rat terrier truck chasers

[ratdogs]

I have 2 rat terriers. we just moved from city n fenced in back yard to country n no fence. The dogs have decided it is great fun to chase any and all trucks tractor that come down road . They don't go after the cars just the tractor n trucks. Being rat terrier they have an attention span of about 2 .3 seconds and do not listen to me in fact ignore me when I call them to come away from road. How can I teach them not to do this. I have put them on lead n walkd down by road giving a corection when they go near it but the second they are off lead right into the road they go.How do you teach boundries to 2 stuborn dogs?

[calgal]

I'd put up a small fenced area, and then teach the stay command and to come by blowing a whistle. Personally I would not let my dogs run lose close to any road. You just never know when they will break command and get killed.

[Pugdawg1]

One word:

Fence.

[TribalRats]

agreed.
I must say though, I raise and breed Rats and I do not have any trouble with them listening. Even when they are hunting they will still listen. Though we have spent ALOT of time training our dogs and they spend all of there time with us. There are a very intelligent and strong minded breed and they need a strong owner. By strong I do not mean strong handed, I mean strong willed and able to put int he enitial time they need to be good pets. In the beginning you need to spend LOTS of time with them to get them to understand your rules and that you are in charge. If they miss this lesson you will have MANY issues with your rats.
I do not know hte beginnings ofr these guys but my guess would be that they need to be retought that YOU are in charge so that when you say STOP they listen. With only 2 you should not have trouble reestablishing your role as the pack leader. If you had 5 this would be a harder job.
Good luck and remember....fencing and training.

[CTDog]

I agree with the above. A dog that chases vehicles is a dead dog.

[ratdogs]

I've had the one dog Bam Bam for 7 years we have always had trouble with him had a hard time training him hes very strong willed. Tried going to some classes with him but due to work n time constranits had to stop. The otherAce tinker we know little about as we adopted him. I pretty much keep them on lead anytime we are out since they won't listen to me. I would be truly heart broken if they where to get hurt. what to you think of the under ground fencing as we have a large piece of land cost to much to fence it all. They seem cruel to me with the shock they get but thats better then having a dead dog! If any one out there has one let me know how they work n what you think of them Thanks for the replys I want my dogs to have a little freedom but not end up getting killed!!! They are both very smart little dogs sometime I think too smart lol. they never cease to amaze or amuse me!!!! I love the breed would have a dozen of them if hubby would let me!!!

[Pugdawg1]

I used to live waaaay out in the boonies (farm in Northern Wyoming). We had a lot of dogs... from chihuahuas to terriers to a hound mix. We still fenced off a yard for them. You don't have to fence the entire property. A yard will do. I don't have much faith in the eletric gizmos. I want a good solid safe fence for mine. What you're thinking of using.. well, what if your terriers run through it? And can't get back in? Also.. it does not stop local critters from getting in and harming your dogs.

[Barrett]

You can buy small fence pieces that are only about 4 feet high that you push into the ground and connect them together. They look like wrought iron and they are much cheaper than putting up a wood or chain link fence. Plus you can move them around, paint them, change them around in any pattern...they are pretty neat. I would NEVER let my dogs outside unless they were fenced in. You could spend all the time in the world training them to stay in a boundry but all it takes is one squirrel or cat to cross the road and that would be it.