Why do Dogs Escape?

Escape behaviour is common in healthy normal dogs if the fence around the dogs’ yard is inadequate. In such cases, the fence is an insignificant obstacle to a dog’s wanderlust. Naturally, boredom in the backyard contributes in a major way to the development of escape behaviour. While a bored dog casually wanders the back yard, its stimulus-starved brain looks for some ‘brain fodder’. The greener grass on the other side of the fence is just the fodder such a dog seeks.

Such dogs often happily trot backwards and forwards over or under the fence as if it was invisible. The dog’s backyard territory and the territory of the street beyond merge into a continuum and the fence is insignificant. These dogs are basically happy and content but are certainly at risk from injury and from being picked up by the Council. They also pose a risk to pedestrians who have a right to use the street.