dangerous game

[sumbirdy]

I hope you find a solution to your problem with your escapee. I personally think that you are right on the dogs being outside. There is nothing wrong with a dog being outsid 24/7 if it has all the care it needs to be healthy and happy. My two huskies are inside/outside dogs. But we have a dog door and they stay outside on there own will all day. I only see them during playtime, dinner time and bed time. I think its ok to have as many dogs as you can provide love, food, shelter, and exersize for. But that's my opinion.

Thank you. I'm glad someone agrees with me on this. I can provide plenty of love, food, shelter, and excersize and most of my dogs prefer being outside.
I also think that there are too many dogs in shelters that need homes already. I don't need to rehome my dogs. They have a home. And they are happy.

[Foxed]

On the whole dogs being outside thing.....my mom is a bit of a neat freak. (beyond what is normal & healthy in my opinion) So she makes them stay outside. I don't like it and if I had any say they wouldn't, but I have no say. So I try to give them the best life I can. I'm outside with them a lot and they're well fed, exercised, and sheltered. So I think as long as you give them the best life you can then they're fine.

[Santo Domingo]

I'm a vet tech, and frankly I see nothing wrong with this picture. Yes 17 dogs may seem like a lot of dogs, which it is, to someone whos only had 1, 2, or 3 themselves at any one time. I myself only have 1( a Presa Canario), but that is because I've recently moved in with my parents and out of respect to them I don't have more(they have two).

Point being, sumbirdy says they're getting a new fence and was willing to try new types of chains/wires/etc. to keep the chaser in. This is their desicion to have these animals and its their desicion to keep(most of) them outdoors. If they had 73 dogs I'd be concerned and bring up the hoarder issue. The fact is they have 17 WELL taken care of dogs. If I remember correctly human civilization(as far as planned communities) didn't occur until around 5000 bc, well...that gives dogs thousands of years experiance as outdoor packs. I see people who can't take care of 1 or 2 dogs everyday who keep them inside and they still get tick born disease or blood parasites, injured do to keeping a collar on them while in a kennel or crate, and other various(or natural) injuries.

More power to you birdy, if I was still in my house I'd have a handful of presas. I think you've done a good job by keeping these dogs on preventatives, which is more than a LOT of indoor dog owners can say.
My suggestions would be to either build a fence, as you said you would, and/or experiment with some heavy duty ropes/chains/or wire ropes.Please keep us posted on this guy.Also maybe some obediance training or NILIF so he understands YOU are in charge and all of his freedoms and rewards come from you.It may not discourage the drive to chase the cars, but it may give you better control to call him before he starts to bolt.
-Dave


heres a link to a good NILIF guide( Nothing In Life Is Free)
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

[Santo Domingo]

Also, if you have time, maybe sit outside(this will take a while) and everytime a car drives by give him some high quality stinky soft treats(something he would never get on a regular basis) to let him know "yea that car looks tempting, but hey these soft treats are darn good!" Eventually he should look to you, or your mother, everytime a car drives by expecting the treat. Again, this will take some time and patience, but if you do it frequent and keep doing it he won't need to chase the car.