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How can I stop my Chihuahua/Dachsund mix female from wandering?

She has a fenced yard, but every time the gate is opened she attempts to escape. She has a usual route and returns in 10-15 minutes.

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Answer #1

If she is not spayed, that’s likely the cause for her wandering…and she’ll most likely return home pregnant after her usual route.

Unspayed females (and unneutered males) have the inherent, natural desire to wander to mate. It’s in their blood, wired in their brains. You didn’t mention if she was spayed or not, but I’d bet she isn’t, which would be the direct cause of the wandering.

Getting her spayed should fix the problem :) It will also decrease her chance of getting ovarian or breast cancer, and stop potential contribution to the pet overpopulation problem, due to pregnancy. In 2010, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that animal shelters care for 6-8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom approximately 3-4 million are euthanized (put to sleep / killed through the use of barbituates, or even worse, gassing, due to not enough homes for all the unwanted animals…caused by unwanted dog pregnancies and litters.

Hope that helps!

Answer #2

She’s part Dachsund…they are a hunting dog…nose to the gound and they follow that nose. Some breeds are more prone to wander (tho ALL dogs will do it without training), hounds and hunters seem to venture further from home.

Teach her to sit/stay, when the gate opens (you can do this inside the house by teaching her to sit/stay when you open a door)…This won’t work if you leave the gate open, but at least she won’t be racing you to get thru the gate.

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