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Houdini..HELP!! I don't know what to do. My 10 mth old Tucker keeps escaping the yard. We have a chain link fence and have put boards around the bottom of the chain link to stop him, but the little bugger keeps escaping. Neighbors have brought him home and we have been out with him and caught him going under the fence. He digs to make a space you would never imagine a snake could get through (a true terrier). I am terrified that he is going to get hit by a car, or lost, or taken. We are keeping him on a lead now when he goes out to go potty, but he is upset that he can't play with the other dogs. I would appreciate any suggestions on how to yorkie proof a chain link fence. Thanks so much for your help. |
my only suggestion besides changing the fence lol...is to be outside with him at all times and keep him on a leash...because all it takes is 1 split second that can change everyone's life in a bad way... |
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My husband and I do always go outside with our dogs. We just never really leave them unattended. That is the only way I feel safe and know for sure they are. We have a fenced yard that should be totally secure but the little ones are so determined anything could happen. I also like to be outside to make sure they don't go into a barkfest and irk the neighbors off.:( |
Here is something I found that might help. I know my Dad's chow used to dig and he had to use the method mentioned here with the chicken wire. The Canine Escape Artist Escaping is a serious problem for both you and your dog, as it can have tragic consequences. If your dog is running loose, he is in danger of being hit by a car, being injured in a fight with another dog, or being hurt in a number of other ways. Additionally, you are liable for any damage or injury your dog may cause and you may be required to pay a fine if he is picked up by an animal control agency. In order to resolve an escaping problem, you must determine not only how your dog is getting out, but also why he is escaping. Why Dogs Escape: Social Isolation/Frustration Your dog may be escaping because he is bored or lonely if: He is left alone for long periods of time without opportunities for interaction with you. His environment is relatively barren, without playmates or toys. He is a puppy or adolescent (under three years old) and does not have other outlets for his energy. He is a particularly active type of dog (like the herding or sporting breeds) who needs an active job in order to be happy. The place he goes to when he escapes provides him with interaction and fun things to do. For example, he goes to play with a neighbor’s dog or to the local schoolyard to play with the children. Recommendations: We recommend expanding your dog’s world and increasing his "people time" in the following ways: Walk your dog daily. It is good exercise for both of you. Teach your dog to fetch a ball or Frisbee and practice with him as often as possible. Teach your dog a few commands and/or tricks. Practice these commands and/or tricks every day for five to ten minutes. Take an obedience class with your dog and practice daily what you have learned. Provide interesting toys to keep your dog busy when you are not home. You can also rotate the toys to keep them interesting Keep your dog inside when you are unable to supervise him. If you work very long days, take your dog to a "doggie day care," or ask a friend or neighbor to walk your dog. Sexual Roaming Dogs become sexually mature at around six months of age. An intact dog is motivated by a strong, natural drive to seek out a mate. It can be very difficult to prevent an intact dog from escaping, because their motivation to do so is very high. Recommendations: Have your male dog neutered. Studies show that neutering will decrease sexual roaming in about 90 percent of the cases. If, however, an intact male has established a pattern of escaping, he may continue to do so even after he’s neutered, so it is important to have him neutered as soon as possible. Have your female dog spayed. If your intact female dog escapes your yard while she is in heat, she’ll probably get pregnant. Millions of unwanted pets are euthanized every year. Please do not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem by allowing your female dog to breed indiscriminately. Fears and Phobias Your dog may be escaping in response to something he is afraid of if he escapes when he is exposed to loud noises, such as thunderstorms, firecrackers or construction sounds. Recommendations: Identify what is frightening your dog and desensitize him to it Check with your veterinarian about giving your dog an anti-anxiety medication while you work on behavior modification. Leave your dog indoors when he is likely to encounter the fear stimulus. Mute noise by leaving him in a basement or windowless bathroom and leave on a television, radio or loud fan. Provide a "safe place" for your dog. Observe where he likes to go when he feels anxious, then allow access to that space, or create a similar space for him to use when the fear stimulus is present. Separation Anxiety Your dog may be escaping due to separation anxiety if: He escapes as soon as, or shortly after, you leave. He displays other behaviors that reflect a strong attachment to you, such as following you around, frantic greetings or reacting anxiously to your preparations to leave. He remains near your home after he has escaped. Factors that can precipitate a separation anxiety problem: There has been a change in your family’s schedule that has resulted in your dog being left alone more often. Your family has moved to a new house. There’s been a death or loss of a family member or another family pet. Your dog has recently spent time at an animal shelter or boarding kennel. Recommendations: Separation anxiety can be resolved using counter-conditioning and desensitization techniques How Dogs Escape: Some dogs jump fences, but most actually climb them, using some part of the fence to push off from. A dog may also dig under the fence, chew through the fence, learn to open a gate or use any combination of these methods to get out of the yard. Knowing how your dog gets out will help you to modify your yard. However, until you know why your dog wants to escape, and you can decrease his motivation for doing so, you will not be able to successfully resolve the problem. Recommendations for Preventing Escape: For climbing/jumping dogs: Add an extension to your fence that tilts in toward the yard. The extension does not necessarily need to make the fence much higher, as long as it tilts inward at about a 45-degree angle. For digging dogs: Bury chicken wire at the base of your fence (with the sharp edges rolled inward), place large rocks at the base, or lay chain-link fencing on the ground. Punishment Never punish your dog after he is already out of the yard. Dogs associate punishment with what they are doing at the time they are punished. Punishing your dog after the fact will not eliminate the escaping behavior, but will only make him afraid to come to you. Never punish your dog if the escaping is a fear-related problem or is due to separation anxiety. Punishing fear-motivated behaviors will only make your dog more afraid, and thus make the problem worse. Chaining your dog should only be used as a last resort, and then only as a temporary measure until a more permanent solution can be found. Chaining your dog does not give him sufficient opportunity for exercise and can be dangerous if done improperly |
Houdini Thanks to all the moms ideas. He actually has 2 other dogs in the family (big guys) who he plays with all the time. When the snow was on the ground up to about a week ago, it covered the bottom of the fence. Now he wants to go adventuring. A new fence is out (LOL), but the chicken wire or the chain link might work out. He will be on a leash until this gets worked out. I am hoping to find a solution that is esthically fairly pleasing as we are putting our house up for sale to move to the country. Then I will have to watch out for eagles. |
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They have training leashes which are 30-50 so maybe use one of those so you can give him his "space." We have lattice along the perimeter of our privacy fence, we dug it a few inches into the ground. Would you be able to do this to yours, dig it in about 6 inches? It wasn't too hard but it was definitely time-consuming. |
they sell those corkscrew looking things at all pet stores that you twist into the ground (dirt), then you can attache a leash that can't quite reach the fence area but he can still roam a little. We let our lab sit in the front yard with leash on attached to this corkscrew thing;so he can watch daddy piddle around out there and he loves it. |
WOW!! You guys are GREAT. Really good ideas and so nice to have people who understand how hard it is to keep these little ones in the yard if they decide they want to go adventuring. I have about 300 ft to protect, so I will be looking at the chain link , the lattice, chicken wire, buried boards etc, things that will keep him in and not break the bank. Several years ago, my 16 yr old female YT , Belle, walked right through the fence and wandered off (she had been living with my ex for awhile and I had just got her back). She was blind ,and deaf, and I had no idea she could walk more than half a block. Some little girls found her about 1/2 mile away in a park under a bush. They thought she was a kitten and took her home to their Grandma who, thank God, call the SPCA, who called me. I NEVER want to go through that again. It feels like when your child slips out of sight in a mall, scary. Thanks again for all your help. Sandy |
Great ideas above :thumbup: I also want to add there's usually a reason they are trying to escape, so I would try to get the bottom of it first. For example, how many walks a day does he go on? A backyard is GREAT but it's kind of like children going to Chuck E Cheese. It's all fun and games with no rules and no boundaries and it's the same thing over and over again. He sounds like an explorer (believe me. Jackson is too!) so maybe take him for leashed walks around the neighborhood first and get his energy out so he doesn't want to escape the yard so much, ya know what I mean? |
Is he neutered? That would be first on my list. Second would be going for walks. If my don't get taken on walks, they tend to go by themselves. |
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