If your dog is an escape artist, you’re likely at your wit’s end trying to figure out how to prevent your pup from running off again. Regardless of whether your dog jumps over the fence or digs beneath it, the result is the same: you’re left racing through the neighborhood, heart pounding, trying to catch your dog before a car does.
Beyond the immediate danger of traffic, escaped dogs face other risks like getting into fights, becoming lost or stolen, and ingesting harmful substances.
So, if your dog is an escape artist, let’s first “dig in” to why this happens. Understanding the reasoning and motivation behind your pup’s escape efforts can guide us in securing your dog more effectively and addressing any behavioral issues.
Why Does Your Dog Want to Escape?
There are a few different reasons why a dog may try to escape his yard or enclosure, ranging from boredom to stress. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common reasons why dogs run away:
I have heard stories of dogs escaping from fenced yards and running through electric fence perimeters for all of the above. Remember, dogs are driven by feelings alone, not logic – so the goal here is understanding your dog’s triggers so that you know how best to handle them.
If your dog keeps running off, you need to accompany him outside every time until a solution is found. This serves three purposes:
- Being present during potty breaks and playtime allows you to observe your dog in his element, which can help to determine his motivation. Does he go crazy when people walk by, or when he sees a squirrel or rabbit? Does he try to solicit your attention often, indicating that he would be bored without you there?
- It enables you to prevent escapes actively while determining the best course of action. Remember, behavior that is reinforced will repeat. Each time your dog escapes, he is likely having fun which reinforces the behavior, thereby causing him to want to run off again.
- If your yard is fenced, your active presence will help you determine your dog’s favorite path to freedom. Is your dog squeezing through the fence? Is he going over the fence or digging underneath? Knowing your pup’s go-to escape route will help you determine how best to reinforce your fence.
Once you’ve identified your dog’s “why” and “how,” you can start to develop a plan to make your yard escape-proof.
How To Dog-Proof Your Yard
Prevention is the most important step to keeping dogs safe outdoors. You’re biggest priority, as the owner, should be your pet’s safety, along with the safety of your neighbors and community.
Before you do anything else, you first need to fully inspect your fence for any damages, large spaces, or holes under the fence that you might not have noticed. Once these functional problems are addressed (making your dog’s perimeter reinforced), you can move on to addressing the behavior itself.
Prevent Digging
Some breeds are more prone to digging (such as many terriers), but any dog can be motivated to dig. Sometimes, dogs can scent out underground rodents. Sometimes, they are bored, and digging is fun. But often, they are digging just to get to the other side of a barrier.
Whether they are motivated by a sense of adventure or by something they see on the other side (like another dog or prey), the bottom line is that you will likely want to reinforce the bottom of your fence.
Base barriers: Install a fence extender that is sunk into the lawn next to your existing fence.
Hardware cloth: Create an l-shaped fence footer. Bend it in half so there is a 90-degree angle, and attach it to your fence. You can bury the horizontal section, but it doesn’t need to be underground to deter digging. Chicken wire can be used, too, but hardware cloth is generally stronger. Vinyl-coated options like this one will last longer and make a great cheap fence option for dogs.
If your pet’s go-to method of escape is to jump or climb the fence, keep reading.
Prevent Overhead Escapes
If your dog is going over the fence, they are likely climbing over a cyclone fence OR jumping off of something nearby, like a table or raised garden bed. So an obvious first step is to ensure nothing near the fence could serve as a launchpad for your dog’s fence-jumping adventures.
Pro Tip: If you have an athletic dog that clears fences in a single bound, consider using a more Crate with Waterproof Cover when he is outside unattended (just make sure it has a secured roof).
Here are some products that can help you dog-proof your fence for a jumper:
Addressing Behavioral Issues: Keeping Your Escape Artist Safe
If your dog is escaping because of an emotional response, like boredom, stress, or fear, an additional (but important) step will be to address these root causes.
Fear or Stress
If your dog is fearful outside or has separation anxiety, you’ll be best served by working with a qualified behavior counselor to address the issues. A behaviorist can help you identify triggers contributing to your dog’s anxiety and may even suggest medication that can make the training more approachable. A fearful or stressed dog will go to great lengths, even injuring themselves, to escape.
Boredom
If your dog is bored, they likely need more physical and mental exercise throughout the day. But don’t worry, you don’t have to prepare anything fancy or time-consuming! You can start with scatter-feeding your dog’s kibble in the yard, watching as he sniffs through the lawn to eat his meal. On a hot day you can freeze his meal in a plastic cup and let him enjoy it outside.
One of my favorite activities that offers both physical and mental enrichment for dogs is a bubble machine with non-toxic bubbles. To see if your dog likes chasing bubbles before buying a machine, get a simple bottle with a wand and try it out old school.
They even make scented bubbles specifically for dogs. I use bubbles in my classes to give the dogs brain breaks – most dogs love them!
Additional Preventative Measures
If your dog is easily triggered by other pets, people, or noises, blocking your dog’s view of the outside world can be very beneficial. Not being able to see the world outside their yard will reduce the motivation to get to it. So, while these products probably won’t fix all of your problems, they can make your job easier.
Emergency Preparation: What To Do If Your Dog Escapes
Regardless of whether your pup is an experience escape artist or barely likes to get off the couch, you should have an emergency plan prepared in case something happens.
Emergency Recall
Once, a neighborhood child opened my gate to pet my four dogs. They ran out past him and escaped into the street. From my window, I saw them head to the park across the street.
The two dogs with training came back promptly. The other two however (one a puppy in early training stages and the other a recent foster) caused much more panic.
A great resource for teaching emergency recalls is to adapt the protocol laid out in this excellent video. Together, the trainer will help you lay out a simple three-week protocol to develop a solid response in various environments. If I had to pick one cue for all dogs to learn, it would be an emergency recall.
Emergency Treats
If your dog’s don’t come back immediately, go into your house and find high-value treats like chicken, cheese, bacon, or their favorite dog biscuits.
In the story above, after I secured the two dogs that came back, I grabbed a sausage.
So my neighbors saw me running barefoot around the park with a giant sausage under my arm, calling my dogs. If that happened today, I would have ended up on TikTok! But I did manage to get my puppy to come back quickly.
Once I cornered my foster dog in someone’s backyard, I could throw down big chunks of sausage to keep him occupied while I put on his leash. If I had just chased him, he would have just kept running.
Have Current Photos
Be sure to take a full-body photo of your dog and a close-up of his face. You will use this info to spread the word around your neighborhood so you can have many eyes looking out for him.
Spread The Word
Social media makes spreading the word easier than ever, and you want the word spread like wildfire. You want to post on Facebook and Next Door immediately. Post on your neighborhood groups and lost dog pages in your area. Be sure to use those updated pictures. But you also want to share where your dog was last seen, whether he will be okay if approached, and the quickest way to contact you.
My Dog Ran Away, And He’s Been Gone For Hours
If you have been searching for your dog to no avail, it is time to start employing additional tactics. If you have friends who will help (and once you post to social media, people will usually volunteer), have them print out paper flyers and put them up around the neighborhood. Add the same info you put out on social media, but it is also advisable to offer a reward. If someone has stolen your dog, this is the best way to get them to bring him back. Contact your local police and animal shelters within a large radius.
In Conclusion
Understanding why your dog tries to escape is key. If behavioral issues are at play, tackling these can make your yard a happier place for your pup. However, proactive management is equally important. Remember, dogs are naturally curious and playful – if they find joy in the freedom beyond your fence, they might repeatedly seek that thrill.
By taking the preventative measures outlined in this post, you can create a secure environment where your dog can enjoy the outdoors without the risk of danger, making your yard a safe haven for fun and relaxation. This not only protects your dog but also gives you peace of mind.
