Game investigation social contact
Running away can occur simply because the dog believes that it is more interesting to be outside his own territory. Dogs that are deprived of play, social interaction and exercise are more likely to run away. A dog that is neglected for long periods of time will display this behavior only to change environment. A dog that gests all excited at the sight of another dog walking on the street, that jumps over the fence to join his friends without showing any signs of territorial protections or predatory behavior only wants to play, investigate, and avail himself of new social contacts. Observe the differences between the behavior of your dog inside and outside of his territory. It is not enough to correct your dog when he leaves his territory; you must also make sure that your dog benefits of many periods of play and exercise.
Territorial Protection: When dogs see people or other dogs near their territory, they get the urge to pursue because they perceive them as a threat. They adopt the stance of a guard dog and will bark, even growl at passers-by. It is possible that these dogs lack socialization. The urge to “manage” the territory is related to the pursuit of a stimulus – the letter carrier, for example. The problem can occur as much when the master is at home as when he is absent. Obviously, the problem will occur more often when the master is absent, as he is not there to control the dog. The protective behavior must be decreased by desensitizing the dog to the stimuli, and by correcting any attempt to chase.
Predatory instincts: Some dogs leave their territory toy attack a pedestrian or another animal, such as a cat or a bird. A dog that catches its prey could bite it, kill it, and bring it home. The dog must follow procedure to counter chasing. The urge to chase must be countered by reprogramming his reactions. This behavior is very difficult to modify, as predatory instincts are very strong in dogs. It is dangerous to allow a dog to chase vehicles, people or other animals, since the dog has tendency to bite the object of his chase. The dog possesses a very strong instinct, whether to defend his territory, direct a herd of sheep, or to follow a moving target. His instincts can sometimes pus him to make aggressive moves, such as snapping, growling or biting.
The animal must be prevented from acting this way right from the start. The master must develop the ability to anticipate faulty behavior and recreate problem situations, with the collaboration of “drivers” and “joggers”. If said situations are recreated within prepared sessions, the training will be improved by showing the dog that chasing is not acceptable behavior in a human’s world.
