PET OF THE WEEK: Ralph is a sweet and friendly, 7-month-old blue and white pitbull male. He is a confident, playful and outgoing dog who is hoping to find an active home that understands that he still has lots of puppy energy! He’s super smart and has picked up basic obedience commands with ease and can’t wait to learn more. Ask for ID# A829441. Adoptable pets are available at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion, 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame. For information, call 650-340-7022 or visit www.phs-spca.org. (Chuck Pitkofsky / Peninsula Humane Society)
Dear Miss Behavin’: Our dog is constantly breaking out of our backyard when we’re at work. Fortunately our neighbors bring him home, but he’s already been picked up twice by animal control.
Reply: Of the hundreds of dogs I’ve met, I can count on one hand how many of those dogs would choose to stay outside if given the option to come indoors.
I often hear from dog owners that they assume their dog would rather be outside. After all, there is more room to play and more things to do, right? There are also concerns for accidents indoors during the day or owners don’t trust their dog to not get into trouble in the house. These are all valid reasons and concerns.
However, the truth is that many dogs don’t want to be outdoors all day without you. They already know the yard like the back of their paw and they are more likely to get into trouble by barking, digging, chewing, or escaping simply because they are bored.
If your dog is prone to having accidents when left inside but is generally well mannered when left alone in the backyard, install a doggy door to the backyard and only give him access to a small area inside the dog door such as a kitchen or the garage.
For chewers who can’t be trusted, utilizing rooms such as the kitchen, laundry room, or the garage will give your dog the opportunity to learn to be indoors. Make sure your dog has appropriate things to chew on and gets the exercise his age and breed require before you leave him alone.
If you need to leave your dog outside, your gate(s) and fence must be secure. Give your dog a cozy sheltered area where he can get out of the elements, and in addition to exercise before you leave, make sure he has things to do during the day while you’re gone. Food puzzle toys, hidden treats, and a water fountain or low-volume radio will make for a more enjoyable place to spend time waiting for you to come home.