Anyone having issues with their doodle listening less when outside. Coco used to listen so well.

[Nancy Pyzynski]

Coco seems to totally consumed by what she's smelling and hearing when she's outside lately.  We have an invisible fence and she used to just stay in the yard but as of late, she will bolt if she sees our neighbors dog across the street or smells something interesting like our cat in the neighbors yard or the kids playing.  She doesn't seem to be phased in the least that her collar is giving her the warning beep and goes right through the barrier.  She used to dart right back in to her "safe" zone before when the warning beep went off.

We are no longer allowing her to roam in our yard freely because we are concerned about her getting lost or hit by a car or even stolen.  Otherwise she is wonderful and smart, maybe too smart!

Has anyone had any experience with this.  Can we try retraining her with any success?  We really thought she knew the ropes.  We have a very natural landscape in our yard and neighborhood and don't really want to put up a fence but we may have to.  Has anyone tried putting their dog on a run with any luck.  It just seems so limiting. 

[Sharon & Monty]

Do you mean a dog trolley line?  Fastened to two fixed objects with a leash connected to the dog?  We use that for Monty but on a limited use.  I had a golden that loved it.  However one year after a snow fall she was left outside to romp around and was so excited she got her leg caught on the leash while jumping around and the injury changed her forever, both in demeanor and the arthritis that seemed to develop on the injured leg.  So we dont use it for much running and fetching unless its a low key activity.  i've also tried the invisible fence but winced when I seen my goldens reaction to the shock.  I could never bring myself to use it.  We cant leave Monty off leash even tho we live in the mountains and have lots of rural space.  He is obsessed with smells and while off leash he took off into the neighbors pond to "play" with the ducks.  No amount of begging, screaming, pleading, promises of treats would bring him back.  Not a good way to make friends with the neighbors! He also desires to run after the deer, squirrels, chipmunks etc. oh my!  My experience has me convinced that only a physical fence will give me peace of mind to have him outdoors without a leash, and hopefully during Monty's second year of life we can make that happen.

[Nancy Pyzynski]

Yes, we were considering a trolley line but after reading about your experience with it, I have serious doubts!  We would feel terrible if anything happened to our Coco.  We just adore her and want to keep her safe.  She just loves to romp and play in the yard with us off leash or even with a leash dragging and I just don't completely trust her to stay anymore.

Thank you so much for your input.  We will continue to work with Coco's training but may end up with a fence.

Best of luck to you and Monty. 

[Adina P]

Is it possible the batteries on the collar were low/dead?

Does she also get a shock after the warning beep or just the beep?  Are there levels to the shock?

How many times as she gone through the barrier?

 

( I have no answers as I've never used an e-fence, but thought maybe these might help someone...maybe not!)

[Nancy Pyzynski]

We tried changing the batteries, they were low.  I fear that now she just has it in her little crazy little doodle head that she can go wherever she pleases.

She seems to get a shock, although it is fairly mild. I don't think that any amount of shock at this point would deter her from crossing over the line to get at what she's after.  She has gone through several times now to the point that we are concerned for her safety.  I think we will have to work quite a bit more on her response to our voice commands and respecting the boundaries of her yard.  It's just that it worked beautifully for a while.

I'm wondering if this is due to her age.  All I can think of is a toddler testing boundaries or an adolescent who doesn't choose to listen. 

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it more than you know!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I am not familiar with the e-fence at all-so no help there-sorry!

 

But I have concerns about the tethering idea. One is the concern of injury as Sharon mentioned. Another is that if, as you say, Coco would be in an exposed area, he would still be at risk of attack by another dog or animal and of being stolen. He would definitely need to be supervised at all times.

 

We had a dog turn up at our house once who was, we found out later, tethered outside at his house.  He was a very high energy dog and several tiimes, including this one, had slipped out of his collar to escape the tether. He had a huge gash in his neck from the damage done when he pulled out of the collar. But he was tethered out all day alone while the people were gone.

 

My DH spends a lot of time out in front of our house which is not a fenced area. Tara likes to be outside with him there and we tie her on a long line near where he is working. He is always there with her and keeping an eye out for dogs, etc.  It has worked well for us. Tethering would be similar under supervision but would still be very limiting as far as movement. Tara still has a fenced backyard to run loose in.

[Nancy Pyzynski]

Thanks Ricki and Tara,

We would only consider tethering Coco when we are out in the yard with her to allow her to run back and forth to play and fetch with us without the risk of her taking off is she smells or sees something enticing. 

We try to take Coco with us most of the time and when we can't, she is at happily at daycare/playgroup, in the house or her crate, both of which are comfortable, happy places for her.  We would never leave her outside alone while we are gone so no worries there.

Looks like we may be looking into a fence at some point and or lots more training!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Unfortunately, there is nothing that really compares to a physical fence!  And I now am of the belief that training just goes on forever!!

 

We have a tether set up in our yard but it is for our CAT!  She wears a harness which we attach the tether rope to.  It is in the fenced backyard so she is safe in that way. We don't want her to leave the yard and we don't want her visiting the area of our yard where we feed the wild birds. So she can move about on the tether and it gives her a chance to get outside and get some sunshine and fresh air. Most of the time she just lays under a bush but the tether has worked out very well for this purpose!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Tara -- I would just like to applaud you for taking responsibility for your cat as well as your dog!  Cat owners allowing their cats out and their crapping in my flower beds is one of my biggest pet peeves!  Thank you for being a completely responsible pet owner!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Thank you! I agree that roaming cats is a huge problem. In fact that is how Amber, our cat, ended up at the shelter. She was "visiting" someones yard and they got tired of it. They trapped her and turned her into the shelter where she went unclaimed. 

 

And just to clarify, I'm Ricki. Tara is the cute fuzzy one! :)

[BG and Gavin]

We have a physical fence at home and an e-fence at the cottage.  Despite Gavin showing he is very reliable with the e-fence I still would never let him outside without supervision.  As other's will point out an e-fence does not control what comes into the yard and I still can't take that leap of faith that if something really good comes along, he won't go for it. 

My suggestion is to start training from scatch.  It is possible with the low battery the minor shock he got taught him that it was 'worth it' to go beyond his boundary.  Go with him on leash around the paremeter pulling him back when the collar beeps, longer line next, then test by throwing teats or tennis ball through the boundary. 

 I had worries about the shock too when I first got the fence and the instructions were clear that he had to get a shock in order to learn the lesson.  So I decided that if he had to take it, I would take it first so that I knew what the intensity and feeling was.  DH stepped up to the plate at that point and said he would take the shock.  He has done so about 3 times as we stepped up the intensity as the mild one had no effect.  Also be sure that the prongs are making contact with his skin as when Gavin's coat was long he was not  feeling the sensation which set the training back a bit.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I personally would bite the bullet and go for the fence!  This gives Coco her freedom back to run and romp as well as gives you some piece of mind!

[Carol Brand]

I would NEVER tether or tie a dog outside unsupervised.  

 

Why does she need to be outside by herself at all?  When I first got my Sabrina, we lived in a house with an unfenced yard in an area that forbid fences.  I just treated her like an apartment dog.  I took her out on leash to potty and otherwise she was an indoor dog unless we were outside playing with her.  

 

If your dog is running away when you are outside playing with it, well then.... that is a training issue.