Runaway dog!?

Question

I have a 5yr old malamute. No matter how many walks he goes on he still runs away if he gets a chance to be off leash. No matter how much we yell at him to come back he ignoars us. he eventualy comes home 1-2 hrs later when he is tired. Any ideas how I can make him an off leash dog I hate having to tie him up on camping trips and at the house. Thinking about a shockcoller.

Answer 1

At least yours comes back! My dog just stays out until we come after him... depending on how long we take to find him he will either dance just out of reach or come flop in front of us acting like he's done something great!

Answer 2

I don't know malamutes the way I know many other dogs, but think of it as a reflex. When you touch something hot you yank your hand away at top speed, without thinking about it. If someone yelled STOP at you, you would still do it. Like sneezing. THIS is how some dogs are about running off. Like yorkies are NOTORIOUS run-offers. You can't CANT train them not to do it. It's in them like the color of their eyes.

Next, I have tried everything and shock collars are the best way to go, to keep your dog safe. The KEY is to go by the training regime EXACTLY every single day. If the dog becomes confused..because sometimes he gets a shock and other times (collar is off, etc) he doesn't...he may never get trained.

I know lots of folks will rant about these collars. But my yorkie ran past me and under the school bus quite often. He also ran in front of an old lady driving her car, then my big dog followed (got hit) followed by my son. It was very close to being my son.

Shock collars have their place but only if used 100% correctly. If you can not keep your dog safe without it, then get one.

Answer 3

My breed is the same way.. I have had a few that would stay by my side off lead, or nearby on outings, but most of them are forever unreliable to be off lead..
I don't think there is really a good solution..I don't think the shock collar will work, but you might go on a Malamute forum and ask if others have found a way to keep them from running away..

Answer 4

I would talk to a dog trainer. I watch Cesar Millan "The Dog Whisperer" and he solved a pug running away very easily. But the training began in the house, with simple obedience/dominance correction. But it is really worth your time and money to talk to a trainer and get this resolved. I had a dog that would do the same thing (Lab/Husky mix), but he would be gone for 5 to 8 hours! I was able to overcome the urge by neutering him, then training him in an enclosed area to come to me with a reward. I would encourage him to play (he loved "looking" for things), then I'd call him, give him ALOT of praise, and a really good treat, then let him go play by saying "Okay, go ahead". It really seemed to work for him. But it took weeks/months of doing this just about every day.

Good luck!

Answer 5

hmm...i suppose you keep the dog mostly tied up or stucked at the house most of the time right? you see, dogs will get bored when you tie them up and just leave them alone at the house without any companion. you should've spent more time with him and "communicate" with him more in a sense that...for example, pet him at the head more or go for a "dog fight" with it. its hard to say for now as your dog now is 5 years old...hard to get things into his head now...but you can try...thats the least you can try...

hope that helps...

Answer 6

Is he nutered? If not, then he is looking for a girlfriend (apparently he found one close by) Nutering will cut down on the dogs need to roam for a mate and cut down on his escaping.