# How to get maltese's not to run away...



## Sophie11 (Dec 15, 2008)

If I let Johnny off the leash, he'd run away in a millisecond! How can I train him not to?


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

IMO, Maltese should never be off leash. Too many potential accidents. Running into the street, another dog (or bird, or coyote depending on where you live) coming and attacking, etc. I would definitely leave your dog on his leash, for his safety.


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## Reillies_mom (Jan 29, 2009)

First of all, I am no expert, but will offer my opinion. I agree with the 'should be on a lease at all times' - simply because Reillie does the EXACT same thing!!! 
My labs (who weigh about 100 lbs.) are scared to death of me when I call their name - but Reille could not care less!! She bolts............
I have found thought that training her with treats - keeping them in my pocket while we are out in the yard - and keeping her attention I will make her sit, stay and I will take a few steps back and call her to me, when she comes, sits, she gets a treat. BUT I ONLY DO THIS IN MY YARD, where I know I can keep her 'confined'.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Maybe you should enroll him in a dog training class. That's a good thing to learn. 

Speaking for my kids, Archie would probably take a trip around the neighborhood, but Abbey wouldn't leave our yard. And I only know that because Stan has let her loose on several occassions - it scared me to death :new_shocked: ....but she was actually very good.

Personally, I wouldn't let my dogs off leash while outside. It's just way too stressful.


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## Sophie11 (Dec 15, 2008)

I have only tried it once and he ran all the way down the street! 

I nearly had a heart attack, but fortunately a nice couple picked him up and gave him back to me. 

I am thinking about going to classes. Do you think that this will do any good?


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## Gracie's Mommy (Feb 14, 2008)

I never let Gracie off leash outside, but I wish I had the comfort of knowing she wouldn't bolt if somehow she did get out off leash. I like the idea of training her in the back yard, fenced in, as someone suggested. But my gosh, she just goes crazy outside, running like a crazy girl all over the place. I may give it a try, though. But just for day-to-day stuff, I think they should be on leash at all times. There's just too much that can catch their attention and tempt them to bolt ... and ohmygosh, how incredibly fast they are!!!!! :shocked:


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

QUOTE (Sophie11 @ Jan 29 2009, 03:50 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=715479


> I have only tried it once and he ran all the way down the street!
> 
> I nearly had a heart attack, but fortunately a nice couple picked him up and gave him back to me.
> 
> *I am thinking about going to classes. Do you think that this will do any good?*[/B]



Yes it will! 

Jax and I do classes for obedience type skills. We will work on Off Leash training, but it will be done in several different controlled environments. If your dog has never been off leash to run, it's not unlikely they'd run off and it makes sense why they would.

Classes will teach you basic obedience (sit, down, etc...) as well as Recalls, Emergency Recalls, Reliable Recalls, etc.... The recall is probably more important than the fact of them running.

I think for safety sake, dogs should almost always be on leash. I really would only Jax off leash at the beach or a dog park. That will probably be some time before we've worked on it enough that I even feel comfortable doing that. 

I think it really depends on the consequence of "What if my dog doesn't come when I call him?". For example: If I'm at the beach, the road is quite a distance, if he runs off and doesn't come to me, basically he just gets farther down the beach and we both get a REALLY good work out . However, if I let him off leash walking to the car in the parking lot and he takes off and doesn't come when I call him... He could get hit by a car. Then, that does NOT make sense to take that risk.


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

I do not let Midis outside our fenced in yard without being on a leash. However, I am not so concerned (as I have been with a past pet, a Poodle) that he would run out the door if we open the door to the front yard (not fenced in) that he would take off running. In fact, I'm quite sure that would be his very LAST inclination. He has no real desire to run away or to run off or to even be that far away from what is familiar to him, which is his inside home and his outside area in the backyard. I am careful when I go to let someone in the front door simply because he is an "Alert Dog" and will bark his head off so I am not really sure what his next step would be with a stranger at the front door (I assume only more barking, but when he does this the stranger is intimidated, we can't communicate, so that is just not a good time to "test" his next reaction).

I'm not sure why some dogs feel the need to "flee" or run away when they get the chance. The only one I have ever had that had that inclination was the Poodle and I was only about 10 or 12 at that time. We lived out in the country and I just don't know what made the little guy want to run like heck anytime anyone let him out the door. I wasn't really responsible for his upbringing. I just loved him. 

Cyndi


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## TheButtercup (Mar 3, 2005)

i am fortunate i've never had that happen. buttercup was on her leash at all times outside of the house for her first... 5 years, maybe? even when i took her to the dog park and unclipped her from her leash, she would just stand next to me. she just knows she is not allowed to go ANYwhere unless she is leashed. 
that said, my neighbor's pugs... one is like buttercup, and the other would run off in a second. the two dogs were raised together, training classes together, etc. who knows. 

but a leash at all outside-times is a good idea. even for potty times.


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## pinkheadbaby (Jul 27, 2008)

I know just what you mean. Cookie's leash slipped out of my hand when she was about 6 m old & she ran down the middle of the street. It was about 10 pm. I was running about 10 feet behind her. After about 50 feet she went over near a parked car & stopped. I was so scared !!!

So, I picked her up & was so happy that neither one of us was killed, that I could not really be mad. It was my fault.

Then of course I had to walk back up the block where my Jack Russell was sitting on a lawn right where I told her to stay when I dropped her leash. :clap: 
I was shakey for quite awhile. 

Now I am very careful & have been working on getting her to follow commands.
Always be sooo careful.
Anne


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## Sylphide and Shrek's Mom (Dec 4, 2004)

I'm a big fan of proper training for our little ones. Both Sylphide and Shrek have had good training. The nice thing about training classes (and spaces) is that they provide a safe space to practice off leash training. Sylphide is an agility dog and has been doing agility for about 4 years now, so she's a "pro" off leash. We worked on all of the off leash training for Sylphide, Shrek and Amor while at the agility facility, where they could be off leash in a huge fenced space and learn to come on command and stay even when unleashed. I used to take the dogs early or stay late to practice these basic skills outside of class time.


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## allheart (Oct 3, 2008)

I am a huge advocate for ALWAYS keeping babies on a leash. It drives me crazy, when I see an owner walking so proudly, with their unleashed dog beside them. I can barely look or breath. You can have the most trained dog in the world, but just once, something can catch their eye, and off they go. Although, we know they are precious babies, reality is, they are still dogs, and it takes just one second for them to so easily, see something, and forget all that training, or something approach them, and you have no means to pull them to safety.

Absolutley agree, training would be wonderful for emergency situations, when they somehow get loose from their lead.


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## wolfieinthehouse (Dec 14, 2007)

Training is crucial and sometimes a dog will get loose no matter how careful you are.....at least once in a lifetime.

I use yummy food as an emergency call back for my dogs.


They know that sandwich meat or something similar awaits them for the phrase "YUMMIES!" and they rarely get it once they figure out its name.

If they get out and run and I scream "YUMMIES!" so they can hear me....they turn on a dime and come to get it and if I were home, I'd get them in and to the kitchen to get some to reinforce the training. I try to always have something on hand in case I need to make the call back (something delish in a pocket)


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## Max & Rocky (May 20, 2004)

There was a period in their lives when (around 1 year old) that both Rocky and Max had no fear at all and would bolt out the front door if given any opportunity. In fact, for a time, we had figured out the best way to get them to come back was to keep a squeaky toy by the front door. At the time this was going on, neither could resist a toy. Now, both of them seem to have a healthy amount of fear and they would always stay close to us, even if they were not on a leash.

The one issue we are having to deal with now is Spencer... who seems to be a runner. He got out the front door and I could not even call him back as his hearing is not too good.


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

QUOTE (Allheart @ Jan 31 2009, 04:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=716431


> I am a huge advocate for ALWAYS keeping babies on a leash. It drives me crazy, when I see an owner walking so proudly, with their unleashed dog beside them. I can barely look or breath. You can have the most trained dog in the world, but just once, something can catch their eye, and off they go. Although, we know they are precious babies, reality is, they are still dogs, and it takes just one second for them to so easily, see something, and forget all that training, or something approach them, and you have no means to pull them to safety.
> 
> Absolutley agree, training would be wonderful for emergency situations, when they somehow get loose from their lead.[/B]


Oh, me, too! I would NEVER just let Midis out the door in the front yard without a leash! I have a boss who frequently kept his friend's perfectly behaved/trained Vizsla and brought her into the office a lot. He never brought a leash, and in the middle of Green Hills, Nashville, TN (one of the most congested traffic areas in the city!) he'd take her out (without leash) to pee. Well, he also left her with us, his employees (we are all dog-loving people) and we would have to take her out sometimes. I refused to take her out without a leash because as you said, they are dogs. No matter how well trained, do I want to be responsible for this dog running off after a squirrel or another dog??? So, I just used my belt. My boss acted like that was silly and unnecessary, but not me. And probably not he either now, as he has purchased his own Vizsla about a year or two ago and they are STILL trying to get this dog trained! The trainer that worked with Midis for 5 days has now worked for them for about a year, for a 2 or 3 week stretch (full time) and now I think on a two or three day a week Daycare training. Wow. Some Vizslas may be brilliant but this one only seems to behave around the trainer. (I just HATE having a 40 lb dog jump up on me when I am in dress clothes for work! How annoying is THAT!!!)

Cyndi


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## Starsmom (Jan 31, 2009)

To everyone out there with young and maybe not so young babies...If there is a one single word that all our babies must learn to obey it is *"STOP!" *Teach it to yours before he/she learns other commands. It could save their life. :wub:


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## Kutsmail1 (Dec 26, 2007)

I have worked with Zippy on come, and she does very well with it IF it is me givng the command. I do not let her out off the leash though. Other people in the neighborhood let their dogs run free, and they are all large dogs. There aren't a lot of them, but it only takes one out of control beast to fatally wound a malt. It isn't worth the chance.

I still feel you are thinking in the right direction though. Obedience training is ALWAYS an asset. It is easily done. Zippy was easily bribed into it! Give Zippy a treat and she will follow you to the ends of the earth!


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