Major scare!

[Tink]

Canada has decided she's a bulldozer and when she's tired of being in one place she can just push her weight around and move on. We have had to repair 3 large holes in the fence in the past week from her escaping. She always comes right to the front door and barks to be let in, so on her part it's no biggie as a rule.

Today however, she was tired of being with the pups so we put her in the big run with Chip and Hickory to play and relax a while. She did it again, only this time Hickory and Chip also got out and immediately ran off.

We spread out in 3 different directions and searched for 1.5 hrs before my daughters fiance finally found them about 3/4 mile from home on a side road where 3 Amish families live.. Chip of course came to him immediately. Hickory on the other hand was having none of that. She kept just far away enough that he couldn't touch her and was playing this evasion game when I found them.

She came closer when she realized who I was, but it still took about 20 minutes for her to actually come TO me and let me get hold of her enough to restrain her. She hasn't wore a collar since I brought her home, so that complicated things a bit too. I didn't want to hurt her, but needed to keep her now that I finally had her. I had stuck a choke chain in my pocket and had 2 leashes in the car, so I finally got one on her, got them back home and my son repaired the fence again.

I was so concerned that out in the open like that I wouldn't be able to get Hickory to come to me at all. She was excited, scared, and in a totally strange place with woods on both sides of the gravel road, so could have run into the trees and disappeared. Thank God she didn't, so everyone's home safe.

From now on Canada will be in the new runs only. She's not able to break the horse panels we built them with, so we shouldn't have any repeats of today. I'm not sure my heart could take it twice. Rolling Eyes

[judy]

Oh my God Tink! How scary. Thank goodness you collected them all and they're all safe. I bet I know who is going to be taught Sit, Stay, Come, really soon!

I worry about that with Max a lot! He's slowly learning sit, down and stay, but a lot of Yorkies cannot be off leash where they can run. They're just too excitable.

No puppies yet, huh?

[Janet]

That would've been so scary for sure!!! You need to make sure they're escape proof so it will never happen again, and of course you will.

[Tink]

We finished a very sturdy run for Canada to be in by herself tonight. She has her own house, an 8 x 16 run and it's made of 4 x 4 wood posts with horse panels surrounding them. The gate is triple wire braided metal that's very strong.

So if she can get out of this one I'm about out of ideas. HORSES can't escape from it... she'd better not. We also decided that until we're sure she can't break out, she'll be confined by herself so if she goes at least she won't be taking anyone else with her.

I'm just so amazed Hickory allowed me to catch her. I left the choke chain on her now in case I need to catch her again. When I was out playing with them tonight she was much friendlier and willing to let me handle her than she has been, so I guess in the long run no damage was done in spite of how scared I was.

[Forgivenmom5]

Tink I am so glad you got them both back safely!!! Chipper runs away if he gets out the door. He will act like he is coming back to you and then run right past you. He is so small he can get right by you and you can't catch him. It is really scary when you can't get them back to safety.

[Marilyn]

Oh, Tink, so glad you found them and got them home safely. Our dog run is square metal tubes welded closely together with a concrete curb at the bottom. I've dealt with enough dogs digging out and running in my lifetime, so had hubby build one they couldn't get out of. You may have to do something like that. Or, someone I know has a fence with wire mesh that extends underground and is bent so it is under the edge of the run. When they dig, they are standing on top of wire mesh, so can't dig out. That would be very effective and less expensive than our fence. The mesh would eventually rust, but would last quite a while.

Hope they don't get away again!!!