How Will You Keep Your Dog at Home?

One problem that many dog owners face is having a dog that likes to run.  While this is not bad on its own, it can cause problems if they live in an area where the dog is not able to run anywhere it wants.  Many of these people have a problem with a dog that will bolt out the door as soon as it is opened. It doesn't matter how large their backyard is the dog will always want to be somewhere else.  If you are having a problem keeping your dog at home then here are some suggestions that might help you with this frustrating situation.

One of the first things that many people try to do is to attempt to train their dog to stay within certain boundaries.  Some dogs will take to this right away, while others will not ever really get it.  If you set up a boundary and walk your dog around it several times a day on a leash, not letting it go to the other side, then it may learn that this is as far as it should go.  The real test will come when you actually let your dog off the leash to see if it runs away or not.  In my experience many times the dog will run anyway.

If it is within your budget to do so, then having a fence is a great way to keep a dog confined inside a yard.  There are some things to take into consideration, however, as many dogs will find a way around this barricade.  I know that for me, I put up a fence in the back yard when we had a pool dug.  I was really looking forward to being able to let my two dogs outside to run without any restrictions.  Five minutes after the fence was installed I took my dogs out and the Little Papillion simply walked through the bars.  I had to put some plastic mesh all around the yard on the fence just to keep him inside.  Other dogs will find ways under or sometimes even over the fence that you install, which can lead to a lot of frustration on the part of the owner.

If you do not want to put a fence in, or if you are unable because of neighborhood restrictions, then you may want to consider an invisible fence.  An invisible fence is actually just a wire that runs in a circuit around the boundary of your yard and puts off a signal.  The dog will wear a collar with a receiver attached that will pick up the signal from the wire. If the dog gets too close to it's boundary it will first warn him with a buzzing noise and then give him a slight shock.  This may seem as though it is cruel, but it actually only takes the dog a short period of time to learn its boundaries. Consider too that it is far less cruel than allowing your dog to run loose in the street. 

Although having a dog that runs away is a very frustrating thing there are always options to help them stay at home.  Having a dog that has the ability simply to run in the yard unrestricted is a joy, both for you as the owner and for the dog.