The dog keeps running away. What to do?

Finding out the reasons for the escapes and further actions

In order to prevent your pet from running away, you first need to understand what motivates your dog to run away.

1. Fear

• The dog can remember the place where something frightened her, and subsequently each time try to run away from him. In this case, you need to find out what kind of place it is, and try to lay a different route for walking;

• If you live outside the city, try to create a secluded place for the dog at home where he can hide. Then you will know where to look for her if she is frightened of something;

• Also, the animal may be afraid of loud sounds (car horns, pyrotechnic explosions, thunder). Then you should take the dog away from the source of the sound as soon as possible.

2. The dog is bored

• If the dog runs away in your absence, then he is probably very bored and goes in search. In such a situation, you need to try to entertain the pet while no one is at home. You can hide treats in different corners of the house, buy new toys for your pet, or even make him a friend;

• If the dog is unnecessarily nervous, you should consult a veterinarian who will prescribe a course of special sedatives for her. However, in no case should you treat your pet yourself;

• The dog may also run away because it does not waste its energy, and it is bored to be alone at home. In this case, in addition to the previous advice, you should often actively play with your pet or, for example, go for a run with him every morning.

3. Curiosity

Often the reason for a pet to escape from the yard of a private house may be its excessive curiosity. Having become interested in something, the dog can dig under the fence or even jump over it. If you know that a pet is able to forget about everything, noticing a cat, a large car or a passerby with food, then you need to try to make sure that the dog can always find something interesting in the yard. You can hide treats (but not on the ground) or toys, it is important to remember to leave enough water.

Yard safety

A dog can run away regularly only if it has such an opportunity. To avoid this, the territory where she spends most of her time should be as fortified and isolated from the outside world as possible.

• Usually the main escape route is through the fence. The dog can dig, climb onto low, nearby objects and jump over it, can crawl through holes and even open doors. In order to prevent this from happening, it is important to monitor the integrity of the fences and ensure that nothing helps the animal to overcome them;

• Hunting dog breeds are distinguished by their love of digging, and they dig quickly. To protect the pet from escaping, it is necessary to properly strengthen the fence. The easiest way is to lay out large stones along it. You can also place a wire mesh under the fence, which will not allow the pet to get out;

• Some representatives of large breeds can easily overcome a fence that is twice their height, it is important to consider this when building it. Its surface can be made uneven or bent inward so that the dog cannot catch on.

How to behave with a dog?

• A pet that knows the basic commands (“Come to me”, “No”, “Sit”) will understand the boundaries of what is permitted. From the very first day the dog appears in the house, it is important to teach him where to go (if the site is large), where to wait when the owner comes. You can’t kill a dog’s passion for digging or jumping, but you can teach it to listen to you when play goes too far. However, no commands will help if the dog runs away out of fear;

• After the dog returns, it does not need to be scolded. She must see that they are waiting for her at home and love her. It is worth punishing a pet at the time of the escape if you caught him trying to climb through the fence. However, it is important not to overdo it here. A person, and especially the owner, should not cause fear in a pet.

If your dog constantly runs away, you need to take control of the situation in a timely manner. No matter how trained, smart and loyal a pet is, it is dangerous for him to be alone on the street.

December 26 2017

Updated: October 5, 2018