Lunging at cars

[nikster76]

We have a 17 month old neutered golden retriever. He's always been a bit unpredictable and in the past we have had issues with resource guarding and snapping that are no longer an issue. He seems to get over excited very easily and we are working on settle on his bed.
Over the past 3 months he's developed a new habit of lunging at cars, buses, trailers etc that is steadily getting worse. I have consulted 2 or 3 trainers who advised me to counter condition by using a clicker and treating - I wonder if it's made cars even more exciting for him? We have been following this advice but he is getting worse and worse. Today he broke free and was almost run over. I honestly don't know what to do now. I don't know what else to try. We need to walk along a road to get to any of the local walks. He refuses to get in the car to be driven to a walk. There is more I can tell you about our living situation, we are having major building work done and the house is quite chaotic. We have 2 teenage boys and a busy household. We have a new trainer coming on Friday to help. Thanks.

I would stop walking him for a few days as it sounds as though he is overstimulated. Use the time to persuade him into the car. Does he go nowhere in it? I would divide his food up and feed him half a dozen times a day next to the car. Then further away with the engine running. Then before he is fed in the morning put a few teaspoons of super-duper reward-type food in his bowl in the back of the car, engine off. Smoked mackerel, tinned sardines, warmed roast chicken, use your imagination and nose! Make it easy for him to get in. See how you get on. I'm not a professional but have had Labs for thirty-odd years.

It all sounds incredibly stressful for him (and you!). Personally I would do the following in the short-term:

• no walks at all for a few days to let all the adrenaline come down (for him and you).
• put him on an escape-proof harness and a collar, clip them both together and and use two leads so that he can't escape and put himself and others in danger.
• walk him at silly times of the day even if it means getting up at 5am. The more you put him in a position where he can lunge and react, the more ingrained the behaviour will become.

Long-term, ditch the trainer and get a proper qualified dog behaviourist. You need to desensitise him to cars but the way to do this isn't just to "click and treat" - it's a lot slower and more complex so you need someone who can see you in person and help you out.

Good luck!

There was an episode of dogs behaving very badly on tv last night on this subject. Turned out the dog thought he needed to protect the owner from the cars and it was a case of showing the dog that the owner didn’t need protection. Calm body language from the owner practising some distance from the main road and working up to getting closer to the road once the dog was fully relaxed.
it’s the episode with Alexandra Burke in it although it was not the bit about her dogs

Thanks so much for all your replies. There's some good things in there. The click and treat method is more involved then I described but its about timing and his awareness of cars but I now think he sees it as a fun game and it just adds to the excitement. He's not reactive to other things like other dogs ( he's super friendly with other dogs) . The trainer I have coming on Friday, I found on IMBT and is well thought of. I will spend the next few days exposing him to our car and boot. Thank you

I spent a year trying to coax my golden retriever into the car thinking she was scared of the car, I tried everything. In the end I just picked her up, put her in, gave her a very stern 'stay' and took her to the beach for a run about. After three times of making her do it she now jumps in. Turns out retrievers are very stubborn and just a little bit manipulative sometimes.

It may not be the same for your dog though, mine certainly wasn't scared. Is he a working golden,