Dog Runs Away

When Your Dog Runs Away

A dog that runs away from home has somewhere to go. It is quite amazing that in most cases the owners cannot tell where their dog goes. The usual answer is, "Just out in the neighborhood to see the other dogs or something." These dogs have a definite objective in mind and usually cover the same route during each journey. Why is that route or objectives more appealing than his home environment?

It must be that his environment is lacking in some respect. The root of the problem usually lies with the owner. The dog is often either over- dependent or is not in a subordinate position in relation to the owner. All corrective procedures must start with the relationship between dog and owner, except when minor external environmental adjustments are needed, such as gaining a misguided neighbor's cooperation to stop feeding the dog when he comes around.

The relationship between dog and his owner must always be considered first when solving a runaway problem. When the dog is over-dependent or too independent, he must be taught, without physical manipulation, to Come, Sit and Stay on command. The owner must make a general environmental adjustment and avoid all fondling or other stimulus-response situations that subordinate the owner to the dog's whims.

For example, a dog that nudges for petting, food tidbits, or to be let outside must be given some simple command, and then told "Good dog" and petted briefly when he obeys. The pet should then be ignored while the owner continues whatever activity was interrupted by the dog's solicitation. This helps reorient the dog to his owner's control and reverses the leadership position. Combined with daily training sessions and other corrective measures, this procedure produces results within one and three weeks.

Owners who allow their dogs to roam free in the neighborhood are contributing to the runaway problem, and should be made aware of the dangers related to this practice. The pet's safety and health are at risk because of poisoning, road accidents, fighting, and diseases contracted from other animals.

The animal may become lost, picked up by animal control officers or stolen. What is seldom considered also is that the owner may be subjected to civil suit or criminal charges if the wandering pet causes destruction of property, including fights with other dogs, or human injury.

If an owner cannot appreciate the folly of allowing a pet to roam, any attempt at teaching the animal to behave at home is wasted. When the dog has been taught to accept the confines of his own property, the problem of running away is solved, and such associated problems as dashing in or out of doors, jumping fences, and other escape behavior can be dealt with effectively.

Jealous Dog

The Danger Of A Jealous Dog

In the case of jealousy the mind of a dog works in almost an identical way to that of a human being. It wants the full attention and love of its owner whether the jealousy occurs only when another dog enters the home or when the beloved owner talks to another dog outside, or whether the jealousy is aimed at another person in the home. The same driving force is at the root of the evil in all of these cases: the intention of the dog to reign alone and supreme in his household.

The guarding instinct so prevalent in some breeds has its roots in the same sort of thing; a desire to let no one enter the precincts of his master or mistress. Jealousy nearly always takes the form of a show of viciousness toward the dog or person the animal is jealous of.

Quite often it is a mild form of jealousy and only involves its bone, toy or the piece of rug that it is fond of. It jealously guards them and woe betide anyone trying to take that object away.

This jealousy is particularly pronounced when puppies are reared and kept in the household. As the puppy reaches the age of about three months the mother will begin to feel jealous as her maternal instinct fades and the time draws near for another heat. In spite of the attempt to treat both dogs equally and always to talk to both at the same time, feeding both at the same time and exercising both together, the jealousy continues to grow.

Correction works at first and then bit by bit grows less effective. In the dog's mind a usurper has entered the scene, and, as in the wild state, it is trying to turn the young out of the nest. As she fails to get rid of the now grown up pup, her temper gets worse and worse in the effort to dislodge the now adult and unwanted member of the household. She becomes more and more thwarted as her owner attempts to make the newcomer as welcome as the old established member.

Often she will turn on her owner when he is trying to make peace, as if she were trying to impress an ignorant person that it was time the youngster went out into the world to fend for itself.

If you are a really good handler your training methods will be good enough to make both dogs obey the command "Leave" when they are in your presence. The danger lies in the times you leave the dogs together on their own, for the slightest boldness on the part of the youngster in approaching the older one's basket or toy, etc., will infuriate the older dog, and she will set on the youngster tooth and nail.