Why Do Dogs Escape?

[Sheridan]

Hey, how's this for a theory!

Dogs are more likely to escape if they are hungry or thirsty.

They've all been after food - chook poo is food, the school, and the smartie in Woolies.

Thus owners must keep their dogs well-fed and watered.

More likely to escape if hungry or thirsty is the same nonsense as not being trained. Dogs think food whether they've been well-fed and watered or not. I didn't starve my dog and yet he'd bolt if he got the chance.

[Benji's Mum]

More likely to escape if hungry or thirsty is the same nonsense as not being trained. Dogs think food whether they've been well-fed and watered or not. I didn't starve my dog and yet he'd bolt if he got the chance.

Hmmmm, a lost dog owner told me yesterday that 'she normally comes home'.

That makes another vote for 'cos they can', I guess.

The 'starving dog' theory is taking a lot of hits! I don't mind, it gets people thinking about a good topic.

[greydobe]

My dog, Katie, was fine the first week she was her (she was about 18ths old then). THen she started jumping the fence everytime I left the house. I am a stay at home mum so am home most of the time and she was quite happy to stay inside our yard when I was at home, but as soon as I left she would wait 5mins then jump the fence and away she would go. I have a tag with my mobile number on her collar and I would get phone calls from strangers saying they had her.

I borrowed an electric fence but this didnt stop her either. Had it up for about 3-4mths but she would get the zap and keep on going. So as a last resort I bought her a kennel (thanks molasseslass ) and resorted to tieing her up on a chain whenever I left the house. Didnt like doing it, but didnt want her hit by a car either!

However, the last month or so, I have not tied her up and she is happy to wait for my return.

SO, my theory (with Katie - ONLY) is that she worried I would not return and jumped to try and find me. Now that she is secure in her knowledge that I will return she is happy to wait. She knows this is home. Mind you she is a different dog now to when we got her. Much more relaxed and less timid. We are planning on moving in the next few months so will see how she goes at a new place. Will prob go back to putting her on the chain for the first few weeks just to be sure.

[westielover]

Jefe's owners - I currently have a little foster dog - terrier cross and he definately has the potential to be an escape artist. He can climb over baby gates/puppy pens & he has attempted to dog under the fence gate which has now blocked off - I beleive it's because of minor separation anxiety issues. However, he seems to be getting used to the routine around here and is not making attempts to escape anymore. He had an operation last week and the vet told me he doesn't like to be confined in a cage - he worked out how to open the latch on the cage and proceeded to walk around the clinic!!! These little terriers can be intelligent little buggers!!!

About 18 months ago I had a foster dog who was a BC x Beagle - gorgeous dog - lives on your side of Epping now - his previous family gave him up because he was a serious 'harry houdini' - used to escape all the time. He came from a family with 5 kids, was an only dog, was left in the yard all the time and hardly ever walked or played with. What is a dog to do???? He never escaped from here because he had canine company, he was taken out every day for a walk/play at the park and was allowed inside the house.

I beleive boredom & seperation anxiety are probably the biggest reasons for escaping.

[nickyp]

My dogs would certainly escape if they got the opportunity - if the garage was left open, for example. And I know exactly where they'd go. They'd head for the reserve at the end of the street which has a creek running through it with ducks in the water and rabbits living on the other side of the creek. Why would they do it? Because it's much more fun than the back yard, of course! Em would go for a swim in the creek - she can't resist a body of water - and Indi would go looking for the rabbits or the ducks. We don't let her chase them, but she knows that they're there and looks for them every time we walk through there.

These dogs are not houdinis. They could get over our 8ft fences if they wanted to (they're kelpie xs), but they don't want to. They would walk straight out through the garage if it was open, though.

The only dog I've ever known that wouldn't go for a wander if it had the opportunity was my parents' GSP x lab and, I can assure you that had nothing to do with training. He was just too scared to go past the gate without someone with him. There were heaps of times when people would forget to shut the gate and we'd come home to find Monty sitting in the open gateway.

[p_stampy]

Do you have a rotty? Is that the only experience of a breed you base your idea on?

My rott got out once and went and sat on the front mat. Wouldnt say every dog would do that, thats for sure.

My puppy got out (gate wasnt' shut properly) and she just ran to the front door and scratched on it until we let her in. never been so relieved in my whole life.

[MolassesLass]

So as a last resort I bought her a kennel (thanks molasseslass ) and resorted to tieing her up on a chain whenever I left the house.

I was just thinking "Haven't I seen that before somewhere?" :D

Of my 3 current dogs, one wouldn't leave the yard if the fence fell down, she's a brown nose. The other two would be off to see the world. All are trained the same but have different personalities. Boredom, reproduction desires and fear (thunderstorms etc) would be the general reasons dog would leave their yard IMO.

[Melisski]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet (haven't read all the posts, so bear with me), but I think there is a difference between escaping eg. jumping the fence, and wandering out eg. if someone accidently left a gate open.

My dogs could clear my fences, no worries (BCs). But they don't. However, if someone left the gate open they're go for a wander in an instant. They have food, water, shelter, and all the good things in life. Not left alone by themselves for long periods, highly obedience trained, extremely responsive and know their place in the pack. But as I said in the other thread, I'm not naive enough to think they'll hang around all day waiting for me.

[Scarlet]

It all boils down to personality IMO.

When we lived on acreage that wasn't fenced our BC never left the property without us. This dog would run the boundary at football/cricket games and never cross the chalk-unless told to. He always seemed to know the boundaries and respected them.

But I've had other dogs who would take the opportunity to tour if the opportunity arose. All my dogs have had similar love, training and attention but their personalities have been different.

[MaxSpots]

I've always thought it was a "drive" thing

where the urge to wander is more appealing than staying around the pack (family)

When I was a kid yards were hardly fenced and dogs in general did just hang around.

There were also the ones that wandered, annoyed other neighbours, got into fights, chased cars, got runover, went to the pound and were put to sleep.

It was the norm for kids at school to say ...."my dog ran away" and rather than go look for it, expect it to come home eventually on it's own.

When enough time passed, they'd get another pup.

Or the other kids who would find a dog and take it home to ask mum if they could keep it.

Thank goodness things have changed and people seem to value their dogs more....enough to ensure good fences anyway.

[KitKat]

My old Rotti X would escape...because it was a challenge to get out! Then he'd meander over to the nearest person to have them bring him back to my yard :D

I once completely wore him out, i'd put in new fences...he had actually gone and laid down...i went inside to get the phone and whilst on the call my neighbours kids were calling out to bring him back into my yard *sigh* Cheeky boy had a huuuuge grin on his face. I ended up getting one of those invisable fences - so he's just break from the back yard into the front yard instead of out all together. My GSD was a brown nose even then as he'd not follow Harm into the front yard The holes would be small to get a rotti x out...but big enough for a GSD pup - but noooo Bronx would stay in the back yard like a good boy while Harm lazed around in the front yard (all fenced)

[Benji's Mum]

Part of a NPWS press release back in 2001:

"Unlike our battle with other feral pests the fight to eliminate pigs is fraught with problems because we have people with an interest in pig hunting actively husbanding feral populations and undermining our efforts to get rid of the pigs.

"It's got to stop if we are to get on top of the pig problem and to achieve this we need the help of landholders throughout the region to prevent pig hunting on their properties and in neighbouring national parks. Hunting in parks is highly illegal and can result in hefty fines for offenders.

"The trapping of this dog indicates that pig dogs do escape and will attack sheep," Mr Pearce said.

[Benji's Mum]

Why it is wrong to take dogs into National Parks, from NPWS:

National parks and reserves are refuges for native animals. Dogs and other domestic pets (other than trained assistance animals such as guide dogs) must not be taken into national parks, state conservation areas, nature reserves, historic sites or Aboriginal areas, because:

* Native animals see dogs as predators. The lasting scent left by dogs can easily scare small animals and birds away from their homes, often causing them to leave their young unprotected.

* Dog faeces carry diseases which can be harmful to wildlife and people, and also add nutrients to the soil, increasing the spread of weeds.

* If dogs and other domestic pets have frightened native animals away from popular visitor areas, there will be no wildlife for other visitors to see.

* Dogs can interfere with the enjoyment of other park visitors.

[Benji's Mum]

And lastly a 2005 press release:

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is urging local residents to keep their dogs out of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, following a spate of reports of attacks on native wildlife.

"Most recently domestic dogs were seen chasing a possum along the Perimeter Trail of the park at Terry Hills and Duffys Forest, and earlier this year the death of several swamp wallabies in the same area was most likely the result of dog attacks," said Regional Manager Chris McIntosh.

"Based on reports from the local horseriding community and park neighbours, the NPWS believes that domestic dogs allowed to wander at night are the most likely culprits," he said.

"Two wallabies were found with puncture wounds, bruises and ripped muscles, which a local vet said could have been caused by dogs shaking them through their canines.

"Numerous dog prints were recently observed, after the NPWS placed sandpads across the trails to monitor animal activity in the area. The NPWS also analysed dog faeces found within the national park, several of which contained possum, bandicoot and wallaby hairs."

Mr McIntosh said, "this is depressing news, especially as fox-control programs carried out over the last five years have resulted in reports of an increase of native animals in the area, including swamp wallabies, echidnas, lyrebirds, brush turkeys, bandicoots and powerful owls. It is absolutely vital that these efforts are not threatened by domestic animals entering the park.

"The NPWS has invested considerable effort over the years into raising the conservation message regarding the inappropriateness of having dogs in national parks, however it is likely that some neighbours are unaware that their pets are roaming at night.

"The death of wildlife is tragic and can leave orphaned and unprotected young native animals.

"Dog faeces and urine can also carry diseases that effect native wildlife, as well as add nutrients to the soil that promotes the spread of weeds," he said.

It is an offence under the National Parks and Wildlife Act to allow dogs to enter a national park without special approval. People with dogs can expect to be issued an on-the-spot fine. Uncontrolled or unaccompanied dogs found within a national park can be impounded and the owners issued with a fine of up to $1100.

[caffiend42]

Errr.....are you in teh right thread, BM?

[raz]

Errr.....are you in teh right thread, BM?

Hmmm and here I was thinking it was the flu preventing me from understanding those posts, Caffriend.

[Benji's Mum]

I am trying to highlight some of the potential hazards when dogs escape.

'Cos they can' implies that owners are allowing this behaviour, and I feel it is important to highlight what happens if owners allow this behaviour to continue.

I am sure this info is relevant to a number of other threads.

Off my soapbox, back to the window to watch an ACT National Park go up in flames today because a NSW backburn got out of control.... it's not a pretty sight. At least there are 3 choppers now.

[raz]

'Cos they can' implies that owners are allowing this behaviour

What a load of manure. Do you think if my back door blows open when the garage door goes up or some numbnut leaves a gate open and the dogs get out I've allowed the behaviour? Get a grip lovey.

[Benji's Mum]

Some owners are habitually allowing their dogs to roam and they should be the ones we are targetting. Of course one-off accidents happen.

[Teebs]

I didnt think we were targetting anyone??

hmmm

I dont think that those who DO let their dogs roam are really going to be on DOL reading this thread anyways

Edited October 6, 2006 by Terrorbull