Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

[Rum_Pirate]

The escape committee has been at it again.

The miscreant (runt of the litter) has excavated a trench under the chain link fencing.

Approximate dimensions 2'6" along the fence line, 2'0" back into the property and 8" deep under the fence.

While I was in the shower he then escaped with the three other dogs.

The 'search and rescue' mission made me late for work this morning. I have temporally put a large container in the hole until I get home this afternoon.


At previous such excavations, I have installed a section of chainlink starting about 1'0" above ground going vertically to the ground then about 2-3'0" along the ground internally for a length of approximately 8'0".

Something like this, but NOT electrified . . . YET !




Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

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[Ted Hoppe]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

Longer twice daily walks for your dog?

[Canoeyawl]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

Open the door for him.

[Rum_Pirate]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

Good idea, but fortunately, or unfortunately, the perimeter does not have the line-of-sight to install those that require a beam.

[Rum_Pirate]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

Longer twice daily walks for your dog?

There are four(4) of them.

Mind you, a walk with two in the early morning and then a walk with the other two in the evening would do wonders for my health, stamina and waistline.

Might work and stop dogs wanting to escape. Great suggestion. I'll try that.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

The dog needs to respect and or love you.

This could be difficult.

[Canoez]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

[Canoez]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

The dog needs to respect and or love you.

This could be difficult.

:::Choking on coffee:::

You could warn a guy, yannnow.

[oznabrag]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

I have an Escape Artist, but she has been completely broken of the habit (fingers crossed).

How did I accomplish this, you may ask?

Well, her technique is principally to bolt through the gate when we open it.

When she did that, it became my habit to close the gate and walk away.

After an hour or so of terrorizing the neighborhood, she wanted back in.

Nope.

Whine? Bark? Wheedle and cajole?

Nope.

Feeding time?

Nope.

Exclusion from the pack?

Yup.

After a couple of such treatments, she decided it just wasn't worth it.

IMG_0886.jpg

65 pounds of dog in a 45-pound sack.

[Glen Longino]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

The dog needs to respect and or love you.

This could be difficult.

lmao....

[Rum_Pirate]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

The dog needs to respect and or love you.

This could be difficult.

On the basis of the article below they love and respect me. Maybe I need to reinforce this on the miscreant.

Signs That Show Your Dog Respects You

March 26, 2010
By Linda Cole
The loyalty of our dogs cannot be questioned; they will stand by us through thick and thin. Dogs can be well behaved and guard our homes and property, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they respect you. You can tell if your dog respects you by how they interact with you.
Happy tail wagging, ears laid back and submissive body language when you return home is one sign your dog respects you. Lip licking, grooming you and even a kiss on the cheek are signs that they recognize you as their leader and respect you.
In the dog world, the leader always goes first. A dog who races to the door ahead of his owner is showing disrespect, and doesn’t see the human as the alpha of his pack. When your dog respects you, he stays calmly behind you and waits for you to walk through the doorway first. Whether you are going outside for a walk, up or down steps or someone has knocked on the door, a respectful dog will never push ahead of his owner.
The alpha always eats first and never gives out scraps of food while eating. The dog who recognizes you as his leader and respects you will never steal food from your hand, the dinner table or your plate. He will wait until you decide it’s time for him to eat. Anytime you feed your dog, if you haven’t eaten beforehand, take a snack and eat it in front of your dog and then feed him. If you can leave your food unattended for a short time, that’s a big sign your dog respects you.
The leader of the pack always takes the prime places for sitting or lying down. The respectful dog will move out of your way anytime you claim a spot on the couch, your chair or in your bed. There’s nothing wrong with allowing your dog on the furniture or in bed with you, but never allow him to push you out of your spot. When you get up, the dog should take a position on the floor and if he is lying in your path, he will get up and move if he respects you. Never walk around your dog. Make him move out of your way.
We need to groom, bathe, trim toenails, give medication, put on flea control and do things the dog may not like. A dog who respects and trusts his owner will not growl while things are being attended to no matter how much he dislikes it. Dogs use eye contact to challenge and intimidate subordinates in the pack. If your dog respects you, he will break eye contact with you first. Never look away from your dog first if he is staring at you.
A dog who completely ignores your commands to sit, drop it, stay or lie down is showing they are the ones who decide when and what they will do. Following your rules and basic commands not only shows your dog respects you, but it’s important for them to learn and obey commands because they don’t understand the danger a moving car can present to them if they ignore it.
Being the leader of the pack is an awesome responsibility. Your dog is giving you his trust that you will provide him with what he needs and do so in a respectful matter as his leader. But you have to earn your dog’s trust and respect. It’s not automatic and you do have to prove yourself to your dog. An owner who appears weak as a leader, is inconsistent, unfair, shows that the dog intimidates them and allows their dog to be dominate has lost the battle for control, and the dog will not respect them.
When a dog doesn’t respect his owner, it can open the door to an out of control, unhappy dog and owner who clash every day. An owner who has not taken full command of his dog will have an unstable and potentially more aggressive pet that is difficult to handle. These are the dogs that often end up in shelters or even abandoned.


It’s not difficult to earn a dog’s respect and trust. By taking the alpha role and showing your dog love, kindness and your own respect for him, your dog will gladly follow and obey you. Be consistent in your training, fair in your punishment if and when it’s needed and give your dog lots of praise. Set aside playing time to bond, and stay in control to earn your dog’s respect and the right to the best places to sit and sleep.

[Rum_Pirate]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

I have an Escape Artist, but she has been completely broken of the habit (fingers crossed).

How did I accomplish this, you may ask?

Well, her technique is principally to bolt through the gate when we open it.

When she did that, it became my habit to close the gate and walk away.

After an hour or so of terrorizing the neighborhood, she wanted back in.

Nope.

Whine? Bark? Wheedle and cajole?

Nope.

Feeding time?

Nope.

Exclusion from the pack?

Yup.

After a couple of such treatments, she decided it just wasn't worth it.

65 pounds of dog in a 45-pound sack.

Thanks, that is a good idea.
I will incorporate that.
Mind you, when it 'returned', I used to give the command 'in' and the dog would get back in and I would discover where it was going in and out. Then I would fix that escape route.

All of mine are 55lbs - 75lbs.

The (now) 55lb villain in question:
IMG_2220.jpg

[Ian McColgin]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

In general inflicting pain is not a wholesome training method. Training a dog with shock collar and invisible boundry takes some care because you need to deliberately lead the dog into pain at a diagonal so that any reaction will cause the dog to pull back from the boundry. If for any reason the dog goes at the boundry straight on at any speed, as if it saw something to chase, it'll burst through with but the briefest pain and will instantly learn that the boundry can be rendered meaningless. In one moment, your careful training and expense are undone for good.

You already have a fence that meets your needs. Invest in chicken wire or a heavier wire mesh, dig along the fence, fold into an L channel and bury. Wire tie or staple the very top of the mesh to the fence a few inches above the ground. Most dogs are deterred by a foot down and a foot in but to be sure it's better to go 2'x2'. Besides, 4' wide rolls are standard, at least around here.

Mesh has real advantages over light chickwire because the chickwire's more open mesh and thinner strands can lead some dogs to hurt their paws in a determined attack on the escape tunnel.

[Osborne Russell]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

The dog needs to respect and or love you.

This could be difficult.

Consistency is key !

[Rum_Pirate]

Re: Suggestions on how to stop a dog digging under the fence?

In general inflicting pain is not a wholesome training method. Training a dog with shock collar and invisible boundry takes some care because you need to deliberately lead the dog into pain at a diagonal so that any reaction will cause the dog to pull back from the boundry. If for any reason the dog goes at the boundry straight on at any speed, as if it saw something to chase, it'll burst through with but the briefest pain and will instantly learn that the boundry can be rendered meaningless. In one moment, your careful training and expense are undone for good.

You already have a fence that meets your needs. Invest in chicken wire or a heavier wire mesh, dig along the fence, fold into an L channel and bury. Wire tie or staple the very top of the mesh to the fence a few inches above the ground. Most dogs are deterred by a foot down and a foot in but to be sure it's better to go 2'x2'. Besides, 4' wide rolls are standard, at least around here.

Mesh has real advantages over light chickwire because the chickwire's more open mesh and thinner strands can lead some dogs to hurt their paws in a determined attack on the escape tunnel.

Thanks, that seems to the best way, especially the dimensions.

Had vet student, as a tenant, who had an anti-bark shock collar on her dog. I couldn't do that, likewise don't like the boundary collar version either.