Here Are The 15 Dog Breeds Most Likely To Run Away

The first time my dog made his escape, he was aided by a little girl who opened the front gate. From an open window, I heard the creak of the gate followed by a wee exclamation: “You’re free, doggy!” I jetted out the front door like a crazy woman in my bathrobe and found my very food-motivated Boston Terrier sitting outside the bakery up the block, pawing to get in.

It’s not that our four-legged friends don’t love us. It’s just that there are so many temptations outside the fenced world they live in: Squirrels! A rival cat! The aroma of bacon being gingerly placed on a breakfast sandwich at the neighborhood bakery is tough to resist when you’ve got such a strong sniffer.

No matter the breed, responsible pet ownership comes with tasks like getting your dog micro-chipped and making sure there are no holes in the fence. But, when it comes to escape artistry, some breeds are more notorious than others. (Pro tip from the Humane Society: Even if your dog has a microchip, it’s still good to have an ID attached to its collar. If a neighbor finds your dog, that’s its quickest ticket home because it takes special technology to scan for the chip.)

Business Insider asked Whistle, a company that makes GPS and activity-tracking dog collars, to share the breeds that are most prone to run away from home. The lost-dog data was mined from Whistle’s app, which has a “tracking event” that can help you find your dog with a real-time GPS signal. A caveat, though: Dogs that are 10 pounds or less aren’t well-represented because the GPS-tracking collar tends to be too big for them.  (We also wonder if a dog that’s a frequent offender could get its breed on the list?)

1. Anatolian Shepherd

Owners lose this breed about 2.13 times a month.

2. Bloodhound

Owners lose this breed about 1.5 times a month.

3. Great Pyrenees

Owners lose this dog breed about 1.2 times a month.

4. Catahoula Leopard Dog 

Owners lose this dog breed about 1.2 times a month.

5. Bluetick Coonhound

Owners lose this breed about 1.2 times a month.

6. Pit Bull Mix

Owners lose this breed about 1.2 times a month.

7. Black and Tan Coonhound

Owners lose this breed about 1.2 times a month.

8. Belgian Malinois

Owners lose this dog breed about 1.2 times a month.

9. Saint Bernard

Owners lose this breed about 1.2 times a month.

10. Great Dane

Owners lose this breed about 1.2 times a month.

11. American Bulldog

Owners lose this breed about 0.9 times a month.

12. Standard Poodle

Owners lose this breed about 0.9 times a month.

13. Treeing Walker Coonhound

Owners lose this dog breed about 0.9 times a month.

14. Bernese Mountain Dog

Owners lose this dog breed about 0.9 times a month.

15. Australian Shepherd

Owners lose this breed about 0.9 times a month.

Tips To Keep Your Dog From Running Away

If you have a dog that frequently runs away, here are a few tips to help identify why it may be happening, and how to help fix the problem.