How do I stop my dog from running away when off the leash?

To train your dog not to run away, you can use clicker training, an associative learning process that relies on rewards and positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Choose a comfortable, distraction-free spot where you can maintain control, such as a fenced yard, and leash your dog during training, so you can control your dog and hold their attention. Attach your dog to a long line, a leash that measures fifteen feet or longer, to create a significant distance between you and your dog while still being in control. Give them a command, such as calling your dog’s name or telling them to come, and click after the desired behavior, then treat them with an edible treat. Repeat this process over several training sessions, then phase out the clicker and swap it for verbal praise. Always pay attention to a dog off-leash and keep your dog in your line of sight if you’ve decided to take the leash off in an open space. Learn to spot body language signals that indicate that your pooch might be about to run, and reattach the leash or harness. Start leash training early, around ten weeks old, though you can start as early as four to six weeks old. Spay, neuter, and microchip your dog to prepare them for the world and help track their whereabouts if they run away.

Don't leave your dog outdoors unattended. If you don’t have a fence, build one. If you do have a fence, make it higher or add coyote rollers. These slippery rollers help keep your dog from hopping your fence and are very useful. Supervising your dog, giving him proper exercise, and mental enrichment to keep him busy. Solve this by giving him something better to do, like chew toys or play a game with them. Most dogs do best with at least a few chew toys and puzzle toys every single day, especially when they’re left alone. Increase exercise so that your dog doesn’t feel the need to walk itself. Some dogs need over an hour of walking or running per day to be happy. Neutering your male dog and spaying your female dog can help reduce this problem. Keep your dog inside and do your best to soothe her fears about loud noises with calming treats, white noise, and ThunderShirts.

You go to grab the clip on the leash and your dog get all excited, leaning against his collar, knowing exactly what comes next – running, jumping, romping and playing. This is great fun for your dog but you may have inadvertently trained your dog to bolt every time you unleash her. She doesn’t know the difference between being let off leash inside the park fence, where she is free to bolt or when you do it in an open area or near a road, where it scares you that she might run into the road and get hurt. Get yourself a very thin, long lead or strong string or twine and attached it to your dog’s collar and the other end to your belt. Then attach the regular leash to the collar. Ask her to sit and then unclip the regular leash and see what happens. She will most likely bolt, but then will be surprised when all of sudden she is stopped by that “invisible leash” that somehow appeared. When she is surprised by the other leash and stopped mid-bolt, immediately call her name and give the “come” command and then give her a yummy treat. After several of these “bolting-interrupting” episodes she’ll begin to see that bolting doesn’t work anymore and that she gets praise and yummy treats from coming back rather than taking off. A word of advice, unless you are in a fenced-in area or enclosed park I wouldn’t recommend that you take her off leash for safety and legal reasons. Many places have leash laws to protect the public and if you take her off-leash near roads and other hazards you are running the risk of her getting injured or worse.

Spay or neuter your pet. Intact pets have an innate drive to reproduce, so hormones can override good sense. Male dogs likely will seek out a nearby female in heat and intact females will search for a male mate. Spaying or neutering your pet when he is young removes the hormonal desire to roam. Build a fence around your yard. Pets never should be allowed to roam freely and should be walked on a leash or let out into a fenced yard for bathroom breaks. Put up a tall, sturdy fence to prevent your pet from climbing or jumping over it to escape. Walk the fence perimeter daily to check for potential escape routes, such as holes, snow piles, and fallen branches. Teach your dog basic commands. Teaching your dog to obey basic commands can come in handy if he decides to chase something that catches his eye. Most importantly, teach him the commands “come” and “stay.” Provide adequate exercise opportunities. Pets with pent-up energy are more likely to run away, so provide exercise opportunities every day to stimulate him physically and mentally. Providing safe outlets for your dog’s energy will make him less likely to run off in search of adventure. Keep your pet safe from loud noises. An unexpected loud noise can make your dog panic and bolt before you realize he’s gone. Keep your dog safely on a leash or in a fenced yard when outdoors so he can’t run if he’s scared by a loud noise.