Why does your dog run away from you…and what to do when he does
(Scotty Valadao - Canine Behaviour Consultant ABC of SA - www.fods.co.za
(Scotty Valadao - Canine Behaviour Consultant ABC of SA - www.fods.co.za
Your out for a lovely walk with your dog, and as you bend down to pick something up from the floor (hopefully your dogs poop!), you accidentally drop your lead – or you may trip and fall - your dog feels the slackening on it, and the next minute he is running gleefully away, with a look of pure bliss on his face. It could even be the case that your dog is off lead, walking in the area around you, and then suddenly he spots a squirrel running, and off he goes. You call, you whistle and now you give chase, and all that happens is that your dog runs faster!
Unfortunately, when incidents such as above do occur, it is often where there are cars nearby, and so many dogs have been accidentally run over as a result of this. You may even end up with a situation whereby you are walking in a park, and your dog runs straight to another dog who may not welcome the visitor, and a fight can occur.
The only way to prevent this happening is training and the one thing you never, ever do, as strange as it sounds, is chase after your dog. All this achieves is a game of ‘catch me if you can’ and makes the whole episode a lot more rewarding to your dog, or alternatively, your dog may feel scared with your running behind it, and the result it that it will just run faster.
Let’s look first at the reason why dogs do run away
How do we change this behaviour?
More than anything else, practice and be consistent and make these exercises fun for your dog and also yourself. Also ensure that everybody in the family has worked with your dog with the Recall, including staff. Good luck and enjoy your training.
Unfortunately, when incidents such as above do occur, it is often where there are cars nearby, and so many dogs have been accidentally run over as a result of this. You may even end up with a situation whereby you are walking in a park, and your dog runs straight to another dog who may not welcome the visitor, and a fight can occur.
The only way to prevent this happening is training and the one thing you never, ever do, as strange as it sounds, is chase after your dog. All this achieves is a game of ‘catch me if you can’ and makes the whole episode a lot more rewarding to your dog, or alternatively, your dog may feel scared with your running behind it, and the result it that it will just run faster.
Let’s look first at the reason why dogs do run away
- The simply action of running is so appealing to dogs and many dogs very seldom have the opportunity of doing this – it is something that dogs do in a natural environment.
- The owner has reinforced the behaviour by running after the dog as mentioned above.
- The dog may see something, such as a bike, motor cycle, squirrel that it wants to chase.
- Fear – a very common reason.
- Another dog in the vicinity to interact with.
- A common reason is that in a park situation where the dog is allowed off lead, whenever the owner calls the dog back, the fun, in the dogs eyes stop, therefore the dog will be a lot less likely to come when called.
How do we change this behaviour?
- In the situation mentioned above that the dog is called and then the fun stops, so the dog does not want to return to owner, just get into the habit of calling your dog to you (start with him close) and praise and reward, and then tell him 'go play'. This way the dog never knows when the fun is going to end! This has to be practiced over and over again, gradually letting the dog get further away.
- Never call your dog if you are going to punish him, the recall must always have a pleasant result. If your dog hates being washed, then go to your dog, put on the lead and collar, and take him for a bath.
- Bring in a new Cue for your recall – the old one may not have worked all the time, so start afresh.
- Use a happy tone of voice for this new Cue. Who would you rather go to - somebody who say FIDO!!!!!! COME HERE!!! Or somebody who says Fido, good boy, come here – in a happy and excited tone of voice?
- Have games, using the dogs daily allowance of food, where you call the dog from one person to another – reward with praise and then a treat.
- Practice this not just in the house, outside in the garden and in all different locations.
- Ensure, that each and every time the dog comes to you it is a pleasant experience, go overboard with praise and a treat.
- Don’t just practice this once a day, this needs to be practiced over and over, and as the dog becomes proficient in the exercise in more challenging situations.
- Bring in the Real Reliable Recall. If this is practiced properly it really is the most reliable way of getting a dog back easily.
- Once the above is in place, then practice the Recall Using a Long Line which helps with management in open spaces while training.
More than anything else, practice and be consistent and make these exercises fun for your dog and also yourself. Also ensure that everybody in the family has worked with your dog with the Recall, including staff. Good luck and enjoy your training.
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