My lab used to be great at playing ball off-leash. Lately, last several weeks to a month, she runs off with the ball around our bushes or car, anywhere to get away and play the come-get-me game. Initially we would just wait for her to get bored and finally return the ball or to drop it; unfortunately she has gotten worse and is almost impossible to catch. We've stopped playing her favourite game unless we're in a gated park.
Any ideas on how I can stop her from running away from us?
--
This is a great question and one I frequently hear. First and foremost, get back to playing your game... but have your girl on a long line (a 20- to 30-foot “leash”)! A leash is always your first line of defense in dealing with situations like this- it gives you back the ability to control the situation.
Use her favourite game of ball in a training scenario: Have your dog on the long line, give a series of commands, and then throw the ball as a reward when she has earned it (i.e. she does the commands with no need for correction). When she retrieves the ball, tell her to "Bring It!" (this will be her retrieval command). Using the long line, you’re guaranteed to get her to you. Reel her in like a fish, and praise her for bringing the ball to you- "Good Girl! Good Bring It!"
As with all recall work, repetition is key here- once you see that your dog is responding consistently without much need for motivation from you, it's time to try it *without* handling the long line- but my hint here is to simply drop the long line, rather than take it right off. That way, if she decides to play "keep away" you'll be able to easily get a hold of the end of the long line and get her to you... And remember, if she does decide to play keep away, you will know that she's not ready for the freedom of being totally off-leash! Keep at it and have fun!
