Dog suddenly seems to be scared of cars?

[Phaser]

Just wondering if any dog owners have heard of this or might be able to give me an idea whats up

Had my dog 2 years now, got him from the RSPCA centre when he was around 18 months old. Cross between a German Sheppard and something else, maybe a Collie.

Anyway, he's always been fine with cars but the last week or so everytime one drives past he'll stop and stare at it until it goes past, gets that frozen look in his eyes like he's scared. Especially worse with cars with loud exhausts/vans etc. He still goes in our car a few times a week without problems, just jumps straight in.

Thought he might have ran out into the road and nearly been hit or something when my Dad took him out the other night, I asked him and he said nothing happened, but he'd also noticed that he seemed scared when cars drove past.

Is it worth ringing the vet or something?

 

[Dogoid]

i don't know what a vet can do, they are not dog shrinks.

it does sound like your dog has had a bad experience involving a car, thats what i assumed when i first read topic.

it could just be a bad dream he has remembered involving a car.

they only thing you can do is wait, your dog will eventually get over this.

 

[hargi]

phaser, if you have sky watch the dog wisperer.
and try taking a few techniques from him.
Is he scared of the cars or the noise?
Hope he gets better soon though, nothing worse then a scared dog.

 

[33L]

my dog got hit by a car and had his jaw bent. he was quite astrong dog. He survived but crapped himself everytime the gates open and would run to the back of the house after the accident.

It sounds like you dog has had a near miss and just being cautious as he probably has learnt to fear/respect cars.

 

[wordy]

Don't know why he's doing it, but one thing I'd say is while he's acting scared don't fuss him or praise him in any way, he'll think that acting scared will get praise/attention and do it more.

 

[Beans on toast Dave]

take him next to a busy road, make him sit and give him loads of fuss, do this a few times, maybe it would help?

 

[hargi]

take him next to a busy road, make him sit and give him loads of fuss, do this a few times, maybe it would help?

Be carfull with this, try to get him calm and distract him from the cars, only when he is then fuss him.
You dont want to reward him (fuss give him treats) for the behaviour you dont want. so only do this when he is calm.

We did this with our dog who was scared of fireworks when he was in the house, if he heard one he would pace up and down and whine and all, its really hard to ignore him when hes like this but if you just act normally he eventyally settled down and then thats when he got the treats.

 

[Dogoid]

taking him out in a car might help

 

[B@Th*nG]

Don't know why he's doing it, but one thing I'd say is while he's acting scared don't fuss him or praise him in any way, he'll think that acting scared will get praise/attention and do it more.

seconded! ignore him completely while he's doing this and he'll soon get the idea that cars are quite normal. say nothing to them at all and do not look at them.

B@Th*nG

 

[FTM]

phaser, if you have sky watch the dog wisperer.
and try taking a few techniques from him.
Is he scared of the cars or the noise?
Hope he gets better soon though, nothing worse then a scared dog.

I have watched this a couple of times...he makes it look so easy!

 

[AHarvey]

I also have a german shepard/collie cross (so the vet says), he is an average sized dog, short hair with shephard colours and he suffered with the same thing. Although to be fair, he isn't right in the head at all.

He is needy all day and loves to jump on the g/f's knee for a cuddle, but after about 10pm he is a different dog. Just curls up somewhere, won't come when called and you can't cuddle him. If I go an lie with him or put my arms around him he, well its not a growl, imagine a dog purring, its more like that but it isn't good. One of the many things I am trying to sort with this one.

Put his collar high up around his nexk, just under his ears and whenever he stops just lift his front feet off the floor and carry on walking, as soon as he starts to walk lower him. Don't say anything to him. This technique works very well with those dogs that don't like to be walked and usually get dragged

 

[dan653]

unlikely if he still travels in your car but could be an ear infection causing a higher sensitivity to noise is it just the noise of a car (and other loud harsh noises) or actually seeing a car