Dogs are very active beings, they love to run, tease and play. Sometimes, they even provoke you on purpose just to get some attention or to force you to play with them. When your dog is left alone for quite some time during the day, chances are they are going to be bored and have an immense amount of energy stored inside them. When a dog is energetically suppressed, taking a run or a walk might not be enough for them, and that’s when they could stir away from your grip and run loose. Running after them or trying to catch them then might not be very effective as they would stubbornly sprint away or choose to find something more interesting to do other than eventually going home again.
Here are some techniques you can use to get your dog back into your grip safely, without playing a tiring game of hide and seek out in the streets.
Stop, drop and lie down – It might sound silly, but dogs find the behavior odd. When you don’t suddenly stop in the middle of playing with your dog and lie down still instead, your dog will get curious and would often come back to see if you are okay or what you are doing.
Stop, drop, and curl into a ball – This is also a behavior that triggers curiosity in a dog. Since you are not moving and your hands are closely wrapped around your head, your dog will start to see you as less of a threat and will come to check you out. This gives them a chance to sniff you and realize it’s you, their parent, and allow you to pet them and grab their collar.
Run in the opposite direction – What? Run away from your dog? That’s right. Some dogs love a good chase. Instead of you chasing them, let them chase you for a change. Even if the dog is not up for a good chase, it may be curious about your weird behavior and follow along until you can get it into a building or car or someplace where it is easier to corral it.
Sit down with your back or side to the dog and wait – again, dogs are thrown off by this peculiar behavior and will get intrigued and approach. You can gain another advantage by sitting down with your side or back to them, as you appear less threatening and they would be more likely to approach. If you have treats it loves, place a few around you to draw it near.
Open a car door and ask the dog if it wants to go for a ride – It almost seems too simple and easy to be work, but many a dog have been fooled into hopping into a car because they were invited to go for a ride. It makes sense, especially if the dog has learned to associate the car with good things.
People have always reported great success with the lie-down-method whenever a dog got loose. It has never seemed to fail in helping people retrieve their pups and bringing it back instead of causing it to run further away like other methods do. Do not by any means wrangle or drag them back into the house by force, as it will estrange you from your dog and would feel like kidnapping for your furry little friend. Remember that all it wants to do is play, find something interesting or escape something that scared it away. Lure it back to you softly, and assure it that it is safe you at all costs. When your dog gets close enough to you, swiftly take it into your arms and guide it back home. It will work like a charm, but the most important thing is to stay by your pup’s side, shower them with love and avoid any situation that might lead to this tiring outcome.
