Puppy Dog Spot

Your neighbor calls to tell you that once again, your dog is loose. What do you do when your dog escapes from your yard constantly?

You need to first determine how the dog is managing to get out. If you have a traditional fence, do you have a lock on your gate? Dogs can figure out how to unlatch gates, or sometimes they may have help in the form of neighborhood kids.

Is your dog a fence jumper? Dogs can jump surprisingly high, especially if your male dog has spotted a female in heat. You will need a higher fence for a jumper. Before you go to that expense, check if your dog is actually standing on something like a patio table and then jumping from there.

Your dog may have managed to scoot under the fence. Diggers may dig a big enough hole beside the fence to allow themselves to get out. Chicken wire or extra boards at the bottom of the fence will prevent this escape route.

Did your dog get out even though you have an electric fence? An intelligent, determined dog can figure out that after a brief period of shocks, the pain is gone, and the party begins. Also, the collars can fall off or batteries can go dead in the transmitter, allowing your dog an easy exit.

Don’t give your pet incentive to leave. Keep fresh water available at all times and make sure your pet is well-fed. Combat boredom by playing with your dog daily, providing varied and interesting toys, and maybe even having another pet for companionship. Leaving a female in heat unattended in your yard is not a wise idea.

In case your dog does escape again, be sure that he or she is wearing ID of some sort. This could be a tag, a microchip, tattoo, etc.

Following the above tips should help you when your dog escapes from your yard.