How to Keep Your Dog in the Yard

If you’re a pet owner, it’s important to know how to keep a dog in the yard for a number of different reasons. If your dog gets loose, it is in danger of being hit by a car, getting injured by another dog in a fight, or getting hurt in a number of other possible scenarios. You, as a pet owner, are also liable for any personal injury or property damage your dog may cause. Ultimately, learning how to train your dog to stay in the yard will ensure not only your dog’s safety but the safety of others as well.

The first issue you will want to address is how your dog manages to escape. If your dog digs under, climbs over, or escapes through an opening in your fence, consider adding an electric fence. A wireless pet fence is also a safe and effective alternative to traditional fencing. Since conventional fences can be expensive to install and maintain, electronic fences are often a more affordable option as well. At Dog Guard, our fencing options are veterinarian-approved and use state-of-the-art technology to give your dog both the freedom and security it needs. Once your Dog Guard out-of-sight underground fence has been installed, learning how to keep a dog in the fence is easy. We will teach you how to train your dog to stay in the yard and develop a training routine that works best for you and your dog. If you do not have any other kind of fencing already in place, you will want to train your dog on-leash for the first couple weeks of training. We will place small flags in your yard to mark the boundary lines to serve as a visual cue for your dog. Plan to spend about 15 minutes twice daily walking your dog around the boundary. As your dog approaches the boundary markers, it should be told ‘no’ and moved away from the boundary area. Once your dog is familiar with the location of the boundary area, the flags can be removed.

No matter the dog’s size or temperament, knowing how to keep a dog in the yard is essential to their safety and the safety of others. Even a well-trained dog can be tempted to escape for a variety of reasons, some of which are less obvious than others. Knowing why a dog escapes can decrease its motivation for doing so, which is one strategy for how to keep a dog in the fence. Spaying or neutering your dog can eliminate the possibility of escaping in search of a mate as well as help address the dog overpopulation problem. Increased exercise and play can also reduce your dog’s desire to roam. Dogs are social animals, so make sure your dog is given plenty of opportunities to socialize with other dogs and/or humans. If you have to be away for more than a couple of hours and have no one to supervise your dog, keep your dog inside. Buy interesting toys that will keep your dog’s attention so it doesn’t get bored when it’s alone. You don’t have to constantly purchase new toys, however. Consider rotating out existing toys so they seem new and interesting to your dog.

If you sense that your dog is fearful or has separation anxiety, do not punish or scold your dog for fearful behavior. This can only make the dog more afraid and augment the problem. You also do not want to reinforce fearful behavior. While you may be naturally inclined to comfort your dog when it is afraid, doing so will inadvertently reinforce an undesirable behavior. Instead, you want to remove the negative association and condition your dog to associate being outdoors with something pleasurable. Play a game of fetch with your dog or bring out its favorite chew toy. Your dog should have a safe environment outdoors in which to roam and play. Observe where your dog likes to go when it’s anxious and provide access to this space or create a similar space. If your dog is afraid of thunder or lightning, keep it inside. There are also desensitization techniques and other ways you can make sounds less scary to your dog. If the problem persists, don’t hesitate to seek out the help of a professional trainer.