Stoped Her Jumping The Fence But Now She Digs To Escape

[murmarstaffs]

Hi I have a 3yr old stafford and the damn dog HAD a thing for jumping my fence to go for "walkies" all by her self ( not she would do it if i was at home or out )

We extended all our fences with lattice (looks like fort knox ) and now she has decided she will dig under the fence and escape :D

She has inside access during the day ( walks in and out the back door as she pleases) and crated at night

Walked everyday

I just cant understand when she has it good at home she still wants to escape..

any ideas would be great

[Staff'n'Toller]

It's self rewarding behaviour, and the great outdoors are much better than solitary all day long.

What is she getting for environmental enrichment (brainwork) everyday??

[murmarstaffs]

i will list her daily routine

6am- out of crate and toilet and breakie time

sits inside with me untill about 830 and then we walk to take my daughter to school and then we keep walking for about an hour

when we get home i play with her with her rope and ball

during the day she normally sleeps or chews a marrow bone

then she will get the idea that its time to escape

i hear the digging and i bust her in the act

around 230 we will walk again to get daughter from school and walk home and it normally lasts an hour

kids at home she will play with them outside... either chasing bikes or jumping on the trampoline with the kids

after we have dinner then she gets hers

and after kids are in bed she sits with us inside for a bit and then when i go to bed she gets crated

i hope that helps

[sheena]

Where does she go when she escapes. I could understand her wanting to escape if she was a male (looking for fun), but females are usually very faithful when it comes to hanging around home (IMO). Must be something out there that is very appealing to her :D

Not sure if this makes any difference, but just wondering if she is desexed or entire?

Edited November 5, 2010 by sheena

[SKG]

I had a desexed female mini schnauzer who was an escape artist. She also started digging once the fences were raised. She had plenty of all the things and activities she should have but if life got a bit quiet the search for escape routes started. I ended up resorting to electric fence tape about 15cm in from the fence & 15cm off the ground to stop the digging escaping.

When I looked back, she had learnt the escaping behaviour from the time she was a tiny pup. She climbed out of the pen in the kitchen the first night home. Then from the pup enclosure in the backyard and so it went. She continued this hobby (and that is what I believe it was) of escaping all her life whenever an opportuinity presented itself. It is a miracle she made it to 15 years. I felt bad resorting to the electric tape but it was the only thing that stopped her escaping and still gave her the run of the backyard.

My next dog is a breed renowned for jumping out of anything so from day one she was always penned/fenced/crated with fences/barriers etc that were way bigger than needed so escape was never a possibility. She is nearly 2 and still (touch wood) doesn't have a clue that she could be anywhere except where you put her. She will sit behind a farm gate that she could clearly go under or squeeze between the gatepost and wait.

Hope you find a solution that suits you because it is a daily nightmare.

[murmarstaffs]

first time out she went into my neighbours yard and walked in their house and they didnt know it was my dog and they called the pound (we were home at the time inside watching a movie)

2nd time we had a windy day and our back gates blew open and she just wondered out.... by the time i realised she was too quiet i went looking for her and after an hour searching a man had her tied up at a gate and he told me that her and a stray got into a fight but they both were not hurt.

Yesterday I had given her a bath and had her collar off and i went to go have a shower and once again i realised she was missing i called her and my neighbour had her out the front with her in the garden.

Im starting to think that she is just seeking extra attention as she LOVES strangers and she will roll over for anyone to rub her belly.

[kezzzza]

I have two Siberians that as a breed love to dig, my solution to the problem of them digging around the fence was to lay weldmesh that was the length of their body on the ground up against the fence. When they tried to move it they would be standing on the weldmesh and were unable to dig. After a while the grass grew over it and you can mow it without having to move the weldmesh.

[murmarstaffs]

well i have put poo in all the holes she has dug and it has seemed to stop her for now

she is a lil bugger

[Sandra777]

Mesh as suggested or electric wire around the bottom of the fence (maybe not feasible with kids?) Yep, once they've figured out that fences aren't impregnable they are beggars to keep home.