Dog Community

HELP! Can't catch dog when she gets out of the yard

Posted : 6/4/2006 2:09:35 PM

Hi all,

I need some help with our dog because my husband is very close to sending her to the pound.

We have a 2-year-old Lab/Golden mix, who is kept in a fenced yard. She is excellent at finding new ways to leave the fenced yard: digging under, jumping over (when the snow bank is high enough), running through the gate that the kids left open. We installed an invisible fence around the property which seems to have stopped the digging and the jumping over, and for a time stopped the running through the gate. However, she has found that if she runs fast enough through the gate, she doesn't get shocked or no longer cares if she gets shocked. She is obedient when she is within her boundaries and comes every time when called, but once she is on the loose she absolutely will not come when called - we run after her yelling "Come, Kiwi" and she just runs joyously by us or runs circles around us, or lets us approach fairly close only to take off like a shot when we get within touching distance. It takes forever to catch her in these instances.

We are contemplating moving the invisible fence up to the "Stubborn Dog" grade transmitter/collar to try to prevent her from running through the gate, but I still want her to come when I call her no matter what the circumstances. I don't know how to train her to come when called on the loose because when we train in the back yard she comes just fine.

This is rather urgent and I'm afraid to say I need a solution that's going to teach her quickly - for her own safety. She has been taught with positive reinforcement only up to this point. I have been rewarding her handsomely for finally allowing us to catch her after chasing her around the neighborhood. Some people in my entourage feel that by doing so I am reinforcing the running away and not the allowing to be caught, but in 2 years I have lowered the time it takes to catch her from 2 hours to 10 minutes. It's still 10 minutes too long for my liking. At this point I am open to pretty much whatever method will work, for her own good and peace in the family and with the neighbors. She has to come immediately, not just when she finally feels like it.

Thanks to any dog experts out there who have some suggestions on what to try to 1) get her to come when called when on the loose and 2) stop her from leaving the fenced yard when the gate gets left open accidentally.

Mimi

Brian Berry

Posted : 6/4/2006 2:17:02 PM

It is very hard to get loose dogs to obey. Most of the time they think its a game. Don't run at the dog, or it will assume you want to play and run away, when you chase it, the dog is even happier.

The best way i've found to get loose dogs back is to move slowly toward them with treats, calling their name. Don't try to tackle the dog, and don't yell. Those can either get the dog more excited, or scare it and make it flee from you.

As for the second question, the best thing you can do is close the gate. Theres not much else you can do, everyone that goes in and out of the gate needs to close it, even if they are just running in/out for a minute or two.

Debbie R

Posted : 6/4/2006 4:10:00 PM

You really need to train him not to go past that gate. He is going to get hit by a car or attacked by another dog or worse. Do you ever take him for walks, dogs get bored he wants to see what's out there, walk him twice a day. Dogs don't get excersise in a yard by themselves. Keep some treats by the gate opening w/ you have someone hold him on a leash and teach him to stay at the door way of the gate. If he has a great recall as you said he is probably highly trainable. then you won't have to take the juice on the fence up a notch, which will most likely really not hurt him physically or maybe it will but he'll do it anyway, because his pain threshold is so high, but it may very well hurt his spirit and his trust.

spiritdogs

Posted : 6/4/2006 5:47:15 PM

once she is on the loose she absolutely will not come when called

This means she is absolutely not trained to come when called. For a dog to learn any behavior reliably, it is first practiced inside, in different rooms, in the yard, at the park, etc. For this part of her education, my suggestion would be to grab a copy of Leslie Nelson's DVD, "Really Reliable Recall". Come when called training begins on leash, not off. A thirty foot lead is your best friend. When I train recalls, I put my pups on 3 of them tied together - they can get 90' away, but can't just leave and go exploring without me still being in control. Then, I graduate to a tracking lead, then to nothing.
You need to find a way to insure that your dog never gets loose, leading you on a merry chase. That is self-reinforcing and actually causes them to continue running away - dogs love the chase game. If it does happen, instead of chasing her, some people advocate that you run in the opposite direction and make believe there's a party she's missing. Personally, I don't let any dog off lead until they have been reliably coming when called for months.
I suspect that if your dog is escaping, her life inside the fence might be pretty boring. Dogs that have an enriched environment with lots of activity, or are well exercised (for a young Lab, a few walks around the block probably aren't enough) are easier to contain. After all, if your tongue is lolling out, the next step is probably a nap.
Do you leave her outside unattended for long periods? Dogs are social animals and need company. If there's nothing for her inside, and all the cool stuff is outside, who could blame her for trying to get to the action?

miranadobe

Posted : 6/5/2006 6:16:25 PM

Right on, Spiritdogs!!
Teach that come when called inside, with fewer distractions, and attached to a leash so that when/if she blows you off, you can correct it and guide her toward you. Get that and your Invisible Fence shaped up. (Talk to the IF company if you need to.) But the work really needs to go into teaching her that recall. You want it to apply from ANYWHERE, not just your yard. If she's ever on a walk and her leash breaks. Make YOU the most rewarding thing in her world, and she'll want to be with you. Carry treats all the time to reward for a "Come" well done.

For other people who have relatively reliable recalls (at least 80-90%), I've pretended to check out something really interesting on the ground (turned away from her, like I've found something really amazing in the dirt that she can't see unless she comes up to investigate.) When she does, I slowly attach a leash to her collar. Don't rush it, either - else your fast grab will send her off on a run again.