My point was more about dogs who create ways of escaping rather than dogs who see the gate has been left open and decide to go exploring. I'm sure given an opportunity, most dogs would wander a little from home and get up to the kind of things they can do only when the owner isnt there but I just cant get my head around dogs who are desperate to disappear from their home territory.

From what I gather from the replies, it's dogs with prey drive who are more likely to go walkabouts...hounds, terriers and the like but my thoughts once again come back to the question of are they not being able to fulfill their natural desires in their everyday life or are their natural desires not being channelled effectively?

I'm basing my assumptions on my ex's dog who, some of you may remember, was a GSP. Virtually the only times when any attention was paid to her was when she was getting a telling off. She was never played with, hardly ever petted, never trained and the minute you let her into the garden and turned your back she would jump all the neighbours fences and exit through the nearest open gate. I always assumed this was because the lure of all those scents in the wider world was greater than what she experienced at home (even though she got to investigate those scents uncontrolled each day on her walk).

But yes, maybe I dont understand because i've never had dogs who have bolted.

I do understand what you mean. I think there is a whole world of difference between a dog who sees an open door/gate and who wants to go and investigate and one whom actively dig's or jumps to get out.

I know for a fact that left unattended with a wide open door my 2 would go off as soon as they saw another person or dog because they are both very friendly sociable dogs who like to say hello. This to me is totally different to them both desperately trying to escape from their confines to go and find 'friends'

If I am honest if I did have a houdini then I think I would begin to question if there was something missing in their life for them to be always trying to get out.

My thought is that if a dog digs or jumps or persistently finds a way to escape from it's home then it is unhappy in some way. I've never had dogs who have wanted to run away. I've even put my dogs in the back garden, left them unattended and then discovered one of the gates is open yet my dogs have stayed in the yard. My ex's dog on the other hand couldnt be let out unless there was somebody with her as she would persistently jump fences and clear off and I believe that was because she had a rubbish life.


I think that if a dog is well loved, treated with respect, given adequate exercise, given adequate food and generally lives a happy, fulfilled life then there is no reason why it would want to escape...?

Hmmm not sure I would give that view 100% support.

I have a GSD and a Weimaraner. Both are trained to scale 6ft, and my fences are no higher, so theoretically they could escape and wander. But none of my dogs have had the urge to try it since I had my first WT dog in 1990.

However, if the gate was left open, then I am sure my Weimaraner would be quite happy to go off, raid bins, hunt the local cat population etc.

The GSD likes to be around me, so would see no reason to toddle off.

So I think for SOME dogs, even the most fulfilling life in the world would not necessarily mean that, had they the opportunity, they would not go off on their own.

A lot depends on the breed, the prey drive, the confidence etc.

I have to disagree, our last dog a boxer x lab never tried to escape but our current dog who's a beagle will burrow out if you leave her for more than 30 seconds, she just has a strong instinct to track and nothing keeps her from the hunt lol, she has her long daily walks (but I wouldn't dare let her off lead as even at a year her recall is terrible and she only comes back when she feels like it!) she's played with and petted a lot and she's given games/tasks that are appropriate for her breed yet that natural instinct takes over everything else, when she gets a scent she runs with it x

In my opinion dogs don't have the human logic that you're talking about x

You really do need to own a dog with a fiercely independent streak to see the other side of it.

I have 4 Mittels - Yes, a spitz breed, but not dogs with a high prey drive (ok, they'll go after vermin but that's about the extent of it), Utility group and bred to be "watch" dogs. Historically they'd sit on a dung heap a mile outside the village and bark if people or wild animals came towards the village.

The 3 girls are all half sisters (same mum, different dads) and range in age from nearly 1 to approaching 5. The middle one, Kammi, wouldn't dream of escaping, she's a bit clueless at the best of time and if she gets out (after she's mugged any unsuspecting small children) she'll come straight back. Hope, the youngest, has been clearing baby gates go see what's on the other side since she was 10 weeks old... she's happiest up high, whether that's on a work top, kitchen table, back of the sofa or on the wall... but again, she'd never go out of ear shot and would always come straight back. (I should add, that when their mother had her first litter (who were about 6 weeks at the time) she went awol overnight through a hole in the fence her owner didn't know was there and spent the night in the police station)

Then there's Gretchen... at 8 weeks, she walked through the wrought iron gate and took herself calmly off down the road to explore, when called she just turned and looked and carried on (we followed her till she was ready to come back as we didn't want to freak out a baby puppy). Any time she's got out she's only come back when she's ready or if you've managed to catch up with her (like say, when she's stopped to roll on something dead and disgusting)

Inside her recall is perfect, in fact, anywhere she knows she really can't get out it is, but if there is a chance she can get out she might as well be deaf.

Everytime we take her anywhere new the first thing she does is go round and push all the fences, barriers, gates etc with nose and paw to see if there is any "give" where she might get out. Taking her to friends who are experienced spitz owners they've watched in disbelief as they've never seen a dog do this - but with Gretchen, it is just the way she is.

I wouldn't say she doesn't have a happy and fulfilled life, ok she's not allowed to do what she was bred for - i have neighbours after all - but barking and being heard a long way away isn't something that requires wandering off. She's well loved and she and I have an amazing bond - this is the one of my 4 that usually gets what ever she wants - she's currently lying on the back of the sofa half over my shoulder as i am typing this.

I think you just have to take each dog and their characters as you find them. For some no amount of training is going to curb their wish to explore. I get accused of being a gnats paranoid about Gretchen (nope, she aint allowed off the lead and is always behind a baby gate before the door is opened) but then again, I'd rather have her safely confined than missing which is what happened to her litter sister who went missing in 2009.

I don't think the environment makes any difference. As Rips said some dogs are just plain stooopid
I have had 6 dogs in total;
1st, JRT, would bolt at the first opportunity
2nd, crossbreed, would never leave the house, had to be coaxed out for a walk.
3rd, lurcher, would stand in the doorway and watch the world would go by, never attempting to run away even from a pup
4th Lurcher was a s*d. She could never be left unattended. If she went in the garden on her own she would jump the 7ft hedge or the gate and be gone. My brother really upset me once by suggesting that if she had a good home and was loved she wouldn't do it
5th, Lurcher, again would stand/sit/lie in the garden and never attempt to go anywhere.
6th, JRT, ..... well I'm still not sure. Pepsi has never attempted to get out but I know that it there was a cat/rat/mouse in the vicinity she would do her damnest

I think with Louie - if there was something like a bird he would try to get out - even if it is a glass window in a caravan () but if a gate was left open and I wasn't around and there was nothing to tempt him - he wouldn't I don't think - he's still unpredictable.

Sadie - disappears from her owner's yard regularly but only to my parents - she jumped the fences and now has to jump onto a bit of waste land then down some steps and she's in our garden. Gates and doors can be left open and she will not disappear - no matter what is out there.

Benjie - not sure - he's totally unpredictable with these things..

I don't think - unless there was the most tempting thing in the world to them - they would try to escape I don't think they're unhappy. But if they had the choice to escape - Benjie and Louie would most likely take it.

Totally disagree, One of my Beagles years ago when i was living in Kent would take himself off for three or four hours a day a come back, bark at the gate to be let in for his dinner and a sleep. He was still taken out three times a day. Mind you he was not castrated which i think plays another big factor.

Ahhh I forgot about this point - you have to take into account breeds - I cannot really speak as mine are crosses, but some hounds are more likely to take off than other breeds of dogs - despite the happiness levels.

all my dogs stay where they are and hav e no interest in escaping if im out by the garage and they want to come for arun and sniff about they wait for me to invite them out. kids have left the gatees and doors open but theyve never gone running off or rushed out unless they are allowed