my dog wont listen

Question
i got my dog as a puppy and he followed me around everywhere. but when winter came we had to tye him for night then in the morning we`d let him loose.now every time i let him loose he runs to the neighbors and does`nt come back when i call him .i love so much but he is really hard to deal with.it once took me 1hr to get him inside.i need to know hao do i get my dog to come when i call and to stay home?

Answer
This is a common problem.  There are many reasons a dog won't come when called but the most obvious is that whatever is going on where you are is not as interesting or as much fun as what is going on where your dog is.  So a good place to start is to make sure that when your dog hears you say "Come!", it means there's something great waiting for him when he gets there--a jackpot!  You may be competing with a cat he wants to chase or another dog he wants to play with, or a friendly neighbor who gives him treats and hugs.  He can see you anytime!  "Come!" should ALWAYS be a happy experience with lots of praise and excitement.  If you say "Come!" and then punish your dog for messing in the house or if it means playtime is over at the dog park, you've stacked the deck against ever having your dog willingly come on command.  I like to advise people to notice the times their dog shows up WITHOUT them calling them--maybe it's when you pick up your car keys?  Or get out the leash? Or when he hears you open the cupboard where the treats are kept?  Or when you're making dinner?  Anytime your dog "comes" to you and it's his idea to get there fast and ignoring everything else, that's the response you want to reinforce.  So be sure to praise your dog at the times when he wants to be with you anyway.  Too often people say "come" when their dog is running away from them at breakneck speed.  So that's what "come" becomes.  Instead, link the idea of "come" to that happy, excited feeling your dog has when he really wants to be with you.  Praise him every time he comes running to you--Good Come!!!  Yes!!!  As for letting him loose, I would definitely advise against it.  Dogs are territorial and with territory comes status.  By allowing your dog access to a lot of territory, especially when you're not with him, you're elevating his rank.  In a dog pack, the higher-ranking dogs don't have to "obey" each other.  This may be what has happened with your dog and may explain why he's not listening (by the way, his hearing is excellent!  I suspect he is listening and then deciding, Naaaah!).  Also, by letting your dog run free, he is at a greater risk for injury from cars or another animal, he could get lost, or he might even be stolen.  Finally, I urge you to take a basic obedience class with a trainer who has good references.  A trained dog is a loved dog.
Hope this helps!