How to train a dog not to chase people?

To teach what not to chase, your pup must first be trained to leash walk nicely and to understand the "sit" and "stay" commands. These are essential in keeping your dog where you want it. Once those are mastered, your dog can learn not to chase. The goal is to expose your dog to staged situations that prompt chasing behavior, such as livestock or cars. Place your pup on a 6-foot leash and give the sit/stay command. Next, have a friend slowly ride a bicycle, drive a car, or jog by the pup, while you continue to enforce your puppy's sit/stay position. Distract your dog with a food reward, praising it for not chasing. As soon as it begins to agitate about running after, make an about-face and walk the other direction while praising and offering treats. Continue to Practice Gradually increase the speed of the passerby, and continue to intermittently reward your pup for sitting still as it approaches, and then turning away to get treats once it’s near. Drill with these setups over and over until the dog looks at you after he sees the passerby rather than wanting to approach and chase. Provide Safe Outlets for Chasing Give your puppy alternatives to satisfy this normal urge. Interactive games such as fetch alleviate the urge to chase and provide a bonding experience for the two of you. Reduce Opportunities for Chasing Enforce appropriate boundaries for your dog: A fenced yard or leash confinement when off your property teaches it the rules and prevents it from chasing livestock or other off-limits objects.

Chasing is a natural behaviour for your dog. Hunting and herding breeds in particular have been bred over centuries to have a strong chase instinct. Quite often chase behaviours are directed towards “prey” such as other animals, but they can also be directed towards moving objects such as cars, bikes, people running, and other dogs. However, dogs that do not have an outlet for this behaviour can become frustrated, and often find other potentially harmful ways of expressing it, so the key is to try and provide your dog with alternative ways to chase, but in an appropriate and safe way. Start working on building up your dog’s focus and recall, but in less distracting environments first. Keep your dog on a harness and long-line lead while working on their recall and teaching them to focus on you around possible chase distractions. For dogs who already have a high prey drive, there are a number of toys and activities which can help redirect this behaviour in a safe and fun way. You could use a flirt pole which mimics the movement of a prey animal.

Train your dog to “leave”. This command will often tell your pet not to pick up something, but it can also tell your dog not to run off. Make sure you say “leave” as soon as your dog spots something to chase. Then, reward your dog for giving their attention to you instead. Teach your dog recall. Training your dog to come back to you when you call is suitable for their safety. If your dog chases something, recall instructs them to come back to you. When they return, reward your dog with something they love, like a treat or a toy. Consistent training. Continue with positive, reward-based training throughout your dog’s life, not just when they’re a puppy. Distract your dog. Stay alert during walks so you can spot things your dog might want to chase before they do, then distract your pooch from the animal. Keep them on a lead. During walks, please keep your dog on a lead so you have more control over them. Muzzle train your dog. Wearing a muzzle will prevent your pooch from hurting other animals. Help them associate wearing the muzzle with positive experiences through muzzle training.