Dogs love to chase and fetch things – it’s an instinctive behavior and something that many of our favorite games to play with our pups revolve around, so a dog chasing a water hose would make sense. But sometimes, there are things you don’t want your dog to chase, either because you’re trying to use them or because it could be downright dangerous. Or, perhaps your dog is actually afraid of the hose and chases it because they don’t like it.
One such thing dogs will often chase, though we might not want them to, is the garden hose – even if they’ve got some of their best dog toys nearby! Sure, they might love to play around with it, or feel scared by it, but it can be frustrating if you’re trying to use it. Meanwhile, there’s a risk that your dog might damage it without meaning to, or even miss the hose and hurt you.
Amelia Steele, or Amelia the Dog Trainer, a behavioral consultant and professional dog trainer, recently shared a post on Instagram where she gives a dog owner advice about what to do when the hose stresses her pup.
Steele begins the video by explaining that she’s going to start by teaching the dog more of a general ‘leave it’ cue with her mat, just because it’s not always practical to bring the mat outside. She says, “I’m going to hold the hose and then I’m going to start throwing food away from me, because if she thinks that all the good stuff comes from over there, she’s more likely to go and stay around there.”
If you have a lot of gravel or you have longer grass in your yard, this might actually make your life slightly easier, as your pup may spend more time snuffling for the treats if they can’t find them straight away. Here are 13 ways to create a dog-friendly garden for more advice on making your backyard fit for your four-legged friend!
Steele demonstrates, picking up the hose and throwing treats away from her for the dog to find. While the dog is snuffling, she turns the hose on, and then when the dog returns after finding the treats she simply throws some more. “I’m going to mark with a ‘yes’ and throw the food away,” Steele explains.
The dog is grabbing her ball, too, which can help relieve stress – she’s not entirely comfortable with the hose, but Steele keeps repeating the process with the treats and the marking. She’s not moving the hose around too much or splashing it about. Rather, she’s starting slowly and calmly. If your dog is away from the hose, it doesn’t really matter too much what they’re doing, providing they’re safe; the main thing is that they’re busy over there.
For some dogs, it might take longer to ignore the hose than others, but by the end of the video, the dog is happy staying away from the hose and isn’t trying to chase it. It’s worth persevering with your pup!
As the weather starts getting warmer, perhaps you want to know how to cool down a dog – either with or without a hose! From cups of water to fans, there are plenty of things you could try.
