Breakout Dogs: Escape the yard again!

 

 

 

 

Breakout dogs: Escape The Yard Again

Freedom waits under the fence,

Dig a bit more dirt, then we’ll be done,

Now we’re off, to enjoy our day,

Sniffing and barking along the way,

Hey neighbour, do you want to come and play?

 Jump the fence, and we’re away,

 Across the road is the park but dodging cars, left its mark,

  No more digging, under the fence for me,

  Chasing butterflies or being free

  Dodging cars, was the death of me.

   – Elayne Hand

I know most dog owners, have probably been there at one time or another, your dog escaping off your property, I know I have, it happened only once and never again.

Dogs are smart, once they learn how to get out, they will continue to do so, unless you fix the problem.

The reality is, for your dogs safety and your peace of mind, good containment is a must. Basically, your property isn’t secure if your dog can escape, under, over, or through, any form of containment you have, for your dog.

If your fences are too low, and your dog is a jumper, extend them, if your dog is a climber, put brackets (similar to prison fencing, pic below) on the top of your fence, leaning inwards towards your yard, and cover with wire, (not barbed wire, ordinary fencing wire chain link or the like). While a cat maybe able to climb and get over the fence, a dog may fall and land on its back and injure itself because unlike cats, dogs don’t land on their feet.

If you have holes in your fence, fix them, if your dog is a digger, you have a few options, you can lay a boundary containment wire around your property, and your dog wears a collar, if it goes too close to the fence, the collar can vibrate or shock.  You can also, bury the likes of chicken wire or bricks/stones under the fence, cover with dirt, so when your dog tries to dig, it will hit the wire or brick/stones.

Lastly, make or buy a kennel & run, the size is up to you, if the run has an open top, put shade cloth/wire or the like over the top, so your dog can’t jump or climb out.

If you are one of those dog owners who think, it is cruel to have your dog contained, while you are at work or out for the day, or you just can’t be bothered to fix your fences. Maybe a dog isn’t the right pet for you, owning a dog, comes with responsibility.

Recent RNZ article, Dogs’ owner fined after 14 sheep killed

I am not going to go into detail of the responsibilities of dog owners re: The Dog Control Act, its online for all to see. I am however going to mention dog owners, social responsibilities.

Not all people like dogs, some are afraid of them, there’s nothing worse than a stray dog, bounding up to a person, who doesn’t like dogs. They may feel threaten, scared or may even think the dog is going to attack them or worse, it may attack them. You can count children, in that equation too.

If your dog is out roaming and wandering around and causes a traffic accident, you could be liable for the damages, let alone the pain and suffering your dog may have caused. Lastly, your dog maybe left bleeding and dying on the side of the road, not a pretty sight. (would you want that for your family pet?)

Dog owners, walking their dog, don’t want to have to contend with your wandering dog, while out on their daily walk, because anything can happen.

So if you truly care about your dog and regard them as part of your family, you do right by them, you keep them safe, secure, happy, content, and protect them the best you can, as you would, a human family member.

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