# Escape Artist Problems



## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

Just in the past 5 days, our 7.5 month old Finch has become _obsessed_ with getting out of our fence. She can't escape from the nice 6ft wooden fence we have on 2 sides of our yard, but it's the lower 4ft mesh fence that backs up to 80 acres of woods she has mastered (we put this up before we adopted her). Since it is now Dec in Maine, unfortunately we can't put a new type of fencing until the spring. 

We spend an hour+ at the dog park each day, we play games in the house, we have 2 other dogs that go outside with her that she can play with and we go outside with her now to supervise, yet all she can think about as soon as she gets outside is running to the fence and looking for an escape. So far she has only headed into the woods, not out to the road, but I figure it's only a matter of time if she keeps getting out.

Her recall has been about 99% in other situations (beaches, fields, dog park, training exercises, etc) but I find when once she is over the fence, it drops to about 40% on the first call. 

Has anyone else dealt with this? Can I train this out of her (and how)? Or is a run the only answer? I was thinking about getting some agility things for the backyard in the spring to work with her, but now I am wondering if I start now, even in the snow, if that might be enough incentive to keep her in the yard? I'd hate to have to attach her to a run when she wants to spend some time outside, but I'd hate to have her hit by a car even more!


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Can you describe how she is getting out? Climbing, jumping, digging or a combination.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

at 5 month old Ruby can clear the privet hedge that separates our garden from our neighbours easily, from virtually a standing jump. Can you put some height extensions onto your fence?


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

Oops, yes, I forgot to include that! The first couple times she slipped under the fencing in a place where we didn't realize was open, so we fixed that. Then she went to another section and used a rock that we had placed in front of a opening to jump on & over the fence. So we fixed the opening another way and moved the rock. Then she realized if she could get her paws on the top of the mesh fence, she could pull it down far enough to jump over (she has springs in her legs!). So we got some more mesh this weekend and made some areas higher to 7' (there were a few spots a little lower than 4' b/c of the terrain). So she moved on to another spot this afternoon, jumped on the fencing, surprised herself when it started to tear and then just jumped right over it (a standing jump, she doesn't need a running start). We cannot afford to put a 6' wooden fence all the way around the whole yard (we have about 250' of the mesh fencing right now), so we are going to research other options for the spring. I'm not sure if it's worth it to invest in more mesh to extend it all to 7' if she now realizes that she can rip it down. 

I hope that helps!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I guess passing a voltage through the fence is outta the question.......only joking!!


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

We actually had an underground electric fence for about 4 years for our other 2 dogs and it worked great until the snow plow guy kept tearing it up... then we started having problems with other dogs entering our property so we decided to just get rid if it and put up a physical fence. Our other dogs are kinda lazy labs and would never even dream of jumping the fence... this Vgirl though, she's too smart!


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Have to give Finch credit ... he is resourceful.

I'm not entirely understanding what a mesh fence is. Where I live we have chain link fencing which is quite sturdy and will not rip if/when something strikes it.

None the less, the basic problem seems to be that Finch is jumping the fence. Have you considered ignoring him until he has come back and is whining to re-enter the yard? (I'm guessing that he has no problem leaving the yard but hasn't figured out how to get back into the yard). If he is forced to stay outside the fenced area he may not wish to leave again. He will be away from the comfort and security of your home and your yard. If you choose to do this you definitely have to wait until he is very uncomfoirtable before you rescue him from his plight

I've had two dogs that have left my back yard. The first, an English Setter, would jump the fence, run to the front yard and wait for someone to find him. The second, a Gordon Setter, would dig out and bolt. Good thing I had an id tag on her collar with my phone number. The Gordon would not have cared if you ever came for her. The English would bark, whine and howl until he was rescued. The English finally figured out the solution was to stay in the yard. The Gordon could have cared less.

Because Finch is young he is probably not comfortable being away from you. This is likely your key to resolving this. It should be more important for him to be with you then it is for him to leave the yard.


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

That's an interesting idea, Aimless1... I'd have to think about that. I'd be worried about her going out to the road. We don't have a lot of traffic, but we live on a blind curve so I don't know if I'd be comfortable ignoring her when she got out.

This is what she is getting out of: http://low.es/tNCtXy I know it's not ideal, but it's what we have for now.


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Obviously you don't want to put Finch into danger intentionally. My personal experience is either they get out and wander close to where they get out ... or they bolt. If Finch bolts you don't want to take a chance. If Finch stays close he want's back in the yard. Think of the whining/ignoring him as similar to when you brought Finch home. In this case you're building the desire to be with you. More importantly, you're decreasing the desire to leave.

I'm sure you already know that your choice of fencing is not going to keep any hunting dog in your yard. Time to forget presents for you and your spouse for Christmas, or rather time to give yourselves a joint gift for Finch and hire a fencing contractor to install something more suitable .. yes, even in December.


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

I was just watching a Cesar Milan video earlier this evening where he spoke about this issue.
It sounds like your V is getting plenty of exercise, but how much exploring do you guys do together? 

Are you allowed to walk in the 80 acres of woods? She is probably just dying to smell it all!


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

It's true she's not doing as much exploring these days with it getting dark so early (4pm), so maybe we should give that a shot during the day. I thought about taking her in the woods out back (we don't own the land), but I wondered if that might make her more drawn to want to go out there. In the past (before Finch and before the fence), we used to take out other dogs back there for walks and then for days after they would try to run off in that direction... But she is very different than them with different motivations, so I shouldn't be surprised if that's all she needs.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I agree with Aimless, get the fencer in, as you say..... it's dark at 4pm,+ blind curve,+dog running loose,= recipe for disaster


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

finch said:



> It's true she's not doing as much exploring these days with it getting dark so early (4pm), so maybe we should give that a shot during the day. I thought about taking her in the woods out back (we don't own the land), but I wondered if that might make her more drawn to want to go out there. In the past (before Finch and before the fence), we used to take out other dogs back there for walks and then for days after they would try to run off in that direction... But she is very different than them with different motivations, so I shouldn't be surprised if that's all she needs.


It could go either way really. I hope it works out for you as fulfilling a need instead of adding to her desire to escape.
If you were to add some height to the fence, and take her back there to see what she's been missing, you'd have all of your bases covered.


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## Skywalker (Jul 10, 2011)

I would first suggest continuing the training and start whistle training to reinforce the recall,

if an electric fence is still an option you may be able to house it in pvc tubing for the winter and then bury the line with or without the pvc in spring. Im thinking, long term, that the casing might thwart the snowplow from disturbing the line while also protecting it from the environmental elements,

and an electronic collar is also an option to consider.


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

got to PAY to PLAY!!!!!!

you HAVE to put a fence up....no way around that one!


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

I knew we were going to have to put up a better fence in the spring, but looks like we're just going to have to figure out how to do it before the ground completely freezes now!


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

I'm in florida, we are putting up a new fence right now for Laszlo's arrival.
Extending it so that he has "some" room to play...and we are sodding it so he has some grass to roam in.
Not a big section but it'll do i guess.


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

It's been 10 days, so I wanted to post an update. No new fence yet, but we have had no more escapes. We have been taking her out on a long lead when we want/need her to focus on "business" or we let her free when we can watch her every move and pre-empt her escape attempts. We are finding that the more she is unsuccessful at escaping, the less often she even tries. She no longer bolts for the fence as soon as the goes outside. We have made sure to have some fun things outside to keep her occupied - at the moment it's a big stick she likes to carry around and taunt her brother with... We instigate games of chase and she completely forgets about the fence. With this progress, I think we'll make it through the winter and get the necessary fence upgrade.


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