What the heck do I do with my dogs!!!?

Question

Okay so we recently moved into a new neighborhood and at the old house my dogs always dug out and roamed the streets. No one seemed to care but this is a much nicer neighborhood and I am getting several complaints!! I tried to tie them but they keep getting loose. Anyone have any ideas on how I can keep my dogs in the yard and stop them from digging? I am about to call the dog pound even though it really hurts me.

Excuse me for being a little slow but can someone explain to me what a choke chain is? Right now, I have them on a regular thick collar clipped onto a chain. Am I doing this properly?

Answer 1

Assuming you have a 6' tall, sturdy fence and they are still digging out, you have two options that I know of. One, you can take chicken wire and bury it from the base of the fence inward towards your lawn, this is not gonna be fun or easy to dig through. Another option if you're willing to spend the money and do the 14 days of training is installing an invisible fence just inside your exisiting fence. This should keep them away from the fence completely, and leave them with little interest in digging. Also, consider keeping your dog indoors more, allow the yard to be for play time and potty, so they don't get bored from long hours out there. Digging is generally the result of boredom and the desire to escape is from a need to walk. Make sure you're walking them at least an hour a day. This is not a luxury, it's a necessity for dogs.

Please don't call the pound or animal control. If you can't keep your dogs, call a rescue group. Otherwise their chances of being put down are extremely high.

Edit: please don't use a choke chain or any other training collar to tie your dog out. This is VERY dangerous. Dogs get horrificially injured and die this way. They should never be tied out on anything but a flat buckle collar or a harness.

Answer 2

Don't call the pound, since you make a commitment to the animals when you acquire them. How deep does your fence go? If you install a privacy type fence and put it several feet into the ground, the dogs will not be able to dig out so easily. You could also try installing an invisible (electric) fence to double up with your current fencing. Be careful with that option though, if the dog still escapes the yard with the fence there, it will shock him when he tries to come back too. You could also put in a dog run that takes up part of the yard with concrete flooring, just make sure you provide shelter and a bed, and shade, as concrete gets hot in the sun! If you walk your dogs for an ample amount of time daily, even though you have a yard, then they will often be less restless, and less eager to explore the neighborhood. Oh, and unlike previously mentioned above, do not leave your dog unattended with a choke chain, it is a training device, not a proper restraint, and it is dangerous to use as such!

Answer 3

There are a couple things you could do. Some people run Chicken wire along the bottom of the fence about 6 inches under the ground, or you could put concrete about 6 inches underground around the perimeter of your fence. If either of those are not an option for you, you will have to be outside with them anytime they are outside and if you see them starting to dig, tell them "no" or "leave it". If you decide to try the tie out again, rather than connecting it to the collars, try chest harnesses and make sure that they have enough length to go in the yard but short enough that it does not reach the fence line and even then, you are going to have to supervise them while outside. If the neighbors complain enough times, you could eventually get fined for allowing the dogs to run loose.

Answer 4

If an electric fence is too harsh... you can put in a stone or hard gravel base in the ground around your fence or perimeter of your yard. This may take a little more work than just a standard electric fence but if done properly it could be just as effective as an electric fence. Dogs dig in dirt but if there are stones in the ground it will take the fun out of digging.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

Maybe an undergound electric fence should help. Take some time to train them where their bounderies are. Reward and play while they are where you want them. Make it a very positive experience to be IN the yard. After a while you won't need the fence anymore when they learn the difference.

Also have the dogs become real proficient in the come command. If the do get away they'll be easier to catch.

Good Luck

Answer 6

Why don't you try pouring a concrete slab and then sitting a dog kennel on top of it. This will stop their digging out because they can't dig through concrete and it is easy to clean the kennel out-you can use a water hose. Try that it will probably work. Also make sure the dogs get sufficient exercise. If they are big dogs they will need a lot of exercise.

Answer 7

You can get chicken wire and bend it in 1/2 staple the top to the fence if it's wood and then lay the bottom have on the ground and cover it up with dirt. They won't be able to dig thru it. Or an electric fence is another idea.

Answer 8

Awwww poor doggies.Well why dont u have ur dogs in the house wid u instead? And walk em 2-3x a day.If u rilly want to have em outside perhaps u can use choke-chains instead of collars so if they try to pull themselves free, the chain sorta restrains em.Choke chains works better than the usual collars.U can use those garden embedded nails in the middle of ur yard.Good luck.

Answer 9

There are some animals who defy being contained & we may as well name them Houdini. It sounds like you are willing to try anything right now. Consider an electric fence. There are animals in my neighborhood who are Houdini's & this was what their owners had to install to keep them contained. The animals got one shock & quit trying to get out. The electric fence has even been turned off it was so effective. I don't mean the "invisible electric fence." It's harsh but it works. Hope this helps & good luck.

Answer 10

I would say that you need to be supervising your dogs when they are outside at all times. If they actually "live" outside, then you may have to consider doing a dog kennel for when you can't be there to keep an eye on them and go to the degree of cementing around the edges of the base to prevent digging out.