How do I get my dog to listen to me outside of my home?

Question

I have a 4 year old Maltese who knows the basic commands... sit, stay, speak, down etc. He listens very well at home (key word "at home"). If I take him outside or somewhere that's unfamiliar to him, he doesn't pay any attention to me and in some cases will run off. Any advise on how to get him to listen in situations that distract his attention from me?

Answer 1

try a reward system...it works for me

Answer 2

Put him on a leash when away from home until the behavior is reinforced to the point where he'll listen to you without it.