Do This Instead of Chasing!

When encountering a dog that appears to be lost or out-of-place, the first thing most people want to do is catch it. This is our first natural reaction. Unless you get very lucky, catching a dog will likely never happen. Old, young, and often ailing dogs almost always are able to outrun even the best human athletes. Often chasing makes things worse. How many times in your life have you chased something that you wanted? I bet that most of the time you never got what you wanted going after it this way. But what is someone to do?

Run away. That’s right, quite often you can catch a dog by running away from it. Get his attention first and then walk/run away. It won’t matter if you walk briskly or run, because you will appear slow to a dog no matter what speed you can muster.

Now the term AWAY can mean moving in the opposite direction or even moving in a large circular motion. Very often a dog will follow you, especially if you make him think that following you is his idea. Once in close proximity, you can attempt to grab his collar. Another strategy is to run into a fenced yard that won’t allow the dog an easy escape.

Have treats with you at all times. Many dogs are food motivated, and even those that are not will eventually become so after a few days. Again, don’t chase after the dog and throw treats at him, but rather squat calmly and place the treat on the ground or hold it in your outstretched hand. Allow him to see you doing this. Then back away and see if the dog responds. With luck, the dog will appreciate the treats and start to trust you which might allow you to get closer during a future attempt.

Be aware of your energy. So why do we not want to appear to a dog to be focusing our attention and energy on it? For one, this is the behavior of a predator. A dog that doesn’t know us will think primal safety first. Look away from the dog and appear to ignore him if you’re placing treats on the ground. Make the dog feel that he isn’t your target. Once I simply lay on the ground, stared at the sky, and before long a curious loose dog came right up to me. Just be aware of the dog’s actions and calibrate what you’re doing. If you are doing something that causes the dog to move away from you then just stop doing that! It seems simple but when we become emotional we tend to lose our logical thinking.

Next, avoid calling the dog’s name. Often during a chase our tone becomes nervous and if the dog hears his name in this manner it can cause more stress. Rather, talk to yourself in a calm way while looking at the dog’s rear end instead of his face. If you know that the dog knows certain words, integrate them into whatever you are saying. Common words or phrases most dogs know are “treats” or “time to go for a walk.” Some animal rescuers have had luck pulling their car up to a dog walking down the street, opening their door, and saying “hop in, let’s go.”

Dog trainers will say that a dog’s name should only be used in a positive way. So when a dog hears his name it should mean good things. Try singing a song using the dog’s name in a rising tone – it may help!