood that makes them go crazy at the sight of skateboarders?


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I would get a skateboard and teach my dogs there is nothing wrong with it. I ride a bicycle with the dogs, and I also ride a motorcycle, my dogs actually get happy when they hear a motorcycle, mommys home! Since your anticipating the dogs reaction, they are picking up on your signals creating more of an issue out of it.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

To a dog it must appear weird to see a human gliding past them on a noisey object. 

Is there any way that you could ask one of these kids to help you? I let Dakota sniff the skateboard (my son's), rolled it without him on it and then used him to skate around her. She did not really react so this was a fairly easy exercise for us.

Best bet is to get these kids on your side vs having them delibertly aggitating your dog.


My friend's sheltie reacts to skateboards and rollar blades, but not bikes. He's getting better but she has not made a great efford.


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## SweetSalem (Oct 22, 2010)

We just found out this weekend that Salem goes nuts when our kids ride bikes. She barks and acts like a nut. Last fall when she was much younger it didn't seem to bother her but now at 10 months...the bikes drive her insane. So we are now training on that too.


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

When Penny was younger she was agitated by skateboards. I feel like she just didn't know what they were so she barked at them. I borrowed a skateboard from a friend and spent time with her in the house rolling around on it and teaching her that there was no reason to react to a skateboard. Later when I saw the kids rolling through the neighborhood I asked them to stop so I could show Penny what they were doing and she was fine with it. You just have to socialize them to skateboards like we do to everything else.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Caledon said:


> To a dog it must appear weird to see a human gliding past them on a noisey object.
> 
> Is there any way that you could ask one of these kids to help you? I let Dakota sniff the skateboard (my son's), rolled it without him on it and then used him to skate around her. She did not really react so this was a fairly easy exercise for us.
> 
> ...


Agree with this because it happened to me. Still have the scar to prove it.


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

From what I've been told, the herding breeds have a bit more trouble in this area than other breeds. I'm assuming it's the animation and movement, possibly the sound vibrations as well.

Do you have a skateboard park nearby? That's a good place to do some leash work with those darn kids safely behind a fence.

Alice does fine with skateboards going right past her on a sidewalk; but god help the 7lbs territorially aggressive Yorkie that lives in my neighboorhood. (always in front yard behind four foot chainlink fence)
We end up have a little girl on girl "talk" about the Yorkie. *smacks forehead*


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

PaddyD said:


> Agree with this because it happened to me. Still have the scar to prove it.


I was bitten by a Golden, no less.


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## mel hunter (May 15, 2009)

My male gets very agitated (lunging and barking) at skateboards. I got a skateboard and have worked with him in my driveway...just trying to de-sensitize him to it but have not made lots of progress. Hard to do in the winter because of all the snow (250+ inches a year) so we kind of start over every summer..
Melinda


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Jackson is confused by bikes and skateboards too. The first time he saw a stroller when he was very little he flipped out, he had no idea what that thing was and why the human was walking it like a dog! I think it takes time for some dogs to get used to strange, moving things like that. 

When I see him tensing up, ears forward, I command him: no, HEEL, and pull on his collar. I keep repeating it until he calms down and doesn't react, I need him to focus on ME, which can be VERY difficult. I work on his "heel" command all the time. Inside and outside, and try to make this command a calming one. I do have a prong on him, walk SLOWLY, and use a gentle voice because that's how I want him to react, calmly, when I am commanding him to walk beside me. I use the heel command as a part of NILIF. If he wants to move forward to point B, he better be calm and pay attention to me!

Do you walk the dogs together? If you are having problems with them, I think it would be best to walk them separately, easier control. Also, pay close attention to YOUR reaction when someone is coming. If you slow your pace AT ALL, tense on the leash, give a command in a different tone, etc. Your dog, especially being a GSD, will pick up on that and it will add to the reaction. GSDs are very in tune to body language. I went through this too, and still, my dog reacts to other dogs and people dressed in dark colors on walks. I'm still working on it too, but this is what I have learned so far.


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