My dog figured out how to climb a fence. What now?

[undeterred]

Today, for the first time I watched as he put his feet in the slots of a 4 ft mesh fence and easily climbed over it.

I do not have a fenced in yard, so I either take him on leashed walks or to the dog park, which has a four foot fence. (Well, it has a four foot fence on two sides, but that doesn't stop him from swimming across the lagoon if he feels like it, which he occasionally does. He always comes back. Except for the time he followed the lady with the treats and the police got him, but thats another story.)

He has jumped over the fence a few times, usually to chase a squirrel, once to chase a deer. He's a 62 lb dog so it wasn't easy for him. When he chased the deer out it took him 3 tries, and on the third try he got halfway over and then shifted his weight to get all the way over. The discomfort of this is what probably has kept him from doing it more often. There are no sharp ends on the top of the fence, but still. Over this fence is a big field with trees and then a residential neighborhood. The dog park parking lot is next to the neighborhood. Today I just stayed there and waited for him- I actually laid down in the grass and when he was through fooling around he came over and licked my face and I was able to leash him and put him in the car.

He'd gone out of the park over the fence several times recently, but I didn't see how he did it so I didn't realized he'd learned something new. I had been keeping a lead on him to make him easier to catch but he's actually getting better about coming to me. He just doesn't have respect for these arbitrary borders humans set up.

I don't know how to stop him from do this. None of the other dogs do it.

Suggestions? :shrug:

[Coyote_Bandit]

1. I have a dog

that will follow a smell anywhere - and will dig or climb to get there if necessary. It is near impossible to get his attention when he is on the hunt. This is a dog that has completed and done well in two obedience classes. Obviously, he has a strong prey instinct. He doesn't go out unless he is leashed or tethered. Not even in his own backyard. I've considered getting a training collar for him. They make them now where they make sounds and spary to attract the dogs attention - and, yes, you can use them to deliver a controlled shock. I have been really reluctant to get one and use it - but then again I would think it would be a better alternative than an injured or lost doggie.

Good luck.

[undeterred]

2. Thats the only thing I can think of too.

And mine does have a strong prey drive too.

Sometimes "prey" is other dog park people who carry treats. The other day my dog saw someone pull up in his car at the dog park and get out. My dog howled, sailed over the fence and ran to him. He did it again about 45 min later with another person. This is getting a bit ridiculous. I'm going to ask both of them to stop giving him treats.

I'm going to re-think the shock collar, but I wish there were a better way.

[roody]

3. cheese in your treat pouch?

[undeterred]

4. I've got better treats than both the guys he went over the fence for.

Doesn't stop him from thinking he has to get a sample from everybody...

[elleng]

5. You talked about him some time ago, right? Have a 'chip?'

[undeterred]

6. He is chipped, has pet insurance, wears 6 tags, and the police know him

from the time he wandered a little too far from the dog park following a lady who was carrying dog treats. He's half malamute, has a wandering spirit. Doesn't really want to leave me though.

[elleng]

7. So he WON'T leave you, he'll always return!

[undeterred]

8. The only time I've ever actually "lost" him was when he

couldn't come to me because he was being held in the back of the squad car for maybe half an hour or so, and I don't think he liked it much. He doesn't always come when I call him, but he always knows exactly where I am, so he could come to me if he wanted to.

He swam across the lagoon at the dog park one day to the island on the other side to investigate something. I called him and he didn't come back to me. So I went into a patch of bushes where he couldn't see me. After a few minutes he swam back to check on me. As soon as he knew where I was he swam back to whatever he was doing- there's an island over there with no people, lots of wildlife.

So I just wait for him. He knows I'm not going to swim or walk over there, so he can pretty much take his time... but he still wants to keep an eye on me. I'm his chauffeur, after all.

[elleng]

9. LOVE you 2!

:hug:

[NNN0LHI]

10. Remove the bar across the top of the fence

It won't be strong and steady enough to allow climbing any more.

Don

[undeterred]

11. This is the fence around the dog park.

My yard at home is not fenced in. He's been climbing over to meet two men who give treats, and I've asked both of them to stop giving my dog treats.

Today one of the treat-givers handed me the treats he usually gives my dog... then when my dog kept following him he didn't give him any. I blew a whistle, called my dog, and my dog came to me and was rewarded with a treat.

My dog seems to know which parts of the dog park fence are the lowest for jumping. But he's actually climbing in the slats so I don't think the top of the fence matters much.

A friend of mine has a St. Bernard. He watched my dog do this and realized he could hop the fence easily.