I have a 10 month old labradoodle. We’ve been going on off leash walks, beaches for some months with no problems. In recent weeks he has started running away from me when I am trying to get him back on his leash. Even if he has been running around playing for a couple of hours, he still does everything to avoid me. He won’t run off but will stand far away enough so I can’t get near him & run away excitedly if I approach him. If I walk off he will follow but at a distance.

I’ve tried bribing him with treats & he did come near me but he tries to snatch the treat & run off. Really hard to catch. It’s getting to a point where I have to lure him somewhere I know I can corner him. However he is smart & starts to learn what I’m doing. It’s a shame because I loved taking to these off leash areas but now I’m just too stressed to go.

I also take him into work with me as he has separation anxiety. I have him on the leash most of the day but occasionally let him play with other dogs. Same in the office, he will just avoid me & run around with the zoomies when it’s time to get back on the leash.

Any advice on how to deal with this?