The Modern Guide to Car Chasing

Calm walks past traffic

One moment your dog is walking nicely, the next they're lunging at a passing car and you're holding on with both hands. Off lead, it can end in tragedy in a second. Car chasing is frightening to live with, and many families stop walking near roads altogether.

This short guide explains why dogs chase, how to read the build-up and how to keep everyone safe while you train. Then it gives you a clear plan: calm watching at a distance, the skills that help when a car appears, and safe chase games that give the urge somewhere to go.

I've been training dogs for over 30 years, and I wrote this the way I'd explain it if we were sat at your kitchen table together.

What's inside

• Why dogs chase: instinct, breed, excitement, fear and frustration

• Reading the build-up and finding your dog's comfort distance

• Safety first: harnesses, leads, lights, GPS trackers, walks, gardens and gates

• Watching traffic calmly: car means treat, and the look back

• Skills that help: hand touch, U-turn, find it and leave it

• A better outlet: flirt pole, fetch and tug with rules, and scent games

• Bikes, joggers, busier roads, setbacks, puppies and when to get help

• The human side: staying calm, near misses, other people and noticing progress

Pages to print and keep

• A distance tracker

• A quick-reference page with the rules

Why this guide is different

• It works on how your dog feels about traffic, as well as stopping the lunge

• It starts at a distance where your dog can actually learn

• It gives the chase a safe outlet instead of trying to switch it off

• It never uses punishment or aversive collars

• It's built on games plus structure, with reward-based training

Who it's for

Families whose dog lunges at or chases cars, bikes or joggers, families with herding breeds, sighthounds or terriers, and anyone raising a puppy from a chasing breed.

What you get

A 43-page PDF and an EPUB in one ZIP file, emailed to you straight after checkout. Read it on your phone, tablet, e-reader or computer, and print the pages at the back.