Re: The Great Escaper [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=3255.msg35315#msg35315 date=1384388998] -20 Too cold to be outside for too long! [/quote] Yup. The worst part being first thing in the morning when he wants to go outside....and I have just got out of bed. It's one thing to go outside once you're up and have had breakfast and tea and have mentally geared yourself up for it. Another to pull on your boots, jacket, mitts, etc to go stand outside while dog does his thing and you are still in your pjs and housecoat....ack.... However....as I was outside with him today : made an interesting discovery. He's going over the wooden gate, for sure. Not to say he's not ALSO going over the chain link at the side of the house, but I went into the garage today and he was on one side of the fence, by the gate. Not thinking he was trying to get out there, especially not with me so close, I closed the man-door to the garage and hit the "open" button for the overhead car door. Imagine my surprise when I saw Simba standing there on the OTHER side of the gate as the door rose up... Off he trotted, straight to the front of the house and to the neighbour's, where their garbage is always on the curb, and has no lid....which is one of the reasons escaping is so fun for him of course. Now what to do?? He won't come when called....and if I make a big deal and run up to him, etc he'll just run away. Had an idea....dashed into the house to get his leash...came out, he's still rooting at the garbage :. A firm "Simba, sit!" accompanied by hand signal, and pooch is down on his bum. Followed by an authoritative "Stay!" and hand signal.....and presto! I walk up calmly, attach lead, and we're back in the house. To be followed by much praise, training and treats. Phew! That Sit, Stay is a life-saver for me, for sure! So....This is actually a good thing, as it's easier to fix up the wooden gate than the chain link...although I do think we'll have to extend the chain link, too. It's the same height as the gate, so obviously he can get over it. Been searching on the internet for "how do you stop a dog from jumping a fence"...some good tips and hardware ideas out there..... Sigh. In the meantime, as you say, Angela, I will try to keep him occupied inside and try to frequent the dog park where he can have a great run and tumble with other dogs and get tired out!
Re: The Great Escaper Well, gate-leaping and garbage-infiltration aside, Simba sure does have a pretty darn good 'sit at a distance'!! Most impressed here.
Re: The Great Escaper [quote author=Oberon link=topic=3255.msg35323#msg35323 date=1384401793] Well, gate-leaping and garbage-infiltration aside, Simba sure does have a pretty darn good 'sit at a distance'!! Most impressed here. [/quote] Yup well I take my positives where I can get 'em!! That sit/stay at a distance has saved us in more than one situation.... And BTW it's kinda nice to have you two on the forum at the same time as me....here's a wave from me on the other side of the world to you!!
Re: The Great Escaper HI!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D I know - I always check in about this time of day because I know that there's a chance that you and/or Angela will be on here or have posted (while everyone else is asleep).
Re: The Great Escaper I know, me too!! I think I can here them all snoring away.... Or is that Simba?? He's asleep on his bed...
Re: The Great Escaper Wow, Simba's sit at a distance is impressive! I usually catch the end of your time on the forum I think (I get my early forum fix before work). I sometimes look at the time for Australia / Dubai / Canada and think "It's probably after work for Racael now" (or whatever).
Re: The Great Escaper Good work Lisa!! Just make sure your praise and treats for Simba when he sits to the stop whistle are really huge. Perhaps give him a walk, instead of just taking him inside. Dont want him thinking that stopping and sitting are a bad idea!!! (I'm sure you know that already, just checking... ).
Re: The Great Escaper we did have a chain link fence on one side of our garden, but barley wanted to change that and chewed through it, never mind it being metal, he chewed through it, and dug a few holees in next doors flower bed as he got bored, and he had destroyed our garden already so he could do no more damage to ours. To say the least our garden proud neighbours were not impressed . the fence got replaced with a wooden one, and then we had the replace the other side fence as it was going rotten and new neighbours moved in with a french bulldog, which barley disliked, very much, and there was many claw marks on the fence where he had jumped up at it trying to get to there dog. we also had to secure the fence around the dog free area of the garden, that he tried to get into by chewing and crawling under the fence or jumping over the gate. So we had to block the points where he could crawl under the fence, even though it was not long before he could not fit under there. Puzzle was differnt as she could fit through the slats in the fence, so we had to put mesh around it until she could no longer fit through the gaps.
Re: The Great Escaper Oh, Annabelle, you have sure had a rough go with your Barley!! You do know that many (most?) people would have given up on him long before now!! Kudos to you and your family for your perseverance and commitment to him. [quote author=Karen link=topic=3255.msg35381#msg35381 date=1384426537] Good work Lisa!! Just make sure your praise and treats for Simba when he sits to the stop whistle are really huge. Perhaps give him a walk, instead of just taking him inside. Dont want him thinking that stopping and sitting are a bad idea!!! (I'm sure you know that already, just checking... ). [/quote] Yes, I did think about the danger of just dragging him back inside, so I made a fuss over him, gave him lots of treats, and did some play/training (with more treats) when we got in. And it wasn't the whistle...haven't got that far yet. It was just the "sit/stay" verbal commands, with hand signals!! He was a Very Good Boy!! Here's the "temporary" fix on the gate...a bit hard to see, perhaps, the us was shining right at the camera. I'm standing on the deck. The taller parts of the fence are 6".... Don't think he can get over that. The fence is about at my chin level. I tested it out this AM...went outside the fence. He started barking and howling and jumping...he still had his head through that gap you see on the left, his paws on the top rail of the fence. But he didn't get over, not on the first couple attempts anyways. But I think we're going to have to close that gap or add something to that post where the gate attaches, in order to make that taller. Progress, of a sort.
Re: The Great Escaper [quote author=Lisa link=topic=3255.msg35520#msg35520 date=1384456675] Oh, Annabelle, you have sure had a rough go with your Barley!! You do know that many (most?) people would have given up on him long before now!! Kudos to you and your family for your perseverance and commitment to him. [/quote] Yes, it has been said to me before that we should get rid of him, and that he is not the right dog for our family. But we never gave up on him, there have been times when we have thought about getting rid of him but we just couldn't, he meas so much to us now. It has been a steep learning curve, with a few hiccups here and there, but we have got there in the end, but he still has a long way to go
Re: The Great Escaper [quote author=Oberon link=topic=3255.msg35327#msg35327 date=1384402386] HI!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D I know - I always check in about this time of day because I know that there's a chance that you and/or Angela will be on here or have posted (while everyone else is asleep). [/quote] Ah me too! ;D I'm late today......it's not even 7.30 am and I've done a dog walk,an airport drop off run,packed the garden cushions away,recycled,done all the bins,stripped 3 beds,hovered and mopped....phew I'm knackered!did you see me slip in there that I've done an airport drop off run ....you know what I'm saying x
Re: The Great Escaper Woohoo! Peace and silence reign, then Yay for airports and their guest-whisking-away capacities. I've just been at work for the last 6 hours..... Counting down to 5 o'clock!! ;D ;D
Re: The Great Escaper [quote author=Oberon link=topic=3255.msg35585#msg35585 date=1384487163] I've just been at work for the last 6 hours..... Counting down to 5 o'clock!! ;D ;D [/quote] ......and the weekend!yay! X
Re: The Great Escaper Too right!!! All better now that it's 9pm and I've had ample wine, Chinese takeaway, chocolate and whisky. More or less in that order.
Re: The Great Escaper [quote author=Karen link=topic=3255.msg35679#msg35679 date=1384521828] Me too. That and a film on the telly, and a dog to cuddle with on the couch. [/quote] Bliss
Re: The Great Escaper After having braved the drifts one last time today, I'm settling in for a nice cuppa, Simba curled up on his bed, and the snow falling gently outside.....ahhh......
