Dog roaming is a problem that dog owners face sometimes . This problem may not be as serious as dog aggressiveness or dog digging, but this behavior opens the tendency for your dog to become lost, stolen or harmed by other people or animals.
In order to see to it that your dog doesn’t pull off with its leash and run away or leave home and roam elsewhere, a happy environment should be provided to ensure that your pet stays by you and avoid making it part of statistics.
Dog roaming is prevalent among some breeds and not on others. Dogs like the ones bred to work such as hunting are naturally active dogs that need to remain busy in order for them to stick with you at a specific location, but if it is not occupied, it easily gets distracted by outside factors such as a scent that it tends to follow.
Some active dog breeds which, when left idle are bound to run away because they need to spend their excess energy into some form of physical exercise. In short, they need to be active, and they can only find activity out of your place. Gender is also a factor why dogs roam. The smell of estrogen emitted a female dog-in-heat make male dogs go out to find the source of the scent that attracted them.
Ways to Prevent Dog Roaming
Spaying or neutering the dog has been proven to keep it from roaming or running away. Proper fencing of your surrounding area provided with self-closing gates also helps to prevent your dog from going astray.
While neutering the dog or keeping it in a fenced surrounding prevents it from roaming, experts say that the best way to keep a dog is to provide it with a happy and exciting environment free from stress. If your dog is athletic or active, you should find a way to provide it with sufficient exercise, regular walking routines or stimulating games that keep it mentally active, such as fetch or frisbee. You can also take your pet to places where it can run freely or interact with other dogs, such as a dog park.
Some owners teach their dogs to perform a “job” to keep them from roaming, like holding things in their mouth or carrying things on their back to assist their master. Dogs become very happy just by feeling useful.
Toys are also important to keep your dog at home. Leaving small treats for your dog to find on alternate times throughout the day can also keep the dog at your backyard.
Dog roaming due to fear or anxiety needs to be fixed by enrolling the dog in behavior modification or obedience training programs to desensitize your pet from fear-giving causes. If dog roaming persists, it is time to consult your vet for possible use of medication to relieve your dog from anxiety.
