A Detailed Guide for Training Your Dog Not to Run Away

Does your dog often run away? Are you second-guessing your commitment because your loving pet fled? Worry not; you are not the only one facing such an incident, nor will you be the last.

Dogs are generally curious creatures who like to chase smaller animals or get distracted by new smells or sounds. Whether your dog is a pup or a seasoned one, you must understand why it is fleeing. This will help you train your beloved pet to avoid running away from home.

Your dog's training should start with teaching it the different positions and basic commands. Then, you can spay or neuter it, introduce its territory, and keep it off the leash in designated areas. Besides that, keep your dog away from loud noises and have plenty of patience.

In this blog post, I am going to discuss why dogs run away and which dog breeds are most likely to run away. Then, I will elaborate on 9 tips to train your dog to avoid fleeing from you. Let’s start.

Why Dogs Want to Run Away from Their Owners

The primary reasons dogs run away from their owners include curiosity, behavioral instincts, boredom, or fear. When a dog notices smaller animals like squirrels, it may feel the urge to run after them, a common instinct for canines. 

Some dogs may flee because they are uncomfortable in their current situation. This can be triggered by boredom, lack of exercise, the presence of other animals, or fear. Some dogs may get startled when there’s a loud noise nearby and run away to find a safer location.

Additionally, mating instinct can be a huge motivator for dogs to get out of their usual territory and look for a suitable mate. Other than that, some may just follow their curious nature and lose their way home. Therefore, you need to identify why your dog flees and then train it to avoid this behavior.

Dog Breeds That Are Most Likely to Flee

Not all dog breeds possess the same tendency to run away. Generally, medium—and large-sized dogs are more likely to flee than smaller ones. These breeds are often popular for their high energy levels, independent nature, and hunting instincts.

Here is a list of breeds that might show a higher tendency to run away. These dogs mainly belong to herding groups, hunting dogs, guard dogs, and their mixes.

1. Huskies

2. Beagles

3. Terriers

4. Border Collies

5. Labrador Retrievers

6. Heelers

7. Aussies

8. German Shorthair Pointers

9. German Shepherds

10. Great Pyrenees

In General, herding dogs are significantly sensitive to motion and may take off after anything moving fast. However, any dog, regardless of breed and size, can run away if its needs are not properly catered for or trained.

9 Ways to Training Your Dogs to Stop Fleeing 

With proper training and preventive measures in place, you can significantly reduce your dog’s tendency to run away. This will require consistent patience and positive reinforcement. Some dogs may adapt quickly to your home, and some may need substantial time. 

It may take much longer to train if you have adopted a stray with an “escape artist” tendency. You will need to build trust and a strong relationship with it before training it to stay. Here are my tips for training:

1. Teaching Different Positions

The first part of your training procedure is introducing your dog to different positions. Your pup does know how to sit, stay, and run. However, it needs to associate these words with appropriate actions.

You can start by giving those commands to your dog. And when they perform the right action, you should give it high-value treats. Thus, your dog will eventually learn the command cues and associate them with good memory.

2. Training on Basic Commands

Basic command training helps reinforce your dog’s recall and leash behavior. With these trainings, you can reduce the likelihood of your pet bolting whenever it gets the chance.

Recall training keeps your dogs safe when they are off-leash. In this training, you make your pup “come” to you and reward them with treats and praise. Start in a distraction-free environment and gradually increase difficulties. Each time the dog chooses you instead of the distractions around it, you reward your furry friend with high-value treats.

Leash training allows your dog to walk calmly by your side and prevent them from running away suddenly. Here, you start by making your pet comfortable wearing a collar and practicing basic obedience commands. You can use treats, toys, or verbal praise to encourage its positive actions.

3. Reduce Reproductive Urges

It is common for dogs to run away when they are in heat. During mating season, both male and female dogs will try to find suitable mates to reproduce, and they will run away once they locate other eligible mates.

To avoid this, you can spay your female dogs and neuter your male ones. This will reduce their reproductive urges and tendency to run away. This will also ensure several health and behavioral benefits for your pet.

Additionally, you can get another dog that is complementary to your existing one and introduce them to reproduce at your home.

4. Regular Visits to Off-Leash Dog Parks

You can easily find dog parks near your living area where you can get your pup off-leash and let it roam freely. This can be an excellent opportunity for your pet friends to burn off excess energy and be their happy selves.

As these parks attract more dog owners, your dog will learn to socialize with other dogs, which can reduce its urge to run away in search of stimulation. On top of that, you can practice obedience commands safely with it in these parks.

5. Keep Your Pets Away from Loud Noises

Most pets, including dogs, can get very uncomfortable with sudden loud noises. When subjected to such sounds, the first response of these animals is to find a calm and safe place. This is one of the reasons dogs flee from home. That’s why most shelters may see a huge increase in lost dogs during and after celebrations like the 4th of July.

No matter if it is the sound of fireworks or thunderstorms, you need to make sure your dog is safe during such loud events. Create a safe space in your home where your dog can stay comfortably during these events. You can also use white noise machines to soothe your pet.

6. Practice Socialization

Dogs that run away are often less social and get startled when they see unknown persons or other pets. Therefore, engaging your dog in social activities can help it feel comfortable around other pets and persons and prevent it from running away.

Taking your dog to dog parks, arranging playdates, and taking them to other dog-friendly spaces can help significantly in this manner.

7. Clicker Training

Dogs are very good at associating activities with sounds. Clicker training leverages this behavior and associates desired action from dogs with clicking sounds. You can also use whistle training instead of a clicker.

In this training, you start by introducing your dog to the clicking sound and linking the reward to the click. Press the clicker whenever your puppy performs a desired action and treat it. Repeat the process until the behavior is learned. You can introduce verbal cues at this point for better results.

8. Giving Them Designated Areas

Dogs are territorial animals, and they tend to leave their territory rarely. So, once you introduce it to its territory, you can actively prevent it from running away.

Transform your home into an engaging and safe area for your dog by dogproofing it and putting up a high fence around your backyard to prevent escaping. Give it plenty of toys to play with, a comfortable bed to rest, and enough hiding place to retreat when it is stressed or afraid.

9. Be Patient

As mentioned earlier multiple times, different dogs have different timelines for understanding and picking up the command cues. As a loving dog owner, you will need to be patient and allow your dog as much time as it needs to follow the basic training.

Do not get frustrated if your dog's progress is slow. Celebrate small victories with your dog and remain positive during the training period. It will help generate a strong bond between you and your pet and be a much more rewarding experience for both of you.

Should I Punish My Dog for Running Away?

Some dog owners may want to punish their dogs for bad behaviors like running away. However, I do not recommend it, as it may translate poorly for your pet. Negative reinforcements can make your puppy fearful and trigger anxiety, which is also a reason for dogs to flee their homes.

Dogs learn better through positive reinforcement and some dogs may never pick up cues when associated with negative behavior. It can also damage the bond between you and your pet. Thus, it is better to focus on positive reinforcement and reward-based training.

Final Words

Training your dog with basic commands, socializing with other dogs, and creating a safe and engaging environment can work wonders to prevent your dog from running away. Avoid punishing your dog; instead, focus on positive reinforcement to build a better relationship with your pet.

Following the above-mentioned training tips will improve your dog's training results. Microchip your dog and give it a collar with an identification tag and your contact info. Remember to be calm, patient, and focused on giving your pet a safe home. Embrace the dog training process and live harmoniously with your beloved pet.