If you are one of us who has an inquisitive and curious mind, this question must have popped in your head at least once – why do dogs chase moving vehicles? And more importantly, what would they do if they ever “caught” a vehicle? Today, we give the answer to both these questions.
The most apparent answer is their natural instinct.
It’s the same reason they chase other animals, like cats, small pups, kids on bikes, etc. Chasing and hunting comes naturally to them. It’s an inborn instinct. Also, evolution tells us that for their predators, food was something that ran away from them. This way, all dogs have this instinct to chase any object that is moving.
The second reason is territorial.
Dogs have always been a protective and guarding species. And if they see (or smell) an intruder in their vicinity, their first response is to drive it away. This is the reason why territorial breeds like German Shepards will have more such tendency. While Retrievers, who have now been trained for ‘fetch’ games, will usually not chase a vehicle. That is why any dog will chase a running vehicle only for a short while – till the time it feels it has successfully driven it away.
The third reason is hunting.
Dogs have always belonged to the hunters group in the animal kingdom. Although, not all breeds have a very strong hunting instinct these days, sometimes, a moving vehicle triggers it. This animal has been trained for centuries to “hunt down” anything that tries to escape them.
Despite this, it is not a matter of concern if a dog chases your vehicle. Chances are, it will only do it for a short while and then lose interest.
They are just simple, playful creatures who sometimes find it hard to beat their natural instinct, that’s all.
Featured Image: Theinspirationroom