Dog a Deer? Don’t Chase Him!

Has your dog ever been a “deer?” Obviously not in the literal sense, of course he has always been a dog! However, most dog owners will agree that at one point or another, we’ve all experienced our dog acting like “a deer in headlights!” You know the look… you call him to you and he freezes and looks at you like a deer caught in headlights –and you know he’s going to run from you!

Most often, a chase ensues, in which your dog is now running away from you, possibly even through neighbors’ yards, across streets, etc. In spite of your desperate pleas, angry demands, or most diligent chase, your dog continues to run away from you instead of coming to you! It can be very frustrating (and scary when roads are involved), but it is a very common situation.

The problem is, most dogs have one or more of these traits: playful, skittish, or stubborn. And any one or more of those traits are likely to lead to a dog who runs from you when you chase him! Either because “you’re in the game” (playful), he is afraid (skittish), or he simply doesn’t want to be caught (stubborn).

Instead, a much better way to get your dog to come to you in an emergency situation is for you to actually run away from your pet instead of toward him! Try calling your dog in a confident and somewhat playful tone. Use lots of energy to attract his attention as well as some motivational movement such as patting the side of your leg. Most dogs will react to this by chasing you. As he begins to head after you, be sure to use phrases such as “good boy come!” to help keep him moving in the right direction.

Of course, this is only a suggestion for how to catch your dog most easily when he is “on the lamb.” The core issue of teaching your pet to respect you, to come when called and not to run away in the first place will need to be addressed through obedience training and practice.

In the meanwhile, until your dog’s training reaches a more dependable point, the above tips should help stave off danger in the event of an emergency “escape”. Be sure to also take other steps to keep your pet safe, such as having self-latching closures on your yard gates and reminding family members not to hold the front door open for too long.