If you’ve ever asked yourself the question “Why does my dog run away from me” this is the most important page you’re ever going to read.
Let’s be honest, it’s not fun when your dog starts ignoring you. Or worse still, runs for the hills when you let them off-leash.
And because of this, recall training one of the first things you need to teach your dog to avoid any unwanted accidents or mishaps.
But imagine a scenario where – even after successfully taking your dog through basic training, you’re still at your wits end calling them incessantly while they ignore you.
Worse still, when you do eventually catch up to them, they go ahead and take off in the opposite direction.
Now, if it’s a fellow human, it’s easy to chalk it up to halitosis.
I mean, no one enjoys hanging around someone with chronic bad breath.
But when it comes to your dog, bad breath usually isn’t the issue, which can often leave you to wonder what causes this infuriating behavior.
So what can you do?
Well, believe it or not, there is actually a very simple to quickly stop your dog from running away.
Better still, it has nothing to do with, ineffective, outdated training techniques and instead involves bringing your dog’s emotional state under control to the point where they calm and relaxed.
See, emotional control isn’t a naturally learned behavior in dogs, which is why some can find it increasingly difficult to dial down their emotions to the point where they’re highly responsive and actually listen.
But if you can ultimately teach your dog to remain calm and in control in any situation that usually triggers unwanted behavior (in this instance, running away), you’ll be surprised at how much more responsive your dog becomes when called.
This is also why I’d highly recommend checking out the Dog Calming Code from Dan Abdelnoor over at The Online Dog Trainer. (see video below)
During the video, Dan talks specifically about why emotional control is the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to getting your dog to listen, before revealing a powerful calming technique to put your dog in a highly responsive, calm state where they actually want to listen and obey… a key ingredient in getting your dog to stop running away
Watch the video, implement the training Dan demonstrates, and it’ll quickly turn your dog’s poor recall response into a thing of the past.
Here’s the link to take a look: Click Here To Discover How To Finally Stop Your Dog Running Away Using A Simple, Powerful Calming Technique That Takes Just Minutes To Apply… Even If You’ve Tried & Failed Before!
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Why Does My Dog Run Away From Me?
Whenever your dog chooses to ignore you, or simply bolts in the opposite direction, then there’s a fair chance your dog is acting up.
This is commonly referred to as active disobedience and is regarded as one of the major training emergencies.
So what exactly does this mean?
Well, every time your dog resorts to passive or active disobedience, the problem can sometimes be traced back to you, the owner.
That’s right, you could be the reason your dog is acting up.
It’s harsh I know but if your dog is constantly ignoring you and runs in the opposite direction, then there’s a fair chance that you could be part of the problem.
The reason for this stretches far and wide and can relate back to many behavioral problems including fear, boredom, and even apprehensiveness.
But this can vary dramatically depending on the situation.
Are You A Fun Person?
Dogs are naturally curious. It’s in their nature to be active and explore the world around them. They’re also playful and jump at the opportunity to explore something new and interesting.
This is something you need to keep in mind whenever you call or signal your dog to come over,
If you’ve tried again and again to recall your dog with no success, then it’s safe to assume he doesn’t consider you a fun person to be around.
This is much more common when you’re still training your dog.
But for some reason, the dog doesn’t consider your training fun.
End Of Playtime
Another reason could be that the dog interprets your call as an end to playtime.
It’s very similar to telling a child it’s time to go to bed.
Whenever you call your dog when he’s out playing, you’re ultimately sending him a signal telling him that his playtime has come to an end.
It doesn’t matter if you’re calling him for training, or simply to get him back to his kennel, he’s already registered in his mind that your calling amounts to something less fun.
You have to understand that 90% of the time, they’re smack bang in the middle of something they really enjoy doing.
And by making the mistake of calling them over for something else, gives them a damn good reason to completely ignore your recall.
Punishment
Have you ever considered your dog could associate your calls or even your presence with punishment?
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, you may have done something that caused him to react negatively to your call.
So take a minute and ask yourself…
…has there ever been a time when you’ve punished your dog?
Have you ever scolded him for not responding quickly enough to your call or worse still, given him any reason whatsoever not to trust you?
You must understand that under no circumstance should your dog have any reason to feel unsafe in your presence.
He needs to know that you’ll never put him in the harm’s way and that you will go to the end of the earth to keep him safe and happy.
You may not realize it but in your dog’s mind, you betrayed that trust at some point, and until you work on winning that trust back, he’ll gladly ignore you whenever he can.
Is Breed Important?
Another possible explanation could be tied down to the dog’s breed.
Take for instance Greyhounds – it’s NOT in their nature to obey you.
They’re not naturally wired to be at your beck and call so don’t expect them to come running simply because you yelled their name.
Now, this doesn’t mean certain breeds can’t be taught over time to respond to your call.
It’s just that some breeds are more responsive than others.
Passive Disobedience
Apart from fear, there’s a chance that your dog could just be bored, tired or lethargic.
You know, having one of those Bruno Mars moments when you don’t feel like doing anything.
If this is the case, then what you’re dealing is what is widely referred to as passive disobedience.
It’s like one of those moments when someone asks you to do something and your simply NOT in the mood.
Of course, your dog loves to play, but this is one of those moments when he just wants to just ‘chill’ and have a little bit of dog introspection.
He could be apprehensive or maybe he just isn’t interested in whatever comes next after you call.
Lastly, you should also consider the fact that he’s simply playing hard to get.
Dogs are smart and they pick up on a lot of behaviors that you probably don’t realize.
Chances are he’s just trying to pull the same psyops we humans pull on each other.
So they decided once in a while to be distant, pretend they didn’t hear you, or better still, acknowledge that they’ve heard you but simply choose to disobey.
If this happens then it might be time for you to reconfirm your relationship is still solid by going after them.
Whatever the reason is – any kind of disobedience in your dog demands that you act fast.
Take the situation with the seriousness it deserves or you might one day find yourself chasing your dog down the street and into oncoming traffic.
Imagine him running and getting into fights with other dogs, and you’ll soon realize the grave danger you could potentially put your dog in.
How To Stop Your Dog Running Away
Become The Pack Leader
Never underestimate the power of authority.
Dogs are pack animals after all and establishing yourself as pack leader is imperative to get your dog to follow you.
Start by reaffirming your position and making sure that your calls stand tall over all the distractions.
Now, there’s no need to force anything. After all, if it’s obvious that after calling your dog that he’s ignoring you, then don’t force or make the mistake of punishing him.
And if it’s clear he doesn’t want to come to you, it’s your place to respect the decision and continue to work with your dog to establish pack leadership.
Make It Fun
Regardless of the number of times the dog has been playing deaf to your calls, it’s important that you continue to establish your fun and loving nature.
Never underestimate what 5 minutes of uninterrupted playtime can do to strengthen the bond between you and your dog.
So when you are interacting with him, remember to make it fun.
And at all costs, resist any urge to give in to anger and lash out. Even if he’s acting up.
Regular treats, exciting toys and simple games like fetch are great ways to show your dog that it’s far more interesting to be around you.
This way, your dog will be less tempted to give in to distractions and with time, they’ll start interpreting coming to you as a more rewarding experience instead of freaking out at the thought of it.
Other Solutions
You also might want to consider the fact that dogs are naturally wired to crave attention.
They’re naturally programmed to be always on the lookout for something interesting.
So if you hardly find any time to play with your pooch, then don’t expect them to heed to your calls.
In other words, you’re only fun for the dog when you double as his playmate. So learn to spend quality time with him and his recall will start to improve.
Take him outside with every chance you get. Take him for walks and most importantly, make it a priority to including him everything you do.
Teaching Your Dog To Come When Off Leash
Some dogs interpret unleashing as the green light to freedom.
You’re simply giving them the freedom to go away and experience the world on their own.
So the first thing they do after you’ve let them off leash is become skittish and run away.
However, you can turn this behavior around and train them to come whenever they’re off leash.
You see, whenever you let your dog run wild their initial instinct is to revert back to their natural way of thinking.
Cortisol and Adrenalin both rise which causes your dog to become so hyped up that their ability to respond becomes non-existent.
To combat this start implementing the training techniques Dan demonstrates in the Dog Calming Code to get the situation under control.
Because once your dog’s calm, their response rate will skyrocket and recall training becomes so much easier.
It’s All A Game
Alternatively, teach your dog that every time the leash comes off, that it’s game time.
But instead of running away they should be chasing you.
By turning the game around and making him chase you will eliminate any neediness you may display when trying to call your dog.
It’s human nature to repel needy people but it works equally as well when training a dog.
You can start by working on this when the dog is still a puppy.
Every time you let him off leash, simply start running away and let him give chase.
Then every time he catches you, reward him with his favorite treat until the habit sticks.
Final Thoughts
Teaching your dog proper recall is the best thing you can do for both him and yourself. But the reward at the end must be worth sacrificing whatever else they’re doing.
But training your dog to fully adopt this habit takes time and requires the highest degree of patience.
Even more important, try to make it fun for your dog. And as time goes by, you’ll eventually reach the point where he’ll naturally come running whenever you call.
