Why has my dog started running out of our yard?

Question

My 6 yo Pointer Mix has gone out on her own for the last year and a half or so. She was always very good about staying in her yard, doing her business and then coming back to the front door when finished. She would do this both day and night.

For the last couple of months she's been taking off from our yard. She likes to run to this other dog's house up the street as well as down the street in either direction. She will not come back when called even though she knows the command Come. We have to run after her and get her. Sometimes even running further when we get near.

We're a little dumbfounded as to why she started doing this and continues to do it. I realize the simple answer is to take her out on a leash every time she goes out. But even so, I'd like to figure out why she began to and continues to run off and how we can get her to stop and stay in her yard like a good girl again.

elbrant · Accepted Answer

Have you ever heard the saying, "A tired dog is a good dog"? It's true. Dogs that don't get enough exercise are prone to bad behavior. Well, they aren't trying to be bad, but they generally start doing things that their owners find "undesirable". Like running out of the yard and deliberatly ignoring your calls to come, even though you know the dog can hear you. 
If Doggy Day Care is no longer an option (scheduling, cost, whatever), then perhaps you can work in a half hour walk in the morning and evenings with occasional outings to a local dog park. Or time playing fetch in the back yard. Obedience training to stimulate her brain. Fit some time in your schedule to do something together during the weekends: hiking, or swimming, or a longer walk than usual.
As for the jaunts through the neighborhood... perhaps an underground fence for the property.  The collar doesn't actually shock them, it's just a vibration that allows them to learn where their boundaries are. But really, all of these suggestions are geared towards her learning just that.

Elmy · Answer

The most simple answer is that your dog is bored.
If you don't walk her enough and she's inside the house all day, she might simply grasp the opportunity to have some fun and excitement when she's just supposed to do her business.

She will not come back when called even though she knows the command Come. We have to run after her and get her. Sometimes even running further when we get near.

It's fairly clear that she is not interested in coming back and is even running away to stay outside a little longer.
Be aware though, that she might still run away even if you walk her all day and tire her out. She has learned that she's able to leave the yard and this cannot be unlearned.

Why has my dog started running out of our yard?

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