WTH? Teleporting dog???

Ok. I have no CLUE how in the heck this happened. The Horsemen were playing in the yard, running amok as always. I was inside doing some housecleaning and had the door wide open, so I could keep an eye on them.

The next thing I know, Zeus was whining, crying and yelping, while looking through the rod-iron bars on the courtyard. Very unusual for Zeus. I go outside to see what was up.

I looked through the bars to see Voodoo bouncing around the DRIVEWAY! :yikes:

Thank gawd Voodoo has a great recall. He came to me as soon as I called.

Hubby and I are still completely bewildered. WTH happened?? Our fence is a minimum of 6 feet all the way around...all solid wood privacy fence, stucco walls, and vertical iron bars. We've tested, tested and tested from every single angle to make sure he could not jump it. The gate can't have opened, otherwise Zeus would have gotten out, too. Besides, how could the gate have opened and then closed behind him in time to keep Zeus inside? The two of us painstakingly went over every inch of our fence for any holes, loose boards or possible footholds. Not a single one.

The only thing I can possibly think of is that he jumped it. There's no other way. It's been about four months since we last tested the fence for "Voodoo-proofness", and I'm wondering if he's grown some more---enough to jump the fence.

Well, this is the last straw. We're going to buy a cable run for him today. I feel absolutely horrible about doing this to Voodoo, but if he can't stay in the yard, I don't have any other choice.

*sigh*

One thing that might help is to try to observe how he's getting out.

If he is climbing or touching the fence in order to do so, a strand of electric wire around the inside of your fence will stop that.

It is so frightening when they escape!!!

Does he have wings? LOL

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if he went into a Lotus position and levitated over the fence.

That's the problem--I have no clue how he gets out. And it's extremely hard to solve because he's not a "just because" escapee; he'll only get out with some very powerful motivation, like a stray dog in the yard. I even took Zeus outside the fence on a leash yesterday, like we were going on a walk (Voodoo HATES being left behind), and then encouraged Voodoo to get out. Voodoo bounced around, cried and threw a fit, but stayed in the yard.

It makes me wonder if someone actually opened the gate and let Voodoo out. But Voodoo is a very good watch dog, and always alerts to strangers approaching. It's a real mystery.

The electric wire route might work. But since I'm not sure how he gets out to begin with, I'm not sure if that would fix the problem or not.

First thing I would try is a lock on the gate.



Maybe you could get someone to walk by with some dogs he does not know and watch from a hidden area?

my neighbor has a female shepherd that can scale a 6 ft. fence without any effort. I saw her the first time, and I couldn't believe my eyes. they put two pieces of wire tipped inward a couple feet higher...she went right over! they never knew she could do it cause she always just went back in. what is amazing is she does it in one graceful leap...now there's a dog that should be in agility. she now stays in the house and goes out with supervision only or on a leash.

Debi, it is truly amazing what some dogs can clear. I knew of a Rottweiler who could clear a 6 foot fence from a stand still in one leap.

They don't happen often, but they sure DO happen. One reason why I said for Gemp to set VooDoo up if she can to see how he's doing it. If he's not touching the fence, hotwire would do no good at all. If he IS touching the fence to get out, it's a pretty inexpensive and simple cure for the problem that can be installed in about a day for most people.

Gempress, maybe you should have called him SkyHook.

LOL

you have one other choice, it is the one i have to live with because i have NO fence, no nothing for Victor. I go out with him.

Don't underestimate Voodoo, Gemp. Dakota can clear our 6' fence in a heartbeat, and he's half Voodoo's size.

I agree with Red that you should try to see how he's jumping the fence, but sometimes they just won't do a thing while you're watching. A hotwire is a good preventative measure.

^^^^^ agree !!! I'd be so curious !

I guess that's what's annoying me most about this whole thing. Voodoo has gotten out before, so Hubby and I have been very good about watching the Horsemen whenever they go out. I only looked away for a minute at the most! I swear!!!

I can see Dakota jumping a fence, RD. Border Collies are springy, agile dogs. But Voodoo is a blocky, big-chested, clumsy, cement-headed pup. Not exactly steeplechase material. I have no idea how such a tubby little dog can go over fences like that. I could see my deerlike Zeus leaping a fence, but Voodoo?

GRRR! I have never had a dog that seems so determined to drive me bonkers!

i have heard plenty of stories of dogs being able to completly clear a six foot fence effortlessly

yup and higher yet if it is chainlink they can climb the corners with ease, it is the jumping down on the other side that is painful to watch.

Mom's house i think of as fort knox, it as 8 ft then 14 foot chain around the outside, then the bottom is lined in concrete that goes down more than a foot and still Logan's Butch just took his teeth and pulled hard until he bent the chainlink enough to make a hole to get out. IF you saw that wire and how it is bent you would be impressed...mom wasn't however she was mad.

i dont have the luxury of having a fenced in yard. i have to take Ruckus out to potty on the leash, and just be sure to walk him everyday. and i have a long tie out i will tie him up and play some ball with him sometimes. or i have a long leash (50 foot) that i tie to me and play with him sometimes. we both end up getting tangled up, so i dont really recommend that.