No owner likes to get a call from the pound telling them that their dog has been picked up for roaming the streets, but even the best trained dog can escape and end up in places where it shouldn't be.

In many towns you can find yourself in legal trouble if your dog is found to be wandering the streets. And quite rightly so as a dog on the loose can do quite a lot of damage to other people's property, pets, children and elderly folk.

Dogs that generally try to escape from their property are usually those that have not been trained or are bored.

Boredom is most often the case, and giving your dog suitable stimulation to ensure that he/she remains contented on the property can prevent this. This can be as simple as leaving toys for your dog to play with, fresh water and a suitable place to sleep, shelter from the weather, and anything else that the dog might need while you aren't in attendance. Obviously a big fence and a locked gate will go a long way to deter your dog from escaping.

Consider the alternative of trying to catch your dog once it has escaped, and the damage that can be done, should it run out in front of a cyclist or a car. Prevention is always best.

Giving your dog regular exercise will also reduce the likelihood of it wanting to escape. Even the fact that the dog knows it will be getting exercise when you arrive home will eliminate much of the possibility of having it escape during the time when you're away.

If your dog gets this exercise before you go out you are less likely to have problems because it is more likely to sleep after having exercised.

The Call to Come Command

Dog Quote: A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself. ....Josh Billings

The Command to Come when Called.

One of the most basic and important commands that you will need to teach your dog is to come when called. No matter what else happens, if you have taught your dog this command you will always be able to maintain control whether at home or in public.

Should your dog ever get off it's leash or escape from your property you will know that when you call it that it will come back and this certainly makes life a lot easier for the dog owner.

For working dogs, this is a vital skill as a handler needs to know that at any time they can get the dog back beside them and ready for their next command. When you are comfortable that your dog knows the commands of 'stay' and 'come' you no longer have to be as concerned that it needs to be kept on a leash at all times. This allows both the owner and the dog to have a lot more freedom.

Generally, this command of 'come' is incorporated when teaching the dog to stay, as these two lessons work hand-in-hand with one another. The dog is first taught to stay and then the owner will teach the dog to come, while still on an extended leash.

After gaining success in getting the dog to come, while still on a leash, the owner can then teach it to do so without the leash. Obviously for an untrained animal this would be better taught in an enclosed area until the dog has learned to respond to that command.