Roaming Dog

Question
Hi, I have a 2 year old mix breed female dog.  She already got spayed at 7 months.  We don't have her on leash so she gets to roam around practically anywhere.  Our concern is that she stays up all night guarding our vicinity as well as outside the vicinity. Whenever she hears a nearby dog in the neighborhood bark at night, she immediately goes where that barking dog is.  She patrols outside our house and barks and barks.  WE are worried since there might be elements who don't want a dog barking at them and might try to hurt her.  Our area is enclosed by a gate but there is an opening where she can go out.  This worries me especially. When her sibling was still alive, a male neutered dog, the two of them roam would around the neighborhood but when the sibling died, she now goes out alone.  She sleeps through  out the day so she can stay up at night to guard.  Why do you suppose she is engaged in this behavior when other dogs i know don't?  Thank you very much.  I love my dog very much and I don't want her hurt.  I could put her on a leash but I know she would be very depressed and very sad.

Answer
Lyn,

Thanks for your question. The first thing you should do is block off the section that is open. You could also keep her awake during the day. my concern is that someone might not like her running around all night and they poison her so if it was my dog i would do my best to stop her from getting out of my yard. Give her the yard to run in and you wont have to put her on a leash.

I dont know why she does this..Perhaps she feels it is her "job" to protect her area. You should try to walk her on a leash...Do this just 1 time a day for about a week and then try 2 times a week,still giving her free run in the yard. If you have any more problems feel free to contact me again.

Good luck  

Gary