Make your dog safe:
teach chase restraint

By Nicole Mackie

DO you have a problem with your dog chasing joggers, cyclists or cars? Teach him to report back to you. This task will require the commitment of at least two people for a start, and some consistency.

Take your dog and spare person to a safe secure area with no other humans, dogs or distractions around. Have your dog on a harness and long lead (at least two metres). You will need high value treats for this task.

First stage - Have the spare person walk away out of sight and reappear at your signal some distance away (at least 30 metres). Just before that person appears tell your dog, Report, Give a treat immediately. While giving the treat, give your helping person the signal to walk into sight. This person must not come closer at this stage but just walk into view for about 20 seconds and then back out of sight. Repeat this two or three times and take a break for a few minutes allowing dog to rest.

Second stage - Repeat the task as before, only this time have the helping person appear slightly running into view for about 10 seconds at the same distance from the dog. When dog looks at the person, tell your dog, Report, Give a treat and calm verbal praise when he/she comes back to you. Repeat this two or three times and give the dog a long rest. When the dog is coping well and not pulling or lungeing, then you can move to the next stage or level. Never move to next levels in any training until dog is coping with the level he/she is working at.

Third stage - Repeat the task as for second stage, only this time have helping person appear jogging quickly into view at same distance from the dog. When the dog looks at the person, tell your dog, Report. Give a treat and calm verbal praise when he/she comes back to you. Repeat this two or three times and give the dog a rest.

Fourth stage - repeat the third stage until the dog is reporting every time it sees the jogger. Once the dog is reporting every time you can then close the gap by repeating stages one to three at about 20 metres, until the dog is reporting every time at that distance. Give the dog a rest. Remember to give the dog plenty of rest between and never rush the task. This may take many days or weeks but if you are patient and consistent you should see good results.

Fifth stage - Close the distance by repeating stages one to three at about 10 metres, until the dog is reporting every time at that distance. Treat and praise each time and give dog a long rest.

Sixth stage – Close the gap by repeating stage one to three at about five metres, until the dog is reporting every time at that distance. Give dog a rest.

Seventh stage - Use different people the dog may not know very well as helpers and repeat all stages, one to six. When the dog can report to you no matter who is jogging past, then you and your dog have achieved the task well. Don't make this task too difficult, never tell your dog off if he does not seem to be succeeding. If he/she is not making progress it may be that you are doing too much to quickly and the dog is losing confidence. Always set your dog up to succeed and only move on to each level when your dog is ready and not before.

You can use the same technique as stages one to seven using cyclists and cars.  But cars should never get as close to the dog as a jogger or cyclist. Cyclist should slow down as they go past a dog, unfortunately some do not. Keep your dog safe. If your dog is ever in the situation of a fast cyclist or car coming too close, at least your dog will know how to report to you and you can safely get him/her out of danger.