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Question: I can't bring my Chows to a park and let go
of their leashes because they will just take off. No matter how much I call
them, they will run away. It's very hard getting them back.
Answer: Not all dogs will come reliably when called. Of course you can increase your chances of success by intensively training your dogs. I was really impressed one day when I watched a man call his dog away from chasing a deer. However some dogs will always need to be on leash and some dogs will need to be on leash when under certain circumstances (near traffic, etc.). Sixteen or thirty three-foot Flexi-Leashes are good for these times.
Remember that "Come" always interrupts something your dogs would rather be doing so make it worth your dogs' while to come to you. Offer GOOD treats or favorite toys or fun play time.
Never call them for something unpleasant such as a bath or to chew them out for misbehavior. Rather go to the dogs and lead them to you. Certainly don't discipline them for running away - they will associate the discipline with the more recent action of returning. Never call them to signal the end of playtime. After you call the dogs play a bit more and possibly give a treat before you take them inside - show them that mother's call means good things are going to happen.
You should train your dogs one at a time. Before you can train your dog anything, you must get his attention. I hold a piece of food in front of my face and say "Ready." When my dog looks at me, he gets the food. I recommend that you insist on precision when you train. You should use the command only once and your dog should sit in front of you, facing you, and within reach so that you can grab his collar. When you call your dog for real at the park, your dog will loose a bit of this precision. And of course when in the park, you will call your dog as many times as it takes. (If your dog is trailing a 20 or 30 foot leash it might be easier to catch him.)
Train your dog to obey commands given in a conversational tone of voice. It is not necessary to holler or to use a forceful, commanding tone of voice. Sometimes I whisper commands to my dog. This assumes that the environment is not noisy and that your dog is not far away.
At first call your dog over short distances only. A successful "come" trains good behavior. An unsuccessful come ingrains bad behavior. So keep your "comes" short and successful. Call your dog from two feet, three feet, five feet, etc. Do this on leash. Offer lots of praise and a GOOD treat. For the longer recalls, use a long training leash or clothesline. If at any time your dog does not come, you must go back to a shorter distance.
As you progress to the longer distances, keep your dog guessing: Fasten a short tab, light line, long line, etc. to his collar. He will never know for sure whether you have physical control over him or not.
When your dog is running away, you can also use other commands: stop, sit, stand, stay, down.
In his book, "Good Owners, Great Dogs," Brian Kilcommons recommends that a dog owner practice the "come" command 10 times per day.
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