If your dog has been trying to jump the fence, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of causes and what you can do to get yours to stop.
So, why does my dog jump the fence? Possible reasons why your dog jumps the fence are that it is curious, it is trying to get extra attention, it has a high prey drive, boredom or searching for a mate.
There are actually many reasons why your dog might be doing it and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main reason. There are also a number of things you can do about it.
Why your dog jumps the fence
Below are some common reasons why dogs do it and what would make them more likely to be the reason why your dog has been doing it.
Boredom
A part of the cause could be that it is bored and it is trying to find ways to stimulate itself. This would be more likely if it tends to do it more when it has not been able to get exercise for a while. It would help to ensure that your dog is able to get the daily amount of recommended exercise for its age and breed.
It wants to mate
It could be that it wants to find another dog to mate with. This is especially likely to be the case if it’s a male and it has not been neutered. To prevent this from happening you should consider getting it neutered.
Nature
It is natural for all dogs to try to run away when they get an opportunity since it is exciting for them and they know it will cause them to get lots of attention. So, it is important to consider that it does not mean that it does not like you since it is natural for dogs to do it.
It’s curious
Dogs can be very curious. The reason why it tries to run away is like to be that it is curious about its surroundings. You can try to reduce this by giving it lots of exercise in your local area and to train it to not run away when you open the door using the method in the section below.
It’s looking for attention
The reason why it does it could be that it is looking for extra attention and it knows that running out the door is a good way to get it. This would be more likely if it tends to do it more when it has not been getting much attention.
It would help to give it attention throughout the day in the form of training, exercise and by playing with it and it would help to use positive reinforcement training to get it to stop.
High prey drive
Many dog breeds are known for having a strong prey drive, if they see a cat or a squirrel running then it won’t hesitate to run after it. This is why it’s important to start training them from an early age and to continue to train them regularly.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog has always tried to climb the fence
If your dog did not always try to climb the fence, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it since an event could have occurred that caused it to start. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as suddenly getting less exercise or if other dogs moved into the local area.
What is different when it tends to do it
It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to do it. For example, if it only does it when you are away, it could be partly due to separation anxiety which would be more likely if it starts being anxious when you are leaving.
What to do about your dog climbing the fence
Below are some options you have when getting your dog to stop doing it.
Avoid letting it out when you are not around
It would help to avoid letting your dog get the opportunity to climb the fence when you are not around so that it is much less likely that it will be able to escape.
Make it more difficult for it to climb the fence
It would also help to take measures to make it more difficult for it to climb the fence or to escape by other means as well.
Some ways to do this would include:
- Having high fences
- Using baby gates
- Making sure the exits are secure
- Using a chain lock on the front door so that you can open it without your dog escaping
- Give it crate training
- Giving it distractions such as toys to play with
- Using a long leash so that it can run while you’re still in control
- Making sure to keep the front door locked
- Making it more difficult for it to dig under parts of the fence
Give it lots of exercise
It would also help to give it lots of exercise so that it is less likely to look for ways to keep itself stimulated.