Puppy Escapes

[kermat]

Last night as I was bringing some grocery shopping in through the front gate, my 7 month old beagle puppy managed to squeeze past me - and he was off!! We live in a complex of townhouses but he ran all the way down the other end, and fortunately for me he turned right - if he'd turned left he might have discovered the little stairway down to the adjacent complex, from which he could get out onto the road which is very close to a very major road!!

Nothing I could do would make him come back. He would stop and look at me when I called him, then as soon as I moved towards him he ran off (I think he thought it was a great game). Eventually he managed to corner himself in someone's garage and I scooped him up and took him back home.

Does anyone have any suggestions of things I can do if this happens again?? Obviously I am going to be a LOT more careful when opening the gate, as I was really shaky and terrified afterwards just thinking about what might have happened!! One suggestion I've heard is to lie down on the ground, I guess maybe the dog is supposed to think you're injured and come running back to help - at the time though I just didn't think to try that. Also we've bought a dog whistle and were going to try and use it to train him for an emergency stop - would that work??

Thanks!!

[Asalei]

Our beags have escaped out the fence twice (stupid weak wood). First time the next door neighbour heard them and decided to come around and fix where they got out, so they just followed her around.

The second time was quite coincidental as my cat had a bird, so I'd called OH out to come help me and as I looked back outside at the cat/bird, I see two puppies streaming down the side of the fence, off, out into the big bad world! I screamed at OH and we opened the garage door and we were off. Sally luckily came back to dad for cuddles, but Leia thought it was great! I played her game, once she was looking at me, I started running back the other way and then she was playing my game and came running back into the garage and I caught her. Maybe this is a tactic(sp?) you can do? Play his game, but reverse the role of who's chasing. I was lucky though that OH was standing there and if she didn't follow, he was going to go after her.

I've never heard of lying on the ground though. However, I think that would work, they'd come and lick our faces to death :rolleyes:

[Jean26]

Hi.

This happens to mum's beagle ALL the time. She lives in a very quiet suburb so its a little better.... But everytime he gets out we do panic. He doesnt try to escape, just jets off when the gate gets opened and sniffs around like crazy! He normally comes really well, just not when we're outside.

I was told that is was a 'beagle thing' coz they love to sniff around. They wont always come to you even if you call them. Mum and i usually lure him back to safety with either a bone, his favourite bickies or his beloved tug toy. These days we're not too worried as he comes back after a long sniff around the area / tempted with food.

When he was younger (he's pushing 13) i used to take him for regular walks all over the neighbourhood so he got used to all the smells and let him take his time sniffing about. That way, i figured that if he ever got out the smell wouldnt be 'NEW' and he'd kinda know where he was...... I dont know whether it was the 'right' thing to do, but it has worked for us.

I hope that helps a little. :rolleyes:

[First Time Puppy Owner]

Oh my - I would be mortified! You poor thing and naughty puppy!

I know this will sound weird and I'm not sure it would work but my partner Chris pretends to cry like a puppy sometimes and Benson stops whatever he is doing - even digging in his sand and come running over to him, like he is going to be able to help Chris out.

I'm sure though there are other more helpful ways out there, but we are starting puppy school on the 6 may so don't know yet.

One other thing there is a couple of books on Dog Whispering written by the founder of Dog Tech which is a company all about fixing problems with dogs without hitting or bark collars etc. So check this website out it might help. http://www.dogtech.com.au/index.html

GOOD LUCK!!! :rolleyes:

[Griffo]

train him to recall. best you start now while he is young. do a search on the forum and there are heaps of articles on how to get a reliable recall from your dog.

good luck

[caffiend42]

Be aware though that even with recall training, you just can't trust a beagle off lead. EVER.

RiverStar:

These days we're not too worried as he comes back after a long sniff around the area / tempted with food.

:rolleyes: Just how often does he get out?! You're taking a hell of a lot more of a risk than I ever would.

[Steve]

Nothing anyone here can tell you to do will make any difference 100 percent of the time. I live with beagles and they never get out on their own - everything I do makes sure that this will never happen as I know there is no guarantee that they will come back and they get run over a lot. You cant train them to recall and be definite they will come back so dont look at what you can do if they get away do what you have to do to make sure they dont.

[Jean26]

Be aware though that even with recall training, you just can't trust a beagle off lead. EVER.

RiverStar:

QUOTE

These days we're not too worried as he comes back after a long sniff around the area / tempted with food.

Just how often does he get out?! You're taking a hell of a lot more of a risk than I ever would.

Not too often, but often enough. I was too young to help with any type of training when he was a puppy. My sister (who is 10 years my senior - i have several, this one is irresponsible!) washed her hands of him when he out grew the puppy stage and decided to travel to europe. I about 10 when Rima was a pup (Im 23 this year).

We've had to - ever so slowly - train him to come when outside. He's the perfect dog in the backyard. ALWAYS COMES, but not when outside. :rolleyes: One thing that works without fail is FOOD. I've made a habit of taking food with me everytime we go for a walk - just incase.

The most he'll do these days is run off the the garage or front of the drive way (Its a triplex and mum's is the back unit), sniff around, pee here and there then come back after a 10 -15 mins. If we want him in asap food always does the trick.

I dont know whether it's the best way, but it works for us. I'm afraid i wasnt there to train him in the early stages so i've done the best i can.

[Nekhbet]

dont chase the dog, the pup thinks its a game or its in trouble.

You are better to start jumping about and running away from the pup making squeaky happy noises. Crouch down, hop about and squeak like a playing pup, even run around like a loony. A lot of pups cant resist and when the pup DOES come back HEAPS AND HEAPS of praise and fun time. The pup doesnt realise its done wrong and you panicking just makes it think you are upset with it so it runs away.

[snarferama]

dont chase the dog, the pup thinks its a game or its in trouble.

You are better to start jumping about and running away from the pup making squeaky happy noises. Crouch down, hop about and squeak like a playing pup, even run around like a loony. A lot of pups cant resist and when the pup DOES come back HEAPS AND HEAPS of praise and fun time. The pup doesnt realise its done wrong and you panicking just makes it think you are upset with it so it runs away.

Agree with this 100%

-Elise

[sas]

Last night as I was bringing some grocery shopping in through the front gate, my 7 month old beagle puppy managed to squeeze past me - and he was off!! We live in a complex of townhouses but he ran all the way down the other end, and fortunately for me he turned right - if he'd turned left he might have discovered the little stairway down to the adjacent complex, from which he could get out onto the road which is very close to a very major road!!

Nothing I could do would make him come back. He would stop and look at me when I called him, then as soon as I moved towards him he ran off (I think he thought it was a great game). Eventually he managed to corner himself in someone's garage and I scooped him up and took him back home.

Does anyone have any suggestions of things I can do if this happens again?? Obviously I am going to be a LOT more careful when opening the gate, as I was really shaky and terrified afterwards just thinking about what might have happened!! One suggestion I've heard is to lie down on the ground, I guess maybe the dog is supposed to think you're injured and come running back to help - at the time though I just didn't think to try that. Also we've bought a dog whistle and were going to try and use it to train him for an emergency stop - would that work??

Thanks!!

You're not going to have the whistle on you at all times so I wouldn't go with that routine. I would reccomend you head to your local obedience club for starters but you do have a Beagle and Beagles follow their noses.

Most importantly do anything you have to to make sure your dog never gets the opportunity to get away from you again.

Edited April 20, 2007 by sas

[Flying Penguin]

Run in the opposite direction your dog may thing its a game and follow you

Also get a neighbor or friend to come and call the dog

Both have worked for my beagle and are very effective, sam will run to anyone who she thinks will play with her.

[GotAnyBlacker]

One time I had both my girls in my car with me and its a ute so they both sit in the front, and I got out of the car at a shop, which was on a main road, and usually they stay put while I get out (They weren't tied in or wearing leads because I was in a hurry and only had 10 minutes before the shop closed), but that time my oldest girl hopped out while I was shutting the door and ran off down the footpath (alongside the main road!) and I was distracted by trying to grab her that my little girl went to hop out of the car and lucky for me I grabbed her mid hop and chucked her back in the car and shut the door!

By this time I was having a heartattack but luckily I didnt chase my girl and I could see her thinking "oh, this isnt the park, this is boring" and she was a few metres away from me, just standing there, so I called her and she came back, thank god.

I totally learned my lesson there and always tie them in from now on, or use my other car which is a wagon.

But that gave me the fright of my life and if my little girl got out she would have run straight onto the busy road and my oldest girl probably would have chased her and I would have lost at least one of them for sure.

Anyway, I agree that chasing them is the worst thing to do. I would run the opposite way and let them chase me, if they're not trained in recall yet (or choose to ignore you).

[kermat]

It happened again last night - Judd has learned that if he jumps up on the gate hard enough, he can actually make the latch pop open. We're now having to padlock the gate all the time even when we're home.

Anyway off he ran down the complex, so I jumped around and acted playful, and kept running back towards our house - he would come as far as the carport, but no further. I kept running around trying to get him to play chasey with me, then I'd run back to our house, peek behind me - and he'd either be standing there staring at me, or running in the opposite direction. I only managed to catch him because he ran into someones yard and I stood by the gate until he tried to get past me.

The definite solution is to not let him escape at all - I mean we've been trying that but we'll just have to try harder, being extra careful when we open the gate and making sure we padlock it at all times. He is one determined little puppy, we're starting to think maybe he doesn't like us!!

[First Time Puppy Owner]

He loves you guys! He is just testing the bounderies - like kids do! Give the crying thing a go today and then praise him heaps if he comes straigth too you - try it while he is playing with a toy or something - let me know how you go!

[Guest LabsRmylife]

You have a scent hound, its very simple as the others have told you; you cannot reley on a recall YOU need to be in control of the situation.

Perhaps install a child gate in the hallway before the door so you can come and go safely and he is contained safely OR simply make sure he is in the backyard before you open the front door.

[Paganman]

Hey you really have to take this escaping thing very seriously you know or your puppy could end up getting killed or taken by someone. You have to make 100% sure that he can't get out, maybe keep him out of the yard when you're opening and closing the gate. As he gets older he'll be able to run quicker and get further away quicker and he'll get more confident so if your not careful he'll end up off down the road and you won't be able to catch him then who knows what will happen to him.

[kermat]

Don't worry we are taking it extremely seriously. Short of us climbing over the fence to get out of the yard, its very difficult to get out without him trying to squeeze past. We can't leave him inside while we're out because he'll destroy the house. If we put him in the laundry and then try and run to the gate, he goes straight out his doggie door and beats us there.

We may have to fence part of our yard off, which we're hesitant to do because it'll mean he has less room to play during the day. But it may be the only way.

And he only escaped again last night because he jumped on the gate and somehow managed to pop the latch open - from now on we are keeping the gate padlocked at all times.

[Guest LabsRmylife]

http://www.beagleclubnsw.org.au/about_the_breed.htm

http://www.beaglerescuevic.org/about-beagle-breed.htm

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~culorg...qld/booklet.pdf

some handy links to read regarding beagles

[poodlefan]

He's a Beagle but he's still a dog. He can be trained to recall in most circumstances and I'd be using food. You need to be training the recall in ordinary circumstances and proofing it for emergencies.

Coming to you has to be better than any distraction on offer and that can be a tall order for many dogs. However, I'd be using food to give you a head start out the gate and I'd be having some in close proximity so you can grab it if he does a runner. Those dry dog treats that look like kibble could be left somewhere.

You need to take this dog to obedience so he can learn to sit and wait whenever the gate is opened and to recall too. You can ask him to sit and wait, toss him a treat and open the gate. Same thing (throw it over the fence) before opening.

How many toys is he left with and how much exercise and mental stimulation is he getting? Beagles are notorious for escaping to amuse themselves so you've got to make being at home more entertaining. "Home Alone" type toys would be a good start.