Keeping dogs from running

daileyjoy · #1 03/12/05, 11:11 AM

I have 2 dogs and both of them are runners, I have tried it all and they are both indoors now

but they need to be in the yard. I have an electrical fence but 2 days ago they figured it out as well. I know there are others who have dogs like this, how do you keep them from running.

Jennifer

Ravenlost · #2 03/12/05, 11:16 AM

Jennifer, that is a good question and one I'd like to have an answer to as well! Since Tom was hit by the mail lady and is in the hospital Huck has not been running off. The girls stay in the yard or close to the house. Are your dogs male or female? I do think that neutering males helps some. Sounds like you have two smart dogs which is going to make it even more challenging to keep them at home! To keep them in the yard you'll probably need to put up a good sturdy fence.

GoldenMom · #3 03/12/05, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daileyjoy

I have 2 dogs and both of them are runners, I have tried it all and they are both indoors now

but they need to be in the yard. I have an electrical fence but 2 days ago they figured it out as well. I know there are others who have dogs like this, how do you keep them from running.

Jennifer

Invisible/underground fence type or livestock type electric fence? How are they escaping? Batteries good? How long was your training period? What type of dogs?

I love my underground fence, but it's definitely not for every dog! My goldens know they can go out of the fence when they don't have collars on, but won't get too close if they do. My brother's shepherd on the other hand learned to lay close to the boundry where the collar just beeped until the $6 battery was run down!!!! I tried and tried to train that dog, but some of them just are too smart/stubborn for their own good.

moonwolf · #4 03/12/05, 12:35 PM

The best solution in my opinion is an outdoor chainlink kennel run with attached dog house. I had a big dog that kept fine there, and I let her out for frequent runs mostly supervised. Best thing is to train them from running and at least you have the kennel handy to put the dogs in when you don't want them to run.

DwnByTheCreek · #5 03/12/05, 02:06 PM

Train them... It helps if you start as puppies. It may sound crule but when my pup ran across the road I ran after her caught her and switched her with a branch.. now she will not go that far up the driveway unless I am with and then she comes instantly when I call... It was that or let her get hit by a car...

I have heard people that use e-colors very well, you have to train them first with the colors so they know what to do when they get stimulated..

And come spring, we are building my hound pup a kennel.. something like 100 sq ft, something she can run around in a little bit.. if you build a kennel try to build it sqaure instead of long and narrow, this increases the chances that the dog will sit and run that fence all day..

And yes male dogs run more than females, but once a dog is a confirmed runner, in my experience there isn't much you can do short of keeping them either tied or in a kennel when you are not out with them..

Most e-colars come with instructions on how in introduce the colors to your dog.. I am thinking about getting one for my hound pup.. they come with different levels of stimulation so that if you have a sensitive dog it can be low, and then if you have a thick skinned dog it can be higher, or higher for worse infractions..

They have ones where you put up flags at first so the dog knows where the bourders are..

Anyway that is my opinion..

Good luck and if you find something that works, let us all know

JoAnn

big rockpile · #6 03/12/05, 02:13 PM

I fence my back yard in for them,with 2X4 welded wire.Cost me $200.Been a couple years so far so good.

big rockpile

cjsmith · #7 03/12/05, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenMom

Invisible/underground fence type or livestock type electric fence? How are they escaping? Batteries good? How long was your training period? What type of dogs?

I love my underground fence, but it's definitely not for every dog! My goldens know they can go out of the fence when they don't have collars on, but won't get too close if they do. My brother's shepherd on the other hand learned to lay close to the boundry where the collar just beeped until the $6 battery was run down!!!! I tried and tried to train that dog, but some of them just are too smart/stubborn for their own good.

Goldenmom, we have a golden retriever who does the same thing: lies there until the battery runs down. They are pretty clever to figure that out, aren't they? And if he wants out bad enough and just can't wait that long, he will run through the boundary yelping and yiking as he goes, but somehow it's worth it to him sometimes. He and our Westie were roaming pals and once they learned how much fun it was, there just didn't seem to be anything we could do to stop them. Finally had to build a big run for the golden. He sometimes still catches us off guard when we let him out with us, and if he can sneak away, he does. He is always so happy to see us when we go looking for him. The Westie was hit and killed after 7 years of escapism. We met all the neighbors within a 4 mile radius of us when we had to go looking for those dogs. The neighbors got to know them and would call us and tell us what nice dogs they were, but if we wanted to we could come and get them. The neighbors would take them inside and feed them..no wonder they wanted to go for visits. It is a problem that we have struggled with for years.

Little Quacker in OR · #8 03/12/05, 08:11 PM

I've been a Vet Tech for all of my working life and so have had to deal with thousands of dogs that have run loose and met with disaster.

Moonwolf hit the nail right on the head. If you care at all for your dogs and a conventional yard fence won't keep them in, then lay a cement pad down and put the chainlink kennel on it and make sure it's COVERED!

Naturally that means that it's up to you to provide these dogs with plently of exercise and training of the brain to give them some quality of life.

I have just rescued my second Cattle Dog from Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue and this little guy belonged to some twits who let him run loose. He encountered a truck and lost a leg and almost his tail but is doing really well now.

Good luck Jennifer and I think it's smart of you to ask and to take the steps needed to take responsibility for your dogs.

LQ

momofmany · #9 03/12/05, 08:58 PM

some dogs like boxers will take the shock to get out of the fence but then Not take it to get back in. The electric can work against you. I agree when a dog is a big runner chainlink is a better option.

cchapman84 · #10 03/13/05, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjsmith

Goldenmom, we have a golden retriever who does the same thing: lies there until the battery runs down. They are pretty clever to figure that out, aren't they? And if he wants out bad enough and just can't wait that long, he will run through the boundary yelping and yiking as he goes, but somehow it's worth it to him sometimes. He and our Westie were roaming pals and once they learned how much fun it was, there just didn't seem to be anything we could do to stop them. Finally had to build a big run for the golden. He sometimes still catches us off guard when we let him out with us, and if he can sneak away, he does. He is always so happy to see us when we go looking for him. The Westie was hit and killed after 7 years of escapism. We met all the neighbors within a 4 mile radius of us when we had to go looking for those dogs. The neighbors got to know them and would call us and tell us what nice dogs they were, but if we wanted to we could come and get them. The neighbors would take them inside and feed them..no wonder they wanted to go for visits. It is a problem that we have struggled with for years.

Be glad you have neighbors who are so nice! My friend's neighbors call the cops every time they even see her dogs loose (they try not to ever let them out unsupervised, but they're St. Bernard mix will occasionally break through windows, even on the 2nd story!) I'm sure she wishes she had neighbors who would take her dogs inside and feed them!

jackie c · #11 03/13/05, 12:21 PM

Well I just got mine back after he went missing for 24 hours. I've had him two years and all of a sudden he's a wanderer. I do have a small run for him and put him in when I go to town and can't take him with me. But now, he's taken to wandering and I have to rethink how to manage him. He's the first male dog I've had and I guess he's fully matured now (just turned 2) and wants to sew some oats. His days of freedom are over and I will be investing in making his run bigger. I don't think any amount of training now will guarentee that he will not run again, and I'm not taking that chance with him, ---- dog I love him too much.

moonwolf · #12 03/13/05, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackie c

Well I just got mine back after he went missing for 24 hours. I've had him two years and all of a sudden he's a wanderer. I do have a small run for him and put him in when I go to town and can't take him with me. But now, he's taken to wandering and I have to rethink how to manage him. He's the first male dog I've had and I guess he's fully matured now (just turned 2) and wants to sew some oats. His days of freedom are over and I will be investing in making his run bigger. I don't think any amount of training now will guarentee that he will not run again, and I'm not taking that chance with him, ---- dog I love him too much.

I assume he's not neutered. Though it's no guarantee that neutering would keep him from wandering it may temper the spring urges to seek the wild companionship. I think he'd eventually get used to a kennel and your positive attention to reinforce behaviour on your terms. Dogs are funny like that. They will please you when necessary once they know what you really want from them and that you are their alpha companion to look up to with the boundaries you establish for them.

Rich