August 31st, 2010
Runaway Doggie
If you’ve ever seen a dog owner running after his runaway doggie it is comical. The owner is yelling the dogs name repeatedly at the top of his lungs while chasing the dog who is totally ignoring his owner and absorbed by his environment usually smelling everything. And since dogs loved to chase and be chased the problem perpetuates itself.
What is happening is a dog that has poor recall or won’t come back when called. The cause is twofold: the dog identifies more with the environment than the owner and that the owner is not in charge of his dog. Using dog behavior or the way in which dogs think as our methodology we can put together a working solution for creating a dog who returns upon your call.
Good recall is essential for not only the safety of your dog but maintaining your alpha status, or leadership title. It is natural for a dog to return to his alpha. Since all dogs resonate to being together with their pack running away means something is wrong. Usually a dog who runs away needs to get out. Staying together is normal and is hard wired into their DNA. So a runaway dog will return on his own usually within a few hours. But how do we get a dog running away from us to come back right away?
Dog psychology tells us that alpha rules the roost. Walk directly toward your dog and call his name like you really mean it. Use your body with very emotional energy as if to say, “ You Better Get Back Here Right Now!” Then say it. Create a real ruckus so your dog looks at you with big eyes. Make loud sounds and divert his attention to you. That’s right divert his attention to you. Make him listen to you. When he comes back give him a lot of affection. Then whenever you give affection to him only do it when he comes to you.
Using these techniques will help you gain control over your dog by changing his focus from the environment to you. It can be learned in a very short time by your dog.