My dog escapes the yard and won't come. Should I reward his return?

Question

Hi I have a really stubborn and not always very bright dog (love him to death though) and he runs out of yard whenever the gate is open. He never comes when you call him and he goes into our neighbors yards and it takes a long time to catch him. How can I stop this and if he does get out, should I reward him when he comes back to teach him its good to come back to us or does that reinforce his running? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 3 years and 4 months old

Bette Isacoff · Accepted Answer

By all means,reward him when he comes back. Whenever you praise or scold a dog, the behavior you are actually praising/scolding is what's happening RIGHT NOW, not what he did a minute or an hour ago. If he gets out, do not go after or chase him, as it becomes a game. He won't come when you call him unless he has been specifically trained to do so. In other words, the "come" command means nothing to him if he has not been taught it. I would suggest that you get a better closing mechanism for the gate. I would also enroll Stitch in a good basic obedience class, where you can learn how to teach a dog commands. This is not a matter of his being a smart or stupid dog. He doesn't understand what you want, and you need to work with a professional to know how to help him to "get it." Good luck!

My dog escapes the yard and won't come. Should I reward his return?

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