Monday, February 8, 2010

Dog Gone It

by David Howie

After putting up the shelf piece Thursday night, I was pretty hopeful that Knightly would stay in the yard. Friday morning he didn't seem to be able to get out. He was still in the yard that evening. Everything was looking good. But we got home from dinner, and he was gone. We were really upset and frustrated then and talking seriously about getting rid of him. I had already started getting ready for bed when we got a call that someone had him about 10:30. So I picked him up and put him in the garage.

Saturday morning I let Knightly out in the yard to see how he was getting over this time. But he just played in the yard. I waited a while, but he never tried to get out. I was working at home that day and would check outside often, and he was always there. Just as we were getting ready to go to dinner, we realized that he was missing. I got a call right after I realized it and went and picked him up again. This time we staked him out.

Sunday morning I let him loose after our walk to see how he was getting out. This time he jumped out right away. He's still going out over the gate, but now just uses the middle horizontal piece on the gate. That means he could get out anywhere in the yard. I don't know what to try next. And I don't understand why he's determined to leave the yard. It seems to me that it's better than our old yard, and he never left it.

3 comments:

Jennifer said...

My parents went through this with their dogs. It is so frustrating! Try to put a little chicken coop type stuff on top of the fence - that's what my parents had to do. Sorry you are going through this!

Kendra McIntyre said...

Maybe he is just lonely for his old yard. My mom suggested a shock collar. I don't know if that's something you might want to do. The chicken coop wire sounds like a good idea.
Carrie, I hate to miss WIC night out tonight. I hope to be back at church next week, maybe. We'll see! :)

Anonymous said...

Our fence rails were only on the inside at the gate, but our dog went through a phase where every time we let him out he made a loop and then headed for the gate. And then he would come to the back door a few minutes later to let him back in. Thankfully he did this about a week or two and then only got out if he knew my husband was in the front - yes he's really attached!