Hi, I have a bull terrier with which I am delighted in almost every
way. He is just over 4 years old and friendly to other dogs and
humans alike. However, he does present one problem - he hates
windscreen wipers working on a car. (When he is in it that is.) He is
a very powerful dog weighing almost 40kgs and if he is in the back of
my 4 x 4 when I turn on the wipers he instantly attacks the screen in
the hope og being able to kill them. We have tried tying him down in
the back but he is so strong that short of tying him up with cable
ties we just can't imobilise him. There is no point in blacking off
that part of the vehicle because if he hears them working, he starts
barking, and there is no way you can go anywhere with him barking
while you are driving.

We are fortunate in as much that it doesn't rain here very often and
we tend to stay at home when it does - we know the weather will soon
be good again. However, today we were going away for the weekend and
as I reversed down the drive, it began to rain heavily. Although we
had the dog securely tied down in the back, (we thought), as soon as I
turned on the wipers, he managed to get into the back seat and started
barking at the wipers. Unfortunately we just had to cancel our trip!

Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

(chevin) wrote:
Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Slow desensitization.

Put him in the front seat with you, while the car is in the driveway, and have
lots of really good treats.

Start out by letting them wipe once. At the same time, give him a treat and
praise him. Wait a moment, and then do it again. Repeat several times. End
the session.

Proceed at his pace. If you have to have several sessions of just letting them
wipe once, so be it. If he begins to ignore the wipers in favor of the treats,
let them go twice. Etc.

You're trying to change his association of wipers = threat to wipers = good
things.

Canine Action Dog Trainer
http://www.canineaction.com
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html

(chevin) wrote:
Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Slow desensitization.

Put him in the front seat with you, while the car is in the driveway, and have
lots of really good treats.

Start out by letting them wipe once. At the same time, give him a treat and
praise him. Wait a moment, and then do it again. Repeat several times. End
the session.

Proceed at his pace. If you have to have several sessions of just letting them
wipe once, so be it. If he begins to ignore the wipers in favor of the treats,
let them go twice. Etc.

You're trying to change his association of wipers = threat to wipers = good
things.

Canine Action Dog Trainer
http://www.canineaction.com
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html

(chevin) wrote:
Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Slow desensitization.

Put him in the front seat with you, while the car is in the driveway, and have
lots of really good treats.

Start out by letting them wipe once. At the same time, give him a treat and
praise him. Wait a moment, and then do it again. Repeat several times. End
the session.

Proceed at his pace. If you have to have several sessions of just letting them
wipe once, so be it. If he begins to ignore the wipers in favor of the treats,
let them go twice. Etc.

You're trying to change his association of wipers = threat to wipers = good
things.

Canine Action Dog Trainer
http://www.canineaction.com
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html

"Leah" -OFF wrote in message
...
(chevin) wrote:
Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Slow desensitization.

Put him in the front seat with you, while the car is in the driveway, and
have
lots of really good treats.

Start out by letting them wipe once. At the same time, give him a treat
and
praise him. Wait a moment, and then do it again. Repeat several times.
End
the session.

Proceed at his pace. If you have to have several sessions of just letting
them
wipe once, so be it. If he begins to ignore the wipers in favor of the
treats,
let them go twice. Etc.

You're trying to change his association of wipers = threat to wipers =
good
things.
Hmmm.
I suspect wipres = exciting prey item, rather than =threat.

If so, I would still do something similiar, except this is a "leave it"
situation.

Wipers once, tell him to leave it, and as soon as he looks at you (rather
than the wipers) good treat and lot s of prasie.

If he can't refocus or wipres once is very exciting, start outside the car.
You can take an old wiper blade and work with it away from the car (leave it
with it being still, leave it with it being moved aroundby someone etc.

--
Melissa S. Frye
Skyrocket cockers www.mfrye.com/skyrocket/

"Leah" -OFF wrote in message
...
(chevin) wrote:
Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Slow desensitization.

Put him in the front seat with you, while the car is in the driveway, and
have
lots of really good treats.

Start out by letting them wipe once. At the same time, give him a treat
and
praise him. Wait a moment, and then do it again. Repeat several times.
End
the session.

Proceed at his pace. If you have to have several sessions of just letting
them
wipe once, so be it. If he begins to ignore the wipers in favor of the
treats,
let them go twice. Etc.

You're trying to change his association of wipers = threat to wipers =
good
things.
Hmmm.
I suspect wipres = exciting prey item, rather than =threat.

If so, I would still do something similiar, except this is a "leave it"
situation.

Wipers once, tell him to leave it, and as soon as he looks at you (rather
than the wipers) good treat and lot s of prasie.

If he can't refocus or wipres once is very exciting, start outside the car.
You can take an old wiper blade and work with it away from the car (leave it
with it being still, leave it with it being moved aroundby someone etc.

--
Melissa S. Frye
Skyrocket cockers www.mfrye.com/skyrocket/

"Leah" -OFF wrote in message
...
(chevin) wrote:
Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Slow desensitization.

Put him in the front seat with you, while the car is in the driveway, and
have
lots of really good treats.

Start out by letting them wipe once. At the same time, give him a treat
and
praise him. Wait a moment, and then do it again. Repeat several times.
End
the session.

Proceed at his pace. If you have to have several sessions of just letting
them
wipe once, so be it. If he begins to ignore the wipers in favor of the
treats,
let them go twice. Etc.

You're trying to change his association of wipers = threat to wipers =
good
things.
Hmmm.
I suspect wipres = exciting prey item, rather than =threat.

If so, I would still do something similiar, except this is a "leave it"
situation.

Wipers once, tell him to leave it, and as soon as he looks at you (rather
than the wipers) good treat and lot s of prasie.

If he can't refocus or wipres once is very exciting, start outside the car.
You can take an old wiper blade and work with it away from the car (leave it
with it being still, leave it with it being moved aroundby someone etc.

--
Melissa S. Frye
Skyrocket cockers www.mfrye.com/skyrocket/

Hey, good choice of breed i am owned by 9 month old Atlas, a tri colour
Bull Terror (what they should been known as!)

Is is possible to crate train him? Put him as far back in the car as you can
and cover the crate with a think blanket and see how he goes. Give him a
bone or something to chew on while he is in there.

Atlas LOVES the car, i have a little car but have folded the back seats down
to fit a crate, he only barks when i sing to the radio (no smart comments!!)

Take care and good luck

Cin

"chevin" wrote in message
om...
Hi, I have a bull terrier with which I am delighted in almost every
way. He is just over 4 years old and friendly to other dogs and
humans alike. However, he does present one problem - he hates
windscreen wipers working on a car. (When he is in it that is.) He is
a very powerful dog weighing almost 40kgs and if he is in the back of
my 4 x 4 when I turn on the wipers he instantly attacks the screen in
the hope og being able to kill them. We have tried tying him down in
the back but he is so strong that short of tying him up with cable
ties we just can't imobilise him. There is no point in blacking off
that part of the vehicle because if he hears them working, he starts
barking, and there is no way you can go anywhere with him barking
while you are driving.

We are fortunate in as much that it doesn't rain here very often and
we tend to stay at home when it does - we know the weather will soon
be good again. However, today we were going away for the weekend and
as I reversed down the drive, it began to rain heavily. Although we
had the dog securely tied down in the back, (we thought), as soon as I
turned on the wipers, he managed to get into the back seat and started
barking at the wipers. Unfortunately we just had to cancel our trip!

Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Hey, good choice of breed i am owned by 9 month old Atlas, a tri colour
Bull Terror (what they should been known as!)

Is is possible to crate train him? Put him as far back in the car as you can
and cover the crate with a think blanket and see how he goes. Give him a
bone or something to chew on while he is in there.

Atlas LOVES the car, i have a little car but have folded the back seats down
to fit a crate, he only barks when i sing to the radio (no smart comments!!)

Take care and good luck

Cin

"chevin" wrote in message
om...
Hi, I have a bull terrier with which I am delighted in almost every
way. He is just over 4 years old and friendly to other dogs and
humans alike. However, he does present one problem - he hates
windscreen wipers working on a car. (When he is in it that is.) He is
a very powerful dog weighing almost 40kgs and if he is in the back of
my 4 x 4 when I turn on the wipers he instantly attacks the screen in
the hope og being able to kill them. We have tried tying him down in
the back but he is so strong that short of tying him up with cable
ties we just can't imobilise him. There is no point in blacking off
that part of the vehicle because if he hears them working, he starts
barking, and there is no way you can go anywhere with him barking
while you are driving.

We are fortunate in as much that it doesn't rain here very often and
we tend to stay at home when it does - we know the weather will soon
be good again. However, today we were going away for the weekend and
as I reversed down the drive, it began to rain heavily. Although we
had the dog securely tied down in the back, (we thought), as soon as I
turned on the wipers, he managed to get into the back seat and started
barking at the wipers. Unfortunately we just had to cancel our trip!

Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?

Hey, good choice of breed i am owned by 9 month old Atlas, a tri colour
Bull Terror (what they should been known as!)

Is is possible to crate train him? Put him as far back in the car as you can
and cover the crate with a think blanket and see how he goes. Give him a
bone or something to chew on while he is in there.

Atlas LOVES the car, i have a little car but have folded the back seats down
to fit a crate, he only barks when i sing to the radio (no smart comments!!)

Take care and good luck

Cin

"chevin" wrote in message
om...
Hi, I have a bull terrier with which I am delighted in almost every
way. He is just over 4 years old and friendly to other dogs and
humans alike. However, he does present one problem - he hates
windscreen wipers working on a car. (When he is in it that is.) He is
a very powerful dog weighing almost 40kgs and if he is in the back of
my 4 x 4 when I turn on the wipers he instantly attacks the screen in
the hope og being able to kill them. We have tried tying him down in
the back but he is so strong that short of tying him up with cable
ties we just can't imobilise him. There is no point in blacking off
that part of the vehicle because if he hears them working, he starts
barking, and there is no way you can go anywhere with him barking
while you are driving.

We are fortunate in as much that it doesn't rain here very often and
we tend to stay at home when it does - we know the weather will soon
be good again. However, today we were going away for the weekend and
as I reversed down the drive, it began to rain heavily. Although we
had the dog securely tied down in the back, (we thought), as soon as I
turned on the wipers, he managed to get into the back seat and started
barking at the wipers. Unfortunately we just had to cancel our trip!

Does anyone have any idea as to how we can cure him of this problem?