Quickly Catching Dogs

Every dog owner has had to chase after their canine companion at some time or another, and for some it is something of a weekly (or possibly daily) ritual. Over time in such situations dog owners can easily become experienced at quickly catching dogs. However, what do the new dog owners or the pet sitters do? Luckily, it's not really all that difficult, potentially strenuous and frustrating, but not difficult. Just keep these things in mind and you will soon have that dog back where he belongs.

• Know the dog. The very first thing to remember is that dogs have their own personalities just like people do. Before you go trying anything, you will want to make sure that you know the dog, and what his temperament is like. With that information in hand, you will be able to tailor your approach style and be much more effective.
• Don't run! While you may have a natural inclination to run after your dog, this is absolutely the last thing that you will want to do. The reason for this is rather simple, your dog will think that one of two things is happening. The first is that you are playing, and that mean he will run. The second is that you are angry, so he will be scared, and he will run. Either way, he will be running away from you.
• Remember emotions are high. Dogs that are running around without a leash on are going to be on something of an emotional high, so you need to be careful. Chances are they are not used to doing this, so they are very nervous and as such can be scared easily. This means that even if you know the dog well, should approach it with caution so that it doesn't react in a bad way.
• Turn your back. If you are the owner of the dog, then a trick that you can use to get the dog to come back is by simply turning your back on it. Believe it or not, since dogs are pack animals that tend to view their owners as the alpha, if they see an indicator of disapproval (such as turning your back) then they are rather quick to come and try and make amends.
• Make it a game. Another thing that you can do is try to make a game out of the whole thing. For example, if you and your dog like to play fetch together, you can start doing that. Simply grab your dog's favorite toy, and then do what you can to get your canine companion to start playing catch with you.
• Bribery. One of the more effective, and perhaps sneaky, methods for quickly catching dogs is to bribe them. Have you, and your family, each get one or two of your fuzzy friend's favorite treats. Tempt the pooch to come over to one of you guys, and then give him the treat when he gets near. This way is also effective for training your dog as well.
• Have a leash ready. Regardless of which method you end up using, you need to have a leash ready and on hand. This way when the dog gets near and is being distracted by one of the methods listed above, you can slip the leash on him and regain positive control. No matter what, do not yell at the dog, do not make the experience scary, and always reward the dog when you get them home again. This way they can begin to correlate coming back to you an getting treats, making the next time much easier.