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Original poster

How solve this doggy problem ?

41 replies

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 09:11

We have a huge garden and therefore thought it would be ideal for a puppy to play in, we still walk him 30/45 mins morning and evening but he likes to snif and wee and gallop as they do in the garden.
However the fence we have on both sides is an organic one ie a hedge and of course he keeps sneaking through and pooing next door both sides.
Plus next door to the right have toddlers who are apparently terrified because he does jump up, I've already had to pay for one pair of trousers he caught with his teeth.

So of course the obvious answer is that he doesn't go out, but we would never have bought a dog if we'd not had a garden for him to play in.
The cost of the shared fence to enclose it would be over £2,000
Hubby's suggestion is to tether him, what do exsperienced dog owners think about that idea ? I'm not so sure.

OP posts:

LittleRedCar · 13/10/2009 09:20

How big is your garden? Can't you use chicken wire and posts to enclose it? Or fence off a smaller area for pup to play in.

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 09:24

We thought about chicken wire but he'd find away through it, it's massive, perfect for a puppy but you are right we could secure part of it, that has to be better than tethering him. I'll get some quotes.

OP posts:

LittleRedCar · 13/10/2009 09:25

He won't get through chicken wire - not unless he's about 4 cm wide!

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 09:30

No but he could get under it or over it would be my concern.

OP posts:

LittleRedCar · 13/10/2009 10:23

Not if it's done properly - stapled firmly on to fence posts. Believe me, I have kept true escape artists in with chicken wire.

In any case, at some point you are going to have to make your garden secure. When he reaches puberty he'll be very inclined to wander.

Good luck anyway.

luckyblackcat · 13/10/2009 10:33

Am a little surprised that you didn't anticipate this. Animals do not see boundaries in the same way as humans.

I spent a huge amount making my fences 5foot + high before we got a puppy. We even had to put chicken wire on out 5 bar wooden gates after the first day, as she could turn sideways and squeeze between - had already screwed a gravel plank to the bottom to fill the gap between gate and ground.

Part of responsible dog ownership to keep both dog and members of the public (drivers or pedestrians) safe imho.

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 10:40

Right well thank you for the lecture lucky black cat, we did rather think he might stay in our garden, clearly we were wrong so shall we send him back or deal with the problem ?

OP posts:

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 10:41

LittleRedCar it's just not an option to put in posts, the hedges would have to come and be replaced by whatever we put in, I actually think he might have to go

OP posts:

Kayzr · 13/10/2009 10:44

I am really sorry but I agree with luckyblackcat. You should have thought about this first. They don't look at a hedge and think "Oh better not go through there".

I think the best thing to do is to section of a bit of your garden. You won't have to take the hedge up.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 13/10/2009 10:46

What sort of hedge is it?

We have a conifer hedge down one side and have put a small (20cm high) wire fence in, stapled to the trees. Its now chicken proof, dog proof, rabbit proof.

Not sure if you could do something similar if it was say a beech hedge. IME they don't jump over such a fence as once you get a bit higher up the hedge is bushier and they're put off by that?

flowerybeanbag · 13/10/2009 10:48

With a dog you need a secure garden which means a fence. Solution is buy the fence. Don't tether him up

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 11:02

Roughly the length is 120 feet long so I cannot think that they'd to the shared cost of fencing that and if we don't do it all then there won't be any point as he'll just go to the other side.
I'll look into the chicken wire stapled to to the tree's can't hurt can it.

As for the you should have thought of it's, well yes we should be we didn't so we're making the best of it.

OP posts:

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 13/10/2009 13:02

If you go for the chicken wire/mesh option then tent pegs along the bottom will stop the dog pushing underneath. Chicken wire can be quite flexible, a smaller gauge mesh may be more secure. Good luck.

minimu · 13/10/2009 16:35

You are right MillyMollyMoo that this will have to be dealt with. I had a working springer pup who watched my OH spend the whole weekend putting up a higher fence as he had jumper over the first one. As my OH was clearing away his tools at 6.00pm on the Sunday evening the pup jumped right over the new fence!!

So my only words of wisdon would be that you will have to get a secure fence and that I would not waste money on a small fence that will stop a pup as in a few months he will work out how to get over, under, through it and you will just have to spend more money on making it more secure.

I do not recommend the tethering idea as dogs can damage themselves easily and also they can become frustrated and you would then start to have behavioural problems.
Would a stake fence with wire cost £2,000! and the wire would have to be buried into the ground. If you have a terrier this will have to be buried feet under the ground.

I think it is actually a criminal offence to not have a secure area to have your dog in.

sowhatis · 13/10/2009 16:39

What about an invisible fence? One of these:

www.invisiblefence.co.uk/

LaurieFairyCake · 13/10/2009 16:46

Cheapest option woild be to walk him round the garden on a lead until he's old enough to realise he's not allowed next door.

He may still need to be supervised but my 7 year old dog has never been in next doors garden as he knows which bit is his.

HansieMom · 13/10/2009 17:25

A dog trolley or aerial sky run (look up on Amazon, $16) should work. It is a long plastic coated cable that you stretch overhead between two objects, like a tree and a house. You then take a similar cable ten feet long that has attaching hooks on either end, and hook one end on your dog's collar and one to the overhead cable. Now your dog has a huge amount of space to play in, as he has ten feet on either side of the long cable. If the cable was 40' long, he'd have 800 square feet of play space. I feel sorry for dogs that are tied up to a stake, that is so limiting.

LittleRedCar · 13/10/2009 18:03

Jeez-us.

And we wonder why so many dogs have behavioural issues?

seaglass · 13/10/2009 18:25

I think for new dog owners, it can be quite a surprise what needs to be done to puppy-proof a home and garden.
My sister picks up her 1st puppy next week, and was surprised when I told her she'd need to block the gap under her gate - as it goes straight out to a very busy road.
I, personally, don't agree with dogs being tethered or chained up, as it can lead to more problems than it's worth.
I would think your best option could be to buy a 50m roll of chicken wire (about £36) and som cheap fence posts, and make an enclosure so that it can run free

minimu · 13/10/2009 18:28

Please please please please do not use the invisible fence. Do you want your dog given an electric shock everytime it walks in the wrong place? This is just so cruel to dogs. Also I will quarantee that any dog using this will have mega behaviour issues. I can think of at least 4 that I have been called in to "cure" after they have been forced to experience this from their owners.

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 18:30

The whole thing has been a massive mistake and if I could turn back the clock I would but short of dropping him off at dogs trust what can we do ?
It really annoys me that people ask for solutions and whilst most people are really helpful there's always a few that want to call social services/RSPCA delete as applicable, well somethings we have to just learn from and deal with.

OP posts:

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 18:31

I don't think the electric shock idea is a good one, I'd probably fry DH lol

OP posts:

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 13/10/2009 18:41

What do you mean the whole thing has been a mistake? Getting a dog?

It is a big adjustment getting a dog, are you having doubts or do you think once the fencing thing is sorted you'll be ok?

Original poster

MillyMollyMoo · 13/10/2009 18:45

Honestly I can't stand the dog at the moment, it's trashed the house, wee's everywhere and just as I got him trained to go outside, now he can't go outside.

He bites me and the children, chases the cats around the house.

My whole house stinks of dog, I used to be the white company show home type now I have piles of dog shite in my living room.

Please tell me it gets better ?

OP posts:

minimu · 13/10/2009 18:45

MillyMollyMoo I am not "getting" at you just want to make life easier for you and your dog. Seaglass ideas seems like a good one to me.

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