Should have called PJ "Houdini".

[britishbandit]

I let the dogs out in the yard yesterday, and the phone rang. So I ran inside to get it, and ended up chatting a while, forgetting the dogs were out. I don't usually leave them for more than 10 minutes at a time without at least checking on them, but this time they were out for a good half hour.

I get off of the phone, and go to the patio door to call the pups in. Tysa comes immediately, PJ doesn't. So I called him again.....nothing. Got a little "ugh" in my gut, and went out into the yard to look for him. No sign. The gate was locked, and theres an 8 foot wooden fence all around, besides about 15 feet along the side that's short chain link, with an additional 3 feet or so which I've added with an stretched out x-pen.

Freaked out and in a panic, I ran inside to grab the slip lead and was about to head out front thinking he's somehow gotten over the fence. Not sure why exactly, but something made me stop and go back out to check in the back yard again. I went back out and called PJ once again. I heard a faint rustling sound and walked in the direction I thought I'd heard it and called again.

Low and behold. There stood PJ, in the neighbors back yard panting away and trying to figure out how to get back into his own yard. I have NO idea how he made it in there (and luckily they neighbors weren't home at the time), but he couldn't find his way back in. I checked the fencing from top to bottom, and found no logical explain to where he had found an escape route. One very very slight possibility. I ended up having to get wire cutters and cut out a hole in the chain link so he could get back in.

Needless to say, the dogs are now back to being limited to the deck only, until I can figure out how to fix the fencing so there's no possible way for him to get out. Like I said, I don't typically leave them outside unattended, but on the rare occasion it does happen, and he can't be wandering into other peoples yards!


This is the wood fencing around the majority of the yard.


The short section of chain link with the x-pen strapped securely to it.


Where I had to cut it to get PJ out.


And this, the only even slight gap in the fencing which is MAYBE 6 inches wide at the widest part. But it's also high up, so I can't see him both morphing into super skinny dog and clearing a 3 1/2 foot high jump on top of it.



The really strange part is, I can almost guarantee that he got out trying to go visit the wee dogs in the yard that runs along the very back of mine. He somehow managed to get though this fencing, but the fencing along the back of the yard he got into is the same, but without the x-pen added to it. So how was he able to get though my fence and not theirs? LOL

[Doglover1988]

lol what an escape artist, I can't believe he escaped that. Gabby is an escape artist too exept she rips open chain link to escape especially if she hears thunder.

[Lunachick]

Houdini indeed! Dogs will never cease to amaze me. Ailchu does that, but our backyard isn't as secure as yours. I'm sure if Zoe or Bear wanted out, they could do the same. We had to do what you did, and add a piece of wooden fencing on top of the gate, as Ailchu would jump that if he saw any of us leaving/going into the house. A little while ago, he manged to escape again, but there's no way he could have cleared that gate. He must have gone behind the birch tree in the front corner and leaped over the fence there, as it's the lowest point. We really should put up a 6ft privacy fence like you have, all around. But we've only got it on the left side because our neighbours wanted it done for their backyard, but it's just so expensive.

[DogLover8]

He is a Houdini alright. PJ is quite the escape artist. We do not have any fences for Kenya to jump.

[Rivsky]

Sounds like PJ must be quite the problem solver - but only when it suits him!!!

[Swiftwind]

I swear, dogs will find a way of doing something, even if it seems ultra-impossible! Harley's gotten out to the front of our house through an itsy-bitsy gap under our side gate. I have NO idea how he did it, but that's the only explanation (there's absolutely 100% no other way he could have got out). Freaky dogs!

[calgal]

I would probably put him outside again and just kept an eye on him to see if he would find the spot again. One tip here, instead of cutting your fence if it happens again, just cut the wire at the bottom of the pole that holds the fence and just lift the fence up.
What would the neighbors do if they had been home?

[britishbandit]

Originally Posted by calgal

What would the neighbors do if they had been home?

Actually the neighbors are great, I told the husband what happened this morning as we were both heading to work. He asked why I didn't come over instead of cutting the fence. LOL I told him that nobody was home at the time it happened. He mentioned if his dogs ever did that, he'd hope I'd let him in to get them. And of course I would, not like I'm gonna take them captive. LOL (Well maybe the Pibble, he's adorable!)
But that's the neighbors on the side, the people in the back with the small dogs would probably have freaked, and I would've understood them doing so had PJ gotten into their yard. They already came to investigate the fence situation and ask me about it. The guy was concerned because the x-pen is almost transparent, especially with the plant growth around it, so he thought I was letting PJ and Tysa out with only a 3 foot fence between his dogs and mine. We had a nice chat though, and it was nothing nasty. The guy didn't have an issue because of their breed (which was a nice change), it was just that they're so big, and even playing could injure his dogs. Again, I completely understood. But he did give PJ and Tysa a pat though the fencing, introduced himself.

[IceyBlueSibes]

You do have to wonder sometimes! What a smart boy. I think I would do the same as Calgal said. See if you can watch him and see if he gives you a hint on how he's getting out.

We had a problem with Lugar jumping the fence at our old house, and there was one spot in particular he was doing it because there was a slight hump in the ground so it was a little higher. He'd stand on that part of the ground, and just leap right over like a deer. Or if he was chasing a squirrel, he'd get a running start. lol But once we get a fence up here, it's going to be a 6 footer so HOPEFULLY ('*knock on wood*) he can't get out of that. If he does, I'm entering him in some type of jump contest LOL

[Jamila]

Wow what a job PJ did. I'm glad you got him back and all, but wow he should put on a magic act with that.

[Ritz459]

Is there anyway he could have climbed the chainlink/started jumping then squeezed through the gap?

I ask because there is a dog at work, his name is A.J. (he's a Boxer/GSD mix), that can scale any type of chainlink fencing because he can jump/climb it. He can also scale privacy fencing if he has footholds. We can't let him out into the outside runs or into the outside deck because he'll just climb/jump over the fence and that will be the end of him.
We have covered runs outside, but he gets out of those as well by slipping through about an eight inch gap that is caused by a window sill.

So if the ex-pen bends at all with some pressure, he could have slipped out of there.

Either way, I'm glad you got him back and that the neighbors were okay with the whole incident!