Losing your dog can be a frightening, stressful experience, and one that no pet parent ever wants to deal with. Fortunately, there are proactive steps you can take to minimize the risk of your dog running away.
This blog post will explore practical measures you can implement, along with resources available at your local pet supply store in Chandler to help keep your furry friend safe and secure.
Understanding Why Dogs Run Away
Before diving into prevention strategies, it’s important to understand why your dog may run away. Here are a few common reasons for dogs to try to escape:
Boredom or Lack of Stimulation
Dogs are intelligent, social animals that require regular physical exercise and mental stimulation. Without enough activities to engage their minds and bodies, they can become bored and restless, leading to potentially destructive behaviors and even attempts to escape in search of adventure and stimulation.
Dogs that are left alone for long periods without interactive play, walks, or attention are more likely to try to escape their confines.
Fear or Stress
Dogs can be sensitive to loud noises, changes in the environment, or unfamiliar situations, which can induce fear and anxiety. Events like fireworks, thunderstorms, or large gatherings can be particularly stressful for some dogs, causing them to panic and flee in an attempt to escape the noise or perceived threat.
Similarly, changes in the household, such as moving to a new home, the arrival of a new pet or family member, or the loss of a companion, can cause stress and anxiety that may lead to running away.
Chasing Instincts
Some dogs have a strong prey drive, a natural instinct that can cause them to run after small animals, birds, or even moving vehicles. This behavior is particularly common in breeds that were originally bred for hunting or herding.
When a dog sees something moving quickly, it can trigger their chase instinct, leading them to bolt out of an open door or leap over a fence in pursuit of the target.
Mating Instincts
Unneutered or unspayed dogs often have a natural instinct to roam in search of a mate. This mating drive can be powerful, leading dogs to wander far from home, especially when they detect the scent of a potential mate in heat.
Insufficient Containment or Supervision
In some cases, dogs run away simply because they can. Insufficient fencing, open gates, or lack of supervision can provide easy escape routes for dogs inclined to wander. Many dogs are naturally curious, and if they see a way to explore more of their surroundings, they will gladly take it!
Prevention Strategies to Protect Your Dog
To keep your pet safe and secure at home, try these escape prevention strategies.
1. Secure Your Property
To keep your dog from running away, you need to eliminate any potential escape route they can find. If you don’t currently have a fence around your backyard, building a tall, secure fence is a great place to start. If you already have a fence, double check the enclosure for gaps or weak spots. Adding a self-closing gate with a lock is another good solution to prevent accidental openings.
Does your dog have a tendency to dig? Consider adding a dig-proof skirt around the bottom to prevent your dog from digging underneath the fence.
2. Provide Regular Exercise and Mental Stimulation
While a secure fence around your property provides great protection, a bored dog is still likely to find a way to escape if left alone long enough. Provide regular walks, playtime, and exercise tailored to your dog’s breed and energy level to keep them feeling satisfied and secure at home.
A good rule of thumb is 30 minutes to an hour of exercise every day. If you have a particularly high-energy dog, they may benefit from even more exercise than that.
Physical exercise only goes so far, however, and too much physical exercise can actually harm your pup in the long run. Instead, balance physical stimulation with mental enrichment!
Interactive toys, puzzles, and chews are a great way to engage your dog’s brain and keep them mentally stimulated. Mental enrichment can actually be more tiring for your dog than physical exercise.
At Bark & Luv, we carry a wide range of interactive toys and chews from leading brands like Outward Hound and West Paw that are perfect for entertaining and challenging your dog while you’re away.
3. Consider Training and Behavior Modification
Dogs don’t know that leaving the yard and exploring the neighborhood isn’t appropriate behavior without being taught what your expectations are.
A great place to start with training is through impulse control activities. Working on your dog’s recall as well as staying when the door is opened are both great skills to improve, and both can be practiced at home with high value treats as rewards.
For additional support, consider enrolling in obedience classes offered by local experts in Chandler to strengthen your bond and improve behavior. Don’t forget to ask our helpful staff at Bark & Luv for treats and local trainer recommendations!
4. Be Prepared During Loud Noises
One of the most popular times for dogs to run away is during times of loud noises, like fireworks or thunderstorms. If your dog struggles with stress related to loud noises and you know that a storm or a fireworks display is coming up, start preparing in advance.
Create a safe space for your pup to decompress during the noises. Fill the space with their favorite toys, a comfortable bed, and other toys or activities to help distract them. You can also follow these tips for preparing your pet.
5. Neuter or Spay Your Pet
Your dog’s mating instinct is powerful. If your dog hasn’t been neutered, they’ll likely sense any potential mate nearby once they’ve gone into heat — and your dog will happily escape your yard to find their potential love interest.
Neutering or spaying can decrease the desire to roam, especially in search of a mate. Dogs typically become sexually mature when they’re about six months old, and you can work with your vet to determine when the best time to spay or neuter your dog will be.
While our pet supply store doesn’t perform these procedures, our knowledgeable staff is happy to provide information on local Chandler veterinary clinics that do.
6. Identification and Microchipping
Even with all the precautions in place, you can’t always predict what the future holds and how your dog will behave. Ensuring your dog wears proper identification can help get your pup returned to you faster in the event that they do escape.
Make sure your dog is equipped with a well-fitting collar with an ID tag containing your most up-to-date contact information. You can find a variety of collar and tag styles when you shop for pet supplies at Bark & Luv.
Having your dog microchipped can also add another layer or identification. A microchip is a permanent form of identification that can be easily embedded by your veterinarian. If your dog goes missing, your dog can be brought to a local shelter or vet clinic to have the microchip scanned.
Keep Your Dog Safe and Secure at Home
Preventing your dog from running away requires a combination of secure environments, regular training, mental stimulation, and proper identification. By implementing these strategies and utilizing the resources available at your local pet supply store, Bark & Luv, in Chandler, you can greatly reduce the risk of your dog going missing.
Remember, the key is to create a safe and fulfilling environment that meets all your dog's physical and psychological needs, keeping them happy, healthy, and safely at home.