My abused dog chases cars and nipped someone. What should I do?

Question

I know this may not be the place to ask, but I don't know who to talk to. I have a German Shepherd mix who was abused and abandoned. He's very sweet but he is constantly going into the street and chasing cars and people. From what I can tell, it's friendly, not aggressive, but today he nipped someone. I'm trying to train him, but I've never worked with an abused dog before. What should I do? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 72 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Good for you for trying to help Buddy! For dogs with a history of abuse or poor socialization, training can definitely be a challenge. Because he's a large dog who has nipped someone, I would really recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a training plan to address his issues. For dogs who have a tendency to chase cars and people, treatment is usually based on rewarding the dog for calm behavior at a distance, then gradually moving closer as long as he is doing well - for some dogs, this may mean that you need a lot of distance at first! If he is straining and the leash and wanting to chase, this means you're too close - back up until he is able to be calm, and start again. I would also keep him on-leash at all times right now when he is outside, to avoid having him nip anyone else. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

My abused dog chases cars and nipped someone. What should I do?

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