What shall I do with my dogs?
I'm having MAJOR troubles keeping my dogs in the yard- they keep digging out. I never keep them back there for more than a half hour because this is Tucson, our high today is supposed to be 107 degrees farinheight!!! When I catch them near the fence I scold them and they back away, but when I'm not in the back yard with them, they dig out. I have tried everything I can think of, but between the four of them, they get out anyways! Ive tried:
filling the holes back in (they dug out)
burying dog waste in their holes and covering it over with dirt (they don't care, just dig it up)
putting chicken coop fencing in an "L"shape at the base of the fence (they worked together till they broke the wires)
Spraying them with the hose (they liked it)
Giving them a place to dig appropriately (they still dug out at the fence)
Filling large plastic buckets with bricks and lining them along the fence (they somehow knocked the buckets over and took the bricks out, then dug out again.)
Ive had two differant dog trainers at my house. They all keep suggesting things that are not working. I don't understand how I'm able to teach my dogs a series of dance moves but I can't teach them how to NOT dig out of the fence. And its not like the yard is small,;its a little under a quarter acer. They also dont go far when they get out- they just hang out in the alleyway near my house and wait for me to let them back in. Its bad though because there are laws against letting your dogs roam in Arizona. Animal control has been out. The animal control officer (who saw all the differant things I had tried) recommended AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK COLLAR! I'm appalled. Those things seem so mean.I didn't ever realize they were legal. I use positive reinforcement to train my dogs. When you love somebody you never hit or physically punish them. You should have seen my fit I threw when my sister slapped one of my dogs in the face! she wont be doing THAT any time soon!
But the animal control officer said it would be more humane to electrocute them than to have them hit by a car or end up at the pound.... I just don't know what to do ??? I was thinking about finding like a gallon of citronella and putting it in a high powered squirt gun and then hiding out and waiting till they try to escape...but first I have to find the citronella...
haver you guys had any trouble with disappearing dogs? Any suggestions?
They're not doing it because they feel cramped, they're doing it because they know they shouldn't. Hey, you have provided them with all kinds of entertainment (cool baths and all!), and they just want to see what's next! I don't know how old they are but it sounds like a combination of "teenager" type boredom and pushing the envelope to see the reaction.
I don't know what breed they are but maybe there's some kind of repellant you could spray or sprinkle at the fenceline, like Dogzoff or something? I know cats hate citrus oil but I don't know about dogs.
Or there's tying them to a run-wire so they can run up and down the yard but not reach the fence...I can just about imagine how you feel about that, though.
And as for your sister, tell her slapping a dog in the face is a good way to get bitten!! A tug on the collar and a loud yelp followed by a NO would get her much farther.
i learned something interesting about those electric fences a while back. we had one for our dog, but she would still run through it, but then not come back. her adrenaline was so high and she wanted to get out so bad that she didnt even care that she got electrocuted, but then when she wanted to come back in, she didnt have high adrenaline any more. so she just didnt come back in. we would have to go get her. thats worse, when they wont come back as opposed to a hole.
i remember that dog trainer guy that was on tv because he was pals with oprah. my parents loved that show. i remember the one thing that he always did was tell the owners to take their dogs out running. i hate running. especially with rambunctious dogs. but maybe something like that would help. OR! maybe you could build a fake fence in front of your fence, so theyd dig out of the fake fence, be "out of the yard" and feel devilish, but still be behind the origional fence.
If you know the breeds of your dogs, you probably know whether or not this is a breed specific problem. Dogs were bred for specific traits and purposes. Today, we mostly keep dogs as pets and have to be careful to select the right breed for our circumstances.
Having said this, if you know or can figure out, you might see if you can get in touch with rescues how specialize in your breed or breed mixes. They have probably encountered this too and know some breed specific remedies for you to try.
I have to say, I have only had one dog and we still have her. She digs holes in the yard and is told know. When she is out on her own she does it because I do tell her NO and she stops. Her biggest issue is fighting her boredom. She has loads of indoor toys because during the school year we are alone together all day long and I want her to play iwth those, not my shoes. I have only had one incident of this where she chewed my flipflop, was scolded firmly and never touched any of our shoes again. Now she is bored outside and drags her toys out there! In the house, she never cleans up. Outside, she piles her toys under the tree together. I do notice that once toys started going out, some of the digging and barking quit. Are they bored?
Outdoor toys sound like a great idea.
Though I would recommend sinking some rebar along the fence vertically and horizontally. If you can weld it together good if not just put together with a loop in the vertical one. That way they cant push the bottom one up.
Well, first thing, while it might be a great inconvienence for you, I suggest NOT letting your dogs out in your yard unsupervised until you know you have this problem 1000% solved.
While you might feel that positive reinforcement training is the best in the world, it's obviously not working in this situation. Im not saying go to super harsh "electrocution" methods or beating your dog, there needs to be consequences for their IMMEDIATE actions.
When your dog starts digging, grab him by the collar and give him a firm NO. Redirect his behavior..play ball, brush him something. Be sure that you correct Pooch's behavior IMMEDIATELY. He's not going to understand what you are mad about 5, 10 , 15 minutes later.
We have chain-link and I've used a series of railroad ties and boulders to "line" the outside of the fence. This may or may not work for you. Mine aren't fence diggers unless there's something rediculously interesting (cat or chicken) teasing them from the outside, and they make such a ruckus I'm outside immediately, and they don't get a chance to dig under..
Oh yes !!!! have I had a disappearing dog . Mine dosen't escape from the garden but while walking. If I don't go far enough for him on the way back to the car he will just run off into the woods. He has even gone all night but mostly 2 to 3 hours ( the stress our pets put us through !!)
My suggestion is that maybe you should walk them so they're completely exhausted and have no interest in escaping. I expect you re going to say you do that anyway!!!? Then how about putting them on long lines , so they can still have fun digging but go nowhere.
Oh yes !!!! have I had a disappearing dog . Mine dosen't escape from the garden but while walking. If I don't go far enough for him on the way back to the car he will just run off into the woods. He has even gone all night but mostly 2 to 3 hours ( the stress our pets put us through !!)
The solution is put your dog on a leash. Having your dog "gone in the woods" all night or 2-3 hours is not "putting us thru stress" it's being downright irresponsible as an owner...
Please do your dog a favor, and use a leash.
You might try squirting them with vinegar (diluted or full strength, depending on how they respond) as punishment. I haven't tried this yet (knock on wood I'll never have to), but I've been told it's nasty enough to make them stop but of course it doesn't hurt them. Those are some persistent little buggers!
Oh yes !!!! have I had a disappearing dog . Mine dosen't escape from the garden but while walking. If I don't go far enough for him on the way back to the car he will just run off into the woods. He has even gone all night but mostly 2 to 3 hours ( the stress our pets put us through !!)
The solution is put your dog on a leash. Having your dog "gone in the woods" all night or 2-3 hours is not "putting us thru stress" it's being downright irresponsible as an owner...
Please do your dog a favor, and use a leash.
That's an ongoing debate where I live - to leash or not to leash. The opinion of the "to leash" side seems to be that leashes help keep dogs and people safe. A dog is still an animal and might attack another dog or person or may be attacked by a coyote pack or hit by a car. As I understand it, the opinion of the "not to leash" side is that dogs are controlled pets 95% of their lives, so they should get the remaining 5% of time to do doggy animal things like explore, sniff, and run without the constraint of a leash - especially if the dogs have a small yard. Leash laws or not, I don't think the issue will ever be resolved.
For the "not to leash side" I'm sure if someone's unleashed dog was to attack their cat and kill it, they sure wouldn't be singing the praises of "unleash the dogs and let them live free!!!!".
I truthfully wasn't even thinking along the lines of the harm they can cause other people, dogs, animals (but thank you for bringing that up).. I was thinking more along the lines of safety of the DOG itself. I LIVE in the woods..the dangers are numerous... foxes, bears, coyotes, whatever other carnivore is in her neck of the woods, what if the dog trips, falls, hurts himself and is laying there bleeding? What if said dog goes on someone's property, that someone don't like it and the dog gets shot? What if said dog decides hey I'm going to run into traffic this time..and gets killed?
I would be freaking out trying to find my dog if it ran off into the woods. I certainly wouldn't be "chuckling" about the stress the dog causes me by disappearing for hours and 'HEY' even overnight!
Accidents happen, dogs get out, dog run off. But if you KNOW your dog will take off when you go for a walk WHY would you continue to walk your dog off leash?
For the "not to leash side" I'm sure if someone's unleashed dog was to attack their cat and kill it, they sure wouldn't be singing the praises of "unleash the dogs and let them live free!!!!".
I truthfully wasn't even thinking along the lines of the harm they can cause other people, dogs, animals (but thank you for bringing that up).. I was thinking more along the lines of safety of the DOG itself. I LIVE in the woods..the dangers are numerous... foxes, bears, coyotes, whatever other carnivore is in her neck of the woods, what if the dog trips, falls, hurts himself and is laying there bleeding? What if said dog goes on someone's property, that someone don't like it and the dog gets shot? What if said dog decides hey I'm going to run into traffic this time..and gets killed?
I would be freaking out trying to find my dog if it ran off into the woods. I certainly wouldn't be "chuckling" about the stress the dog causes me by disappearing for hours and 'HEY' even overnight!
Accidents happen, dogs get out, dog run off. But if you KNOW your dog will take when we go for a walk WHY would you continue to walk your dog off leash?
If you ever want a dog that you can take with you just about anywhere (except near heavy traffic) off lead then take a look at the Hungarian Vizsla (pronounced "veesh-lah"). These dogs stick to you like glue. They were bred for walking hunters who don't want to be chasing after their dogs all the time. They might range off 75-100' from you and then they start looking over their shoulder to see where you are. Very obedient, they come when called with just minimal training.
Beautiful, affectionate, loyal, funny, sweet, clean, happy animals. I had one for ten years. People who have had them have a saying; once you've had a Vizsla, everything else is just a dog.
Check 'em out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Vizsla
That's what that dog is - a Vizsla! I often see a woman walking around town with a Vizsla and I wondered what breed (s)he was.
Sorry for helping to get the thread off track, VegHeadZealia - I don't have any suggestions. I grew up in the mountains. We had a dog but no yard. He had a collar, but I don't think we owned a leash. He just wandered around during the day, barked at squirrels, and slept on our front porch. We had all of the usual dangers - roads and wildlife, but coyote packs didn't ever come to the front door where he slept. Maybe it's different in a more densely populated rural area.
My friend has a dog who stays in the backyard when she's at work. He's a digger, but only digs when she isn't home. She has filled in the holes with rebar and concrete block, but the dog would just dig somewhere else. She eventually got the shock collar as a last resort. He hasn't escaped since then. That's the only thing I know that's worked with a determined dog and I understand why it's not an option for you. I figured that digging was an adventure for him that could be remedied by something else that was stimulating, but I don't have any ideas.
When I was in high school, we had a dog who didn't dig, but would actually chew through the chain link fencing to get out.
I just laughed until I had tears in my eyes - that's some dog!
I see that many of you are concerned about the welfare of my dog and that of other animals and I totally understand. My dog ran off all night just once, not because he was hunting but because my daughter lost him and he couldn't find his way home. My dog is on the leash 99% of the time I walk him , but for that 1% don't you think he needs to run free. If I knew he would be a danger to anyone else or to wildlife i wouldn't let him free. Where I live there are no bears wolves etc, just the odd deer and where I walk him there are none. It's just he runs up another path to obviously get the exercise he needs. Just imagine if you were never allowed out of your house again only on a lead and we call ourselves animal lovers!!!!!!!!!! I would be more concerned about the dogs breaking out of the garden especially if you live in a built up area where there are countless dangers. I live in a very remote area and i assure you I am not an irresponsible owner quite the opposite and am very hurt at the unthought remarks of some vegwebbers! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
I forgot to say that I went out to look for my dog the night he was lost under my daughters supervision and i didn't go home until he was found . He had been running allnight along the miles of paths until he found the right one, where I was waiting with my dog whistle. This dog is a rescue and is now 10yrs old and I was VERY VERY worried for his safety, I remember just sitting down in the dark crying! :'(
I shall never make the mistake of posting anything again that might be missread.
Maybe I should put up a new post, "What shall I do with my words" !! ;D
Please don't be hesitant to post in the future, Wildwood. Vegweb is full of wonderful people. People who love animals and take in a give aid to strays on a (sadly) regular basis. I went back and re-read your first post in this thread; I'm sorry, but it did give the impression that you are a careless owner. Since you have clarified, you sound like you care for your dog very much, and are a responsible pet owner. Many of us here have seen what can happen to pets that are on the loose.
I'm sure that night was very terrible for you! Hopefully you let your daughter know how important it is to keep the dog leashed.
oh wildwood, I don't think you are a bad dog owner. I can understand the philosophy (although it sounds like NOT using a leash is not your philosophy all the time) I know a lot of people who let there dogs hike of lead, for example. Nobody called them irresponsible (well unless they have one of those crazy dogs) A dog who operates well under "voice control"(I know that sounds mean...) is probally okay to be off lead occasionally. Not to mention, if you do have him off lead from time to time, he wont be as likely to run off if he manages to get away from you at some point. It will be familiar to him.
Thank you guys for your feed back. My comp only works when it wants too so I tried to respond to these like the next day and it didn't let me, then I forgot ::) Well, I have mended the fence with more chicken wire and tent stakes at the bottom. Right now it has been so stinking hot that the dogs and I don't want to spend a second more outside than we have too. Even the hot sand id burning their little feet, so they don't want to stand in the sunlight. I open the door and they run tot eh shade, relive themselves and run back to the house. (well they all do except for Amber, buy 4 mo old foster who goes INFRONT of the door when I open it, instead of going outside. Gerrrr!
I was wondering would it be possible to put some pea gravel down right along the fence, and out from it 6 inches or so? Maybe a layer of that, kind of packed down into the ground would discourage them from digging.
Two of our family dogs were very well behaved, calm and responsive dogs. We hardly ever had them on a leash. They stuck to you like glue and if they were getting too far away, we just had to ask them to come back. If another dog was near, our dog would come straight to our side and protect us with his mere presence. Or if he thought there was no threat, he would ignore the other dog. Saying that we've also had dogs that were always on a lead, namely a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that had been inbred to the point of insanity. Nice one breeders. While walking I have come across dangerous dogs who want to fight and who the owner is having trouble controlling, but our dog does as it's asked and keeps walking. If a dog won't do as it's asked when needed or is a danger to other dogs or people it should be on a lead. I live in NZ, these dogs lived with us in a town of 50,000 and then 2,000. So it's not like we were walking them in densely urban areas. Just to clarify I'm talking about Boris, who died some time ago, and Horace who is living with my dad. The Cavalier was called Ralph - he could say his own name.
Getting back on topic, Boris could escape anything. We lived in a dangerous neighbourhood for a while (dangerous by NZ standards) and so we had a 6 or 7 foot fence. Boris could jump it. The kennels that looked after him while we went away tried everything to stop him from escaping, even building pen specially designed for him. Nothing worked. He never went far. He would escape to prove he could, then sit at the gate and wait for you to notice how clever he was and let him back in.
Wildwood please don't hold back your opinions. A good owner knows their furry friend well enough to know whether a lead is needed or not. With some of our dogs it wasn't with others it was.
Edit: Sorry, didn't realise I was writing so much. I would like to know what Dave thinks of all this though, being our resident expert and all.
Pages