Tip for February 9: Teach Your Dog Not to Play Keep Away

When you and your dog are visiting friends, the dog park, or anywhere he is permitted to run free, he must return when you call him. Does he play the game of keep away so you cannot catch him and put him on his leash to go home.
Solve this problem by training your dog that the leash does not necessarily mean the fun is over.
Try calling your dog to you. When he comes, give him a treat and let him go back to his play.
Wait a bit, call him back, put his leash on, and let him go and enjoy himself.
Finally, call your dog, take hold of the leash, give a treat and head home. By practicing this method, your dog won't view the leash as "fun over" or your call as "home now!".
Teach your dog to associate the leash with more than leaving the fun behind. Desnsitize your dog to the belief that a call back means the end of fun; you will neutralize the keep away game for good.