Why does my dog lunge and bark at cars?
Junius Sporer
2025-06-26 09:13:59
Count answers: 7
Most dogs who do this are trying to scare the traffic away, because there is a big element of fear involved. Not only is there the size to consider, but the noise, vibration, and the diesel fumes at dog height make these vehicles a very unpleasant experience for the dog as they go by. And of course the traffic does go away, so your dog thinks her actions have succeeded, which is rewarding her. Her imagined success brings with it a big rush of excitement hormones, which are highly addictive, and so prompt her to repeat this behaviour for the thrill of it. Thrill and fear are very closely linked in the mind. If your dog is a herding breed, then she is also genetically programmed to dive at moving things and get them moving faster, so there is yet another huge reward in this. Every dog has a reaction distance.
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