I have once again been beaten and outsmarted by a dog, this time a hound-husky cross. Our yard, all four acres of it is fenced. The fence is at least 6 feet high and in places is up to 7 feet. It's buried underground and there's a layer of wire around the base so the dogs can't go under and the wolves can't come in ever again. It's highly effective for every dog, except Mac.
Before we built the full fence, I would often come home to find Mac loose in the yard. He never left, just ran around the area. If he was in a different pen than his brother, Ozzy, he would find a way to get to his littermate. He would eventually go back in his pen, which is over half an acre, when he got hungry. He didn't get fed if he was in the wrong place and Mac does love his dinner! Then we built the main fence and Mac would regularly get let out of his pen and get to run around the big yard with some of the other dogs.
For the past several days, Mac has been letting himself out of his pen. I found the weak spot in his fence, but it can't be fixed until the snow melts. So I moved him into the biggest pen--one full acre, six dog houses, a doggy jungle gym, toys galare, at least four other dogs to play with and regular visits with his brother. Ozzy can't go in that pen as it is Raven's and Raven has no use for Ozzy, but she likes Mac.
We had a friend out for dinner tonight and when I walked him to his truck, there was Mac--ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE FENCE!! Just waiting to be let back in. Usually when he jumps the fence, he just ends up in the main yard. But in the other pen, he must have gone out the back fence and ended up in the forest! Thank God he didn't run off, but just ran around the front of the yard and waited for me. His penmates are all still in their pen. Mac's leaping ability is at least confined to him. He's never taken another dog out of a pen with him--except for when he learned how to work the latch on a gate, but that was easy to fix!
So now, I give up. Mac is a yard dog now. He's never challenged the perimeter fence and apparently that's where he wants to be. I will quit trying to keep him in a pen and let him have run of the yard. He's still safe in there. All the other dogs like Mac, he never fights or causes scuffles. He just wants to be in the big yard. An acre is just not enough room for a young dog to stretch his legs! He needs the full four! In the spring I will once again begin my quest to build a pen that will be Mac-Proof!
" I could clear this fence in a single bound"
It's hard to stay mad at that sweet, happy face!
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. Goodluck with building his new pen when the snow melts.
)
She really liked Buddy.
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