Many dogs never even think of escaping from the confines of their home while others see escaping as just a fun challenge in an otherwise boring day.

There are many reasons that a dog may become an escape artist.

Dogs that were bred for high drive for activities such as pulling sleds, herding sheep or working with humans to hunt can be especially difficult to contain.

Unaltered male dogs can be driven to escape during the heat cycles of unaltered females. (Early spaying and neutering help lessen problems later.)

But the most common reason a dog becomes an escape artist is boredom. Think of how bored you might get if you were left alone for hours with no opportunity for entertainment or activity. The temptation to escape to an environment full of playing children, running cats and neighborhood dogs can be tough to ignore.

If you have a dedicated escape artist, you will need physical barriers and environmental management to stop this behavior.

Here are four tips to build and maintain a better barrier:

Patrol your backyard on a regular basis so you can repair broken boards, close new openings and keep track of weaknesses in your fencing.

Place and stake railroad ties along the bottom of your fencing if digging under is your dog’s preferred mode of escape.

Angle the top of your fence inward to prevent escape over the top.

Remove any objects near your fence that can give your dog a “leg up” and over the fence. Remember that snow buildup, in effect, can shorten the height of your fence.

It’s also important that you understand why your dog is escaping. Recognize that dogs are very social animals and that leaving them in boring environments can cause anxiety and a need to find stimulation.

Here are a few tips to make your yard more rewarding for your dog:

Provide your dog with new and appropriate things to chew on every day. Chewing helps relieve stress.

Fill a bone or toy with peanut butter, cheese or Cheerios. Dogs love the challenge of emptying a stuffed toy.

Buy a “treat ball” for your pooch. Treat balls are built with an interior maze to help dispense kibble or treats just a few at a time. It should take a while for your dog to become bored with this sort of environmental enrichment. If you are leaving your dog in the morning, try putting his breakfast kibble in the ball for an added challenge.

If your dog digs to escape, try giving him a child’s plastic pool filled with sand. You can bury a few dog treats and toys in it for your dog to discover. This can become an outlet for his need to dig and supplies him with a safe activity.

It is especially important to give your dog plenty of exercise before his hours of confinement. Take time to throw a ball or go for a walk before you leave for work. You could even enroll your dog in a doggie day-care program once a week or so.

Dogs don’t try to escape to “spite” their owners but rather to fulfill a need for mental and physical stimulation. By providing a bit of each, you can help make your dog more content to be a homebody.

Julie Winkelman is a certified pet dog trainer and a certified dog trainer. Reach her at www.retinc@frontier.net.