How To Train Your Dog Not To Run Away

Walks should be fun, relaxing, and a time to bond with your companion. But if your dog doesn’t listen to you and is determined to be anywhere but by your side? Even a short walk can be stressful, exhausting, and fill you with dread.

Interesting scents and sights, other animals, excess energy – there are plenty of reasons why a dog is enticed to run away. In this guide, we’ll cover exactly how to train your dog not to run away using positive reinforcement and preventative measures. Soon, walks with your companion will feel safe, fun, and stress-free.

Why Does My Dog Run Away?

There are a few common reasons why our companions – who usually love nothing more than being by our side – have the urge to run away.

• Excess energy: If your dog isn’t getting enough exercise or mental stimulation in their day-to-day life, they’ll try and release their energy through other means – like running away and exploring the vast world around them.
• Distractions: From other dogs to enticing smells, there are plenty of things that can attract your puppy’s attention.
• Mating: If a potential mate catches your dog’s eye, they’ll likely want to chase after them. Neutering your dog can help curb this behavior.
• Flight response: If your dog is experiencing a distressing situation, they may try to escape it by running away. Desensitization is the best training technique to tackle this, which we cover in more detail down below.
• Loneliness: Dogs are social animals and require lots of attention and love to be happy. If your dog feels they aren’t getting enough attention throughout the day, they may look for attention elsewhere – or use running away as a means to gain your attention.
• Prey drive: Many breeds have been developed to hunt and chase down prey. Dogs retain this instinct and may act on it if they spot a small animal running in the distance.

Training a Reliable Recall

Teaching your dog to come reliably when called can be challenging, but with the right approach and attitude, it’s entirely possible. To train a reliable recall, your main goal is to convince your dog that being by your side – and not exploring all the tempting sights and smells around them – is a far more rewarding experience.

Below, we cover the steps for teaching a dog to come when called. You’ll need first to start inside, where it’s safe, and there are few distractions lurking about.

• Get your dog’s attention by squeaking a toy, making high-pitched noises, or clicking your fingers. You can also hold their favorite toy or treat.
• Once you have your dog’s attention, call their name and take a few quick steps back. This should encourage them to come to your side.
• Reward them with praise and a treat after they come to you.
• Repeat this process until your dog carries out this behavior consistently.
• Start to incorporate your chosen recall cue, such as “come,” “recall,” or a hand signal.
• Next, up the difficulty. Practice recalling your dog in a secure, fenced area.
• Gradually introduce distractions and increase the distance. You should also practice in different environments. However, always keep your dog on a long line leash in open areas – you should never have your dog off-leash until they have mastered a reliable recall.
• Fade out the lure (the use of incentives) once your dog has a reliable recall.

Never punish or get frustrated at your dog if you feel their recall was too slow – remember that it always needs to be a positive experience, and even dogs with reliable recalls are going to have moments where they don’t perform it “perfectly.”
You should also never recall your dog and then immediately take them away from whatever fun activity they’re up to. If you do this, your dog is going to build negative associations and learn to ignore your recall command. Instead, recall your dog 15 minutes before you leave. You can also “recall” them spontaneously throughout the day to further prevent them from associating departure with the recall command.

Don’t recall your dog while running toward them. This will just make your dog run away from you, as they’ll think it’s a game of chase. Instead, run from them while calling their name — it’ll make them think they’re the one who should be chasing after you.

Training “Stay”

While a reliable recall ensures your dog can safely explore, a stay command is great in situations where you need them to suddenly stop in their tracks – for example, if they’re about to stray into a busy, dangerous area.

• Tell your dog to “sit.”
• Wait a moment, then encourage them to break the “sit” and reward them with a treat. Always reward them before they move on their own accord.
• Repeat this process, gradually increasing the duration before you give them a treat.
• Continue to build up the duration, but this time incorporate the cue word “stay.”
• Once your dog can remain sitting for 15 seconds, vary up the time; make them wait for 3 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 5 seconds.
• Start to increase the distance.
• Ask your dog to “stay” and take a step back. Wait a moment, then go back to them and reward them.
• Repeat this process until you can be a good distance from your dog without them breaking their stay.
• Next, incorporate the release cue.
• This time when they break the stay, encourage your dog to come to you, and say your chosen release cue, like “free.”
• Slowly introduce distractions.
• Continue to build up distractions, distance, and duration. Make sure to practice the command when facing toward and away from your dog.

Training: Tips and Tricks

Here are a few more training tips you can use to give your dog the best chance of success.

Use a Clicker

A clicker is a handheld dog training device that makes a click sound when pressed. While it may seem simple, a clicker is a great way to improve the efficiency of training. It helps your dog know exactly which behavior they’re being rewarded for. You can learn more about clicker tricking here.

Use High Value Rewards

The training reward always needs to be higher in value than whatever your dog can get by leaving your side. Small training treats or chicken and cheese are all great motivators for many dogs. Cans of spray cheese squirted directly into their mouths also work well; it keeps your hands clean, and you can tailor the amount you give them for each reward.

Be Patient

Keep sessions short and sweet, and continue the training over several weeks. Some dogs, particularly extra-stubborn ones, can take months to learn “stay,” so be patient and don’t get frustrated.

Preventative Measures

There are a number of things you can do to reduce your dog’s temptation to run away, including ensuring their needs are met and desensitization.

Keep in mind preventative measures are not a replacement for training – they should always be used in conjunction with the training techniques mentioned above.

Exercise and Mental Stimulation

Always make sure your dog is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day. Dogs are brimming with energy, especially those that have been bred for work, such as collies and German shepherds.

Without adequate exercise and mental stimulation, your dog is much more likely to engage in unwanted behaviors, like running away, chewing, or barking. You can check how much daily exercise your dog needs by using this free resource.

Here are a few ways you can help your dog expend their energy.

Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys are a great way to tire your dog out. After all, a puzzle toy makes your dog work for their food and engages their senses. There are a wide range of puzzle toys available, meaning you can easily find one that suits them; challenging enough, but not so difficult that they can’t solve it and become frustrated.

Interactive Games

Our companions love nothing more than spending time with us, so why not play a game which lets you get involved too? Hide and seek, fetch, tug of war – there are plenty.

Learning Tricks

Teaching fun tricks like “beg” and “shake” are a great way to bond with your pup and help them expend their energy. You can also show off the results to relatives and friends.

Create an Obstacle Course

You can easily set up an obstacle course in your own home without having to spend hundreds of dollars. You can rearrange furniture into a maze, create “hurdles” with tape, or even repurpose your kids’ old play tunnel into a dog tunnel.

Swap Out Toys

Make sure to swap out toys on a regular basis. Your dog is much more likely to play with something that feels fresh than something they see lying about every day.

Desensitization

If your dog bolts away whenever they’re startled, you can try a process called desensitization. Desensitization involves exposing your dog to the thing (stimuli) that triggers them in a gradual, non-overwhelming way until they become accustomed to and no longer react to it.

You can learn more about desensitization – and how to go about the process – in this dedicated guide. For dogs with severe fears, it’s best to enlist the help of an animal behaviorist, who can ensure you’re going about the process safely and at the right pace. If desensitization is rushed or carried out incorrectly, it can actually increase your dog’s fear and stress levels.

Should I Take My Dog Off-Leash?

Off-leash walking allows your dog to roam and explore freely at their own pace. However, you should only take your dog off-leash in enclosed spaces or areas which aren’t near dangers like busy roads. You should also avoid places where it’s difficult to see your dog from a distance.

Before taking your dog off-leash, ensure they’re microchipped and have up-to-date ID tags. You also need to research local laws and regulations; some states and areas have laws against letting your dog off-leash

A safer alternative that still gives your dog ample freedom is a long-line leash. You can check out the best long-line leashes on the market here.

Escape-Proofing Your Home

If your dog is prone to running away, it’s important to ensure your house and yard are both escape-proof. It’s important to remember when “escape-proofing” that even though your dog is at home, you should always make sure they wear a collar with ID tags if they’re an escape artist.

Escape-Proofing the Home

Set up a baby gate in the hallway to stop your dog from dashing out whenever the front door is opened. Always ensure windows are locked and can’t be reached. For dogs with watchdog or guarding instincts, it’s also wise to put up window covers (blinds or drapes) that block their view of the outside world.

Escape-Proofing the Yard

Your fence should be high enough that your dog can’t jump over it or add an extended curve top to deter them. You should also ensure there is nothing that can help them climb over the fence – move plant plots, trash cans, and garden decorations away from the fence. Make sure to examine the fence daily for any signs of wear, tear, or holes.

If your dog loves to dig, you’ll need to extend the fence into the ground. You can even put shrubbery all along the fence to make it harder for your dog to dig underneath.

Ensure gates and doors have extra-secure latches, and never leave your dog unattended while they’re in the yard.

Final Thoughts

Off-leash walking allows your dog to explore and roam freely, but it’s not without its risks; your dog could run into harm’s way, get lost, or unintentionally cause distress to other animals or people. Training your dog not to run away, as well as taking into account preventative measures and off-leash safety, will help keep your companion safe.