Dog Runs away on Approach

[emc]

I've noticed that a common problem in dogs is that if they are let loose they will then runaway as the owner tries to approach them and get them back on the leash. It's like the dog is thinking he's got a taste of freedom and doesn't want to give it up. But I rarely ever see anything written or said about how to solve this problem or why some dogs do it. Does anyone have any ideas and how would you go about stopping the dog from doing this?
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[JenBKR]

When I was growing up we had a golden who would run out of the yard every once in a while. We couldn't actually chase her, because she'd think it was a game and run. But we could crouch down and call her, and she'd come back. I don't think dogs are trying to get away most of the time, just want to play.

[deegayle]

I had a dog once who would do that on ocassion. I would turn my back and say...fine girl...i am leaving. then that sweet wonder of a dog would run back almost like she was saying...Hey mama wait up. You are not going to let me go alone are you.
Teach the recall command and get them to obey it everytime. That should help. Dogs sometimes(in my opinion only) have a mind of their own.

[IRescue452]

I think the dogs run because they person's body language is either negative or they are acting like they want to play. Most of the time when a dog is being caught from off leash the owner is yelling at the dog to stay and get over here and they are acting hurried and excited rather than calm and confident. This causes the dog to become uneasy an run away. I don't think that people should let their dogs run free until they confident of their dog's recall willingness. When the dog backs away they shouldn't chase either, they should turn and go the other way.

[ginagt]

If you think of it from the dogs point of view, if you are calling them with leash in hand it means whatever the dog was doing is now over. I'ts like the say you never want to call your dog "come" to punish them, then the dog thinks coming to you is bad. If you want to punish them you must go to the dog.
I agree a good recall is essential but I would go one step further and say call the dog, release to go play, call again release to play, that way the dog will come happily to you when you call because he is used to and he will realize that come doesn't always mean playtime is over.
If your dog does the just close enough to come but you can't reach them, then I would turn around and ignore the dog. Most dogs hate to be ignored and the dog will be in your face and then you can put on the leash.

[deegayle]

i have to agree with you. I know I never call my dogs to punish them. I go to them, correct them and let them go on. When I call them, only good things happen. I also taught mine to run to a whistle. My Sparky has gotten really good at that one. As long as it is not raining, Sheba, will. But one rain drop, you can forget it, and she is a lab!!! Recall is so terribly important. that and NOOOOO so they will freeze...scarey what they can get into sometimes.

[Mazie]

If you want to push your dog away from you, move towards them, if you want them to come closer, move away. If your dog is out and running loose, instead of calling their name and moving toward them, get their attention and run in the opposite direction. Dogs love to chase and their instinct to chase usually kicks in and they will chase you right back into the house. And when my dogs chase me (as long as they don't nip my heels) and catch up to me they get a huge reward - no matter what their reason for running away was - I want them to know that coming to me is the best thing in the whole world.

[K9soul]

There are a few ways to help prevent this. I didn't really have the problem of my dogs running off on me, but sometimes when Tommy used to find something inappropriate in the back yard to carry/eat (like a dead bird :o), I'd yell "Tommy no!" and walk towards him. Big mistake! Of course he'd grab it and run around the yard keeping out of reach and stopping every so often to partake in his prize.

I've since completely turned around how I handle and train the dogs. As mentioned before, I think it's first of all very important that an owner work on the dog's recall. It's very important to HEAVILY reward recall. I use hotdog and cheese treats as well as throwing Tommy's tennis ball (one of his ultimate rewards as he loves to retrieve!), and work on it constantly. Even if he has it down, every time we are out I will at least once say in a confident but chipper voice, "Tommy come!" and he comes running because he knows something good is waiting! It becomes such a habit that even if he finds something fascinating, he is "programmed" to run to me when I call.

I have also worked on him with giving me something he has. I put my hand out and say "give it to me." I worked on this with his ball first for a long time, he knew it wouldn't be thrown again until he gave it to me, and I never chased him or pried it out of his mouth. He had to willingly give it up. When I first started doing that he got a treat when he gave me the ball. Now he knows it gets thrown again if he gives it to me and I phased treats out most the time.

Fast forward to the same situation now. Tommy found half a loaf of some old stale bread that we had put out for the birds, but the birds had knocked it onto the ground at some point. I said in my usual chipper voice, "Tommy come!" and then I put my hand out as if he had a ball and said "give it to me" and he carefully placed the bread in my hand. I didn't happen to have treats with me at the time but he of course got immense praise!

If a dog gets out unexpectedly and doesn't have a good recall, I would suggest of course to never scold and frantically call. Call in a normal chipper voice as if you were calling the dog to go for a walk. Go get a favorite toy or very tasty treat to make the temptation to come a bigger one versus the temptation to keep going. If all else fails try to turn and run away, most dogs will playfully chase then.

These methods are what I have found to be most successful.

[jennifert9]

If you were free and running around and you KNEW your mother/father were going to make you go inside and take a bath and go to bed, would't YOU run away!!! ;) :D
When Duncan runs too far ahead of me, I simply turn around and start going the other direction. I will say "this way" a few times to him. It is literally a matter of a few seconds, at the most 30 seconds before he comes barreling up to me or past me!! Works like a charm!!
Sometimes, I hide behind a tree and he comes searching for me! I feel kind of bad doing that however because I feel like he gets scared that he lost me....

[Glacier]

I have huskies who as a breed are infamous for their lousy recall! Several of my dogs would vanish into the tundra if they had the opportunity. When one of those dogs escapes, which is rare (Knocking on wood), I have found one very effective way to get them back. I get in their line of sight or as close as I can, then I throw myself on the ground, screeching like I am being killed. Anyone around thinks I've lost my mind, but almost always, the dog comes back to see what I am doing.