Jump

[Dee McGrath]

Good morning Doodlians,

Bella is 22 months old P2 labradoodle and recently started to jump out the dog park fence for no apparent reason. Anyone experience this and or have a solution? We are afraid to take her anymore for fear she will get out and run into traffic.

She isn’t spayed because we want to breed her after having her hips and eyes checked. Some of her behavior changed a bit after her 2nd heat, I don’t remember this being normal for any of our other dogs, however we raised labs for 30 years not doodles.

Please feel free to jump in and express your thoughts. Thank you Dee

[Stacy]

Are you saying she jumps over the fence? How high is it? My first thought is that she's unhappy in the dog park for some reason. My second thought is that there's something *really* good on the other side of that fence. Is it a problem you've also had at home? I'm not a trainer, but I'm curious about the situation. Maybe I've been lucky, but my dogs have never wanted to be far enough away from me to jump a fence that I was also inside. They've always been very good at staying close wherever we are (though I wouldn't trust them outside of a safe space.) But I agree, I would also be afraid to take her if she did that.

[Dee McGrath]

Yes she jumps over which is very new. She never likes to be away from us. I wasn't at the park when it happen but ron said he had to go after her. If there is a loud noise like a gun or fireworks or a backfire from a car she freaks for no real reason other than they scare her. It surprises me because our motorcycles don't bother her.
We aren't taking her anymore, just wanted to know how others would respond to the jumping. Thank you for your reply.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Some dogs jump more than others and they seem to feel the 'need' or to do so - not necessarily for a reason we understand. My dogs don't seem to try to jump or climb over a 5 or 6 foot fence, but they sail over a 3 foot one, and jump on our 4 foot block wall unless we block it off. My daughter-in-law's Whippet (they are a 30 pound dog) climbed our 6 foot fence when we were dog-sitting - he wanted to find her. 

Some dogs are just escape artists and it is not a breed thing.  They just want to see what is on the other side of the fence.

I would not take an intact dog to a dog park or doggy day care, especially a female.   Dog parks here in California actually forbid dogs that have not been neutered or spayed - not that people don't disregard that rule.  Our rescue just re-homed the puppy of a goldendoodle that was impregnated by a border collie at doggy day care. Adorable puppy but not in anyone's plan.

The doodle we raised from a puppy changed at age two.  He had been neutered long before that so that had nothing to do with it.  I think it is more that they are fully adult.  He became more judgemental about other dogs and protective of our 'pack.'

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"I would not take an intact dog to a dog park or doggy day care, especially a female."

Amen!!!!!!

[Dee McGrath]

I would never take her when I see that she is close to coming into her heat nor would I take her until well after her heat. I've had dogs and breed them for more years 40+ years. I would never want to have a mishap. Thank you for your reply..

[Stella]

I also would not be breeding a dog that has fear issues......... assuming that she was even purchased with a breeding contract.