Outside your fence, there are many temptations for your dog: cats, squirrels, other dogs, etc. However, there are also many dangers, such as cars and dangerous dogs. If your dog has learned to break through your fence, he must learn the value of staying in the yard. To teach this, you must make the yard enticing and teaching a boundary that he is never allowed to cross.
Things You'll Need
- Stuffed bones or other treats
- Standard buckle collar
- Six-foot nylon or leather leash
- 30-foot cotton training leash
- Bitter Apple or Yuck spray (optional)
- Chicken wire (optional)
Instructions
Creating Boundaries
Give your dog something to do each day so that he isn't bored. For example, instead of feeding him from a food bowl, toss his food in the yard each morning so that he must hunt for it. Wet down his food, stuff it in hollow bones or toys, add peanut butter or cream cheese at each end and freeze it.
Create digging pits in your yard where you put toys stuffed with treats, bones and hollow bones stuffed with food sticking out of the dirt. This will allow your dog to dig and eat, two energy-intensive activities.
Place a standard buckle collar and six-foot leash on your dog and take him out to the yard. Stand in front of the spot where your dog is breaking out and give the wait command. Firmly say, "wait." If your dog moves toward the fence, step in front of him and use your body to back him away. Use the leash as little as possible, only if he gets past you. Once he stops trying to get past you and looks at you, reward him with treats, praise and pets.
Release him to touch the fence or cross through the gate with a big "go free." A release is important so that he knows when he is allowed to go through. You will eventually phase this out. The first few times you practice, release quickly because he doesn't know what he's waiting for. Gradually build up the amount of time before releasing.
Practice until he is going nowhere near the fence when you stand near it before moving to the next step: giving the wait command from behind. With your dog still on the six-foot leash, don't stand between him and the fence when you give the wait command. If he turns to look at you, give a big reward. If he doesn't, practice more at the previous level.
Practice at that level until your dog is responding immediately every time. Then, put him on a 30-foot leash, stand farther away and repeat the practice. If your dog doesn't come running to you from your chosen distance, decrease the distance.
Wait inside where you can see your dog but he can't see you. If he moves near the fence, yell out "wait" in your most angry voice. Then, your dog thinks you can see him from anywhere. This should only need to be repeated once or twice.
Reinforce your fence, if necessary, by spraying it with Bitter Apple or Yuck spray every morning before you leave. Soak it well. If your dog comes to sniff what you are doing, spray a little in his mouth to create an aversion. Add chicken wire to the fence to prevent chewing and digging. You can remove these steps when your dog is trained.