Easy Hacks to Prevent Your Dog From Running Away

Does your dog find any opportunity to run away? It can be both stressful and frustrating to rein in a dog with a habit of shooting off into the distance. It can feel like a helpless cause if you’ve tried this and that trick to get them to curb their bad habit.

Fortunately, there are a number of practical hacks that you may not have tried yet that can help prevent your dog from running away. Below, we’ve outlined 4 of the best hacks for you test out today. Put them into practice, and your days of chasing after your dog will soon be a thing of the past!

1. Train your dog to not run away

If your dog keeps running away, that means it hasn’t fully learned that this is an undesirable behavior. So, if they don’t even realize that they’re upsetting you by doing so – and that there is an alternative to running away – it’s no wonder they keep doing it!

Simply scolding your dog or punishing them each time they run away won’t work. You need to properly train your dog to understand that running away isn’t correct behavior, and that it’s in their best interests to not run away.

You don’t need to be a dog whisperer to communicate this to them. There are tons of resources for training your dog to not run away, such as this WikiHow step-by-step guide. As you’ll read, the key is to use positive reinforcement by rewarding good behavior, and to be clear, fair, and consistent when training them.

2. Put up a sturdy fence

Needless to say, one of the easiest hacks to prevent your dog from running away is to prevent their opportunity to do so. And what better way to do so than by putting up a sturdy fence in your yard? EasyPetFence has a variety of fences to suit the requirements of different dog owners.

If you’re new to starting a DIY fence project, your best bet is a Poly Fence Kit. Perfect for dogs on the smaller side who won’t dig or chew through the fence, the fence is easy to set up even for those who don’t have much experience with handiwork.

Whereas, if your dog does like to dig and chew, the Steel Hex dog fence kits are an ideal choice. Your dog won’t be any match for their strength, as they have a certified breaking load of 1000 pounds, and a life expectancy of 25 years! There are fences to suit both your needs as a homeowner and as a dog owner, so feel free to take a browse of our offerings. 

3. Invest in a comfortable kennel

Investing in a comfortable kennel is a simple purchase that will help prevent your dog from running away. The thinking behind this is that if they have a comfortable place to retreat to, they won’t feel the urge to always sprint off.

Of course, the meaning of “comfortable” is completely dependent on the needs of your particular dog! For example, a decked out kennel won’t be very comfortable for your large dog if they feel too cramped in it. On the other hand, some smaller dogs may not like too much space when they’re sleeping, and prefer to have a kennel that’s more snug.

You know your dog best, so make sure to choose a kennel that is most optimal for your dog. If you’re not too sure what they like, take note of how they sleep and where they retreat to when they want to relax. These insights will help you better understand what comfort means to them. And with so many comfortable dog kennels to choose from, finding the right one won’t be a problem you face!

4. Create reasons for your dog to stay

The main reason many dogs are inclined to run away is because of their inherent curiosity. They see the unknown as something exciting to discover, which leads them to explore places beyond familiar surrounds.

One great hack to stop this is to create an environment which encourages your dog to want to stay. Provide fun toys for your dog to play with, and make sure you spend quality time with your dog inside and outside the confines of your home and yard.  

Another thing you can do is to make your home and yard as dog-friendly as possible, so they feel at peace in it. Create reasons for your dog to stay, and you’ll find that running away eventually loses its appeal.

Written by Cynthia Lopez, Managing Editor of Pet Life Today.