Dogs are great companions to have for a long time.They, too, need affection and love. When they feel alone or scared, they tend to run away.As a dog parent, it is a very worrying situation when your dog goes missing. There may be incidences of running away. You may think that you loved and cared for your pup well, so why does it try to run away now that it is grown up? There are many physical and psychological reasons that can be responsible.You may have been trying to keep your dog happy and healthy, but there may be days when you feel that the dog is confused, distracted, or fearful. They tend to run away in these situations. It is a very worrying situation. You must learn to deal with this. A missing pup will be alone and get into trouble. So make sure that you can avoid this situation in every possible way.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about dog shakes head or dog pacing here at Kidadl?Why do dogs run away from owners?A dog running away is not an uncommon problem. Everyone faces it someday or other. However, if you know the possible reasons, then you should be able to keep your dog happy. Your dog will be less likely to run away.The most common causes of your dog running away are anxiety due to separation, fear, mating instinct, prey drive, loud noises, boredom, or new surroundings.Just like humans, when dogs feel fear, their first response is to run away. They might choose flight or fright. This may happen when there is excessive loud noise due to fireworks, thunderstorms, or gunfire. Many dogs do not like crowded places. Let your dog stay home if you plan to party hard at night with loads of friends.Dogs have very sharp ears. Their sense of hearing is high as they have very sensitive ears. So, loud noises are painful for them. They tend to run away to a place far away, where it is less noisy. You can subscribe to a dog tracker to help you search for it later.Try to understand the behavior of your dog. Figure out ways to make it comfortable and keep the door and windows closed when there are fireworks around during festive times. Also, take special care when it is the rainy season and you expect thunderstorms.When our pet dogs are separated for a long time from their owners, they tend to run away. They experience anxiety when their owner is away for many days. They feel bored and may even jump fences to escape. They are great escape artists. Your dog might try to make new friends by running away. You need to give training to your pup on how to handle anxiety. To avoid your dog running away, you must train it to recall the way back home.How To Stop Dogs From Running Away on WalksIt is a dog’s natural response to run away when it feels fear or anxiety. You must know how to handle the situation so that it does not run away often and you can prevent it from getting lost.When you take a dog for a walk, you may have seen that it wants to get free from its leash and run away. It is not that it is bored of you or doesn’t love you. You need to understand the needs of your dog as well.There is a chance that your dog is in heat and wants to mate. It will try to get loose from the leash. At the age of around six months, most breeds of dogs have a strong instinct to reproduce. If you have a female dog and you are not careful, you may be caring for her puppies soon. You must get the dog neutered by a vet if you do not want any more puppies from your dog. This will prevent it from running away for this purpose.Another possible reason can be prey drive or the hunting instinct. A few breeds are hunters, so when we domesticate them they miss hunting. When you take them out for a walk they may want to hunt a squirrel or cat. They may want to chase after them. Do not feel scared if you see a dog getting aggressive. It is just due to its urge to chase that it may show you anger and a desire to be released from its leash. This may happen with beagles or American foxhounds.Is it normal for dogs to run away?You must try hard to understand the behavior of your dog. Avoid the situations that make it anxious. You could try to keep your dog safe and calm so that it is not scared. Do not take your dog to crowded places. Do not leave it free when there are too many guests at home. It may only like being around family members. New people may make your pet insecure.Keep windows and doors closed when the weather is harsh, and you expect thunderstorms. Keep your dog in a place where there are no loud sounds during the time of the year when there are lots of fireworks. They may jump again and again to stop the noise. In this case, the dog may get hurt. This prevents the dog from running away.If you want to travel the world with your dogs, consult a vet for some anti-anxiety supplements for pets. Traveling the world, especially by air, is very stressful for a dog. Figure out a way to keep it busy and relaxed. Otherwise, out of habit, it may chew on its ears due to the discomfort from pressure in the aircraft.When you are not home for a while, provide ample treats and toys to keep your dog busy. Train your dog to stay alone as well. It is not possible to take a pup everywhere with you. It should not be a habit to snuggle and cuddle the whole day. Enroll your pup in an activity group where you are not with it. This prevents the dog from running away.When you leave home, you can train your dog. Change its behavior when it sees you dressed. Sit in your shoes and office clothes and make your dog comfortable. Do this a few times to train it. When it is no longer anxious, you can start going to the office by saying bye. Then its anxiety should not be related to you leaving it. Your dog must learn that you will be back at the end of the day.What To Do When Your Dog Runs AwayDogs tend to run away if they feel bored or there is separation anxiety.A few breeds may also run away to mate or for hunting. You need to prepare accordingly. If your dog has run away there is a chance that your dog might be back soon. If your dog’s training means that it can recall its way back home, it should arrive back soon.You must stay calm and think positively. Look for places where it likes to chase prey. Try to search for it at your dog’s favorite place to escape. If it has escaped the leash then follow it. It should not go too far. Call it back with treats or toys.Teaching obedience is a good idea. It may stop the dog from running away when you call. It helps pets stay safe and secure. Dogs can also be found close to their favorite posts in the neighborhood where they feel secure and play.If your dog has a collar, try to ask locals for help and advise them to identify your pet with its collar. Having a GPS tracker on the collar can prevent a dog from being kidnapped or lost. You can track it easily. Sometimes they are hidden in your backyard or the neighborhood; for example when it gets scared, it may run away. Take its favorite toy when you go on a search. Find a game of sign, so that it can hear you. You shall soon find your missing dog.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Dog running away’, then why not take a look at the ‘Fastest dog breed’ or ‘Labrador facts’?
Dogs are great companions to have for a long time.
