10 Dog Breeds that Run Away

It is important to study the running away instincts of different breeds before finalizing a dog for your family. There are several reasons that can instigate a canine to leave the comfort of your home.

For instance, the curiosity to explore the world can be a massive motivation for some dogs. On the other hand, long spells of loneliness can make certain breeds run away from their homes. The following are some of the dog breeds that are quite likely to run away given the opportunity.

American Bulldog

This smart and loving dog makes a great guardian of his/her family due to its protective nature. These canines prefer to live in homes with large, open spaces because of their extensive exercise needs. For this reason, this dog breed is NOT recommended for apartment life unless you can take your pet for regular walks.

Leaving them alone in an apartment for long spells can urge American Bulldogs to indulge in destructive habits. If your dog is frustrated about insufficient physical and mental stimulation, his/her chances of running away are quite high. According to an estimate, an American Bulldog will try to escape about 0.9 times per month.

Anatolian Shepherd

This guardian dog was originally bred in the peninsula of Anatolia to protect livestock. Thanks to their strong bodies and good sight, they were extremely successful in that role.

Although they can adapt in all kinds of environments, they don’t like living at the end of a chain. Similarly, punishment and other forms of negative reinforcement can cause your dog to run away from the house. Therefore, it’s essential to keep them in a securely fenced yard. According to Whistle, these dogs break away from their owners on average 2.13 times per month.

Belgian Malinois

This is one of the oldest dog breeds of Europe, which was originally developed for herding purposes. These agile and smart canines are NOT suitable for busy families who work long hours. This is because boredom is a serious issue with these dogs.

Likewise, Belgian Malinois are extremely sensitive and don’t tolerate rude behavior from any member of the family. Continuous repetition of these issues will urge them to escape or run away from you. On average, an unhappy Belgian Malinois will try to escape 14.4 times in a year.

Black and Tan Coonhound

The hunting breed will take start smelling anything that he/she finds interesting. For this reason, the owner of a Coonhound should always be on the alert when outdoors. Keep a stronghold of the leash to prevent the dog from running away even if he/she takes off without notice. Just like Belgian Malinois, this breed will also escape the owner’s house on an average of 1.2 times per month.

Bloodhound

The intense sense of smell of this intelligent dog breed meant great success in the field of search-and-rescue. Similarly, they are a popular choice for performing law enforcement duties. Bloodhounds are not suited for apartment living because they require rigorous sessions of physical activity. In contrast to it, they do best in a home with a large fenced yard.

Due to their extraordinary hunting instincts or boredom, this breed is highly likely to run away from the home. On average, they escape from owners about 1.5 times per month.

Bluetick Coonhound

These intelligent and friendly dogs are known as nocturnal hunters because they have a habit of hunting at night. It is extremely difficult to stop a Bluetick Coonhound from running away if he/she is chasing a potential prey. Due to this incredibly high prey drive, you must make sure that your pet is on the leash when outdoors. According to observational data, Bluetick Coonhounds run away about 1.2 times per month.

Catahoula Leopard Dog

The Catahoula Leopard Dog is often referred to as the “king of the stock dogs”. This tough dog was originally bred for working in forests and swamps. However, this independent and energetic canine is also ideal for assisting in farms and ranches.  

This dog breed requires at least an hour of good, solid running to burn off its abundant supply of energy. If the owner can’t provide a sufficient amount of exercise, a Catahoula Leopard Dog can go for a solo run. This breed also has a runaway average of 1.2 times per month.

Great Danes

Although Great Dane is a social dog breed, it does need some loneliness. These gentle giants are quite popular for their calm personalities and enjoying alone time. In addition to that, they also enjoy exploring new places and areas. Once they have set their eye on a destination, they are going to explore that one way or another.

This is the main reason why Great Danes jump over the fences and run away. They have been noted to escape up to 14.4 times in a year.

Great Pyrenees

This large and immensely powerful working dog was developed to guard sheep in mountain valleys. For this reason, they are naturally independent and require a seasoned owner. Great Pyrenees may need some extra attention and training in comparison to some other breeds.

Nowadays, this canine is considered a reliable and vigilant protector of home and family. Owing to their independent nature, these pups have the tendency to run away. Therefore, you should NEVER take them outdoors without putting on a leash. The owners of Great Pyrenees dogs lose this breed about 1.2 times each month.

Saint Bernard

This massive dog was originally developed for conducting rescue work on the Italian-Swiss border. Due to the historical background and humungous body size, Saint Bernards require plenty of daily exercise. They require little more attention than other canines and prefer to live the life of an indoor pet.

It’s always going to be messy with a Saint Bernard in the house because they drool and shed. Likewise, they track in mud and dirt. Consequently, keeping your home clean while owning this breed is an extremely uphill task.

In contrast to their generally cool attitude, they tend to run away. On average, these beast-like pups escape their owners about 14.4 times in a year.