Dog people, I need your help.

[papaver]

I have a lovely dog (actually i have two) who always wants to run away. Yesterday, i spent nearly 3 hours playing with my dogs, walking them, giving them attention and he still runs away. The thing is, whenever he sees a person he wants to greet them. Yesterday he jumped down this (it's 2m10 high )



Sure he was hurt, but not enough to scare him in the future. What can I do to prevent this? Tips anyone?

He's castrated by the way.



Ps: for people who haven't seen one: the red pavement is a REAL cycling lane

[Trek420]

Beautiful bike lane!! I am soooo jealous of your cycling infrastructure.

He's a good boy He just wants to see people.

I see he's standing on what looks like dirt? The fence is high but somehow your little escape artist can get close to the top? I see a landscape project in your future Plant some things there that might discourage his jumping or at least give him quite the hedge to hurdle.

Barbed wire would be so ugly but climbing roses, hybiscus, citrus .... not sure what grows well there but there have to be lots of beautiful plants that could bloom, possible thorns, and give your little fellow an attractive deterent.

[papaver]

We are planning to plant things there, but we have more plans than money at the moment. And now it's not a good time to plant either. We'll have to wait a month or two.

[Biciclista]

can't you just dig back so that it's deeper near the wall?

[GLC1968]

Is he running away while you are playing with him? If so, I'd work on his behavior/training before I'd worry about fortifying the fence.

Or, is he running away when left outside alone? If so, then don't leave him out there unattended. Only let him play out there with supervision (this is what we do - since half our property is not fenced).

[papaver]

Is he running away while you are playing with him? If so, I'd work on his behavior/training before I'd worry about fortifying the fence.

Or, is he running away when left outside alone? If so, then don't leave him out there unattended. Only let him play out there with supervision (this is what we do - since half our property is not fenced).

No, when I'm in the backyard he never runs away, it's only when he's alone. Or when he sees people. Then he would jump. When he did that, I was outside, but I wasn't playing with him.


I can't dig there, there are all kinds of wires there, and water and stuff...

And i've checked my planning permission and I can't plant anything higher than 35 cm...

I live in a protected area. So I can't plant what I want.

[Trek420]

We are planning to plant things there, but we have more plans than money at the moment. And now it's not a good time to plant either. We'll have to wait a month or two.

But you could build a trellis to block his escape route Now's the time to save $$ by starting plants from seed.

More lovely plants with deterent properties (aka thorns ): artichokes are evergreen and yummy, flowering quince ... check with the folks in the gardening thread for what could grow in your zone.

I don't know what grows in your zone. Everything grows here so I'm just tossing ideas around.

[TsPoet]

1) take away the reward - have friends walk by and when he jumps over the fence immediately (and I mean immediately) turn their back on him and walk away. This is a slow correction, it'll take him time to find there is no reward.
2) Mousetraps. Mousetraps are a wonderful dog training tool. While not outside the realm of possibility I have never heard of a dog hurt by them, and I know lots of trainers who use them. Put mousetraps along the top of the fence, so when he hits one it snaps and scares him. This works great, at least in part because it isn't associated with you or anything you do, it's an act of provenance as far as he's concerned.
I found this "google books result" on the topic
http://tinyurl.com/nswcpj

[SpinSpinSugar]

Tire him out really really well before you put him outside. I mean get a dog leash attatchment for your bike (like "The Springer" or "exPETdition) and take them both on a 3-5 mile run - not trot - RUN. It should take less than 45 minutes and he will be tired for the rest of the day. No energy = no jumping the fence.

Don't let their size fool you - I have 2 pitbulls and a miniature poodle. All 3 run attatched to the bike (all 3 at the same time) The poodle has the most energy and can run farther and faster than the pits any day because he is so little. Small dogs need more exercise than most people realize. More than big or medium sized dogs. Yours look like Pugs or French Bulldogs - perfectly capable of keeping up with the bike going 8mph or so for 3-5 miles. That should be plenty to keep them tired enough to stay in your yard.

Plus.. it's really fun to run the dogs with your bike. They love it and take to it immediately. No learning curve as dogs naturally love to run as a pack. If they get distracted easily by squirrels or birds or other dogs, just pedal faster. They can't do 2 things at once - so if they start to chase after something pedal faster and they'll have no choice but to turn their attention back to you and keeping up with the bike.

Hope this helps.

SpinSpinSugar

[tc1]

OK, different bureaucracies. Looks like the yard is much higher than the roadway below, and all the services are run underground(telecoms, nat gas? etc) as well as the usual underground water. Either that or there is a stormwater/wastewater or land retention feature under the dirt.

In the US, all the utility companies together sponsor a free underground locate service. They map with spraypaint where the services are, so you can excavate safely. If you knew where the services actually were, you might be able to raise your fence higher, if local codes allow it. Your fence is nice looking, and your dogs are beautiful. But Frenchies aren't that tall, and even little dogs need a taller fence than what you've got.

In the meantime, could you post a tasteful sign on the outside of the fence with your contact info, so if your dog escapes again it would help?

[papaver]

My dogs are chipped (obligated). So the police, shelter or the vet would immediately know if it was my dog. Pedestrians, cyclists know it's my dog, there's a pretty picture of him at my door. It always make bypassers smile.

Well in the mean time, the sticky tape didn't help. LOL. We are going to place an extra fence that you can't see from the street this weekend or the weekend after that. They predict bad weather this weekend...

[Possegal]

It doesn't help your dilemma at all but - what cute pups!!!