Jessie escaping from the yard

Jessie seems to be an escape artist... 2 days in a row she has gotten out... No doubt that's why she was impounded.. Each time she gets out, Ben comes and tells me...

This morning I gave them their breakfast, and she didn't even eat, before she was missing.

I took her for a general checkup at the vets this morning (after finding her), and he said that it was doubtful neutering would help, as she isn't in season at the moment.

What do you guys think?

I'm going to have a closer look at the fence, but if she's jumping over, I won't be able to keep her...

I'll be very sad, if she has to go back to the rescue, because she's such a lovely dog, and her and Ben gets on so well... Why would she want to leave the yard, when she's got Ben here?? Is it because he's too rough with her?

Hi,

How old is Jessie? I'm sure she loves to be with Ben but her natural curiosity i gettign the better fo her. I don't see why spaying her would prevent her from wandering off.

is it at ll possible to put up stronger or higher fencing? maybe cattel fencing?

I have wooden trellis fencing tht the dogs can see through but the can't get to it because there's a later of 12 gauge cattle fencing across it. It's too strong for the m to move it, chew it etc so I know if they're outside they're going nowhere.

How much exercise does Jessie get every day? if you mentally and physically stimulate her an dplay with her a lot then she'll have less reason to be nosey elsewhere.

Is there anywhere nearby where she can have a good run off lead? Maybe with Ben also?

Or is it possible fo ryou to supervise her whilst she's in the yard fo rth time being? I'm thinking i fyou can't replace fencing etc then you could follow her outside almost in the same way as when house training so if she goes near the area she can leave the yard from you can teach her NOT to go there.

Do the dogs spend much time alone at home with only each other for company?

There are so many diffrnt scenarios here. if you could give alittle more info the maybe someone with more experience can help you also.

Laura xx

One way to make the fence seem higher is to add some extensions to the poles and then string some rope or wire along with strips of cloth or ribbons.

Another idea is to use a tether or an aerial run, but it is important to make sure you use a harness or a non-choke Martingale type collar.

Security cameras might help you to observe what is going on when you are not actively watching and it might give clues about how she is escaping.

Some dogs have figured out how to climb fences especially when there are corners where they can work their way up and over even very high fences. It may help to set up the fence with rounded corners as they do for cattle and horses so they don't run along the fence and suddenly slam into the right-angle section.

Good advice given so far. If she has always been an escape artist before she came to you, it may take some training to get her out of the behaviour pattern. Please don't give up on her, I'm sure there is a way to stop her running away. And don't take her ecapes to heart - she's not running from you or Ben, she's just running because she can!

Thanks for your replies...

Jessie is a rescue I've had for just over 2 weeks... She's estimated to be 2 years old.

I found a paling missing on another fence line, and I think she squeezes through there... There are long marks on her fur to suggest that...

I have a 6 foot wooden fence, obviously not in the best condition on 2 sides... One side has been temporarily fixed.. a new fence on that side should be up in the next week or so.. I am sharing fences with 5 other houses... One of the left hand side - very good condition, 2 at the back - one a very good condition, the other temporarily fixed, and 2 on the right hand side - one paling missing at the back end.

This one is very difficult to get to due to the trees and bushes - it's like a very dense jungle... I have tried to cut saplings away, but they have attached themselves to other trees and fence palings... I think it need a man with some good tools... My landlord will fix it, but it might take a couple of weeks...

I can't let Jessie off lead, because her recall is non existent - in fact she seems to have had very little training... She can sit, though...

She plays with Ben all day and they get trained together a couple of times a day... At the moment I walk them separately, as Jessie has no idea on how to walk on lead... She's an extremely powerful dog and she weighs 32kg.. Ben is only 45kg, but being a puppy, he's not nearly as powerful as Jessie is...

I'm working on lead training with both of them, but one at a time... They both get lots of attention from me, as I live alone and they're my family.

Today I put her on a 5 metre lead to go outside (back yard), as I can't risk her going through that fence.. She can't get back from the other side, so my only option to get her back, is to drive there: down my street, turn right, then next right, next left, next right and next right... and there she is up to top of the hill.

Today, when I got her back home, I just let her out of the car, thinking she'd do as Ben does, (go straight to the door and wait for me) but she went the other way and refused to come - I could imagine she has been punished for not coming in her previous life.. I went inside, got a treat and the lead, and eventually she came running, and I was soooo happy..

I bought 2 length of chain today, so I could tie her out, without the risk of her escaping... I gave her (and Ben) a kangaroo bone, and left her to it... Five minutes later I went to check on her, and I released her... Just couldn't stand seeing her on a chain...

Geeze! Ben just came in with the 5 metre lead, which is now only half a metre... Looks like it's been cut with scissors... I've salvaged the other 4 metres, and I'll get it sewn up with the clasp, and then put it up high...

we put a trellis around our fence because our coonhound was jumping up and looking over the fence could she jump it?i'm not sure.have the neighbours got other dogs or cats perhaps because that is what drives my digs mad.

If it's possible, you can put up jackal fencing- this is about a 1 ft overhang which faces inwards at about 45 degrees, so that if the dog wants to get out it has to actually go not just up, but up and backwards and over which is very hard if not impossible!

I'd try giving her lots of environmental enrichment such as stuffed kongs etc and work her mind so she hopefully gets a bit tired....

Wys
x

The yard she's going to at the moment hasn't got any dogs... They used to have a big dog in there... Don't know what happened to that one....

Jessie only seems to go through in the mornings, first thing, when I get her out... In the afternoon or evening/night she doesn't...

Maybe she still needs to settle in at bit more... She's only been her 2 and bit weeks...

I have kept a close eye on her, and call her frequently... While she's in the yard she comes every time, but the other day, when I let her out of the car, she took off, and I couldn't call her in... I eventually did, and she got lots of praise...

I don't think she's jumping the fence, just going through it... A paling is missing... I tried to fix it, but the plate I put in wasn't high enough...

i know this isnt really a solution but what about an outdoor kennel/run so you know she cant escape