[yorkietalkjilly]

I think he would quite honestly because he looks to me when we are outside but I would never completely trust him outside off leash totally with what he considered prey in his line of site! As his trainer, he looks to me to take his cue and he's kind of Pavlov's dog habituated to responding to my words. I have seen teenage boys walking by and hitting each other and having fun while all eating snacks, and he ran right after them, wanting to engage and party with them, and followed them all the way across our property width and into that part of the neighbor's yard as I stood mute, not wanting to say anything as I had just stepped outside in a robe, braless and ill-prepared, and let Tibbe come out, too, to get some sun, when the boys suddenly appeared. So, I never said anything, just thought I would test him and if he went beyond his border, I would speak out and go after him and call to the boys to help me, braless and all. But he stopped of his own volition at the border and came running right back to me!!! I nearly fell over dead! He got taken in immediately and praised and treated and loved on for the next 15 minutes!!!

The other night with the cat fight 2 houses down, he was tested to the max. He was tempted badly twice from the incredible and catty sounds but responded to me rather than that lure.

Would it work with a squirrel running across the yard and into the street? Don't know for sure but I think he would stop on my command and if he knew I were walking toward him to engage.

Still, with a dog you never know but training one not to go out of its yard will keep them in it in most cases if you do it right with only love, patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. It is the usual thing that attracts a dog out of his yard you train them to resist - the odd smell from across the street, the neighbor's child out playing, the piece of trash in the street - all things normally untrained dogs will go running to see about. Those things can pretty easily be neutralized by training. But potential prey? Don't bet big money or your dog's life on it. I think Tibbe would listen to me and stop because he's so habituated but will never let him get into that situation if I can help it. He's only out in the front yard off leash for training and maybe 2 other times each week for very brief - 2 - 3 minute periods, as I crane my neck and ears and look and listen for potential problems - cats, squirrels, other dogs.

Just remember that with a terrier, most likely an electric shock won't stop him anymore than your words if he's got the heat of the prey chase in him at that moment! Terriers are extremely impulsive and prey driven so don't bet your dog's life on behavior modification or an electric fence. Get a real fence for the backyard and train him not to leave the perimeter of your front yard for all those other things that can lure your dog and potentially cost him his life. Never expect a dog to be more than a dog at heart! Good luck. I wish you the best.