Pet owners often struggle to keep their farm dogs from roaming. Though the farm dogs are typically used to protect property, it’s a challenging task to keep them running off too far. So how to keep a farm dog from roaming?
Among the several methods, using a traditional fence is the most effective way to keep the dog from roaming. However, there are other tricks available that you can try.
So here we put together the possible ways to stop your farm dogs from roaming. Don’t go anywhere and stay with us till the end to find an easy solution to your problem. Let’s get started.
What Are The Reasons Behind Dog Roaming?
Before you get a way to keep your dog roaming, you should understand the exact reason behind your dog’s behavior. However, there are several reasons why dogs can chase roams.
The dog is looking for a mate
Dogs have an instinct to look for a mate. When female dogs are in heat, they produce a specific scent that causes an intact dog to roam off to find them.
Bad habit
If your farm dog is adopted, you might not know its background. So if the dog previously used to roam spontaneously and now its freedom has been taken away, it can be difficult for him to stay within boundaries.
Other reasons
The other chances can be that the farm dog gets bored on your farm or might be afraid of some unusual things or sounds. If the surroundings are new to the dog and he gets the opportunity to explore outside, the dog tends to roam off.
How To Keep A Farm Dog From Roaming
You can follow several ways to keep your dog from roaming and stop them from getting lost.
Boundary training
Boundary training is the primary task you should try to keep your dog from roaming. You need to find a good trainer that gives your dog proper training and positive reinforcement. So that it can correct its behavior and stay on your farm without roaming.
Required time for boundary training
However, it usually takes 2 to 4 months to completely train a dog to keep it in an unfenced yard. Training your dog will save your money from investing in other expensive solutions.
How To Train A Farm Dog To Stay In An Unfenced Yard Without Roaming
Keeping your farm dog in an unfenced yard requires good training. Even in a fenced area, you must train your farm dog not to follow you outside the boundary. So here we describe 6 easy steps to start your dog training. And it would be best if you continued this training daily until your dog is well-trained.
1. Walk around the boundary on leash
Firstly, introduce your farm dog to your farm boundary. For this, walk along the perimeter on a leash. While walking, you should point towards the ground that will visually mark the edge for your dog.
Otherwise, you can mark out the farm boundary by sticking some flags at first to let your dog know where he should not cross the line. You need to repeat this walk numerous times a day for 3-5 days.
2. Try off leash walking
After you finish on-leashing walking training, now your dog must get a good idea about the boundary. So here, you need to train him not to roam over it.
When your dog is off-leash, point out the ground where the perimeter is. In addition, you can just use sweeping motions with your arms so that he can visually identify the boundary. Do this training 3-5 times a day for several days. After that, your farm dog should demonstrate some sense of which perimeter they should stop and not cross.
However, if your dog is still crossing the boundary line, you should follow the first step again and use commands.
3. Practice commands
Now it’s time to practice commands for your dog. You should use three main commands to train your farm dog to stay within the unfenced yard.
Sit command
“Sit” is a basic command. Start practicing for your dog to sit at different places around the boundary line of your farm.
Stay command
Once your dog masters the “sit” command, you can start teaching the “stay” command. Tell your dog to stay while sitting and you cross the line while your dog stays behind. Reward your dogs if they stay on their side of the boundary.
Leave it command
Do your daily boundary walks, and eventually, you need to use the “leave it” command so that your dog leaves alone anything across the line that approaches him towards the perimeters.
Treat your dog
Make this training more effective by tossing a treat over the boundary and using the leave it command. When you see your dog is successful in staying and leaving things on the other side of the boundary line, retrieve the treat or offer different ones.
4. Spaying or neutering
Spraying or neutering is an easy “fix” for your dog if they roam for mating. This idea is not only good for keeping the farm dog from roaming but also for keeping the dog population under control.
5. Using traditional fence
A common and popular method for preventing dogs from roaming is using a traditional and durable wrought iron fence (Here you can make an internal link on how to keep dog in wrought iron fence) around your farm or large property. Build the fence higher, or you can add coyote rollers.
It will help prevent the dog from roaming or chasing predators too far from your farm.
6. Using invisible fence or GPS tracking collar system
GPS satellite technology/Invisible fences are the most advanced pet fences nowadays. Even these fences allow you to customize the boundaries in shape and size. You’re not limited here with the yard size.
However, if your farm is larger than 5 acres, then a GPS tracking collar system is a great option. It is the best suitable technology for farms and acreage. You can train your dog with certified trainers so that your dogs learn its boundaries without any confusion or fear. It also assures you that the dog stays within limits.
Tips To Keep Your Farm Dog From Roaming
- If you have some time, try to be with your farm dogs and always watch them to know about their behavior.
- If you introduce your farm dog to other animals on your farm, make sure the dog is well-socialized with them. It’s the best way to prevent your farm dog from roaming.
- Besides, the most important thing is to keep a farm dog on the farm to ensure a proper environment. So, let the dogs enjoy your entire farm along with their humans.
FAQs
Can you train a dog to stay in an unfenced yard?
Yes, you can train your dog to stay in an unfenced area. Basically, it’s called boundary training. You’ll teach your dog about his boundaries, how far away he can go from your farm, and where he can go or where not. However, boundary training needs time, patience, and repetition.
Do invisible fences work for big dogs?
Using invisible fences for big dogs is not a good idea. It won’t keep your livestock. The fence may look invisible, but its effect is highly damaging. It causes harm gradually to the dog’s behavior. Your big dogs can get hurt, which makes them fearful or very aggressive dog gets aggressive when excited over time.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you can identify the reasons behind roaming your farm dogs and find a solution to how to keep farm dogs from roaming. Among all the methods, we recommend training your dog to stay in the yard as it’s much cheaper, safer, and effective in the long run. However, if your dog doesn’t correct the training, you can opt-out for other ways.
So that’s all. We hope our article will help you easily keep your farm dog from roaming. Good luck!
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