What is the Least Effective Method to Retrieve a Dog that Has Got Off-Leash?
When it comes to taking your dog for a walk, you must have it on a leash. It serves as a good security reason not only for your dog but also for people and other pets. But at the same time, it is also crucial for you to let your dog off-leash. You should only do this in a controlled environment and when your dog is properly trained.
But sometimes things don’t go as planned and your dog goes off-leash by accident. Trying to retrieve a dog that has got off-leash can be difficult, especially when it is an unruly pet. This is a common problem that is experienced by most dog owners daily.
If your dog has got off-leash, it means they are excited and thrilled by their surroundings. You need to understand that they want to explore the things that grab their attention.
The only way to avoid such trouble is to prevent it from slipping from its leash. But in case, if it happens by accident, there are different ways to get your dog back. You just have to know the right way to get to your dog. Shouting and yelling its name will not do you any good.
In this post, we will cover the best methods to retrieve your dog when it’s off-leash.
Least Effective Methods to Retrieve Your Dog Off-Leash
Shouting won’t work
Shouting or yelling at your dog is the worst thing you can do when it has got off-leash. If you think calling their names loudly will help, you are wrong. For your information, it will only further trigger your dog’s excitement level. Instead of coming back to you, he will get more excited and run here and there.
Sometimes, they may also take the yelling negatively. If they find your voice to be frustrating, it will create a negative impact on them. As a result, they will run further away from you. This is because they are not feeling safe with you.
Punishing your dog can make things worse
Many dog owners assume that punishing their dogs is the ultimate solution. This is where they go wrong. If your dog has got off-leash, you should refrain from punishing him. This may only make the situation worse. If you do punish them, they will not come back to you.
When you punish your pet, it gives them the wrong message. It leaves a negative impact on them because of which they will try to avoid you. So next time your dog gets off-leash, instead of punishing him, you should deal with him calmly.
Running after your pooch won’t help
Just so you know dogs can run up to 20 miles per hour. So if you thought you can catch them by running after them, you couldn’t be more wrong. It is only going to waste your time and energy.
By chasing your dog you are putting him in more danger. For instance, if you are running after your dog near the main road, there is a chance that he will get hit by a car. When you run after them, they think you are chasing to punish them. They might also think that you want to play the “chase” game. So, running after your dog means provoking him.
Leaving your door closed
In most cases, the dog comes back after exploring an unknown territory. Now if you keep your door closed, there’s a high chance that it will go away. They might feel unwanted and go to someplace else.
This is why you should keep your doors open. If your dog comes back, it will straight away enter your house. But at the same time, you need to be careful when you leave your door open. The best thing to do is to have someone on guard. By doing so, you can avoid any unwanted incidents from happening.
Not putting a GPS tracker on your pet
Not putting a GPS tracker in your dog’s collar can prove to be a big mistake. A GPS tracker helps you to know the location of your dog, so you don’t have to go around looking for him. With the help of a GPS tracker, you can easily track your dog and monitor its activities.
However, you should use a quality GPS tracker on your pet. The device should be able to inform immediately about your dog’s whereabouts.
Things to Do to Retrieve Your Dog When It’s Off-Leash
Running after your dog or shouting at him will not work. Instead of doing all that you need to deal with him calmly. Here are some methods you can try to get your dog back safely and easily.
Remain calm
The first rule is to stay calm. Your dog might have got off-leash because something has piqued his interest. In this case, you need to curb down his excitement level. This is why you should remain calm and call his name without shouting.
However, this method may not work every time, especially if he has run-off in a high-traffic area. But this method is any day more effective than shouting and chasing your dog. Doing all that sends a wrong message to your dog. It will either increase their excitement level or make them run further away from you.
Run in the opposite direction
This is a very common trick that is used by many dog owners. When your dog has got off-leash, stop running behind him. They might think you want to play and start running even faster. Now unless you are Usain Bolt, you can beat your dog in a race.
The more you chase your dog, the more they will run away from you. Instead of doing that you should call your dog’s name and start running in the opposite direction. This will make your dog curious and get him to run after you. Once your dog comes back to you, cuddle him to show how much you love him. This is a tricky method, but it works in most cases.
Lie down immediately
This method may sound strange, but it is an effective way of getting your dog back. If none of the other methods works, you should start calling your dog’s name and lie down on the ground. But make sure that your dog has seen you, or else it won’t work.
When you suddenly drop on the ground, they will be curious to know what happened to you. As a result, they will come back running to you to check if you are fine. This is also a good way of finding out how much your dog loves you.
Lure your dog with his favorite treats
Another thing you can do is lure your dog with his favorite treats. Once they hear you calling their name, while holding their favorite treat, they will come running to you. Instead of treats, you can also try the same trick with a toy.
You should continue with this motion until your pooch starts coming towards you. Once you have your pet in your arms, cuddle and praise them.
Call him by his name
Calling your dog’s name with a calm voice can also be very effective. Make sure that your voice is loud enough for your dog to hear.
You should avoid yelling or shouting. What we mean is that there shouldn’t be any hint of rage in your voice. Dogs are smart animals. They can sense your anger easily. If you convey a tone of fear or anger, they will not come back to you. But when you call their name with a pleasant tone, it will make them quickly run towards you.
Reward him when he returns to you
Once your dog returns to you, praise and love them. You must appreciate your dog by giving him cuddles or rewards. Also, you should stop yourself from immediately snapping the leash.
Instead of scolding your dog for running off, you should praise them for coming back to you. It will make them feel loved. But if you try to punish them, it will make things worse and make them scared. If that happens, it will be difficult for you to control their behavior.
What to do if your dog goes missing?
In the worst cases, your dog can go missing after it gets off-leash. This can be a scary situation for a pet owner. But instead of panicking, you should keep yourself calm and do the following things.
Inform everyone in your locality
When you don’t have any idea where your dog is, you should create “lost dog” posters and signs with your dog’s picture. Paste them in your neighborhood, so that people can contact you if they see your dog around. Make sure you add your contact details to the missing poster.
You should use a large, colored image of your dog so that it’s easier to identify him. Those who have put a locket around your dog with your name and number can skip this step. If someone finds your dog, they will contact you.
It will be great if you give some reward to the person who will find your dog. This will encourage more people to look for your pet.
Make a post on social media
In today’s time, social media serves as a powerful platform. It can spread messages like wildfire. If your dog is missing, you can post about it on all your social media platforms.
You should also post about your missing dog on your local pet group on Facebook. Make sure that your post is public, so people can share it further. This way it can reach more people.
There have been many instances where people have found their lost pets with the help of social media. So you shouldn’t rule out this option.
Take help from animal control
If days have passed and you still haven’t found your pet, you must contact the animal control center in your area. They are very much experienced in collecting lost animals. There is a high chance that your dog is in an animal shelter.
If your dog is micro-chipped, you don’t have to worry that much. But if not, then you should get him micro-chipped, the moment you find him. This way you won’t lose your dog again.
How to avoid your dog from getting off-leash?
The best way to prevent your dog from getting off-leash is to have full control. When you step out with your dog, you should be attentive and focus on your pet. Don’t get distracted by other things or you may lose control.
For extra security, you should loop the leash on your hand. Make sure that the leash is secured so that your dog doesn’t get a chance to escape. The better option is to get a leash with a loop on one end so that it remains attached to your body even when you lose hold of it.
But most importantly, you should train your dog. You need to make your dog disciplined through training. A properly trained dog will listen to your commands. Make sure that your dog knows commands like ‘Stop’ and ‘Come’. These are basic dog commands that come in handy in situations like when you take your dog out for walking or other physical activities.
Also, you shouldn’t talk over the phone while walking your dog. You must pay attention to your pet, so it doesn’t get off-leash by accident. Before walking out of the house, check the leash to find any problem.
Will my dog run away if I let him off-leash?
In most cases, dogs will run away the moment you detach the leash. Dogs are curious animals who are always intrigued by their surroundings. They love to explore the things that excite them. So when you put them off-leash, they get a chance to roam around freely and explore the things they want.
For dogs, there are various stimulating elements around them. It could be sounds, scents, and texture. Whenever they get a chance, they will try to explore these things.
Aside from that, rescue dogs have a higher tendency of running away when you put them off-leash.
This is why you should make your dog familiar with various outside elements. By doing so, you can reduce their excitement to explore their surroundings. When a dog is used to outdoor elements, they show less interest in it. Besides that, you must also train your dog. It makes a crucial part of owning a dog. You should train your dog to come back to you when you call their name.
How to know if your dog is ready to be off-leashed?
This is a very important question asked by dog owners. Before you decide to get your dog off-leash, you need to make sure that your pet obeys all your commands.
If your dog follows all your commands consistently, it might be safe to put him off-leash. To achieve this, dog needs to undergo intensive obedience training.
But sadly, not all dogs are obedient. It is nothing less than a challenge to control an unruly dog. If you have such a pet, you need to be patient with it. They make take longer than usual to follow your commands. You should leave your dog off-leash only when you are sure that it will listen to you. Before letting him roam around freely, you should put him to the obedience test in your backyard.
For security reasons, you are advised not to let your dog off-leash in public places even if it is fully trained. This is crucial for the safety of your dog, other people, and pets. If you let your dog run around freely in public areas, it increases their risk of getting hit by a car and sustaining serious injuries.
It should be reminded that training a dog is not a one-day thing. It takes time and therefore, you need to be consistent and patient with your pet. Some dogs may take longer to learn to obey their masters. If you are unable to train your dog at home, you can hire a professional dog trainer. They are experts in training dogs and work with various breeds.
Final Words
Being a dog owner is not an easy job. It may sound very exciting, but it comes with tons of responsibilities. Before owning a dog, you must learn about their behavior, so you can deal with your pet better.
As a dog parent, you must train and make your dog disciplined. If you can’t handle this alone, you can always take help from professional dog trainers.
Training a dog is very important as it helps you to control their behavior. It makes your dog obedient and makes him follow your commands. It should come running back to you after you call its name even when it is off-leash.
