far_kenell_73 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Hi Everyone, First time post here, and I would just like to thank everyone for the wealth of information for a newbie. I have just gotten my first dog since moving out of home a 5 month old golden retriever that I got at 9 weeks. My question is can you help stop a dog getting lost or even under extreme stress will they get lost? I have been walking Dex around my local area in the hope of getting him to know his way home, when we walk near my home he starts getting excited and leads the way in. He seems to now know the area and when he is a little bit older I will go on longer walks around my whole area. I'm doing this in the hope that if anyone ever leaves the gate open or thunder storm, fireworks etc and he escaped he would have the best chance possible of getting home. Do dogs that get walked often in their local area still get lost, and does anyone have any tips on helping him know his way home. I only thought this as some people may not be able to walk their dog around their local area and maybe drive their dog to dog parks, and if the dog escaped in a frenzy and ran 1km he wouldn't have a clue were he is ad it doesn't know the area. Wild dogs always seem to be able to find their way back to their den have we gotten rid of this instinct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 It is possible to make 100% sure that your dog never escapes. Keep gates and doors locked and train the dog to never step outside the gate or door without being told to even if they are open. Dogs with sound temperaments do not jump fences or panic with storms or fireworks. Most dogs would find their way back if they got out but a lot don't get the chance because they get killed by cars if they escape so much safer to make sure they don't get loose in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noisymina Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Dogs with sound temperaments do not jump fences or panic with storms or fireworks. The fact is many dogs, regardless of "temperament" do freak out at storms/fireworks. I do agree that measures need to be taken to minimise the chances. Depending on breed, some will find their way home in normal circumstances (if they don't get hit by cars etc) but if they do escape in panic, they may not be able to. Make sure your dog has collar and ID tag and is microchipped. If he is registered with council, he will also have his rego tag. Some can be trained not to go out the gate if left open, but you cannot rely on that as some temptations may prove too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Even if a dog knows it's way home it may get picked up by someone else and taken home/to the pound/to another area.... I agree that the best way to keep the dog from getting lost is to ensure it cannot escape in the first place. Does your dog get scared of fireworks/storms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I have never taken my dogs in or out of the yard gates. When they enter and leave my home, it is always via the front door of the house. I can leave my gates open and it is almost like an invisible barrier that they don't seem to cross... I am not saying this is foolproof because if something really exciting was out the front, they might just test it and walk out the gate. However my old stafford never did and so far neither have the other 2 I have had here. I take rubbish out through the gate and the pup just sits there and looks at me from inside the gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin-Genie Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Dogs with sound temperaments do not jump fences.. I don't think that's correct. My GR jumped my fences because a bush turkey walked near the fence. They had never seen a bush turkey before. It wasn't due to nervousness, fear or aggression. Just a desire to chase something unique. Once she got out she lost interest in the turkey and did a few zoomies instead before my neighbour caught her (very dangerous I know, but we are on a quiet road). I changed my fences and put full colour bond fences the same week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Some dogs have a great sense of direction . . . one of the dogs we had when I was a kid (a GSD x) killed a neighbor's calf and my father gave him away to some people who lived a couple hundred miles away. It took him about a week to come home. Other dogs get hopelessly lost. I agree with others, the best solution is to keep your dog within your fenceline. If you walk around your neighbourhood with your dog on a regular basis, it makes it much more likely that it will be able to find its way home . . . if it doesn't get run over or stolen or turned in to the rangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 My BT would never find her way home :laugh: However i reckon my other 2 would easily. I once had a foster pup who got spooked on our walk ,he ran straight home ,i had only had him a week.( cattle dog ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Dogs with sound temperaments do not jump fences or panic with storms or fireworks. The fact is many dogs, regardless of "temperament" do freak out at storms/fireworks. I do agree that measures need to be taken to minimise the chances. Depending on breed, some will find their way home in normal circumstances (if they don't get hit by cars etc) but if they do escape in panic, they may not be able to. Make sure your dog has collar and ID tag and is microchipped. If he is registered with council, he will also have his rego tag. Some can be trained not to go out the gate if left open, but you cannot rely on that as some temptations may prove too much. Dogs with sound temperaments take hardly any notice of storms and fireworks. Some dogs will bark at the noise or take shelter somewhere safe but they should never be panicked. It is not normal for them to freak out and try to escape. Breeders need to make sure they don't breed from dogs that do freak out in these circumstances as it is a very serious temperament fault and makes them very hard to live with. The best defence against dogs getting out is to have sound, jump proof fences and secure gates and doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mim Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) It probably wouldn't work if the dog was scared but we've trained the dogs that if they get out of the side gate (which is padlocked) then the front door is the best place to run to because there will be a treat explosion. Hopefully if they ever do get out of the gate they will hang around the front door. Edited January 20, 2012 by Mim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Dogs with sound temperaments take hardly any notice of storms and fireworks. Some dogs will bark at the noise or take shelter somewhere safe but they should never be panicked. It is not normal for them to freak out and try to escape. Breeders need to make sure they don't breed from dogs that do freak out in these circumstances as it is a very serious temperament fault and makes them very hard to live with. The best defence against dogs getting out is to have sound, jump proof fences and secure gates and doors. I think environment and circumstance have a lot to do with this rather than a dog with an unsound temperament. In fact, I'm very dismayed at your post. My Grumpy was never afraid of storms until one where the hail was coming in horizontally at the windows and since then thunder signals that type of rain to him. Are you suggesting that he suddenly became unsound? Couldn't this be age related, for instance? My first wheaten never blinked at storms because we lived five minutes away from a railway yard. That was his environment. Never blinked at fireworks or storms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) It probably wouldn't work if the dog was scared but we've trained the dogs that if they get out of the side gate (which is padlocked) then the front door is the best place to run to because there will be a treat explosion. Hopefully if they ever do get out of the gate they will hang around the front door. Lili our Aussie got out once when we were out shopping, we had been gone for under an hour and when we pulled into the driveway there she was!! Standing on the front porch! We found dog hair on the side fence so she had squeezed through the tiniest gap between the fence and the gate and obviously couldn't get back in so stayed near the front door. We don't know how long she'd been there or why she got out, but there was a big puddle of drool on the porch so she'd been sitting there for a while. Thank Dog she stayed where she was, I wouldn't cope if one of them was lost or hurt. Edited January 20, 2012 by Aussie3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) Hi Everyone, First time post here, and I would just like to thank everyone for the wealth of information for a newbie. I have just gotten my first dog since moving out of home a 5 month old golden retriever that I got at 9 weeks. My question is can you help stop a dog getting lost or even under extreme stress will they get lost? I have been walking Dex around my local area in the hope of getting him to know his way home, when we walk near my home he starts getting excited and leads the way in. He seems to now know the area and when he is a little bit older I will go on longer walks around my whole area. I'm doing this in the hope that if anyone ever leaves the gate open or thunder storm, fireworks etc and he escaped he would have the best chance possible of getting home. Do dogs that get walked often in their local area still get lost, and does anyone have any tips on helping him know his way home. I only thought this as some people may not be able to walk their dog around their local area and maybe drive their dog to dog parks, and if the dog escaped in a frenzy and ran 1km he wouldn't have a clue were he is ad it doesn't know the area. Wild dogs always seem to be able to find their way back to their den have we gotten rid of this instinct. Hi far_kennel_73. :) Your inaugural post and topic is well reasoned and responsible. Firstly, congratulations on your new boy. In answer to your first question; Yes if you live in Hollywood. :D However you can minimise the chances of not recovering a lost dog. The most important prevention is to have good fences but that can work against you once the dog is out. If your dog can't get out then it can't get back in either. Many dogs will return but if they can't get in then they won't stay, too many distractions. A one way doggy door in your fence could be an option but you would have to teach Dex how to use it. The trade off is keeping others out but if you dog is not missing it could be locked and only opened when necessary. I think the idea you have about walking your dog around the neighbourhood to familiarise him to his surroundings and helping him to find the direction home is excellent. I do the same thing with my dogs. However, don't expect him to ring the doorbell The other aspect of walking your dog regularly is that it might be recognised if it is lost. You should also teach your dog good road sense if you are concerned about it getting out or being let out. Thunderstorms and fireworks are totally unpredictable. We camped at Condobolin one year at one of the combined Dog Show and A&I Shows. The fireworks were not a problem until they became extended over several hours. Fireworks that become protracted can unsettle the best of dogs. Lastly if Dex wears a permanent collar then you might want to invest in a GPS for him. And of course, he should be registered and microchipped. Good Luck Px Edited January 20, 2012 by Tralee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far_kenell_73 Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Thank you for all the great advice, I really like the idea of walking him through the house rather than using the gate. I should of explained my situation a little better. I have really good fences and gates and I'm pretty sure that their is no chance he could break out of them. I hope to have Dex for a long time and I was just a bit more worried about something like a neighbourhood kid opening the gate or something like that, and if Dex ever was out loose I wanted him to have the best chance possible to stay safe and be able to find his way home. It's just when you see Lost dog signs all the time I wonder how it happens and if it's more likely to happen when a dog doesn't know his area. I have just never seen any sort of training tutorials on getting your dog to know his home ect. And I would of thought this would be a fairly important thing as if you have a dog for 10-15 years odds of them being out by themselves at least once would be pretty high. I have trained Dex not to cross a rd unless on command is their other Rd sense that people teach their dogs. Thank again for everyone's advice, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esky the husky Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Get a lock for your gate if you can. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Even if a dog knows it's way home it may get picked up by someone else and taken home/to the pound/to another area.... I agree that the best way to keep the dog from getting lost is to ensure it cannot escape in the first place. Yes. I would never let my dogs out in the belief 'they can find their way home'. In the event that your dog gets out, make sure it has clear ID (as well as being microchipped). When people see a dog on the loose....but with a clear ID tag showing....they're more likely to check it. Our phone number is prominent on our dogs' ID tags (along with their Council rego tag). Only time our girls were let out by a tradesman, they were returned within 1/2 hour. Someone phoned us. It's also a good idea for neighbours & people in surrounding streets to be introduced to your dog. I think it's more important for dogs to know the people in the area, so they're happy to go to them when called, if they get out. Our 'escaped' dogs did that.....they went to the house across the street & knocked on the door. That neighbour is a day care mum & the girls wanted to join in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I have just never seen any sort of training tutorials on getting your dog to know his home ect. And I would of thought this would be a fairly important thing as if you have a dog for 10-15 years odds of them being out by themselves at least once would be pretty high. no they are not, I have only had one dog out loose once in over 30 years, the neighbour let her out, long story, but that's the only time one of mine have been out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) Thank you for all the great advice, I really like the idea of walking him through the house rather than using the gate. I should of explained my situation a little better. I have really good fences and gates and I'm pretty sure that their is no chance he could break out of them. I hope to have Dex for a long time and I was just a bit more worried about something like a neighbourhood kid opening the gate or something like that, and if Dex ever was out loose I wanted him to have the best chance possible to stay safe and be able to find his way home. It's just when you see Lost dog signs all the time I wonder how it happens and if it's more likely to happen when a dog doesn't know his area. I have just never seen any sort of training tutorials on getting your dog to know his home ect. And I would of thought this would be a fairly important thing as if you have a dog for 10-15 years odds of them being out by themselves at least once would be pretty high. I have trained Dex not to cross a rd unless on command is their other Rd sense that people teach their dogs. Thank again for everyone's advice, Many dogs will return if they wander off, they don't need training tutorials. The trick is to get them into the yard again. Maybe try teaching him to lie and wait on the front veranda or something. Definately lock the gate. There really is no advice for dogs and roads. They simply do not mix. My Beagle would sit on command in the middle of a four laned, mainroad but it did not stop some idiot changing lanes to run him over when he was called to the footpath. He survived though. You will see a lot of lost dog signs on New Years Day and other times when there is fireworks. Watch your dog on 'cracker night' and adjust your management of the dog accordingly. Good Luck. Px Edited January 20, 2012 by Tralee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyTansy Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Dogs with sound temperaments do not jump fences or panic with storms or fireworks. The fact is many dogs, regardless of "temperament" do freak out at storms/fireworks. I do agree that measures need to be taken to minimise the chances. Depending on breed, some will find their way home in normal circumstances (if they don't get hit by cars etc) but if they do escape in panic, they may not be able to. Make sure your dog has collar and ID tag and is microchipped. If he is registered with council, he will also have his rego tag. Some can be trained not to go out the gate if left open, but you cannot rely on that as some temptations may prove too much. Dogs with sound temperaments take hardly any notice of storms and fireworks. Some dogs will bark at the noise or take shelter somewhere safe but they should never be panicked. It is not normal for them to freak out and try to escape. Breeders need to make sure they don't breed from dogs that do freak out in these circumstances as it is a very serious temperament fault and makes them very hard to live with. The best defence against dogs getting out is to have sound, jump proof fences and secure gates and doors. Whilst I agree that it can be a temperament issue that is genetic this isn't always the case. My bitch was perfectly fine with storms until she got a fright during a major storm one day where we were outside and a huge clap of thunder was right above us (scared the crap out of me too! I was standing in a puddle of water bathing a dog!). She's been nervous of storms since. While she was a quivering wreck in last nights storms, her daughter was perfectly fine and slept right through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Yes of course your dog would have more chance of finding its way home because its walked & is familiar with your area. If a dog always goes in the car in the drive & is taken somewhere else if it was in the next street it wouldn't know where it was. Your dog would. There are no guarantees if a dog gets loose but you are being sensible doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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