# running away from me



## Wafer1141 (Mar 12, 2013)

Recently, my puppy has started running away from me outside when I bend down to pick him up. We have a fenced in yard so he doesnt wear a leash outside. He thinks its a game "chase me, mom". Even when I want him on the right side of the baby gate he runs the opposite direction when I bend over to get him. Or he will bounce around me evading capture lol. I dont call him when the fun is about to end because I dont want him to think that when I call him bad things will happen. Sometimes offering treats work sometimes it doesnt. What should I be doing?


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## Dexter12 (Feb 10, 2012)

On the leash work on "come" with praise and treats. For now, I'd keep him on leash until he learns your rules and starts to listen to you.


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## Barkr (Dec 23, 2011)

Ooooo I found this behaviour so aggravating , and it was usually when I had to leave and she would run through the yard. Thank goodness it did not last long with Roxy. Good luck, this too shall past with training and maturity.


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## robinrd (Oct 30, 2012)

Yes, keep him on a leash, tell him to come and if he doesn't get the leash and make him come and them praise him with treats. My kids and I would also work on "come" with ours. The kids would be on one side of the yard and I on the other and I would say "come" and then praise and treats then the kids would do the same. It will get better.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

Perhaps he does not like to be picked up, some pups are not fans of that. 

The leash idea is good for times when you will want to be able to bring him to you fast and if you have other people to help you on a regular basis, recall games on very short distances between people are great also. Otherwise I would try going fast in the opposite direction while squeaking a toy or swinging a tug toy (that would only be used for that). If he follows, let him play a few seconds with the toy and let him go back to his wanderings; rinse and repeat zillions of times.


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## luvbuzz (Oct 27, 2010)

I always have some super yummy, high value treats always cooked. I have them in a pocket when I give the come command. The only time I give these treats are when he comes followed with lots of praise. This really helped when I was teaching recall.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

ditto on what Thalie said. Also let him drag a long leash outside. Teach him to follow you inside where he gets a fruit snack (I use bananas) that way he knows that it is always good to go back inside.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

With all of my dogs at any age that they come here I teach re-call pretty much the same way. I let my pup outside and et them play but periodically I call them too me at first your pup should will running to you I love them praise them maybe have a treat or a toy then I let them go back to whatever they were doing. I wait alittle bit and do it again. I want my dogs to love to come to me. If they like fetch I sometimes have a ball ready so we can play together when I have called them to me. Then I let them play on their own again. I dont have a single dog here that does not have 100% re-call.


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## Walnut_the_Nut (Jan 25, 2012)

We went through this too - it's the most annoying thing ever. 
Walnut eventually grew out of this. Occasionally, we'd bend down and give treats (so he would run towards us) or run away from him (which caused him to chase us) lol.


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## Wafer1141 (Mar 12, 2013)

Thank you for all your good ideas!  I will try calling, giving a treat then releasing when we are outside. Its starting to get warm so we can work on this a bit more now. Hes kind of a picky eater so Im still trying to find treats that are high value for him. So far Ive learned he loooves canned pumpkin and yogurt, but those are a little difficult to get in a hurry. So we will keep looking for that special treat that I can use for recall.


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## CITIgolden (Mar 9, 2013)

Wafer1141 said:


> Thank you for all your good ideas!  I will try calling, giving a treat then releasing when we are outside. Its starting to get warm so we can work on this a bit more now. Hes kind of a picky eater so Im still trying to find treats that are high value for him. So far Ive learned he loooves canned pumpkin and yogurt, but those are a little difficult to get in a hurry. So we will keep looking for that special treat that I can use for recall.


I'd strongly suggest using a leash regardless, try getting one of those long leashes but still be able to correct if he doesn't listen. I made this mistake of playing "chase" with KC outside (usually feeling guilty when we were alone outside in a park) and it was a nightmare to fix. It also makes the leave it command tougher and starts a whole chain...you don't want a 70+lbs dog chasing people, or doing something and ignoring you. Not saying it will happen to you but, when you train position him and you for success and that means ignoring you or running away from you is not an option. Then you can try without a leash.


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## janababy (Jan 2, 2012)

This happened with our last Golden. We had brought in a trainer for some other issues as well as this one. She told us to get a special toy to get his attention. He was allowed to play with the toy for only a couple of minutes and then we were to put it away. We used it only for getting him in. We used one of my daughters Beenie Babies, we called her Miss Kitty. She worked perfectly!!!! She was worth her weight in gold. LOL!!!!!! Good luck.


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

I use a shorter check cord in the house (4 feet) and a longer check cord outside (15 feet) and the pup gets to drag this around most of the time. I don't like to use leashes since they have a loop at the end and are usually wide - both items means the leash can get tangled up or catch on something. 

I buy light weight round rope at the hardware store, cut it to length, and tie a clip on the end for my check cords. Nothing fancy but I have less than $5 invested so I can replace as needed.

When a pup is young, you can just reel him in but when a pup starts to play keep-a-way it is time to change your game plan. Keep it happy, get your pups attention, and toss a toy over your shoulder (keep the toy close). Almost every pup will run for the toy and you can step on the leash as he goes by you. Again - keep it happy. Now you can reel him in and give him a great or make a fuss over him and the toy.

The mistake that most of us make is to show our frustration or annoyance and the pup picks up on it right away. That encourages the keep out of our grasp instead of approach us.

For a pup that gets loose or does not have a check cord on, you can still do the toy over the shoulder. Get several toys - preferrably identical toys or bumpers - and as soon as he gets one, call the pup and toss another. After 3 or 4 tosses the pup usually forgets the keep-a-way game and brings you one of the toys or bumpers.

For a pup that is more determined to play keep-a-way you can turn and do a fake run in the other direction. Now you are the one playing keep-a-way and that encourages the pup to chase you. Then you let the pup catch you.

Keep working on the recall during training and do it in a lot of different places. For a dog learning to COME in the kitchen is not the same as in the yard or even in the living room. 

Good Luck


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