When my German Shepherd chases squirrels, cats or cars, it makes me crazy. Delivery drivers and other dogs are also appealing to some energetic German Shepherds. Whatever the trigger, you need to stop dog chasing before your German Shepherd gets hurt or it hurts something else. You may also be a victim if your powerful German Shepherd decides to chase something while on the leash. Dog chasing is more than embarrassing: it can bring serious consequences.

Stop Dog Chasing by Retraining

Dog chasing is a bad habit, and learning or repeating basic German Shepherd obedience training can reduce or eliminate this bad habit. Keep your German Shepherd on a leash for training until it is fully under control without it. Here are some ways to stop German Shepherd chasing.

“I laid on my back, blue sky coming in and out of focus, head skipping along the asphalt as my German Shepherd dragged me down the street after another dog, entirely unaware of my dead weight at the end of the leash…” – JoAnn A.

Demand attention

Require your German Shepherd to pay attention to you before you begin walking with it. This is a fundamental part of basic German Shepherd obedience training due to German Shepherds tendency to want to be dominant (and ignore you as a result). You need to be the Alpha leader in the relationship between your German Shepherd and the rest of your household before you can stop German Shepherd chasing.

This veterinarian gives some great advice on commanding, correcting and rewarding your dog.

Stop pulling on the leash

Make your German Shepherd sit and stay before you start walking, and stop walking every time they start pulling on the leash. Get the dog’s attention again, make it sit and wait for you. Don’t start walking until it is looking at your face. Your German Shepherd will learn that a tight leash will make you stop moving.

Use a distraction

You can stop German Shepherd chasing by using a distraction when your dog is off the leash. When your German Shepherd starts focusing on something it is likely to chase, distract it. One way is to wave a toy that interests your dog and then have it chase the toy instead. It’s OK to have a German Shepherd chasing after a ball or toy, rather than a Jeep or a poodle.

Use Negative Consequences

Use negative consequences to stop dog chasing. For example, if your German Shepherd is chasing bicycles or runners, get a willing friend to help. Have the other person ride or run past your dog which normally triggers a chase. When the dog reaches them, have the other person say, “No!” while spraying the dog with a water bottle. Soon your German Shepherd won’t want anything to do with runners or cyclists. Be careful to test the negative consequence first, in this case, spraying your dog with a water bottle. Some German Shepherds might get angry and will try to attack the water bottle.

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Don’t hurt your dog to stop dog chasing

Electric fences or invisible fences with shock collars are inhumane ways to stop dog chasing. They hurt your dog, and they don’t always work. There are plenty of stories about dogs that escaped the ring of invisible fence only to be unable to return to the yard. If you can’t control your German Shepherd chasing, seek a professional trainer to help eliminate this bad habit.