Miley keeps running.

[mileysmom 2]

If this doesnt belong in this catagory by all means move it. but i do believe it should belong in the training section.

Miley ran from me this morning for an hour. I wasnt really "chasing" her, more like just following her. I couldnt just let her go because people in my town NEVER report lost pets. they just keep em.

How do you keep your pets from running out the door/away??? Shes done this many times. but this is by far the farthest shes ran. And it was so scary!

How do I punish her? Should I punish her?? What do I do???

someone please help!!!!!

[loewenthal.anna 4]

The number ONE thing to remember if a dog (who is not trained off lead) runs out loose is to try your best NOT to chase them. Doing so instigates their "chase/catch" instinct and they'll think you're playing a game.

Easier said than done, right? I'm guilty of running after mine too (Lolly springs to mind, when her harness broke and she took off across 6th ave in rush-hour traffic. . . I did chase her then, but more in a "taxi, please don't run over my dog!" kind of way)

My kiddos are co-dependent in that if I have one, the other will follow. I keep Lolly on a leash when we go out to pee and Money won't stray far but if Lolly is off leash by accident it's another story. . . I taught her "goodbye Lolly" and I used that while I'm walking toward where I want her to go.

If you walk away from them while giving a command that keeps their attention on you, that's the best bet for getting them back. They'll think they're supposed to chase YOU, and then you can just walk back inside. It takes a little fussing to get it to work but Lolly absolutely HATES when I say "goodbye" and start leaving her alone and is pretty good about running up after me like "hey! You can't leave me here!"

I'd also start training her to stay away from the door. All mine know "back", as in "get away from this thing I'm touching" . . . it works for keeping them away from the door when we get deliveries, off groceries waiting to be put away, off a table with breakable things/food on it (Poe!). . . and so on. VERY USEFUL command!

If you want to try training her with off-leash commands I would invest in a 20-30 foot training leash (they sell nylon ones with small clasps that would work for Miley, we use them when we take the little suckers camping) and work with her in the yard. The idea with those is to give her enough slack so that she "feels" like she's off leash, while still giving you the opportunity to catch her if she doesn't follow a command. With that set-up you can work on recall (which it sounds like is what you're looking for), looking at you, sit/stay from afar, and even things like retrieving.

In my opinion ALL dogs should have at least a few off-leash commands they're familiar with for exactly this reason. That way, if the dog does get out, you have a method already in place for how to get that back that doesn't involve following them around town for an hour

Good luck!

[kelly943 0]

I don't think you should punish her. I always try to avoid punishing if possible. A good trick that i have learned, i got from the show "It's me or the dog" You just have to train her to stay when the door opens. You can practice this with another door besides the entry door. How she does it is:

You have them sit and and walk backwards a little bit and say stay...once she does that you come back and give her a treat. Each time increasing the distance between you and her and treating her every time. You will start to put your hand on the door turn the knob, then give her the treat. Eventually you will leave the room for a 30 secs, etc..and come back to see her in the same position, then you treat her again.

I have used this technique with Roxie a couple of times and it works really well..but i haven't been reinforcing it so she hasn't done it lately lol

Good luck!

[FairyTail Josette 14]

Yep, if you chase her, she thinks it's a game and will run from you. I do the same as Anna, but, my word is "see ya later!" and I turn away and start walking the other direction. Works everytime, they come running to me. But, you want to start training her to not run out the front door as previously discussed.

[bluesy 2]

I do the same thing too. I start running the other direction. They always think it's a wonderful game to chase Mommy!

[Claudiabehr 3]

Patricia McConnell says the same thing you're saying, Anna. I've been doing it myself and can swear it works. When Panda and I are on our way home from a walk and get near the house, I make her sit and then take off her leash and say runrunrunrunrun, to which she runs to the house. If she gets distracted, I run in front of her and she immediately runs after me. All the while I'm telling her good girl. This is how Patricia says to train them while they're still on leash.

I wouldn't punish a dog for doing what comes naturally.....doesn't make sense and doesn't work. With dogs, everything you want them to learn has to come before the fact, anticipating their behaviors as much as you can. If I know that Panda runs out the door when I open it, my training of her needs to be about teaching her to stay in front of an open door.

[loewenthal.anna 4]

Oh Claudia, can I just say how extremely happy it makes me to hear you reference an *actual* CERTIFIED animal behaviorist?! I wish everyone with a TV show about training dogs was required to have the kind of certification that Dr. McConnel has before trying to teach the masses, we'd all be better dog owners for it.

[mileysmom 2]

Thanks guys. I "know" all of these things, and she usually does really well and just waits patiently to greet whoever is coming in. but sometimes she just slips out. It really frustrates me because she would just RUN if she wasnt on a leash at all times outside.

other then when she slips out the door of course.!

[Seastar 44]

None of mine will run out the door, I guess they think there's a chance it could be rainy out. But if I want them to come in, or hurry up from their off-leash frolic-in-the-yard time, I just say, "It's time for COOKIES!" and in they come, fast. Calling them by name just gets them to stop and stare at me.

[Kae+Gizzy 5]

I have to agree walking in the other direction seems to work. Its the same with Horses, one of mine would run off and bolt around the field as soon as he saw me coming to bring him in from the paddock. Many hours were wasted trying to catch the little bugger so I eventually quit trying.

I got midfield and sat on the grass and waited. He was totally stumped and slowly made his way over to me (I think he thought I had gone mad) But it worked!

In the case of dogs legging it off down the road it's instinct to run after them in case they get injured, when thats happened I have generally stood there sneakily watching them..then when they make eye contact with me I start calling them in a playful manner and run in the opposite direction ...it always works lol

[sueb45 0]

My DH was just telling me about how the other day Odie was on leash but my forgetful hubby dropped the leash and Odie took off down the country road with my hubby booking it after him. I bet Odie thought that was great fun! Paula, that story about yelling Cookies had me on the floor laughing! I have to work on Odie's recall. He has none to speak of! Big worry about him getting loose. He doesn't bolt out the door though!

[bluesy 2]

If it's more of the bolting out the door that's an issue than running away, then it's definitely time for some door training. All 3 of mine have to wait before going out the front door (or off the deck if we're going for a walk). It only took a couple times of me making them back up by blocking them that they learned they have to wait or the door won't open all the way. While you're working on the training, it may be helpful to have a leash on her and have her under control every time someone opens the front door so she can't bolt. Look at every time that door opens as another training opportunity. I have several of Patricia McConnell's books which are all very good reads. I'd check out her website to get a feel for who she is. A wonderful behaviorist.

[loewenthal.anna 4]

Now I'm confused. . . if you know how to train Miley to stay away from the door/ come back to you then what kind of information were you looking for?

That kind of training takes time and diligence, I am guilty of not always following my own rules with the little ones but with Poe it is PARAMOUNT that she not just "slip out" so she knows now to stay a good 5 feet from the door when I'm there. I'd say she had that routine down by 6-7 months (not counting the fit she threw at 7-8 months where she decided to "forget" all her training) and we STILL, now that she's 2.5, have to constantly be aware of telling her to back up if she gets too close.

Give 'em and inch, they'll take a mile right?

[mr.coffee 364]

Although I learned last night the kind of surprises I can get when I brag about Harley, I have to say he ~really~ impressed me today. He does okay at best with most commands around the house or in the back yard, but out & about I'm rather afraid he has poor response...well, this morning I sent Devon to the trash with a package & fatty chunk of beef kidney that were too smelly to put in the kitchen trash; I guess when he came back in the door didn't close all the way. It's been gusty today, and I walked into the living room to find the front door wide open, and Harley laying in the living room dozing. I'm so proud of him, I can remember when he would've took off without hesitating.

I don't know that we really focused much on ~the door~ when he was like that, I got him sitting early on and we would just put him in a sit a few steps back before leaving, and over time he's just made the connection I guess.

-m

[Ozzy'sMommy 5]

i do pretty much what everyone else does "ok bye oz!" and turn to walk away and he comes running after me. and if he happens to have his leash on (if we're out walking and i had dropped it for him to run in the grass a bit) he will chase after me with his leash in his mouth like "here grab my leash, grab it!" lol.

at the park is usually the only time he will get distracted and not want to come when called and thinks i should chase after him. he doesn't try to bolt out of the door anymore...well if my sister comes home from work he will want to run out to her car when she opens her car door but she parks like 10 feet from the front door so he won't go far. even then usually i tell him "wait" and he waits right on the door jam to the front door for her to come in, lol.

[mileysmom 2]

Okay so I've started the "wait" and "look away" command... the "wait" for when shes getting food and/or going outside..

or in the case that i'm getting Toby up out of his crate from nap or sleep I make her "wait" for his leash to get on him before she greets him.

(again he's our little foster pup.... of which shes not too fond of but she tolorates)

And the "look away" command for when shes barking at people and i'm trying to break her attention from them.

but thats a different story right now.

Am I going in the right direction with "wait"?