# Chasing the school bus



## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

How do I get my sheltie to stop chasing the school bus every morning? I have a large fenced in yard, he is chasing the bus but is in the fence. He barks and barks and just goes crazy! and then sometimes he will redirect his aggression at my other dog, running over to her and knocking her down!
she is fine, it doesnt hurt her feelings at all, but i hate to see him doing that!

oh, and if we are out for a walk and he even hears a bus he will wrap me up in leashes and trip me if i do not watch out. he really really wants to get that bus. its all i can do to hold him back if we encounter one on our walks!

Thank ya!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Shelties are hearding dogs. Heardings have a strong urge to heard anything that moves. School busses move. Your dog is trying to heard the school bus. Hearding dogs have a stong predispostion to chasing cars (hearding them). I don't know why your dog is only interested in hearding only school busses. Most want to heard all vehicles. 

Remember this is a hard wired urge. It's bred into him. It's going to be difficult to get out. The easiest solution is to take away the opportunity to heard the bus by having him inside at bus time.

You can use desensitization and counter conditioning. It's a long and diffucult process. Google "counter conditioning and desensitization" and you will get more information than you want.


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## g00dgirl (Nov 18, 2009)

if he's in the house when the bus goes by I bet he won't chase it


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

^^^ I agree with goodgirl. Instead of trying to change his innate behavior, I would just avoid the situation altogether. Of course on walks this can be tricky since there's no telling when a bus will roll around, but just do the best you can. Like RFD said, it is hard to train a herding dog not to _herd_ (sp RFD!!!) just like its nearly impossible to train a Dane not to sit on your lap LOL...they are a companion breed.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

danemama08 said:


> Like RFD said, it is hard to train a herding dog not to _herd_ (sp RFD!!!) just like its nearly impossible to train a Dane not to sit on your lap LOL...they are a companion breed.


Are you one of those people who limit yourself to only spelling a word one way?? :biggrin:


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

RawFedDogs said:


> Are you one of those people who limit yourself to only spelling a word one way?? :biggrin:


The problem is that you used the wrong word which is essentially spelling it wrong. Sorry... Using incorrect spelling and grammer are a big pet peeve of mine, but it this case I'm just rashing you a bit LOL


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

g00dgirl said:


> if he's in the house when the bus goes by I bet he won't chase it


actually, he will! he runs through the house barking and barking! he jumps on the windows and the door.

Ruckus used to chase everything that moves, but he just grew out of it! other than school buses.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

So, he won't chase a ordinary transit bus?


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

I dont know. I am sure that he would, but we dont have those buses here.


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2009)

Is it just buses, or does your dog chase cars, bicycles, joggers, etc?

My dogs love to bark at moving cars, but don't chase them.


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

Ruckus used to chase anything that moves.

now its only the school bus


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## g00dgirl (Nov 18, 2009)

What are you doing when he is "herding"? Are you ignoring him, redirecting him, telling him to stop?


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

I am just Ignoring him.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

I would redirect his attention to something else...

Praise him for things he has done that you want...!!


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## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

He doesnt care about anything for me to be able to redirect him. no tug, no treats, no nothing!
we have just been crating him during bus time, but he just barks and bark when he hears the air breaks on the bus!


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