*Mod warning post #36* Dog escaping boundary - Advice on securing him?

runswithascript

My girlfriend lives in the country and has two labrador dogs, the younger and more dominant of which keeps escaping into surrounding farmland where sheep graze risking his being shot by a farmer.

This has been going on over a month now and she has put up posts and chicken wire in all the places she has been able to find where he might be escaping but this evening he got out once more.

When this was discovered attempts were made to coax him back in without opening the gate so he would reveal his exit route but he seemed unable to get in anywhere, although it was dark and this may have affected him? I thought perhaps since he was able to get out, but apparently unable to get back in, to escape he might be getting on top of something and jumping down over the boundary fence or hedge etc.

He's locked away now in the shed where he sleeps but he cannot be kept there all the time. We are going to see if we can find and secure using chicken wire and posts anywhere else he could be escaping from, but there is not 2,500 euros available (as quoted in similar threads to this) to fence off the entire area professionally.

The house is a bungalow so there is not a second storey window we could spy on him from to see where he's getting out, and if anyone is out the back garden, the only place where the main boundary is visible, he will be focused on them and not trying to escape.

He is 3 years old and unneutered unlike the older dog. Would neutering him make a difference - along with extra fencing - or is it true after a certain age it is cruel to neuter a dog as it will mess with their heads?

My girlfriend has started to look for a home for him so he does not end up getting shot and there has been talk of more extreme measures if one cannot be found but ultimately if he can be secured and kept in his current home that would be preferred by all concerned.

Thoughts and advice welcome.

are you serious

I dont have this problem but I would suggest installing something similar to a "line" for the dog

Here is just one example I found in a quick search
http://www.unchainyourdog.org/Trolley.htm

TooManyDogs

Escaping dogs are a nightmare, I know cos I've a clatter of them! we've finally fenced in 99.9% of the garden, the 0.1% missing is because I reckon my 13 year old collie could escape from a high security prison! She's on one of those zipline/trolley lines that garkane mentioned. In order to find out how she escaped we set up a Phantom-cam, and that captured her leaving. She also refused to show us how she was getting back in. We also have a bungalow and hubby climbed onto the roof and when he was quietly in place I let our escape artist out to catch her in the act, maybe you could do that?

Neutering may help and certainly it's not to late to neuter him but if he's used to wandering he may not stop simply by neutering him. You could always build a run onto the shed using posts and chicken wire, or those big builders panels, that way you could gradually add to it and use the panels to eventually fence in your garden.

Cherry Blossom

garkane wrote: »

I dont have this problem but I would suggest installing something similar to a "line" for the dog

Here is just one example I found in a quick search
http://www.unchainyourdog.org/Trolley.htm

Attach it to a harness on the dog - not a collar, if he tries to jumps over a fence he'll hang himself with a collar, attach the line to walls if possible, the dog can't get tangled around a wall.

Discodog

The obvious answer is to keep both dogs indoors where they are safe & secure. Also invest in some training so that the dog doesn't react to livestock.

If you are going to fence then it is better to fence of a smaller area with proper fencing like post & rail with chainlink than a big area with weak chicken wire.

Chicken wire will never contain a dog unless it is well stapled to post & rail fencing - it's meant for chickens not dogs.

Graces7

If the dog cannot be supervised outside, then keep him in, please.

Collie here is a car chaser, and even if I am sure she "cannot" get to the road, when I am indoors, so is she. Once I slipped up and found her playing Russian Roulette on the road with the school bus.

Once is all it takes, and it really is not a problem to ensure safety.

So never, ever again. Also dogs can be stolen if left out alone.

Even to hint at putting the dog to sleep for what is so easily solved?

runswithascript

garkane wrote: »

I dont have this problem but I would suggest installing something similar to a "line" for the dog

Looks good, I'll bring it up with the dog's owner.

We had tried a dog cable but it kept kinking and eventually tore so now he's on a chain attached to a metre or two of cable which goes onto his harness.

TooManyDogs wrote: »

Escaping dogs are a nightmare, I know cos I've a clatter of them! we've finally fenced in 99.9% of the garden, the 0.1% missing is because I reckon my 13 year old collie could escape from a high security prison! She's on one of those zipline/trolley lines that garkane mentioned. In order to find out how she escaped we set up a Phantom-cam, and that captured her leaving. She also refused to show us how she was getting back in. We also have a bungalow and hubby climbed onto the roof and when he was quietly in place I let our escape artist out to catch her in the act, maybe you could do that?

We actually found how he was getting out and blocked it up but I will consider the climbing up on the roof option for the future!

TooManyDogs wrote: »

Neutering may help and certainly it's not to late to neuter him but if he's used to wandering he may not stop simply by neutering him. You could always build a run onto the shed using posts and chicken wire, or those big builders panels, that way you could gradually add to it and use the panels to eventually fence in your garden.

All good advice.

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Attach it to a harness on the dog - not a collar, if he tries to jumps over a fence he'll hang himself with a collar, attach the line to walls if possible, the dog can't get tangled around a wall.

Thanks, we took that advice! One thing though, it does seem to often slide down the side of him. The harness is still on him, just where the cable is attached is supposed to remain on his back but can slide, we've already changed size once.

Discodog wrote: »

The obvious answer is to keep both dogs indoors where they are safe & secure.

Graces7 wrote: »

If the dog cannot be supervised outside, then keep him in, please.

It's not an obvious answer, these are not small dogs and the house would be filthy, not to mention living in a house smelling of dog does not appeal.

Discodog wrote: »

Also invest in some training so that the dog doesn't react to livestock.

I don't have much faith in anyone ability to train a dog to not follow his natural instincts and chase sheep when unsupervised.

Discodog wrote: »

Chicken wire will never contain a dog unless it is well stapled to post & rail fencing - it's meant for chickens not dogs.

On the parts properly fenced it works just fine, we use camping hooks to hammer it down into the ground.

Graces7 wrote: »

If the dog cannot be supervised outside, then keep him in, please.

Graces7 wrote: »

Once is all it takes, and it really is not a problem to ensure safety.

Well it is a problem to have a dogs indoors when they are not wanted indoors.

Graces7 wrote: »

Even to hint at putting the dog to sleep for what is so easily solved?

It would not be my choice, or decision to make, to give the dog up for adoption or put him down

Sigma Force

Dog pen perhaps..sometimes they are sold second hand they aren't cheap but you can make them large enough and extend them over time to be the size of an average town garden or bigger if you like. cilldara.ie or other crowd do them they could be an option they last a life time. Or try farm relief services, strong chainlink wire and heavy timber posts are good for larger areas but to be honest there really isn't a cheap way of fencing a large area off properly but it has to be done if you have dogs and will give you peace of mind in the long run.

Browning2010

What you need is this. A bit of money involved but works a treat.

You'll only need to use it for a few weeks then the dog will eventually learn.



http://www.innotekcollars.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39&products_id=94&zenid=65631ca9e5a5c5b5e9955d079d1f0cbe

rainbowtrout

dusf wrote: »

It's not an obvious answer, these are not small dogs and the house would be filthy, not to mention living in a house smelling of dog does not appeal.

House wouldn't be filthy if dogs were indoors. There might be some extra dog hair to hoover if the dogs shed, but if they are indoors they are not outdoors rolling in shite. I suppose it's a case of does the owner like the dogs enough to bring them indoors. I'm not actually getting that vibe here.

The house doesn't have to smell of dog. If it's hoovered regularly that takes care of most of the dog smell.

dusf wrote: »

I don't have much faith in anyone ability to train a dog to not follow his natural instincts and chase sheep when unsupervised.

That's just a cop out and sheer laziness, owner can't be bothered to train the dog. You mightn't get a dog to obey every command 100% of the time, but dogs can be trained. Plenty of farmers have dogs and don't seem to have problems with them chasing livestock. They are trained not to.

dusf wrote: »

Well it is a problem to have a dogs indoors when they are not wanted indoors.

How much interaction does the dog get with the owner if it's outside all the time. It's probably bored.

dusf wrote: »

It would not be my choice, or decision to make, to give the dog up for adoption or put him down

Must remember this if I ever have kids and they piss me off or torment the neighbour's cat, would be a handy solution instead of disciplining them and keeping them under control.

Tranceypoo

I have 2 largish dogs in my house - a staffy/lab x and a collie/boxer x, both are indoor dogs and my house is grand and clean and certainly does not smell of dogs!!

runswithascript

Browning2010 wrote: »

What you need is this. A bit of money involved but works a treat.

You'll only need to use it for a few weeks then the dog will eventually learn.

http://www.innotekcollars.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39&products_id=94&zenid=65631ca9e5a5c5b5e9955d079d1f0cbe

She actually has one of those already and used it on the other dog before but it burnt holes into his neck.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

House wouldn't be filthy if dogs were indoors. There might be some extra dog hair to hoover if the dogs shed, but if they are indoors they are not outdoors rolling in shite. I suppose it's a case of does the owner like the dogs enough to bring them indoors. I'm not actually getting that vibe here.

Of course the dogs are loved, but these dogs are large animals and large animals should not be kept indoors, people who would keep large dogs in an average sized house are dirty, slightly strange, and usually stink of dogs, we are not dirty people.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

That's just a cop out and sheer laziness, owner can't be bothered to train the dog.

You do not know the owner so you have no idea what you are talking about. Please refrain from insulting us as we came here to seek advice, not be harassed by some animal rights nut.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

You mightn't get a dog to obey every command 100% of the time, but dogs can be trained. Plenty of farmers have dogs and don't seem to have problems with them chasing livestock.

Farmers who have dogs usually have them trained for herding sheep, also the dogs are surrounded by animals all the time and used to it.

You seem to put an incredible amount of faith in dog training, and you still are not grasping what I am saying, and by your own admission the dog will not respond to commands 100% of the time, and that said there will be nobody to command him if he dog escapes. He only has to kill a lambing sheep once for him to get shot.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

How much interaction does the dog get with the owner if it's outside all the time. It's probably bored.

A lot of interaction, and again keeping two large dogs in a regular sized house is strange and dirty. Most people keep large dogs outside.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Must remember this if I ever have kids and they piss me off or torment the neighbour's cat, would be a handy solution instead of disciplining them and keeping them under control.

Wow! There really is something wrong with you, and you must certainly be one of the strange animal people. I just said it would not be my choice to do this, or my decision to make - are you on drugs or something? You sound like one of this freaks that stands outside McDonalds harassing people that meat is murder.

runswithascript

Tranceypoo wrote: »

I have 2 largish dogs in my house - a staffy/lab x and a collie/boxer x, both are indoor dogs and my house is grand and clean and certainly does not smell of dogs!!

Honestly I do not mean to offend you, but most people probably would not tell you they get a scent of dogs of you or your home etc.

rainbowtrout

dusf wrote: »

She actually has one of those already and used it on the other dog before but it burnt holes into his neck.



Of course the dogs are loved, but these dogs are large animals and large animals should not be kept indoors, people who would keep large dogs in an average sized house are dirty, slightly strange, and usually stink of dogs, we are not dirty people.

Every person who keeps a large dog indoors??? Wow.

You do not know the owner so you have no idea what you are talking about. Please refrain from insulting us as we came here to seek advice, not be harassed by some animal rights nut.



Farmers who have dogs usually have them trained for herding sheep, also the dogs are surrounded by animals all the time and used to it.

You seem to put an incredible amount of faith in dog training, and you still are not grasping what I am saying, and by your own admission the dog will not respond to commands 100% of the time, and that said there will be nobody to command him if he dog escapes. He only has to kill a lambing sheep once for him to get shot.



A lot of interaction, and again keeping two large dogs in a regular sized house is strange and dirty. Most people keep large dogs outside.



Wow! There really is something wrong with you, and you must certainly be one of the strange animal people. I just said it would not be my choice to do this, or my decision to make - are you on drugs or something? You sound like one of this freaks that stands outside McDonalds harassing people that meat is murder.

Post reported.

runswithascript

Reported for what.... you have completely over reacted to what we said, failing to even read properly and completely what we said, and then resorting to insulting us as lazy and implying with do not care about our dogs.

Report away, just save the rhetoric for some street corner please.

Midnight Sundance

I don't if know what I am about to say will be severely frowned upon but I know my dad did it and it worked. We have a Hudini dog who finds his way out through the smallest holes,
Dad had set up an electric fence ting around the chicken coup to stop foxes killing the hens and when the dog kept escaping , he extended it. Dog got one dart ( I know it is cruel... ) but the dog never did it again . I don't think the fence is even on anymore.
And to add it was not a very high level that would harm the dog, we idolise our animals and it was either one quick shock or finding him dead on a very very very busy road and we couldn't handle that at all!!!!

star-pants

Apparently this has turned into a classroom.

Right NO ONE is to insult anyone else. However, replying to a potentially insulting post more than in kind with name calling etc. is also not tolerated and to be honest, negates the point of reporting a post. Personal abuse is not tolerated.

Issue with a post - use the REPORT POST fuction - do NOT reply to the post.

People have dogs that live outdoors, doesn't mean they don't care about them.
People have dogs that live indoors, doesn't mean they're dirty or ''freaks''.

Spunk84

for 20-40e you can buy steel builders fences like below. 4 panels and theres a dog run! Get it sorted man or you will be lumbered with a bill if the dog attacks or causes harm to farm animals.

Spunk84

for 20-40e you can buy steel builders fences like below. 4 panels and theres a dog run! Get it sorted man or you will be lumbered with a bill if the dog attacks or causes harm to farm animals.

runswithascript

Spunk84 wrote: »

for 20-40e you can buy steel builders fences like below. 4 panels and theres a dog run! Get it sorted man or you will be lumbered with a bill if the dog attacks or causes harm to farm animals.

Looks good, the thing is the ground is uneven and on many different levels. I will try to take some pictures over the weekend and put them up.

RubyGirl

If she is the owner of the house, she should put down a slab of concrete, they would not be able to dig under it then.

ISDW

Spunk84 wrote: »

for 20-40e you can buy steel builders fences like below. 4 panels and theres a dog run! Get it sorted man or you will be lumbered with a bill if the dog attacks or causes harm to farm animals.

Sorry, but that photo is not of the builder's fencing, that is a properly built dog pen. The builder's fencing doesn't fit together as securely as that. It can be a good, cheap, effective solution, depending on the dog, some dogs can actually bend the metal in the builder's fencing quite easily, and it won't look like that. It also won't have a gate as that picture does.

getz

two options 1 shoot the farmer,and two keep them indoors,everyone in the UK keeps their dogs in the house,the only exceptions to this are the breeders who need a larger space, i had this same conversation with a owner of a estate in south wicklow,he was converting his old buildings into holiday cottages,and he told me he was going to build outside kennels so the holiday tourist could keep their pets in ,he seemed a bit put out when i said visitors from the UK keep pets in the house not outside,

runswithascript

Surely you can not say all people in the UK keep their dogs indoors! That's preposterous.

star-pants

getz wrote: »

two options 1 shoot the farmer

Joking or not, that is not an option so please don't post 'options' that involve violence/harm against human or animal.

Ellis Dee

I've read the other suggestions, some very good, but would like to suggest another one, since none of the good suggestions are actually 100% guaranteed to stop the dog escaping.:)

At the same time as you do your level best to make sure whatever enclosure solution you put in place is as effective as possible, why not talk to the farmer and agree that the dog will wear a muzzle at all times that it is not indoors in the house? That way, the farmer need not be afraid that it will hurt sheep or other livestock and can call you when the dog gets out rather than shooting it. Compromise always means both sides giving and taking, and the result is good neighbourly relations.:)

That said, if someone shot my dog, he'd had to be watching over his shoulder for the rest of his life!:(

padraig.od

Ellis Dee wrote: »

I've read the other suggestions, some very good, but would like to suggest another one, since none of the good suggestions are actually 100% guaranteed to stop the dog escaping.:)

At the same time as you do your level best to make sure whatever enclosure solution you put in place is as effective as possible, why not talk to the farmer and agree that the dog will wear a muzzle at all times that it is not indoors in the house? That way, the farmer need not be afraid that it will hurt sheep or other livestock and can call you when the dog gets out rather than shooting it. Compromise always means both sides giving and taking, and the result is good neighbourly relations.:)

That said, if someone shot my dog, he'd had to be watching over his shoulder for the rest of his life!:(

The dog could run a pregnant ewe, or worse pregnant cattle. A dog doesn't have to be savaging a farm animal to do it damage.

getz

dusf wrote: »

Surely you can not say all people in the UK keep there dogs indoors! That's preposterous.

at least 90% of pet owners in the UK keep their dogs indoors,in fact local councils,class dogs in two ways,those that are kept indoors are called domestic and those outside non domestic,but for me i find is how can people sit in their cosy warm homes with rain/snow on the ground outside ,knowing their pet dog is out there on its own without affection,human interaction or normal bonding rituals such a pack animal is instinctively geared towards,surely this completely defeats the point of getting a dog at all,

getz

Ellis Dee wrote: »

I've read the other suggestions, some very good, but would like to suggest another one, since none of the good suggestions are actually 100% guaranteed to stop the dog escaping.:)

At the same time as you do your level best to make sure whatever enclosure solution you put in place is as effective as possible, why not talk to the farmer and agree that the dog will wear a muzzle at all times that it is not indoors in the house? That way, the farmer need not be afraid that it will hurt sheep or other livestock and can call you when the dog gets out rather than shooting it. Compromise always means both sides giving and taking, and the result is good neighbourly relations.:)

That said, if someone shot my dog, he'd had to be watching over his shoulder for the rest of his life!:(

i have just been told off for saying something like that,

runswithascript

getz wrote: »

at least 90% of pet owners in the UK keep their dogs indoors,in fact local councils,class dogs in two ways,those that are kept indoors are called domestic and those outside non domestic,but for me i find is how can people sit in their cosy warm homes with rain/snow on the ground outside ,knowing their pet dog is out there on its own without affection,human interaction or normal bonding rituals such a pack animal is instinctively geared towards,surely this completely defeats the point of getting a dog at all,

The dogs have their own shed they are able to open the door to, and it closes on itself. Also, they like the novelty of playing in the snow.

The dog receives plenty of affection, I do not understand why indoor dog people seem so sure that outdoor dog people do not care for their dogs.

ISDW

dusf wrote: »

Surely you can not say all people in the UK keep their dogs indoors! That's preposterous.

Until I moved back to Ireland 5 years ago, I hadn't met a single dog owner that didn't keep their dogs indoors. That was in the UK. I do now know some UK owners who's dog sleep outside in purpose built kennels, but the dogs spent part of every day in the house with their owners. Those people have large packs of working dogs, so it is not practical for all of the dogs to sleep indoors every night.

Unfortunately it seems to be an Irish thing to keep dogs outdoors, and to allow them to roam (I know you're trying to stop a dog from roaming, but it appears only because its in danger of worrying livestock, if that wasn't an issue, would you bother keeping the dog enclosed in a garden?) Tell English people that you have dogs and they never go into your house, see what they say.

Mo60

ISDW wrote: »

Until I moved back to Ireland 5 years ago, I hadn't met a single dog owner that didn't keep their dogs indoors. That was in the UK. I do now know some UK owners who's dog sleep outside in purpose built kennels, but the dogs spent part of every day in the house with their owners. Those people have large packs of working dogs, so it is not practical for all of the dogs to sleep indoors every night.

Unfortunately it seems to be an Irish thing to keep dogs outdoors, and to allow them to roam (I know you're trying to stop a dog from roaming, but it appears only because its in danger of worrying livestock, if that wasn't an issue, would you bother keeping the dog enclosed in a garden?) Tell English people that you have dogs and they never go into your house, see what they say.

+ 1

I also lived in the UK for many years. I mainly lived in an urban environment and never come across anyone who did not allow their dogs to live inside the house.

Some people in Ireland think that all animals should be kept ouside, something I cannot understand if the animal is a pet. All my animals are allowed to use the garden and the house. I do restrict them to one part of the house though, where I have wooden floors and covers on the furniture and this enables me to keep this area clean and fresh.

One day A local farmer called and was sitting in the area where my animals are allowed and commented that he would never allow animals in the house because they are filthy. This man had hands that were black with muck and his clothes were not much better :eek:

getz

ISDW wrote: »

Until I moved back to Ireland 5 years ago, I hadn't met a single dog owner that didn't keep their dogs indoors. That was in the UK. I do now know some UK owners who's dog sleep outside in purpose built kennels, but the dogs spent part of every day in the house with their owners. Those people have large packs of working dogs, so it is not practical for all of the dogs to sleep indoors every night.

Unfortunately it seems to be an Irish thing to keep dogs outdoors, and to allow them to roam (I know you're trying to stop a dog from roaming, but it appears only because its in danger of worrying livestock, if that wasn't an issue, would you bother keeping the dog enclosed in a garden?) Tell English people that you have dogs and they never go into your house, see what they say.

my bully sleeps on the bottom of my bed, my love life has gone to the wall.

knipex

dusf wrote: »

Reported for what.... you have completely over reacted to what we said, failing to even read properly and completely what we said, and then resorting to insulting us as lazy and implying with do not care about our dogs.

Report away, just save the rhetoric for some street corner please.

Many many people allow large dogs in their house. Litterally thousands and those that look after their homes and dogs dont have smelly or dirty homes. To insinuate otherwise is insulting and displays ignorance.

I have kept Great Danes, Boxers, Labs, and various mutts in my house, all were house trained, exercised regularly and spent most of their time with the family. They had their coats brushed, were ashed regularly, treated for flees and ticks and had all their vaccinations.

The only issue was with marks they put on cheap wood floors.

Tranceypoo

dusf wrote: »

Honestly I do not mean to offend you, but most people probably would not tell you they get a scent of dogs of you or your home etc.

Hmmm and yet you have offended me.

You are welcome to come and get a whiff of my house anytime deary.

I find your sweeping statements about people who keep large dogs indoors being strange and smelly (amongst other things), ignorant, narrow-minded and uneducated to say the least.

I will keep my thoughts on what I think of people who leave their dogs outdoors cos they're too 'big and dirty and smelly' to have inside, and when they get out, consider getting them adopted or putting them to sleep rather than address the issue, to myself.

star-pants

Last warning - no more insulting and no advocating any form of violence.

Anyone else posting about how indoor dogs' houses smell or how outdoor dogs' owners don't care will get an automatic 24hr ban.

getz

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Hmmm and yet you have offended me.

You are welcome to come and get a whiff of my house anytime deary.

I find your sweeping statements about people who keep large dogs indoors being strange and smelly (amongst other things), ignorant, narrow-minded and uneducated to say the least.

I will keep my thoughts on what I think of people who leave their dogs outdoors cos they're too 'big and dirty and smelly' to have inside, and when they get out, consider getting them adopted or putting them to sleep rather than address the issue, to myself.

thats why so many stray dogs in ireland are put down or even sent to the UK for adopting,

SingItOut

Actually I would agree with you OP when you say large dogs shouldn't be in the house all the time. I love my labrador but if he were inside all day my house would reek! some people will probably suggest "wash him in the bath then!" , I am 5ft 4, weigh less than 8st so that is asking for the impossible :eek: Just because I don't let him sleep inside doesn't mean I love him any less than people who let theirs sleep inside, I think the fact I post pics of him loving life in the picture thread every other day proves that

OP If possible could a wooden fence be put up? i'm not sure how expensive it is though. Or I think the dog run a few posts up would be ideal although if you have two labradors fencing the place off might be more cost effective

Sigma Force

A dog is a dog is a dog...they all love to roll in questionable stuff- indoor or outdoor dogs...they all smell from time to time no matter what type of dog they are..and usually on a day when there's no hot water :rolleyes:

OP hope you get your fencing sorted, I know it's difficult with a larger area with the info on here and a bit of shopping around you're bound to find a type of fencing or enclosure that works and will keep the dogs happy and safe and you worry free.

Bullseye1

Spunk84 wrote: »

for 20-40e you can buy steel builders fences like below. 4 panels and theres a dog run! Get it sorted man or you will be lumbered with a bill if the dog attacks or causes harm to farm animals.

That looks like a great solution.

ABajaninCork

dusf wrote: »

Surely you can not say all people in the UK keep their dogs indoors! That's preposterous.

No, that's true. I'm English. No-one I know keeps their dogs outside. They run the risk of the dogs being taken from the garden. Dognapping is rife in London where I'm from. Nor do they let the dogs out to roam on the roads. Risk of the dog being picked up by the RSPCA or police and destroyed without reference to the owner.

If you keep the dog clean as well as your home, then it shoudn't smell. I've kept cats and dogs indoors (I had Dobermans in the UK and have a Shih Tzu now). My home doesn't smell, and nobody's complained my house is dirty.

Hope you can get the problem sorted OP.

gud4u

We used chainlink about 8ft high and nailed it to old ESB poles, they couldn't dig under or climb over.

On one boundary we planted trees and a natural ditch followed but put sheep and chicken wire buried in the ground before the ditch took hold.

We have four dogs, they never get out unless by human error, gate open etc.

And now for my confession...

I am weird, smelly, odd, crazy, mental, mad and looney as my little JRT and her bessie mates the GSD and the Rotties sleep inside and have access to the house all day.

I like to think I live in a very upmarket well designed kennell.:p

It keeps the nosey neighbours away, my friends tell me if it stinks, but it hasn't put them off visiting or eating in my kennell!

Teach them this

the_syco

dusf wrote: »

Looks good, the thing is the ground is uneven and on many different levels.

Please note that if you do put down a fence, you'll need to dig a bit to ensure the fence goes a foot underground, to ensure that the dog doesn't "wriggle" under the fence; tent pegs are only a temporary measure imo.

Kash

dusf wrote: »

Looks good, the thing is the ground is uneven and on many different levels. I will try to take some pictures over the weekend and put them up.

The simple fact of the matter is that any enclosure is going to take either money or effort.
You would have to dig a trench for a fence/run in any case, so unless the ground is really bad everywhere (rare in most plots of land) a run is probably the easiest option.

But to be honest, regardless of the enclosure, I think training is the right thing to do here.

We have two big dogs, whom we keep inside most of the time, but let out regularly for runs, and we live in the country, so there are cows, sheep, donkeys and horses in the fields next to us almost all of the time. So, when they are out, we need to be able to trust them. It took some time, but they now both ignore the beasties - they will occasionally bark at them if they have appeared in the field overnight, or if one of them strays into our garden, but that I can live with.

And the simple act of spending time with the dog, engaging his doggy brain on learning something (because the breed you have loves to learn) will help keep him entertained enough to stay closer to home. It's win win.

Discodog

I too spent many years in the UK & working with animals including dogs. I was mainly in the countryside & even there it would be very rare to find a dog sleeping outside - it would be frowned on. One of the first things that I noticed on my return was the sound of barking dogs - you rarely hear this in rural England.

Site fencing should be available cheaply as there's not much building work going on - but maybe it's all in use for the ghost estates ! The proper site fencing, that slots into concrete stands, is pretty good. But you do need to clamp or wire the sections together & there is quite a gap at the bottom.

Personally I find it amazing that people will go to so much trouble & expense when it is so easy to keep the dogs indoors. Right now my three are happily snoozing on a single bed that takes up about 1 sq metre of floor space.

getz

Discodog wrote: »

I too spent many years in the UK & working with animals including dogs. I was mainly in the countryside & even there it would be very rare to find a dog sleeping outside - it would be frowned on. One of the first things that I noticed on my return was the sound of barking dogs - you rarely hear this in rural England.

Site fencing should be available cheaply as there's not much building work going on - but maybe it's all in use for the ghost estates ! The proper site fencing, that slots into concrete stands, is pretty good. But you do need to clamp or wire the sections together & there is quite a gap at the bottom.

Personally I find it amazing that people will go to so much trouble & expense when it is so easy to keep the dogs indoors. Right now my three are happily snoozing on a single bed that takes up about 1 sq metre of floor space.

i notice that the queen has five corgis that live in her private apartments,so if its good enough for her majesty ,its good enough for me

doctor evil

getz wrote: »

i notice that the queen has five corgis that live in her private apartments,so if its good enough for her majesty ,its good enough for me

Which queen? None in Ireland thankfully.

Some dog owners are unreal. Enough fawning towards other countries. Each country is different.

getz

doctor evil wrote: »

Which queen? None in Ireland thankfully.

Some dog owners are unreal. Enough fawning towards other countries. Each country is different.

i take it you believe belfast is in scotland

doctor evil

getz wrote: »

i take it you believe belfast is in scotland

Not at all!

Mo60

doctor evil wrote: »

Some dog owners are unreal. Enough fawning towards other countries. Each country is different.

There is another world out there, besides Ireland.

Its not a question of fawning towards other countries, its people showing their experience of life.