Tips to keep dog close on walk

[coffee8]

Hi

My dog is 3, has good recall but likes to run quite far away to explore. Especially in familiar places.

How can I encourage them to explore but stay nearer to me? I have tried tossing treats near me and throwing ball which does help.

Yes I could and do use the lead when needed but their recall is great to voice and whistle. I would just prefer them not to wander so far ahead.

Any ideas welcome. Thanks

You could teach him to wait if he's about to go too far, then catch up with him.

My dog learnt this without any training...I think he'd heard me say "wait" so many times at home, when he was getting excited about his dinner, or going out for a walk etc. He'd worked out that something nice usually happened afterwards so worked it out for himself!

I don't give him any treats for waiting when on walks, just a "Good Boy" then "OK" so he can start moving again.

Can you play hide and seek with him?

Initially with two humans if possible, until he gets the game. We started in the house on a rainy day and then outside, etc. Dog loved it.

I also did a bit of running with my boy. I am by no means a runner, and we had lots of stops , but it seemed that if he thought I was likely to get too far from him, he stayed closer.

Change direction on a walk, so he cannot predict the route you will take.

Basically you have to find things to make yourself more interesting to him, and a little unpredictable.

Go to different places, or turn around mid-walk, or vary your route - basically, change things up so that he has to focus on you a lot more. If you constantly switch up your routes and what you do, he'll have no choice but to keep checking in on you.

Teaching a "wait" command is really helpful too.

Exactly that. If you notice that he is moving away and not paying attention to you, change your direction. You turn off or you walk back. When he realises this and catches back with you, you go back in the original direction. Don't praise him, don't give him any attention, just walk - he has to learn that he has to look out for you, otherwise he may lose you. Playing hide and seek also works well (you hide when he's ahead and not paying any attention to you) but it's important that he's not allowed to find you himself. If you realise that he is looking and getting nervous, call him and come out. If he finds you himself, he learns that it's not so bad if he loses sight of you, he can always find you again. That's why you have to be quicker.

Whistle training works for us

Sometimes I'm happy for my dogs to range wide, but if I want them to stay closer I:
Play games with them (I hide, or get a ball out, or play games with treats)
Do training (heelwork, retrieving)
Use the stop whistle or get them to wait until I catch up

They also know that I am quite prepared to take a random and unexpected turning (including doing a 180) so they tend to keep an eye on me.

I'm another one who uses 'wait' She's cottoned on that she's not allowed to go around corners without me, although being a German Shepherd, she doesn't let me out if her sight anyway. 'Stay' is obviously an option, but she knows the difference between the 2.

A handful of gravy bones in a pocket go down well in training.

Without warning turn and (slowly) walk away in the opposite direction in sight of your dog. Your dog will come running back to you. Praise your dog. Repeat daily until you see your dog keeping a close eye on where you are.

Another one here who played hide and seek with mine when she was a puppy and it's worked like magic - she will roam but is always checking to see where I am. That, and a few weeks of walks where you have a high- value treat with you (something soft and smelly like pate) and calling them to you more often, and then if they come to you without you calling them, also give them a treat then. Helps reinforce that you are priority number one.