Bolting Doodle

[Leigh Kincaid]

New to this site and already loving it!

I have a 3 year old rescue Labradoodle named Teddy. He is the perfect companion....doesnt talk back, doesnt hog the remote and keeps my feet warm at night.

Problem is he is giving me a headache almost daily lately. I rescued him about a year and half ago from a family that crated him approx 20-22 hrs a day. I of course have a crate but he associates it with discipline I think or other bad memories and will not budge into a crate.
Until recently I have not had too many problems with him, however, with the recent purchase of a new house (chosen mainly due to the large backyard for Teddy) problems are arising daily. He is jumping the fence when left alone for no more than 2 minutes in the yard and his most recent act of disobedience was to jump through the screen window. After bailing him out of doggy jail and a neighborhood that now knows him by name I am at my wits end. I am very good about making sure he has play dates and we go to my parents house with their two dogs and 8 acres of free range to run.

His need for speed is becoming unmanagable.

Any advice other than changing his name to Houdini??

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Did he jump the fence in the other house? This is something new? How long are you in the home? Do you think he equates the new house with being rehomed even though you are with him?
How about an agility class? Works with obedience as well as exercise.

[Adina P]

That is quite a difficult issue you're facing. Not sure if I have any answers, but I do have questions:

1) What amount of obedience training have you two done together? And what is the result ...give me some examples of his highest level of training.

2) Have you attempted to re-crate train him at all? Tell us about those attempts and his response.

3) When he jumped through the screen window was he eyeing another animal to chase or what was the drive if you know?

4) Did he ever bolt at all in the past in the hold house?

5) How TALL is this fence?

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

I have seen dogs jump 6 to 7ft. fences when they are not suppose to be able to. I would try attaching like the green fencing or fencing that is used for gardening on top of what already exist, this way when he tries to go over the fence it will fall back on him and he won't be allowed to get over it because it will be more flimsy. If this does not work than you might have to switch to an electrical fence, or consult an animal behavior threapist. As for crating, Honey was crated for 6 months of her life, but she still likes her crate to sleep in because I let the door open, it's not a threat. The only time she is in the crate with it closed is when I am away. I would sit on the floor with him by the crate and slowly get him use to going in it again, use treats when he does, and eventually build up to closing the door. Hope this helps some...

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

His behaviour seems to be a response to moving since you said he was fine"until recently". He probably has a lot of anxiety related to the move. When you say he has play dates, is that every day? Is he getting lots of exercise daily?

Sounds like he does have a need for speed and jumping so an agility class might be good as was suggested already. You may also need to go to a training class with him or talk to a behaviourist.

I don't blame him for hating the crate. If it isn't necessary, I wouldn't use it. Yankee has been out of his crate since 3 months old but he doesn't take off either. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think Adina's suggestion about agility classes is a great idea. And Hannah and Honey's suggestion about fencing on top of what you have is exactly what I would do. Then plant a vine that will grow over both fences.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Is he jumping the fence or climbing the fence? You may have to make the fence higher temporarily. If he is climbing it (scrambling up or using the top to pull himself up the last bit. Google "Camp Husky" it is a large Siberian Husky rescue "camp". Then look under "husky proofing" your yard. There are several useful ideas to prevent escapees on this site. The #1 reason huskies need to be rescued is they are excellent at "escaping" from anything.

In addition to the information on this site, sometimes a temporary fence within a fence will help. Look at this week's airdoodles and you will see an orange plastic fence in at least one of the pictures. This can be bought cheaply at a hardware store and temporarily installed about 18inches to two feet nearer the house. It makes sort of a "broad jump" that even most huskies won't attempt. Good Luck

[Janie]

Maybe it really stressed him to move. You have recieved some good ideas and I can't think of anything to add. I would be very concerned about this he could get hurt,lost,or stolen.

[Leigh Kincaid]

I think all of those suggestions are excellant thank you.

I will see if I can answer most of these questions...lol

He gets plenty of play time on a daily basis. In fact, like most of you probably, we tend to schedule around Teddy.
He didnt jump the fence at the last place but it was a large privacy fence. He has no problem leaping over the 5 ft fence we have now...in one leaping bounce. He did however bolt out the front door a few times and sprint through that neighborhood as well. He always came back though.

He has had obediance classes a few times and trust me they were definitly needed in the beginning. But he is a really good dog....with the exception of this.....he minds orders and behaves when told. He has also finally stopped chewing on all my shoes! In fact last night me and Kate took him to the park and he heard a firecracker and immediately "rounded" up Kate and would not leave her side even when we tried to play fetch until he realized it was nothing to worry about.

I guess I will finally have to invest in an electric fence to keep Houdini in the yard. I did find out from the neighbor that there was a pack of 4 dogs that were roaming the neighborhood when he leaped through the window. He was waiting on the porch when he was picked up by animal control. He always comes home at least!

Does anyone from Wichita know of any agililty classes? Might be somethiing fun for him and my daughter to do during the summer hours.

[Adina P]

So my question about obedience was aimed at finding out what level of control you have over him. There are few people who have a 'fully trained' off leash reliable dog...VERY few among the general population. Mine aren't there. But I continually AIM for that.

So for example... if he bolts out the door, can you call him to "COME" immediately and have him turn on a dime?
Can he hold a sit stay in the doorway? These are things that most people don't work for if they have a generally well-behaved dog because around the house and on-leash they are not really perceived to be necessary.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I think he needs some brushing up on obedience...NO MATTER how well behaved he is generally. A solidly trained (or a dog on the way there) dog will NOT bolt out the front door because you've practiced at that front door till you turned blue. He will also come on command if he should step off the front door threshold. So these are things to work on I think.

I can leave the front door open to go to my car in the driveway and my dogs will NOT cross the threshhold. Now they are not so highly trained that I could leave it open all day, nor could I get lost in mindlessly doing things in the front yard and expect them to wait there forever.

But even in our backyard...if I'm working on the other side of the gate...they will watch for a bit, but not cross and most likely go back to lying around the yard despite the gate wide open as my hubby and I do things in the driveway. Again I couldn't just leave them out there alone, but it does help to get them to the point where they will not bolt by regular practice with sit stays and waits, etc at the front door. Use a long leash if you have to that is tied down to a heavy furniture leg or that you hold so if he does bolt he's still attached.

[Cindy and Mandy]

Hi, You may want to call Chisholm Creek and see if they have agility training. Or the Wichita Kennel Club. I know one of them does, just can't remember which one.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Just a thought on the electric fence. Many dogs who love to run are not contained by electric fences. They just run right through them, preferring to get a brief jolt and then .... run,run, run. Glad to hear he comes home.

[Missi]

I can't really add to any of the suggestions, but if Teddy would like another doodle to play-date with, I'm volunteering LIizzie!!! She also loves to run, but hasn't quite figured out how to jump the fence. I give her another month. PS: I love Chisholm creek training, which is on N. Hillside, but I don't know if they have agility or not.