Tips on How to Handle the Escape Artist Dog

Is your dog an escape artist? If so here are some reasons that Fido may be escaping from the yard when you are away and how pet owners can help to stop this action.

It is important to learn why your pet is escaping and how to stop this; because being loose is one of the most dangerous and sometimes-costly things a family dog can engage in.

Some dogs suffer from separation anxiety. Signs of separation anxiety in dogs can be, displaying behaviors that show a strong attachment to you or another family member. These signs can be following a person around throughout the home all the time that person is present. Wild reaction when this person comes into the home. Also if the dog acts anxious when that person is preparing to leave the home or area where the dog is present. Scratching on the doors or jumping up on the doors when the person leaves the room or home is a sign also. Sometimes a dog that is suffering from separation anxiety disorder is that after they have escaped the yard or enclosure they remain close to the home without leaving the area.

Separation anxiety can also be exacerbated by a change in family schedule, a recent move, a los or death in the family of a person or another pet, a dog that has been in a shelter or boarded recently.

Social isolation and frustration can also create the escape artist. Signs of a bored or lonely dog are the dogs that are left for long periods of time in an area that does not afford him some kind of interesting activity. This may create an escape artist who will wonder and seek interesting things to do.

Helping the family dog to cope with separation anxiety is a difficult task; one must use counter-conditioning and desensitization techniques. Counter-conditioning is modification of a behavior, you present your dog with a stimuli such as leaving the room, allow him to react to this action and then you present another form of behavior for the dog to react with. This must be done on a consistent basis and may take quite a while to complete the training. Using a remote control dog trainer can be helpful in situations such as this. For more suggestions and instructions on how to use counter-conditioning visit http://www.seefido.com>here

For a dog reacting to social isolation it may be a simple action of giving Fido something to do while alone in the yard. Find toys such as the Kong filled with peanut butter; chew toys, soft toys for shaking and such. Food and water present while Fido is alone in the yard can help to keep him occupied, be sure to have a covered sleeping area also.

Help your dog to succeed in being a well-behaved pet by making the yard safe and non-escapable. Here are some tips to accomplish this:

The climbing and jumping dog can make it over the fence quickly; add an extension to the fence making it higher than your dog can jump. Remove any items that may allow Fido the ability to climb up and over the fence. Make any items far enough away from the fence that Fido cannot climb onto the items and jump over the fence from there.

For the digging dog you must go underground. Placing a length of fencing under the ground about 3 feet back from the actual fence can deter Fido from digging under the fence itself. Place another layer of rocks under the ground just alongside the fencing so that Fido finds digging uncomfortable and he will stop.

Remember never punish a dog if he has already left the yard. They will not be able to associate the punishment with the action done prior than 5 or so minutes before. If you catch Fido leaving the yard it is at that moment punishment will stick. Using a shock collar or invisible fence just outside your fence line can help to train Fido to stay in his own yard. Your first step however, should always be finding out what makes Fido leave the yard and fix that problem before punishment begins.