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Best Ways To Retrieve A Dog Off Leash

January 30, 2023 by Mary Telesz

Dogs are an amazing addition to our lives, but sometimes there are situations where you need to retrieve a dog off their leash. Maybe they got out of the yard or got lost while on a walk. There are many ways to end up in this situation, but don’t worry! Here’s everything you need to know to bring back a dog off its leash.

What should you do if your dog gets off leash?

A man training his german shepherd dog in a park

If your dog gets off leash, it’s important to stay calm. If you are able to walk toward them in a relaxed manner, they may return on their own. You can also use a treat or toy to entice them back toward you. If this does not work, consider practicing recall with your dog in a secure area before taking them out for walks next time.

If your pet is still running away from you, try turning back so that he or she has a clear path back home. You might even want to run the opposite direction and encourage them with an excited voice and an extended arm pointing them in the right direction.

Here are several additional tricks that could encourage your dog to return to you if they continue to run away:

  • Use a treat jar with a distinct opening sound so your pup will recognize it, even from far away.
  • Sit down on the ground and pretend to cry. Dogs will often return to comfort their owner and see what is wrong.
  • Ask your dog if they want to go do an activity they like and use a word they recognize, such as “Want to go for a WALK?” or “Let’s go to the PARK?!”
  • Use their leash as a visual trigger to encourage them to run back to you to go for a walk.
  • Open your car door and ask them if they’d like to go for a ride.
  • A man and his golden lab dog on the road

    Make sure to avoid these knee-jerk responses:

    • Do not chase the dog. They will think you are playing with them and will run even further away from you.
    • Do not yell at them or make any sudden movements, as this could cause the dog to become afraid of you and run around even more than before.

    Prevention Methods

    The best way to prevent your dog from getting lost is to make sure they’re leashed at all times. If you have a large yard, consider putting up an invisible fence so that your pet stays within their designated area and doesn’t wander off or escape.

    It’s also important for owners to register with the city or town where they live so that officials know who owns pets in case there’s ever an emergency situation.

    A lost dog wearing a microchip collar

    Microchipping is also a great option for keeping track of your pet. Microchips are implantable devices that contain information about the owner and the location of where the animal was last seen. They are inserted under their skin by veterinarians, local shelters and rescue groups as well as other entities who help find missing pets. The microchip itself lasts for 10 years, but some companies offer lifetime registration services so that if yours gets lost again in the future, there’s no need for another procedure-just call them up!

    You should make sure to always have a collar and tags on your pet whenever they go outside if they’re not microchipped. It helps identify them when someone finds them running around off leash because it lets folks know right away who owns them even before asking any questions. This way, if anything happens while they’re gone, like getting hit by a car or picked up by animal control officers while roaming free without permission from their owners, it’ll still be easy to get them back. Collars should fit snugly around their necks to prevent injury while wearing them.

    Conclusion

    As we’ve seen, dogs can get disconnected from their leash and away from their owners in an instant. The key is to be prepared with a plan for every scenario-even if you think it won’t happen to you! And remember, solutions are often easier than they seem at first glance. If you take these tips into account when training your dog, it will be much easier for everyone involved when trouble arises.

    Filed Under: Dog Walking, Pet Training

    Contact Paw Pals for More Information

    Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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    Office Location

    Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
    14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
    Centreville, VA 20121
    (703) 345-1695

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    9am - 5pm
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    9am - 5pm
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    Areas Served

    Centreville – 20120, 20121
    Chantilly – 20151
    Clifton – 20124
    Fairfax – 22030, 22033
    Fairfax Station – 22039
    Manassas – 20109, 20110, 20111
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    Paw Pals Pet Sitting
    Paw Pals Pet Sitting
    4.9
    Julie Shildt
    Julie Shildt
    17:45 14 Nov 21
    It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
    laceyrt
    laceyrt
    18:03 08 Mar 23
    The folks at Paw Pals pet sitting are fantastic to work with. This review includes a bit of a long story but goes to show how dedicated they are to their job and the care they have for the animals they watch over. I reached out to Paw Pals, even though I live outside their service area, in a bit of a panic because our scheduled dog sitter for our family vacation suddenly wasn't available. The local sitters we've used in the past seemed like they wouldn't be able to accommodate us on such late notice and so we were scouring the internet for other options.When I submitted a request to Paw Pals, I expected to get a polite no thank you - you're out of our service area. Instead I got a call from Jen, who was so kind, helpful and accommodating and essentially bent over backwards to help set up a sitter for us. We met the sitter at her home and it was more of the same. So friendly and welcoming to our dog and fully prepared to watch her for two weeks.We ultimately didn't end up booking with Paw Pals, only because our local sitter had an opening that allowed someone to stay in home with our dog (who is a very anxious senior shepherd-collie mix). But just based on the limited experience I had with them, I would highly recommend Paw Pals. These folks are fantastic and I only wish we lived closer so we could utilize their other services on a regular basis. Five stars all the way!
    Michæl Silva
    Michæl Silva
    21:38 01 Jul 22
    Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
    Kwi Kim
    Kwi Kim
    22:37 17 Jun 22
    I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
    Joseph Walter
    Joseph Walter
    19:55 13 Jun 22
    Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
    Ashley Manning
    Ashley Manning
    09:50 11 Jun 22
    Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
    Brian Wood
    Brian Wood
    04:08 22 May 22
    We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
    Lesley Bush
    Lesley Bush
    13:58 18 Mar 22
    We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
    Sebastian Barnes
    Sebastian Barnes
    01:06 17 Jan 22
    I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
    Andrea Hall
    Andrea Hall
    22:45 03 Oct 20
    I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
    Taylor Smith
    Taylor Smith
    21:22 03 Oct 21
    I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
    Katie McCune
    Katie McCune
    19:19 15 Jul 21
    I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
    Alexandra Hill
    Alexandra Hill
    22:43 23 May 21
    I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
    Cindy Welgoss
    Cindy Welgoss
    13:12 27 Nov 20
    We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
    Dr Tammy Cashion
    Dr Tammy Cashion
    21:11 12 Mar 19
    We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
    Kristin Conrad
    Kristin Conrad
    16:00 16 Nov 19
    We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
    Katie Russell
    Katie Russell
    15:01 17 May 20
    Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
    Phillip Evans
    Phillip Evans
    14:38 11 Jul 20
    When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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