Why Does My Dog Keep Escaping? Here are the Possible Reasons

Is your dog a Houdini in disguise? Dogs are good runners, so it’s easy to lose track of their path. But if your pooch keeps escaping your home, it should be a cause of concern. Your dog may get hit by incoming traffic or become lost in the woods for days. So you ask, why does my dog keep escaping? Below, I discussed the possible reasons why and what you can do about it.

Why does my dog keep escaping?

A lot of factors can push your dog to hop off or dig through the fence to escape. The following are the most common culprits:

🐕Sex drive

Once a dog reaches six months old, it would be sexually mature. Both male and female dogs will escape to pursue a mate. Many dogs have an intense sex drive that it can be challenging to keep them indoors. Some will even exhibit aggression if you try to block them from escaping.

The bad thing about this is that dogs can damage your property. They will rip screens, chew doors, and dig under the fence. Aside from the physical damages, it will also hurt your dog.

🐕Boredom and prey drive

Another potential reason is boredom. A high-energy dog locked inside is a bad idea. Your pet will look for ways to escape and beat the boredom. The same with sex drive, this will result in physical damages to your home.

Aside from that, your dog probably has an intense prey drive. It’s possible that the pooch a squirrel or rabbit speeding beyond the fence. And as the instincts kick in, the dog will find ways to get past the fence and chase after other animals.

This condition is dangerous because your dog can also chase after a running child. Also, your dog will cover more ground, which will make it harder to find him. Your dog will also get lost with no idea how to go back home. Dogs don’t have the same logic as humans, and they get overcome by their instincts pretty quickly.

🐕Fright and stress

Fear can push your dog to do things it doesn’t usually make. That includes escaping and running away. Your dog may be afraid of fireworks and thunderstorms. And if you’re not home, your doggo will seek comfort outdoors despite the confusion and fright.

According to WebMD, about 1 in every 5 pets will go missing after being exposed to loud noise. As you know, dogs have heightened senses, so sounds tend to be louder to them.

🐕Separation anxiety

On the other hand, dogs suffering from separation anxiety will often escape to follow their owners. You’re lucky if your dog finds you, but most of the time, canines get lost along the way.    

If your dog destroys things when you’re out, it’s a sign that the pooch is suffering from separation anxiety. Other symptoms include accidents despite being fully housebroken, vocalization, and nervousness when you’re about to leave the house.

The consolation here is that most anxious dogs will stick close to home. Since they are confused and scared, most dogs with separation anxiety will not have the zeal to cover more distance.

🐕Violence and maltreatment

Dogs will escape if they are being maltreated or physically hurt in their homes. Due to fright and abuse, the pooch will run away to end their suffering.

Most abused animals are aggressive or extremely frightened. They won’t approach other people easily, thinking that they will be hurt again.

Remember that animal abuse is not acceptable and is punishable by law. If you’re proven to be abusing your dog, you will land in jail.

How to stop your dog from escaping?

Looking for a dog that escaped is tiring. To save yourself from the hassle and your dog from hazards, you can do the following:

✔️Get your dog fixed

Dogs that are motivated by their sex drive should be fixed. Due to the removal of the reproductive organs, your dog will not seek a mate. However, it can still mount, which is part of an animal’s instinct.

For the most part, dogs are spayed or neutered once it reaches 6 to 9 months. It’s important to let the dog reach sexual maturity for its hormones to stabilize. Neutering or spaying too early will have health repercussions like hip dysplasia, stunted growth, and so on.

✔️Secure your dog

If you foresee that there would be a thunderstorm or any loud sound, secure your dog in a room. You can also use a canine coddler, a wrap that will apply mild pressure to your dog’s body. Vets say that this sensation will help your dog simmer down.

The same goes if you’re expecting a lot of guests at home. Your dog may get overwhelmed by the new scents and the noise, which could be a culprit for an escape.

✔️Keep your dog busy

Dogs run away when they are bored, so make sure that you keep your pet occupied. Give them interactive toys that will keep them busy during the day. It’s also important to walk your dog before going out. This will drain the extra energy that will make them less likely to escape or run away.

A tired dog is a happy dog. This is also an excellent solution to calm down an anxious canine. If you don’t have the time to walk your dog, you can hire dog walkers from apps like Rover and Wag!

✔️Block the view

If your dog keeps escaping to chase an animal, I suggest blocking the view of your fence. You can install plastic slats on your chain-link fence to block the view of your “border patroller”. You should also increase the height of your fence, especially if you have a large dog that can easily peek through the top.

✔️Block the bottom of the fence

Some dogs escape by digging under the fence. In this case, I suggest placing stakes to reinforce your chain-link fence. You can also bury a layer of chain-link fence, so there’s no way for your dog to escape.

You should also remove any climbing aids that will help your dog leap through the fence. It can be a garbage can placed against the fence or woodpiles stack high enough.

✔️Don’t lock your dog indoors for too long

Dogs that are locked up for a long time would be hungry for the outdoor experience. This will encourage them to escape and run away. As much as possible, make the outdoors less fun than your home.

✔️Consider an e-collar

E-collars are excellent tools in keeping your dog inside your yard. It’s composed of a transmitter that uses a radio signal that connects to the collar your dog will wear.

Using the transmitter, you will set the perimeter or coverage of the fence, which is usually in a circular manner. Make sure that it doesn’t go past your fence.

If your dog tries to go past your set borders, it will receive an electrostatic shock from the collar. It’s not dangerous and just a mild shock enough for a dog to back off.

E-collars are safer and more humane than an actual electric fence. It doesn’t use direct current, so your dog will not suffer from burns or develop aggression.

The good thing about e-collars is that it comes with a beep alarm. Once your dog goes near the limits, the beep will set off as a warning. You can train your dog to respond to this so you can turn off the shock feature.

Final words

Are you asking yourself this question: why does my dog keep escaping? If so, you should look into your dog’s behavior. From there, you can devise plans on how to block them from escaping your yard. Most of all, training must follow to fix the problem permanently.