# Why do you think dogs run away?



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Im just wondering why they would run away. 
Just to get some excitement? LOL
Im sure the ones that are chained up run away becasue they are chained in one spot all the time.....but why do you think the other ones run?
(really dumb question I know. )


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## shilohsmom (Jul 14, 2003)

Dogs don't live with the same understanding of boundaries we do. Basically they are just being dogs, ie. exploring, chasing, etc.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Just for fun? 

Somebody on the next street has a Chihuahua and a Lab. They both love to get out and run. They stop by my fence and talk to my dogs and then they're off on their merry way. 

Sometimes I wonder if the dogs got more attention if they would stick around. On the rare occasion that my gate is open. My dogs just wander around my yard or the neighbor's yard, but they don't go running around the neighborhood.


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Out exploring
hahahah!


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## marylou (Apr 21, 2006)

Just like a kid, maybe - a bad home life? Neglect? and maybe like the posts above - just for fun?

My two don't go out the gate if it is open; they prefer to be around us. I also had a GSD growing up; we did not have a fence and he stayed around the house or barn and didn't wander away either.


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

My dog doesnt go past our property lines (unless he spot a cat and its too late for me to say STAY! LOL)
Maybe it depends on the dogs personality


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

My Coke has a much larger boundary/territory than my shepherds. They are very clingy and dependent, they like to stay within 20 feet of me or so and do not need a fence or restraint to keep them there. Coke however is not a clingy, dependent dog. He is more independent and prefers to stay farther away. The shepherds think fun = playing with ME and Coke thinks fun = chasing rabbits and sniffing all the new smells in the next yard over. When he has escaped in the past, he doesn't "run away" per se, he just roams in a radius of about 2-3 houses from ours, never going farther away, but not coming closer unless we entice him back (we do not chase him if he gets away b/c 1) it's our fault he got out and 2) he turns that into a dangerous game, so we simply make a loud fuss about putting food in a bowl, then we all run around and make noise in our yard until he sees that it's really not more fun to be three yards down and comes back).


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## mychance (Oct 22, 2007)

I don't think it's a dumb question at all . . . I wonder about this all the time since we see so many wonderful strays in rescue and I've adopted strays. 

My heart dog, Chance, was a total velcro dog from the moment I brought him home from the shelter, but was supposedly a stray (I guess he could have been dumped) and I couldn't even begin to imagine him running off. The only time he chose to leave my side was about an hour before he died when he walked to the other end of the house and lay down in another bedroom. 

Our Ward was also a stray and with him I think it may have been boredom and 8 month old puppy curiosity combined with poor supervision. He has excellent recall and checks in with us often when we're out somewhere that he can explore off-leash, but he can be a pretty independent adventurer and is a dog that will make his own "fun" if we don't direct him. 

Our new girl, Zoe, is very clingy but also anxious and she has stranger fear. Even with her previous owners she would get out and they said it was like she couldn't hear or see them. For her I think it may be like being flooded when she's outside and she just focuses on keeping moving to stay safe.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I think a lot depends on the breed of dog + personality. some dogs are born to follow their nose. hounds esp, plus they are bred to be more independent. Rayden's idea of running away was to get out of the back yard and go to the front door to be let in. So we have to chain the gate shut so he can't open it (plus installed a doggie door lol)

other dogs Ive known just love to go exploring. They see something exciting and then can't figure out how to get back to where they started.


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

I also think it depends on how much they get out...with regular neighborhood walks, the neighborhood just isn't as "exciting" as if they NEVER got out....it's like they've been there, done that, what's the point since we're going to go out there later with mom and dad anyway....whereas a dog that never got out is like "OMG! So much to see! To sniff! Wow!"


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

I think the two I have now did it because they could [jump the fence] and because they were curious about the 'big world' out there My last girl never left the property no matter where we lived. Due to there being no sidewalks where I live, I do not walk my dog around the neighborhood because it is simply not safe for us so we go to the park.


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## Lola1969 (Mar 6, 2007)

I too think it has to do breed. My friends with hounds NEVER let them off leash and are amazed at all of the off leash hiking Ozzy and I do. He sticks to me like glue and I am never out of his sight. I have a feeling this is a characteristic of a herding breed.

Also, GSDs tend to be fairly territorial and I think have no desire to leave their yard/territory (at least that is the case with my GSD).


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: Lola1969I too think it has to do breed. My friends with hounds NEVER let them off leash and are amazed at all of the off leash hiking Ozzy and I do. He sticks to me like glue and I am never out of his sight. I have a feeling this is a characteristic of a herding breed.
> ...


I tend to agree. My experience is extremely limited to one Cocker Spaniel who could find the tinest spot to squeeze thru the fence and go exploring throughout the neighborhood. He always came home if we didn't find him first - sometimes we'd be out looking for him and when we got home we found him sitting at the front door waiting for us to arrive. He was extremely scent oriented and I believe this was the reason for him leaving the yard, his nose was always to the ground following this scent trail or that one. Andy could track me thru the neighborhood. When my Mom wanted me home she'd put a leash on him and he'd always find me regardless of how many places I went or how long I was gone.

One of the Hooligans was a mutt with a few WGSD genes, and the remainder were dogs from the Herding breeds - 1 OES and the rest GSDs.


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