Two habits you need to break…
dog waiting for biscuit
So two habits you need to break yourself of is:
1. Chasing after your dog when they’ve done something bad. Because this actually teaches them that “bad actions” will get their desired result (YOU playing with them.)
and
2. Scolding or yelling at your pup when they finally do stop running from you or do return to you after they’ve come back. Again, this just confuses them because they don’t understand where in the timeline of events they got in trouble and they equate it to the last thing they did.
Here’s the deal. Your dog wants attention and wants you to play a game so they jumped on the counter, grabbed something you don’t want them to have and then they take off through the house or out the yard and down the block.
Remember most dogs love to play chase and tag. Watch dogs play and see what they do… Tag is one of their most enjoyable games. They will take each others toys to get each other to chase…
And you CHASE THEM! You are running after them yelling and trying to get your dog to stop and come back.
The dog got you to play…. finally… Of course this wasn’t what you wanted… but you are too busy and frustrated to realize you’ve BEEN PLAYED… I know a dog trainer who says “dogs are smart, people, not so much”
To stop this from happening you could do a few things, in no particular order:
- Play with the dog more, challenge the dog to use their brains not just their legs. Play hide and seek (find it). Hide their toy for them to find, or you can hide. Most dogs love to play. Some can play for hours, and some just need a few minutes.
- Another way to keep from having to chase your dog when they grab something they are not supposed to touch is to have them understand “leave it” and “drop it”.
- Having a great recall (they come when called) is also one of the most important things you can do with your dog.
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