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Some may think that this method is nasty, but it works to keep dogs away from train tracks.
A friend of ours had a dog and his cottage is quite close to train tracks where freighters roar by at full speed. It was a larger dog and since he let it roam at the cottage, I asked him how he kept the dog off the tracks.
When the dog was young, he put a collar and leash on the dog when he heard a train coming in the distance and walked down right close to the tracks. In his one hand, he held the dog tightly, in his other hand he held a child's light plastic baseball bat.
When the train was getting close to them, the dog was watching it approach, and our friend reached around behind so the dog couldn't see his arm holding the bat. As the front of the train roared by, our friend whacked the dog on the hind end with the bat. The dog never saw it coming and it scared the heck out of him (didn't hurt him, so much as scare him) He associated the whack with the train and he never went near the tracks the whole rest of his life when a train was coming.
I'm not sure if this would work with cars since they aren't as loud. The dog might hear the bat coming down behind him. The trick is to make sure the dog doesn't see that it's the bat hitting him.
That is STUPID! Dog should be Leashed or Fenced for Safety NOT Beat over the head! Plastic bats can cause Bone Fractures! This does TEACH a dog Anything but him learning he has a DUMB owner!
Letting your dog run loose by train tracks has to be one of the stupidest things I ever heard. Glad your friend's dog hasn't been hit, but folks, don't try this at home!!
Ok, maybe some of you think it is a dumb idea, but it worked for his dog and the dog lived 12 years by those tracks when his owner took him up to the cottage many weekends of the year.
I agree that dogs should be tied up, taken for a walk on a leash, or fenced in. Mine are, but this cottage is up in the wilds. The next closest cottage is a mile away. People up in that area would laugh at the idea of building a fence to keep their large dogs in the yard. That is just the way it is with the dog owners up in that cottage area. These aren't fancy cottages, they are hunt/fish cabins on leased land with outhouses, no running water, etc. They don't live up there, it is just their "get-away" spots. In the city where they live, all dogs have to be tied or confined in some way.
Katie, I never said he beat his dog on the head... read the post again. I said he whacked his butt. To rectify, I should have said that this was a very thick coated Samoyed Husky. A whack with a plastic bat wouldn't have hurt and I'm not suggesting that he whacked the dog with all his might. Just enough so he could feel it. He was the nicest, kindest man a person could meet (RIP) and he loved that dog fiercely and the dog loved him just back as much.
I think an owner would have to use something softer using the same method for a thinner coated-smaller dog.
There are aspects of this "training" idea that are similar to traditional snake aversion training and electric fence training. Basically the dog is taken to or presented with the "off limits" or dangerous thing (the tracks, the property line, the snake) and the dog is then severely punished. It is of note that the dog did not ever make a wrong choice in this method - we are not punishing a bad behavior. We are inflicting pain, terror, discomfort on a dog that did nothing wrong. The dog was forced to be by the tracks, at the property line, next to the snake. Pretty messed up.
People will make the argument that it is better than the "alternative" - the dog getting hit by a train or car, bit by a snake, etc. I personally could never punish a dog who has done nothing wrong with physical violence. I think it would take a sicker mind than mine to carry out such an assault. We all know the early signs of future serial killers: bed wetting, experimentation with fire, etc. The intentional harming of animals is among those strong indicators. I am NOT saying the friend who did this bat beating training is a future serial killer. I'm saying he has something inside him that would allow him to hit a dog with a bat - hard enough to deter the dog from going near the tracks.. A dog that did not do anything wrong to even warrant a punishment. That's a whole 'nother breed of human in my opinion.
Stories like this are why my goal in Rescue is to REDUCE the pet population and then REDUCE pet ownership. There are simply not enough good homes for all the unwanted pets. How about if you live near train tracks and can't afford a fence - don't have a dog. How about if you have a dog, don't get an unfenced property near train tracks.
Please realize that when you see a dog that is well behaved, and then the owner tells you about all of the violent, coercive, intimidating, force-based training methods he used to train the dog - the dog is well behaved in spite of those outdated methods, not because of them. That type of training more often results in a very damaged dog who is either totally shut down or violent himself.
I absolutely hate making comments like this on City-Data. I never want to attack anyone or shame them or make them feel bad for posting something. Please know I don't mean to do any of the above with this post. I respect everyone here in the dog forum and think there is value in everything posted here.
OP Your Friend would rather Beat his dog than put up a Fence! Now I can understand Neighbors living a Distance away Not fencing But Your Friend Lives On TOP of the RR! Everytime the Dog came with him to this Cabin I betting it was FEAR that kept him close to the Master NOT Love! Its a Proven FACT that Abused Kids Cling to the Abuser! Not cause of Love But Fear!
I love dogs, but some of these responses seem wayyyyy overboard. A little whack on the butt of a dog (which the OP said didn't hurt but rather startled) is being compared to the makings of a SERIAL KILLER????? Come on.
This may not be how you or I would train a dog, but in this case, it sounds like it gave this dog 12 years of freedom to run free. Personally I'd rather be whacked on the butt once rather than chained or fenced for life.
I just think that to tell people if you do this your dog will be safe from getting hit by trains is very bad advice. And no, I don't think it would work for cars. Hope no one would consider trying that.
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