Kingdom of Pets

Posted by trine
Jan 30, 2009

I've got a 5 month old puppy (approximately - I found her on the street nearly 2 months ago). She's a proper bastard - I think she's part labrador but it's difficult to tell. She's quite good at staying at home on her own, knows how to sit, stay and come. I have a large garden and I'd really like for her to stay in the garden rather than in the house when I'm out. Normally, I work from home and she's rarely alone for more than 2-3 hours at a time but in the near future I'll occassionally be away for up to 10 hours a day (maybe once or twice a month). But! I can't leave her in the garden - she squeezes under the gate and runs after me. The way the gate is set up it's not really possible to put something up to close the tiny gap there is in the corner (where she squeezes out). I'm of course worried that she'd get stuck and strangle herself or that she gets out and runs away. I'd also hate to have to tie her up as I'm worried she'd strangle herself. My front door is usually open all day (I live near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so it's nice and warm year long) so she's used to be outside in the garden and runs around freely. She still needs one more shot (next week) which means that I haven't been able to take her out for walks yet and I'm hoping that once she'll be able to go for walks she'll settle in the garden when she's alone. Or maybe not? I don't know, and I have no idea of how to deal with this problem?? Can anyone help please?!!?
Trine

Posted by MaxHollyNoah
Feb 2, 2009

Hi Trine,

Your puppy must be an escape artist!! Maybe that was why she ended up wondering on streets.

I would not leave her in the yard without supervision. As you said it is very dangerous if she gets out and hit by a car, or if she gets stuck on the gate and injures herself trying to get out.

When she gets older (maybe in a few years??) she might have a better sense of "her own home" and "potential dangers" but I would never trust her at the age of 5 months!

If you can not come home to let her out for 10 hrs, I will have someone come to your house to walk her or let her out, or take her in a doggie daycare on those days.

Another option is to make your yard dog proof, in other words, totally fenced yard, or build a large kennel in your yard.

I am fostering dogs for adoption and we make sure that each adoption applicant has a fenced yard or they leash dogs for toilet if they live in an apartment.

Please invest a kennel or fix the fence before you leave your puppy outsite unsupervised.

Thank you

Posted by lynng
Feb 3, 2009

Another thing you might try, I live in a neighborhood that requires the really expensive fences which I just could not afford, so i purchased an electric fence. I ran two wires (above ground) around the back of my yard, you can not see it from the street and the dogs quickly learn their boundaries. I have two labs and a pom none of which have ever escaped, I have also dog sat several escape artist dogs (German Shepherds) indeed they get zapped but it only takes once and they quickly learn where they can not go. I have used this for 5 years now, I no longer even need to keep it on as they do not attempt to go near the wire. Since it sounds like you already have a somewhat enclosed garden it would be pretty easy. I got an electric fence from the area Tractor Supply store, it is meant for use from rabbits to bulls, and will shock through weeds. I am sure some say it sound mean but it works and I have touched it, it is more of a scare than a pain which is just unpleasant enough that they do not want to do it twice, unlike the underground shockers the dog actually hits the wire which stops them as well, I tried the underground shocker and my dog just looked like she held her breath and went for it and ran through the shock. Kids playing with balls, she just could not stop herself, but with the above ground wires, kids can play all day long and she will not pass through or over the wire.

Escaping from the garden