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#1
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Is a fence-jumper trouble?
"THW" wrote in message ... They say that we will need an invisible fence to contain her (not an issue since that was our plan anyway), but my questions to the group a will such a dog likely be hyper, and what is it like living with a fence jumper? An invisible fence, or a real 4' or higher fence? (FWIW, I wouldn't have an invisible fence, mainly because our fence is more to keep other critters--ie. stray dogs & wildlife--OUT, than it is to keep our dogs in). Both of my dogs could potentially be labeled "hyper" (they are both incredibly active breeds/breed-mixes). However, one of my favorites sayings is, "A tired dog is a good dog!" Meaning, they get a LOT of exercise, both mentally & physically. And, they are herding breeds/breed-mixes, which generally have a tendance to stick around, not be runners/bolters/adventurers (there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule, however! Our rescue GSD was a talented escape artist. She did not jump the fence, but literally pushed her way into a few of the boards enough times so that they became loose & she could get loose. Once she figured out how to do it, she tried it everywhere on the fence. She had a pretty high prey drive, and liked to go try to chase/kill small critters--squirrel, bunnies & the like). But, I've not seen a lot of correlation between "hyper" and fence-jumping. Moreso a correlation between higher prey drive and fence-jumping/ escaping. Will the dog outgrow fence jumping, and how do you visit people and/or can you easily find dog-sitters/kennels that can deal with this problem if you need to go away? Outgrowing, I don't know. More than likely, you will need to exercise, interact and supervise the dog enough so that it isn't allowed the chance to escape. I know the vet clinic where I work also has dog boarding, we have a few "escapees" that come and (knock on wood!) haven't had any issues. Many professional places are set up with double and triple door situations, where if one door is open & the dog escapes, it is stopped by the next. Most likely, that is something you'd have to ask around with sitters/kennels. We also located another setter in an SPCA shelter that seems sweet but is so thin (and has been that way for over a month) that we are worried that it is hard to judge her disposition and we worry about long term health issues. Any advice? Potentially...but also keep in mind that if a dog has been in a stressful situation for a long period of time (and over a month would certainly be included), it's body also deals with stress. Weight loss, poor coat, hyperactivity (and sulleness in some individuals) can all be signs of a stressed out dog. I know that one of my dogs used to not be a very good eater when he is boarded, particularly because he would get very stressed out while being there (and we've never boarded them over a week). The last time he was boarded, he went to his agility instructors, where he was interacted with on a regular basis, exercised and played with, and he ate well. Good luck in your searches. Shelly & The Boys: Coda (Collie-somethin') Bodhi (Belgian Sheepdog) |
#2
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THW wrote:
[snip...] [snip...] [snip...] We have located a rescue group that says that they have a young female english setter that is a fence jumper. No word yet as to the hyperactivity level of the dog (though the rescuer says that there is no correlation between hyperactivity and fence jumping), but we are told is very sweet and good with kids. They say that we will need an invisible fence to contain her (not an issue since that was our plan anyway), but my questions to the group a will such a dog likely be hyper, and what is it like living with a fence jumper? Will the dog outgrow fence jumping, and how do you visit people and/or can you easily find dog-sitters/kennels that can deal with this problem if you need to go away? I don't know about hyperactivity and fence jumping...but a male dog that is neutered, is *much* less likely to wander off. (Besides all the other good reasons to spay or neuter.) Sometimes it seems like you only want advice here, if it already agrees with what you think. Many here have already voiced opposition to an "invisible fence", but you persist in thinking that it's the best thing since "sliced bread"... -- +----------------------------------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond richmond at plano dot net | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |
#3
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Something to ask the rescue: is this female currently in an indoor-only
environment and if so, for how long? was she previously an outside-only dog? When was she spayed? The reasons for these questions could provide insight into the fence-jumping issue. Some dogs are just easily bored or curious so they want to jump. Once they've learned that they can do it, they don't want to stop. However, some dogs are more prone than others to fence jumping because: a) they are intact and looking to mate b) they are outside-only dogs and looking for companionship If this female was an outside-only dog who was bored, then that's probably why she started fence jumping. If she's not been an inside-only dog in rescue, or is new to rescue, then its likely that she really hasn't had time to settle in and feel secure therefore she's still wanting to go find companionship. If she's not yet spayed and is coming into a heat cycle then that could be another reason. I'm not saying that fence-jumping is always fixable because the dog finds the freedom to run and the many new sights & smells irresistable. Sometimes though it is just a matter of giving the dog a good home where it gets plenty of attention & affection so it won't want to leave. As to the e-fence, it is definitely a solution to the fence-jumping/roaming *as long as* you don't plan to keep her outside by herself. If its a matter of just wanting something to contain her while you're out with her, so you don't have to walk her on-lead, then it should be just fine. Another option is a cable-run but again, it should be used only when you're home and can keep an eye on her. The problem with lacking a physical barrier is that other dogs, kids and adults can come into your yard and approach her. That's not something you want to happen due to other animals being aggressive, children sometimes being cruel & taunting, and adults out there who like to steal purebred dogs. -- Tara |
#4
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In rec.pets.dogs.breeds THW wrote:
a will such a dog likely be hyper, and what is it like living with a fence jumper? Will the dog outgrow fence jumping, and how do you visit people and/or can you easily find dog-sitters/kennels that can deal with this problem if you need to go away? They don't outrgrow it and if you don't find a fence they can't jump it's like if you leave your dog in the yard alone too long (long enough to get bored) you'll find you have no dog (or a dog at your front door eventually). And, if you had our situation, where we had a fence jumper (actually I think technically he tended to dig his way out rather than jump) who was aggressive to other dogs, he ended up jumping our fence, jumping some one else's fence, and getting a chunk of their dog's ear. A fence jumper is annoying but if you are willing to put money i nto your fence you can probably help prevent it. That's just my personal experience (we had a fence jumper when I was growing up but my parents never really put much effort into fixing the fence... we ended up you couldn't leave him in the backyard for more than 30 minutes, maybe sometimes less, or he'd decide he was bored wit the backyard and wanted to explore). Alice -- The root cause of problems is simple overpopulation. People just aren't worth very much any more, and they know it. Makes 'em testy. ...Bev |\ _,,,---,,_ Tigress /,`.-'`' -. ;-;;,_ http://havoc.gtf.gatech.edu/tigress |,4- ) )-,_..;\ ( `'-' '---''(_/--' `-'\_) Cat by Felix Lee. |
#5
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wrote in message
... They don't outrgrow it and if you don't find a fence they can't jump it's like if you leave your dog in the yard alone too long (long enough to get bored) you'll find you have no dog (or a dog at your front door eventually). HAHA. That's about a minute and a half for Dice, who immeadiatly runs to the front door. She is a 13.5" Cocker and the fence is 5 feet. She is extremely athletic however. I am slowly getting rolls of cicken wire around but haven't competely encircled the fence yet. Dogs fence jump because they would rather be outside the fence than inside. There are ways to stop fence jumping, either by solid fence+invisible fence or hotwire, or rolls of poultry fencing at the top of the fence. A fence jumper is annoying but if you are willing to put money i nto your fence you can probably help prevent it. That's just my personal experience (we had a fence jumper when I was growing up but my parents never really put much effort into fixing the fence... we ended up you couldn't leave him in the backyard for more than 30 minutes, maybe sometimes less, or he'd decide he was bored wit the backyard and wanted to explore). Best solution is prvention. I have seen no corelation with hyperness. Alice -- Melissa S. Frye Skyrocket cockers www.mfrye.com/skyrocket/ |
#6
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"Melissa S. Frye" wrote
snip Best solution is prvention. I have seen no corelation with hyperness. Agreed. My IH is a fence jumper, but pretty mellow. We just stopped leaving her in the yard unsupervised. A dog that can leap 6' at a standstill isn't going to be easily deterred. FWIW, I think invisible fences are the worst invention ever. I hate them, and the *only* use I see is if you have a dog who has little/no prey drive at all & isn't territorial AND if you will be out with your dog, paying attention to it whenever it's in the yard. -- -Andrea Stone Saorsa Basenjis http://home1.gte.net/res0s12z/ The Trolls Nest - greenmen, goblins & gargoyle wall art www.trollsnest.com |
#7
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"Andrea" wrote in message ... FWIW, I think invisible fences are the worst invention ever. I hate them, and the *only* use I see is if you have a dog who has little/no prey drive at all & isn't territorial AND if you will be out with your dog, paying attention to it whenever it's in the yard. I know this has and will be debated forever, but I have to disagree with this. We have 2 GSD's who have been contained safely in our 1 acre yard for 6 years. One of them has a very high prey drive and both have killed an occasional chipmunk, ground hog, raccoon that has wondered into the yard. I have also seen them chase squirrels running at full speed and come to a screeching halt right at the fence line. Every bikerider, walker, jogger gets barked at and they have never gone over the fence line. It works great for them. I realize it's not a perfect choice for everyone, but no fence is. Each choice must be evaluated by the individual. To summarily dismiss invisible fencing as a choice is not fair. Not for you and your dog...okay, that's your choice, but it works great for us. Lynn |
#8
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On Thu, 7 Aug 2003, Lynn wrote:
To summarily dismiss invisible fencing as a choice is not fair. Not for you and your dog...okay, that's your choice, but it works great for us. my main objection to invisible fences is that they do not protect your pets from outside dangers. because there is no physical barrier, animals, children, etc. can easily enter your yard while your dog is outside and could either harm your dog or be harmed by your dog. it's not a chance i'm willing to take, nor would i advise anyone else to risk it. -- shelly (foul wench) and elliott and harriet http://home.bluemarble.net/~scouvrette |
#9
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Lynn wrote:
Every bikerider, walker, jogger gets barked at and they have never gone over the fence line. It works great for them. Great for the dogs, maybe, but definitely not so great for the bikers/joggers/etc. They've got no way to know that the dogs are confined. And I hope that you realize that you have some legal liability for injuries that are caused by your method of confinement--for instance, if a biker sees two German Shepherds rushing at him, swerves out into the road to avoid them, and subsequently gets hit by a car--you could be ponying up some VERY large bucks to settle the claim. I have, in fact, seen invisible fences used to good effect. But personally I do not allow my dogs to annoy passersby no matter how the dogs are confined (in my case, that would be voice, physical fence or house). JFWIW, Dianne |
#10
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On Thu, 7 Aug 2003, Mud E Poz wrote:
sadly, with the advent of no fence rules, it is often a better choice than no fence/and therefore no dog. It can work well, in back areas of homes, to boundary train dogs that might otherwise be homeless. I don't care for them, but like bark collars, find them in some cases a necessary evil. i realize it's not a perfect world. in those cases, i would recommend never leaving the dog outside by itself. the risk to the dog is simply too great. Then again, I do have an acre fenced. I won't live in one of those convenant places heh. ditto and ditto. -- shelly (foul wench) and elliott and harriet http://home.bluemarble.net/~scouvrette |
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