Dog has started running home on walks

[Cordell]

We've had a little rescue pup for 4.5 months now, she's now 14.5 months old. Very sweet dog, idolises my DH and follows him everywhere (not so fussed with me). She's great off lead and adores other dogs, super friendly.... only downfall is she has severe separation anxiety.

Yesterday, my DH was walking her off lead in the field just behind our house. Another dog started chasing her (she loves being chased), and she ran off. Next thing I know, she was in our car park trying to get in to the garden. We were panicked but pleased she came home, and thought it was a fluke. She seemed fairly unfazed.

Today, DH takes her to a park at the bottom of the road we always go to, to play fetch off lead. A dog started chasing her and she ran off again - but this time to the front of our home, as I heard her on the porch. This time she was shaking and very upset....

What would you all suggest? I mean obviously no more off lead for a start! We just don't want her to start thinking other dogs are out to get her, and make this a regular thing. Why do you think she would keep running home? Especially when she's obsessed with DH? Any advice would be very welcomed please 😊

Start giving her treats at the point where she got scared so she starts to associate that area with treat time

then wean her off it with time

She doesnt love being chased

She runs home because she is fearful when chased

Stop her being chased and she will not feel so terrified to need to run home

Do not let dogs she is not happy with interact with her. Only let her meet calm dogs that you know will not chase her

It sounds like she was scared, and associates home with a sense of safety.

It sounds like she doesn’t enjoy being chased.

Always take treats with you, high value ones to start with. As soon as she looks at a dog, no matter how far away, treat her. Repeat as you get closer to and pass the dog. You need to be really on it with timings, and be calm, in charge and not stressed in your own attitude.

I’d get her a yellow ‘I need space’ or ‘nervous’ dog jacket while you’re working on this and swap to a long line (not one of those retractable leads, an actual long line) so you can train well.

There will be lots of professionals who can work on this 1:1 with you too if you don’t want to do it all alone.

I would not let other dogs chase her and keep her on a long line.

Leave her on a lead for a start. What if she was run over?

We've got a rescue as well who tries to run home when he gets scared - by a loud noise, someone kicking a ball, too much wind making the trees blow etc. After seeing behaviourists we now keep him on a long trailing line at all times when off the lead now. There are some great thin light ones you can get. Unfortunately it's been a few years now, he's five, and still tries to do it once or twice a month.

We found treats never worked for ours, and the behaviourist said the anxiety of being in flight mood shuts down a dogs appetite effectively.

Training him to stop at the gate to the park or field has worked 98% of the time. Part of that is allowing him to leave when he is scared, but slowly with us. Rather than making him continue the walk.

Thanks all x

She definitely doesn't enjoy being chased. Chase should be mutual with lots of stopping, starting and checking of body language - it's not just one dog bombing after another (which is what it sounds like is happening here).

Going forward she really needs to stay on the lead anywhere around other dogs for now and probably for the foreseeable future in general - you're incredibly lucky she hasn't been hit by a car.

In a way it's good that she runs home as it means she feels happy and safe there, but the flip side is that she's clearly not as happy out on walks or around other dogs as you think she is.

Lots of people interpret (for example) wagging tails as happiness when it can also be a sign of over-arousal and even fear - are you really confident in what her body language is saying?