ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL KEEPS ESCAPING

[ali4max]

Please Help.

We have a 5 year old ESS who has mastered the art of escaping. We have a very large garden that is fenced (6ft) and gated. We thought this was secure however he escaped and was brought back by the dog warden (£61.50 charges). We heightened the fence and added trellis all around the top, then had to add chicken wire to the wrought iron gates (again 6ft), block the bottom of the gates and pretty much barricade the dog in. He has now escaped twice this week (61.50 each time when the warden has been called), we are at the end of our tether, we cannot heighten any more fencing, block anymore gaps or sit on guard all day (Max lives outside), and I am concerned that should he keep escaping he is going to get injured or even worse killed. Please any advice welcome, we are now considering whether we can continue to keep him.
Thanks

[CROFTPLACESPANIELS]

Could you build a dog kennel/Run to keep him in while unsupervised?

[Rascal]

Do you have a secure kennel and run?

Rascal

[ali4max]

We have a secure kennel, we haven't built a run, he is escaping whether we are in or out, we have large doors that open on to the garden and he has this morning crawled commando style on his stomach across the patio to the corner of the garden to yet again make his escape attempts, it would be funny if it wasn't so worrying.

[Rascal]

I would make it your priority to either buy a commercially available kennel and run system, google dog kennels and runs there are loads to choose from or build him one. For now unless you are exercising/training him he's safest in the kennel because as you've pointed out this is an accident waiting to happen.

Rascal

[Bogtrotter]

One or two things spring to mind ....
1. Does he always get out at the same place?
2.Does he get out over or under the "barricade"?
3.If he escapes while you are in and you do not know where he is getting out, I think you will have to watch and watch until you see how he's doing it.
4. Why is he so keen to escape ... do you know? Does he always go to the same place?

If you don't know how he's getting out it's a bit tricky to recommend anything except a secure kennel and run as others have mentioned.

Sorry this isn't very helpful ... I have been in the same situation with a giant breed escapologist in the past ... whatever I did she'd extrude herself through the smallest gap and end up bathing/paddling in the fishpond of another house in the village !

Fiona

[arwesa]

all above are good and sensible options. dont know your setup, and some might not like the idea, but if you can borrow some electric fencing to try around the outside of your garden fence one attempt may discourage him from trying again (not a premanent solution, but if he's not meant to be there then its better he gets a jolt from a fence to push him back home than run over)....this works to keep new dogs/foxes out of the keepers pens, so should work to keep your dog in.

Is this something that has just started? is he entire? has he ever mated a bitch? might there be a bitch on heat nearby?

[CROFTPLACESPANIELS]

Is this something that has just started? is he entire? has he ever mated a bitch? might there be a bitch on heat nearby?

Good thinking I have heard they can go to great lengths to get it. Another thing looking at the kennel option would be to look at buying steel panels if you have a concrete or paved garden. Not sure about the pricing of them. I had a 6ft x 9ft x 6ft run built on to the side of my shed, I dived the shed to make an internal kennel. If I remember rightly it cost about £550 for it all.

[spaniel fan]

an option may be and invisible electric fence will only shock if wearing a collar so everyone else (kids etc) is safe.

[Sgurr]

I've got a Houdini but she does not chase sheep and we have very little traffic on the roads but it is still a worry when she does her disappearing act - even though she is rarely away for more than 30 mins. So I went down the kennel and run route.

A tip from a friend who has a fenced garden is to put a strong wire around the top perimeter of the fence, onto which you have threaded sections of drainpipe. Her Springers could not do a straight six foot leap over but could get paws on the top and then scramble up. Now, the drainpipe rotates so the paws do not get a purchase and the dog eventually learns. Not a pretty solution but effective and does not put the dog at risk in the way that a collar and a stake out chain can.

Sgurr