# Barking & Biting at tires



## ejarvis (Apr 19, 2016)

Hello, this is my first post! I have been reading & soaking up so much information as I am a 1st time GSD owner. I have a 10 month old girl that goes crazy biting at my children's bike tires & my husband's mower tires (don't worry she is not allowed outside when he is actually mowing, but we use to pull wagon for yard work). I understand she is probably herding but it's a safety issue for all involved. My daughter has already fallen off bike trying to avoid hitting her. Any suggestions?


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I do agree with you that her new game is a safety issue and needs to be stopped. I would suggest training her first on the Leave It command. 

This is one method to teach it: https://positively.com/dog-behavior/basic-cues/leave-it/

Once she has learned the command, then put her on her leash, have your husband pull the wagon or your daughter ride her bike. The second she looks like she will charge, say the command. She will probably test and ignore at the beginning. It is important that she not be allowed to charge - you may need to jerk her back into a sit , stand in front of her to block the view-hold that treat in front of her eyes - so she learns that she can't lunge but will get a reward if she behaves. I would do a couple of training sessions daily until she learns to ignore and to keep her on the leash when there are wheels until she is trained. I would also play tug with her (which makes a great reward), be sure she ends up winning, and praise her. That gives her an outlet for her charging and biting.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Hmmm well most likely there are multiple ways of stopping this?? As a core principle I'm not a fan of rewarding a dog for "not" acting like a fool myself! I much prefer to stop a bad behaviour behaviour cold! For this option one for me would be the way I stopped my Basenji from chasing cars decades ago when I was 14??

My Dad was getting ticked off because "Chip" kept chasing the car, it had to stop or he had to go (Chip!) Long story short, I had my Dad drive, I was in the back seat with a bucket of water, Chip sure enough came after the car, I leaned out the window and dosed him with the water, that was the last time Chip ever chased a car ... problem solved. 

An E Collar with a *high level correction* ie "behaviour modification protocol," can achieve the same results, just as quickly if properly timed, so there is that.

Both of these approaches will stop the behavior as I like to say ... "right freaking now" and treat free, the reward as it were is not being "corrected ...again!"

Or if you want to take a "training approach" then train the "Place Command" train that tell the dog "Place" keep a drag leash on her and if she breaks "Place" you can correct her for that! The why does not matter, "Place" for this situation teaches your dog to make good choices! But ... "training" takes more time than "Behaviour" modification" the choice is up to you and the urgency, depends on how bad the problem is and how quickly you want to solve it?? 

"The Place Command" should be "trained" in anycase and you might as well start now. Looks like this:

Fearful, Anxious or Flat Crazy "The Place CommanD - Boxer Forum : Boxer Breed Dog Forums

As always ask questions and welcome aboard.


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