Case Study: The Runaway Dog

Reason #1: Dogs May Run Away Out of Habit

I don’t know what Molly’s life was like before the recent move, but if she was free to roam then, she has no reason to understand that things have changed now. Unless she’s been taught not to leave by way of the nearest exit, she’ll keep on doing it.

Reason #2: Dogs May Run Away to Mate

This one applies more to male dogs, especially intact (un-neutered) male dogs, than to Molly, even if she’s not spayed. A female in heat might roam, but generally she can count on her milkshake bringing all the boys to the yard.

Reason #3: Dogs May Run Away Because They’re Bored and Lonely

A friend who runs an animal shelter tells the story of a man whose dog got picked up by animal control officers over and over and over again after escaping out of the owner’s yard. Why, my friend asked him finally, do you even have a dog? “I like to look out the kitchen window and see him there,” said the owner. 

Dogs are not lawn ornaments. They’re living creatures with social needs; they get bored and lonely. Out there in the big world, there may be other dogs to play with, people who will scratch dogs behind the ears and share bits of pizza, and squirrels to chase. A dog who spends much of her life by herself in the yard has little incentive to hang around.

Reason #4: Dogs May Run Away Because They’ve Got Pent-Up Energy

Many people put their dogs out in the yard “to play.” What happens is that most dogs trot around for a few minutes and then wait by the door to be let back in again. Not much exercise there, so pretty soon, we’re right back to boredom and loneliness.  Athletic dogs start going stir-crazy, PDQ. Molly’s 8, an age at which many dogs have just barely begun to slow down. 

So how do you prevent or stop your dog from running away? As usual, the possible causes suggest their own solutions. 

Solution #1: Teach Your Dog to Wait for Permission to Go Out

In an earlier article, I explained how to teach dogs to wait for your okay before going out an open door. Use the same method to teach “wait at the gate.” The short version: First, prevent escapes by having your dog on leash or indoors whenever the gate opens. Then practice by bringing her to the gate on leash. Ask her to sit, then reach for the handle. As soon as she starts to get up, take your hand back and ask her to sit again. Reach for the handle. Repeat, repeat, repeat until Dogalini can wait patiently till you give her the okay to go through. 

Next, practice with Dogalini dragging the leash (so you can catch her if need be), and then with no leash at all. I would not expect to be able to leave a gate open constantly while my dog was loose in the yard, but with a little patience you can teach any dog that your mere opening of the gate isn’t her cue to bolt through.

All this assumes, of course, that you’ve got a securely fenced yard. If not, then always bring your dog out on that leash you’ve got hanging off the front-door knob. 

Solution #2: Neuter Your Male Dog

Neuter Zippyboy! And if your dog is female, spay her, so that her hormones don’t draw male dogs from miles around. Not only is roaming dangerous for dogs, but really, our animal shelters do not need more puppies to try desperately to find homes for so they don’t have to kill them. 

Behaviors can become habits even when they arose out of instinct. So if your male dog has been roaming all his life, neutering alone may not stop him. Solution #3 still applies.

Solution #3: Enrich Your Dog’s Life at Home

A pet dog should be living indoors, with you. Use reward-based training to teach her tricks and good manners – not only will she be easier to live with, but also the brain work will diminish boredom and help her relax. Regular readers know I’m a huge fan of food-dispensing toys, as well.

When your dog goes outside, go with her, unless she’s just taking a short toilet break in a well-fenced yard. Play with her. Take long walks with her. Practice your training in new environments with more distractions than your living room offers. 

Remember, you’re not spoiling your dog when you keep her company, play with her, and teach her things – you’re meeting her genuine needs.  

Solution #4: Don’t Punish Your Dog for Coming Home

What about those “controlled take-downs” wandering Molly gets when she makes her way home again?  Forcing a dog to the ground and holding her there till she “submits,” or stops trying to get up, is supposed to be a way for you to assert your rank. The inspiration seems to have been certain extreme conflict behaviors seen in captive wolves, whose behavior is distorted for a variety of reasons. Free wolves living in normal family groups don’t roll one another, though Teen Wolf may defer to Mama or Papa by voluntarily lying down with exposed throat and belly. 

Like wolves, dogs don’t roll each other except in high-conflict situations. If Molly experiences Jim’s take-downs as any kind of communication at all, it’s a fairly hostile one. Whatever Jim hopes to convey, the lesson he’s teaching Molly is that when she gets home, she can expect something weird and probably scary to happen. Instead of taking Molly down, Jim, throw her a huge party when she shows up! It’s the same rule as for a dog who’s slow in coming when called. Unless you want him to get pokier yet, don’t punish him when he arrives.

That’s it for this week. You can follow The Dog Trainer on Twitter, where I’m Dogalini. I’m The Dog Trainer on Facebook, and you can also write to me at dogtrainer@quickanddirtytips.com. I welcome your comments and suggestions, and I may use them as the basis for future articles. Lassie, come home!