Dog chasing cars and barking

[kobe]

I have a year old lab collie cross who seems perfect in every way but two - these two behaviours are ruining our relationship -
One - he is excellent off lead and obeys my every comand - other dog owner love to see him because he is so friendly - but every time a "noisy" car bike, skater etc goes by at speed he gives chase, he is suddenly "deaf" to all commands. ( it's the noise he reacts to ) I am really scared of this but I don't want to walk him on lead in areas that he can run around in - how do I train him to stop. Also once he listened to me went down and returned to me, I was so shocked I didn't know how to react - should I praise him for coming back and give him a treat or scold him for the first action of chasing ! I did nothing which I know was wrong. Help !!
Two - I Live in a Hotel and as such have a lot of trades people to the back door. I have trained him to bark at the back door bell and this has been very sucsesfull (he has never bothered about reception bell which is similar in tone but in a different direction ) However now he barks at all noises coming from the back such as cars people kids playing dustbins banging etc - I want him to continue barking at some noises - since we discovered intruders last week and he saw them off - but how do I modify this so that he understands what he barks at (and I understand what he's barking for ) again please HELP!!

[RATTER15]

Surely if there are cars and bikes around he should be on a lead for his safety and the safety of other. I don't know if you have sky TV but there is a good programme on there called Dog Borstal, watch it if you can, will show you how to overcome all these problems.

[kita1]

You should definately have praised him for the last behaviour (eg returning to you). It is no good scolding him for the behaviour before as he is not able to reason and understand. He will think you are reacting to the last behaviour (returning) and will not return in future!

At a year old he is still a very young dog and still learning. The collie in him is telling him to chase and herd and that is a very strong instinct to overcome. Could you join a good training class? You could try using a long line (a washing line or piece of rope), that will give him some freedom but gives you ultimate control. I agree with ratter15 he should not be allowed to chase bikes etc. both for his own safety and that of others.

If you have trained him to alert you to noises from the back then that is what he is doing - how can he tell whether it is kids playing or intruders? To ask such a young dog to distinguish a threat like intruders from people banging the bins is asking too much! Even a highly trained dog would find that difficult! Even a police dog if released after a criminal will chase anyone who does not stop - if he is faced with two people running he cannot distinguish who is the bad guy!

If your dog is perfect in every other way you are extremely lucky - please enjoy your dog!

[kobe]

Thank you to all replies - I have just discovered dog borstal and will be watching it avidly I will relax towards the barking at noises to the back of the Hotel.because as you rightly piont out he is still very young, I am probably confusing him by telling him off ( sometimes ) I have taken him to obedience classes which he found a breeze so I just hope that with consistency "regarding the chasing cars thing" we will get there ( just to clarify ) I only let him off in safe places but when he hear's a noisey car or motor bike even in the disstance he's off - I am trying to correct this behaviour before he catches one. We have a hospital on the out skirts of our park and once he shot off after an ambulance sounding the siren and was three quarters the way accross the field before he gave up!! anyway thanks again