Lab Puppy running off !

[gilly100788]

Can any one tell me how to stop my lab puppy from running off every time she has something in her mouth that she shouldnt, ie mud or stones, i call her and tell her to drop or leave and go up to her very slow but she just keeps running off when i get near, i would appreciate any help.

[jules77]

I guess she is young, and it is a natural behaviour. Mine would do the same (she is just 6 months), but the more you chase, the more she will run away as she thinks it is a game. Teach her recall, and teach her to leave. If you distract her, she will drop whatever it is she has she shouldnt have.

[ladybirder]

Try squealing and running away - she'll probably follow you as she'll think you're playing. Worked for mine.

[kat2206]

We have 3 working labs, once you start to make training fun they learn very quickly and are super dogs. She is only 6 months so plenty of bounce in her, do you exercise her regularly, as it sounds to me that she may be bored. If you have a local stream/shallow river, try taking her into that and throw a toy in it, they love the water and also learn to retrieve. We have a 6 month old too, we kept her when our bitch had a litter.

As I said though, ours are all working dogs.

[woofgang]

You need to have with you AT ALL TIMES something she adores.....best fun toy, yummy food, whatever she would sell her doggy soul for. You stand still or move away from her fast calling her and making clear that you have yummy treats or her toy. She will soon twig that coming back is mega rewarding. Always reward her for coming back, never yell or punish her. If she brings back whatever she has run off with she will drop it for the treat or toy (this is called swapping) and you praise and treat her for this. Practice recall with the super toy or yummy treats around the house. If its a toy then give her a game with it and put it away again keep that toy for recalls. She is only a baby yet, she will learn.
Are you taking her to a training class? If you can find a good one that only uses positive methods, it might be a good idea.

[ganesh]

Mine did this too,all her life, and I never really cracked it.
You are supposed to make her want to come back (in the case of labs I think a chunky treat or doggy chocs may work) but I think she often thought what she'd 'found' was much more interesting!

[ganesh]

PS.Agree with Woofgang (in theory) Good luck.

[woofgang]

the trick is to have not just a nice treat but something so delicious that the dog would turn somersaults for it, or not just any toy but a wonderful toy.

[rsvp]

you have a retrieving dog -for some reason she thinks when she has something in her mouth that you want, she has either done wrong or she's confused so she goes away from you - her instincts are to retreive and return to her handler whatever quarry she has been sent after - find a good trainer and allow the dog to do what she has been bred for.

[gilly100788]

Thanks for all your advice, I dont think its boredom as we are always playing with her, she is 4 months old so she cant go for too long walks at the moment so we play inthe garden, she has lots of toys but not one favorite as she plays with them all equally, ill try the running away from her method with one of her toys, will let you know how we progress. thanks

[gilly100788]

Success !! i i have been given lots of treats and even let her off in the field today and hey presto she came back every time.