Electronic Fence containment

[Thandi]

Hi, Has anyone tried these? My new shelter baby is a "bolter", last night was her third escape. Chasing her through the neighborhood is almost impossible but all three times we've caught her (after 45 minutes of driving and bolting out of the car to try and catch her every few seconds).

My vet suggested the electronic collar, but I don't know if this would work on a "bolter". My first shelter baby also left home the first few times she could, but she spent so much time sniffing peemail on the way it was much easier to catch her. Chloe is FAST!

Any advice would be appreciated.

[lv4dogs]

I'm sorry I can't be of any help other than to keep her on a chain/lead or get a real fence.

Although it is a neat idea, an invisable fence, that is just one of the many many many many problems that can occur with those types of fences. I really dislike them.

I wish you luck!

[mruffruff]

I have to agree that a real fence is much better.

The electric fence is basically a wire buried barely underground. It is hooked up to a household outlet with a transformer to limit the amount of electricity running through the wire. The collar attracts a small jolt of electricity that warns the dog not to go there. Some dogs just take the hit and are gone. If the battery in the collar dies, the dog gets no shock. And only your dog has the collar on. Other animals can come into your yard.

Some dogs just need a low fence to show them the boundaries. Others need something they can't jump or climb.

I'll stick with the real thing.

[Thandi]

Thanks, we aren't allowed to build a fence around the front of the house (rental and nobody in our neighborhood has fenced front yards). My kid had taken the trash out the side gate and of course left it open!! Chloe would jump any fence under 5', anyway. She's great in the back yard with Mika, but we have to be ultra-careful about the front door/side gate/garage door or she takes off so fast you don't even see her!

The other problem would be that she plays nonstop with Mika, and Mika usually has her by her collar when they play, so I wouldn't be able to keep it on her for long anyway, and the times she'd escape would probably be the times she wouldn't be wearing it anyway! My vet says most dogs get the message after you use it about 3x. They are so expensive, as well!!

She just has to hurry up and realise that life with us is sooo much better than she had it on the streets.

[Den Anne Pen]

I have a bolter also and we just have to use EXTRA caution when opening the door i would have someone hold her back when someone goes out the door. I have also put a baby gate in front of my door but i know that's not for everyone.

My sister got a husky puppy 6 yrs ago for Christmas for the kids and in Jan. my nephew was going out to play in the snow and Max ran right by him within seconds he ran in the street and got hit and killed my nephew to this day thinks it was his fault even though he was 7 and it was a mistake.
He still has problems with it.

So i would say USE EXTRA CAUTION when going out the door So that something like that does'nt happen.

[Glacier]

I don't like electric underground fences. They don't work for huskies in general. Daisy, my neighbor's dog who spends 90% of her time at my place, has an underground fence. It works great until she hears howling from my place or gets bored. Then she doesn't care about the shock, she's going to see her buddies. It does sometimes prevent her from going home. She doesn't want to get zapped going back across so she won't go home. Kayleigh has chewed Daisy's collar off repeatedly for her! I think the fence is shut off most of the time now!

My other concern with them is that they don't keep other animals out. A roaming dog could still come in and attack your dog; a twisted person could do the same or steal her with great ease. A couple winters ago we had a real problem with wolves killing pet dogs in my area. Several of those dogs were taken out of electric fenced areas. The wolves walked right in and the dogs were easy prey for them.

Can you build a double gate system? In my yard to get into any pen or out of the yard you have to go through a minimum of two gates. To get into Raven's pen, you have to open 4 gates. There are small "holding pens" between each gate. If one gets left open or a dog figures out how to open it, there is another gate to stop them. I also put clips on each latch--Ozzy knows how to flip gate latches!

When she does escape, don't chase--with my dogs chasing them, just makes them run faster and farther. You'll look like an idiot doing this but it really does work. Make a LOUD, screeching "OH I"m hurt" sound and throw yourself on the ground. You have to loud enough to get the dog's attention. Make yourself more interesting than whatever is down the street. Most dogs will come back to see what is wrong with you. It's worked with my escape artists!

Good luck!

[Thandi]

Thanks Glacier, great ideas. I'm going to Home Depot (The Orange Cathedral to some ) to see what kind of extra gating I can rig up. It happened again today, the kids were home with her and their friends came to visit, and despite their warnings, one of the friends wasn't cautious enough. So there were five 19 yr old kids running through the neighborhood and finally they caught her. She doesn't know us well enough yet to respond. I think a few weeks of comfort and getting over all her fears will settle her down. I'm also using some Bach remedies on her, and we'll be going to obedience very soon.

She's the sweetest child in the world, so is Mika. How can people just abandon them???? Mind you, this time it was a good thing--we have them now!

[JenBKR]

My sister-in-law has the electric fence for her two huskies and she swears by it. I prefer the real thing personally. The electric fence makes me nervous and they are never 100%. They are expensive too, and you really have to train the dogs on them. I have heard that it takes weeks to train them on it. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[elizabethann]

My Sister had the electric fence and her 2 Labs learned to go through it. They figured for a few seconds of shock, they can have hours of fun in the woods beyond the electric fence. The only thing is, they wouldn't come back into the electric fence perimeter. They would stand outside it and she'd have to shut it off and then they'd finally come back. They learned this trick all by themselves. And some people say dogs are stupid.

[Sky57]

The other thing that I would try is some obedience training.

When I take my dogs for a walk, I make then site at the front door, and when I open it, they can not just race out madly...they have to sit and wait for the command before the exit the house. Then they have to sit on the porch and wait for the command to start the walk. I just find it helps keep things under control.

If you can train the dog to sit everytime anyone goes to the front door, that would be a good start. Maybe you could use a long rope and train so sometimes the dog stays inside the front door while someone goes ot the trash (with the front door open) and sometimes they can go with someone to the trash can. If you train them while on the rope, then you are risking a bolt. Use positive reinforcement, and just start with the sitting and take it slowly from there. I use dried liver bits. I buy it from a pet shop but you can make your own. Then I keep some in a little plastic bag in pocket so I can always reward when the situation arises.

The last step would be to train the dog to 'Come' every single time its called. I know this is not easy at all, especially with a bolter, but I think its doable. If you can afford it, perhpas you would consider a dog trainer. I got one a few years back and it took just 1 hour to train on of my dogs to heel, and to be able to walk off the lead and I have full control over her. I had to practise with her a bit every day, but it was so easy.

Good luck with that. I'm no expert at all...just passing on my thoughts. I know its often a case of easier said than done! I have my own puppy anxieties right now....its been a lifetime since I had a puppy, and now that I am so much more aware of things, I;'m trying really hard with her, but its not easy

[Thandi]

Thanks Sky, she's really not interested in treats as a distraction (yet) but I'll work at your suggestion with the sit/stay. I think we just have to be patient and train and train and train. We have amazingly great animal control here, so the worst that will happen is that someone or them picks her up, as long as that happens before she gets hurt. She has license, microchip and collar with all our info. Hopefully that'll never happen. She's just such a sweetie!