Squirrel! Foolproof way to keep your new dog from running away

January 31, 2023

Whether your new dog is a puppy, a teenager or an adult, distractions are everywhere! From squirrels to rabbits, running kids and moving objects, temptation is all around. Often the first thing you need to do when planning to get a new dog is figure out how you will keep your dog contained in your yard.

Different breeds and personalities often have different triggers that can cause them to run away.

Prey driven breeds, like German Shorthaired Pointers or Siberian Huskies, are likely obsessed with moving animals and your scent hound with lingering scents. These dogs are likely to chase squirrels and other animals.

Breeds that are particularly people friendly and focused, like Labs, Golden Retrievers and Border Collies may feel the need to greet every passer by, humans and dogs alike, even if they are across the street.

And many dogs get spooked by loud noises such as thunder or fireworks, causing them to flee. Other dogs may long for adventure if they’re bored or feel isolated, or go in search of a mate if they’re not yet spayed or neutered.

What’s the first step to contain your new dog?

Basic training for your dog is the first step. All other training, including preventing your dog from running away, must build on basic training. Training is all about consistency, repetition, and positive reinforcement.

Recall training is a critical component of any training program. It’s imperative that your new dog obey a recall command. Before letting them off leash, you should be 100% sure that your dog will return to you when called. This will enable you to avoid any dangerous situations, and get them back safely if they do take off. Learn more with these recall training tips.

As your dog matures, so should their focus and obedience. Regardless of their age however, every new dog likely needs some training to acclimate to a new home, a new family and new surroundings with new distractions.

Once your dog has mastered basic training, games are a great way to maintain positive engagement. These training games are fun for dogs of all ages to engage their brains and reinforce training skills through play.

What are some ways to contain your new dog?

A physical fence is one way to contain your dog, but dogs can jump over and dig under fences, and if they escape you may not even know it. If you have a large property, physical fencing can be cost prohibitive, and may not work if you have tricky terrain. Or perhaps your HOA does not allow physical fencing. A buried wire fence is another option, but also comes with some challenges. It can be costly or labor intensive to install the buried wire, depending on your property size. Wires also sometimes freeze, break or mistakenly get cut, which will stop your fence from working.

What’s the best way to contain your new dog?

Containing your new dog with SpotOn GPS Fence lets you create custom fences from ½ acres to 1,000s of acres, and easily fence through tricky terrain such as ponds, brush or boulders.

This GPS collar + app system has two tones that teach your dog to understand the virtual GPS boundaries. It does require that you train your dog to the system. But once trained, your dog will learn to respect the boundaries, and cannot jump over or dig under like with a physical fence.

So how does SpotOn GPS Fence work?

Create and setup fences on the smartphone app in minutes
Train your dog to understand the 4 system cues; alert and warning tones, vibration and optional static correction. You will train your dog to understand that these signals mean to turn around and stay within the GPS fence.
See your dog’s location at any time on the app. Your dog’s location will update every 6 seconds. If your dog breaches the boundary, you’ll receive notifications so you can track your dog and bring them home.
Since all the technology is contained on the dog collar, SpotOn is totally portable. Whether camping, visiting friends and family or going to a vacation home, SpotOn makes it easy to bring your dog along.
SpotOn is recommended for dogs over 6 months old. Our GPS fence training needs to build on basic obedience and recall training, and dogs need a certain level of maturity that young puppies don’t have.

With SpotOn, your dog will get the freedom to live life unleashed in the backyard and beyond. They will also get the exercise they need to stay healthy and happy, and the training they need to stay within their virtual boundaries, despite pesky squirrels and other temptations. To learn more about how to stop a dog from chasing squirrels, check out these tips on Distraction Training from SpotOn certified trainer Rick Alto.

Learn more about how SpotOn GPS Fence works here.

Author Bio:
Amy McPoland is a dog mom, dog lover and Sr. Brand Strategist at SpotOn Fence.