Ok, I need help....grr...(Maggie & Autumn)

Ok, I can't stand it anymore, I'm so scared. I need some help with Maggie and Autumn. Maggie has been to about 3 different obedience classes (each one was about 8 or so session things) and she got REALLY good at listening to commands. She is still pretty good, but, when we got out to the bus in the mornings (dont have my dl yet, so my mom drives us out to the bus cause our drive way is about 1/4 mile long, and it goes right to the highway) and the dogs usually come with. Maggie is really bad at this, but Autumn is a little better. When a car comes by, Maggie will chase it, but, she hides on the opposite side of our car, in which the other car is coming, and when it gets close, she goes running out, and barks at it and chases it. She gets VERY close to it. She doesnt chase it chase it, only for like 10 feet after our drive way, but I close my eyes every time a car comes, cause I'm afraid she is going to get hit. Usually, we end up opening the doors to the car, and holding their collars when we see a car coming. If we dont hold them, even if we yell as loud as possible, niether of them listen. I dont know what to do anymore, I dont want to have to hold thier collars all the time, but we dont have a kennel or anything, our dogs have always been aloud to roam about the farm as they please, but now, they are starting to roam a little TOO far, which leads me to my next problem.... Autumn...

Autumn has never been to an obedience class, and I have tried and tried to train her at home, but it never seems to stick in her head. We dont have obedience classes that I know of until late May, but when they start, Autumn will for sure be going. Autumn is TERRIBLE at coming when I call her. She acts like she is deaf. When I call her, she usually runs the other direction. She also comes out the drive way with us, but she doesnt have much of a problem with chasing cars as she does talking a little "walk". She will run down the highway wherever she wants, and she goes into the neighbors yard (which is about a 1/4 mile away) every day. I yell at her to come back but she hardly ever does. It frustrates me, because it bothers me a lot when other peoples dogs come to our house, but my own dog goes to our neighbors house.

I dont want to risk our dogs getting hit by cars anymore, but I dont know what to do!??! I really dont want to get a kennel and have to lock them up all day, so if I can find a way around it, I'm going to. I really need some help, any suggestions are welcome!! Thanks in advance! :)

bump :confused:

How about leaving them at home? LOL :confused:

Sorry, I hope someone else has some advice for you. That's just what I would do in this situation.

I think people probably aren't saying a lot, because most wouldn't let them roam free to begin with, simply because of the dangers you are stating now. I'm not saying I disagree with how you raise and keep your pups, but, I was just thinking that's probably why you haven't gotten responses. People may not have much advice, besides what you've already stated you really don't want to do, which is kennel them. Is there a way to fence a large area, like portioning off a part of the farm connected to the house, basically fashioning a back yard? or maybe totally fencing the house, front, sides and back? It's a lot of work, time, and money to do that, of course, but, it might be the best thing. And maybe just a kennel until that's done? I don't know how your place is set up, though...anyway, I don't really have any suggestions on how to train them to come when called. I know the standard way of training them, but, you've probably already tried that...where you just get a really long leash, and tons of treats, I used a clicker, too...and, just practice several times a day until they get it right, gradually backing up a few feet, until they're far enough away where you have to yell to get them to come back...but, that's teaching sit and wait, or sit and stay too. good luck and i'm sorry you're not getting much response....like i said, people may just be kinda biting their tongues. ;) you might want to count your blessings, as you know how ugly a thread can turn when people disagree with the way something's being handled. Anyway, I hope you're able to figure something out soon. Good luck, and, just as a reminder, I love your pups. :)

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Originally Posted by finn's mom

I think people probably aren't saying a lot, because most wouldn't let them roam free to begin with, simply because of the dangers you are stating now. I'm not saying I disagree with how you raise and keep your pups, but, I was just thinking that's probably why you haven't gotten responses. People may not have much advice, besides what you've already stated you really don't want to do, which is kennel them. Is there a way to fence a large area, like portioning off a part of the farm connected to the house, basically fashioning a back yard? or maybe totally fencing the house, front, sides and back? It's a lot of work, time, and money to do that, of course, but, it might be the best thing. And maybe just a kennel until that's done? I don't know how your place is set up, though...anyway, I don't really have any suggestions on how to train them to come when called. I know the standard way of training them, but, you've probably already tried that...where you just get a really long leash, and tons of treats, I used a clicker, too...and, just practice several times a day until they get it right, gradually backing up a few feet, until they're far enough away where you have to yell to get them to come back...but, that's teaching sit and wait, or sit and stay too. good luck and i'm sorry you're not getting much response....like i said, people may just be kinda biting their tongues. ;) you might want to count your blessings, as you know how ugly a thread can turn when people disagree with the way something's being handled. Anyway, I hope you're able to figure something out soon. Good luck, and, just as a reminder, I love your pups. :)

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I agree.

I have no idea what to do in your situation except fencing them in. I had an outside dog once who always chased cars and got hit many times, never really bad though. She ended up with horrible arthritis by the time she was 6. I would do something about this now, before your dogs end up getting hit. Good luck.

Thanks Kari, I guess your right, about not a lot of people agreeing with the fact that our dogs aren't tied or kenneled. I guess before joining here, I never new differently. I dont know of any dogs, at ALL, that are kenneled or tied. We live way out in the country, and all the close towns are small, so everybody knows everybody, and its just quiet usually, I guess. My parents would never let us fence in the yard, or get a kennel. (We are moving across the country in a year or two, so I dont think they would let me spend my money on that :o :rolleyes: ) My grandpa, who lives in a trailer house in our yard, LOVES animals and he doesn't like it if we put the dogs on leashes :rolleyes: :o. So he would NEVER EVER let us put them in a kennel all day long. My mom suggested tieing them up when we leave, and having my dad untie them a little later, when we are all long gone, so that they wouldn't have a reason to go out the road. The dogs dont usually leave the yard, unless I go running, or we go out to the bus, ect. I hope we can figure something out soon, and thanks again!!

If they are not good off-leash, then either keep them on a leash at all times, or don't bring them at all. I'm sorry but that's really the only option you have.

Not only that, but have you thought of purchasing a seatbelt harness for them, or a crate to use while driving? It keeps them restrained while driving and also can help protect them in an accident.

Hmm.. I'm starting to sense that you all don't get this.... no offence, my first post is a little misleading...

We dont "bring them with", they run out the driveway every morning with us when we go to meet the bus. They ONLY run out when we are going to meet the bus, never when we are just going to town or something. . .

My goal is to get them to just stay in the yard when we drive to the end of the driveway to wait for the bus. I dont want them to run out their while we sit there.

They need to be contained so they do not follow you, or trained not to follow you. You don't need to kennel them or tie them up. Just stick them in the house until the bus leaves. Or teach them stay, so that they do not follow the car. You are right, it is a very scary and possibly dangerous situation. Not only may they get hurt, but they may cause an accident, where a person is injured. Your family may then be liable for any damages or injuries because you did not contain your dogs. I hope you find an answer to your problem.

This sounds pretty dangerous. My Rosie was killed by a truck right in front of my house, it's not a pretty sight to loose a dog that way. We have huskies and keep them fenced or on leads at all times, because the breed roams. I would suggest you do likewise, or invest in some underground fencing to keep them safely near the house. If they're allowed to run free, it's only a matter of time, IMO.

I would consider a fence or something. Maybe leave them inside while you're waiting for the bus? I don't know...I personally would never allow my dogs to do that...if they did that everytime I waited for the bus, then they would be locked up for their own safty. You should work them a little bit at a time when you're around, or when you know they won't/can't go anywhere. If they someday learn now to follow you, then you can maybe keep them out off lead...

My dogs aren't always reliable offleash. I allow them to run offleash, so long as it is away from any road.

I'm sorry if I'm still misunderstanding this.

Thanks you guys. I apologize to all that got a little mixed up. I think we are going to start putting them in the house, or tieing them up before we leave, so that they can't go out to the highway, and my dad can let them out/ untie them later. Thank you for all the ideas! :D You all are such a tremedous help.