# teaching to stay in the yard



## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

Without a fence, there really is no way to 100% guarantee that your dog will stay in your yard at all times when you're not there, even with lots of training. All that it could take is a bird, squirrel, or another interesting object for your dog to take off running. Even the most highly trained dogs sometimes can't resist the temptation of a bird or squirrel chase. I personally do not like those collars since they are not always effective. Since you don't have a fence, I wouldn't let your pup outside alone without supervision. You wouldn't want to risk her being hit by a car, stolen, picked up by animal control, or upsetting your neighbors if she wanders into their yards. It's just way too risky. I also wouldn't leave your dog tied up all day while you're gone. Goldens aren't meant to live outside. A nice, safe crate or a baby gated room indoors would be much better and safer.


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

One option is a hidden fence. Have you considered this? You wouldn't have to do your entire perimeter, you can pretty much define whatever area you want but the line has to run a full circle around your home. I have one and it works for me but is no substitute for supervision.


----------



## babbs (Feb 9, 2010)

I had 10 acres with my first golden (also had a black lab at the time) and thought for sure they'd be OK. We were a pretty good distance from the road. They were in an outdoor pen during the day and let "free" when we were home and 9 times out of 10 came when hollered for. Inevitably, however, the 2 of them set off chasing a flock and while he made it across the road, she was hit hard and ended up with a plate and 7 screws in her "guaranteed" hip. She was only one at the time and thanks to a great surgeon lived a great 12 years past that with no trouble. I am still haunted by the vision though, and just wanted to share as a reminder to be careful about leaving them run. Oh, the lab ate the neighbor's chickens as well, so it was back inside for the 2 of them.


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Just take the dogs out on leash. It's not worth the risk of the really special squirrel coming and running in front of the unlucky car.


----------



## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

Can you fence off part of the yard? 

We don't have a physical fence and I won't let the dogs out without supervision.


----------



## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I'm not a fan of e-fencing.

IMO, expecting young, curious dogs to stay on your property w/o a fence is an unfair expectation. Perhaps with enough training and relationship building you can keep the dogs from running off when you're out there working/playing with them, but to expect them just to stay there when unsupervised --- nah. Not likely going to happen.


----------



## T Man (Mar 18, 2010)

Jo Ellen said:


> One option is a hidden fence. Have you considered this? You wouldn't have to do your entire perimeter, you can pretty much define whatever area you want but the line has to run a full circle around your home. I have one and it works for me but is no substitute for supervision.


Yes, this is what I was wondering about, the underground fence that stimulates something in a collar if they cross it, I have heard that you only need to turn it on for a while and then they just stop crossing it. I know an unexpected distraction like a squirrel or something would be different, but I am just thinking about times when we are home but not outside, or just letting them out to do their business before bed, etc.


----------



## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

Leash or fence, otherwise you are playing Russian Roulette.

Teaching a reliable recall would help, too. Or put up a clothesline and hook them on a long lead. You still have too supervise them, though, so they don't get tangled up. Good luck!


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

I think, if you are still planning on breeding your dog/dogs down the road and will have them intact, that a good, solid, 5-6 foot tall fence would be a very good idea. The underground fence is nice, but chances are you will have many male guests wandering over twice a year and either causing unwanted 'oops' breedings, testosterone fights and a lot of dog pee on everything - the wind can carry the scent a long way!

Plus with a mom and puppies, you're going to have a lot of work to keep them safely contained without a fence anyway.

Lana


----------



## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

We live on 5.5 acres (plus another 3.5 acres of "family land" adjacent) but we never let the dogs out of the fenced portion unsupervised. To much wildlife to distract and chase where they could end up on the road or bothering neighbors.

If a visible fence isn't an option, I'd at least get an invisible fence but keep an eye on them until you're sure they'll obey it 100%.


----------



## T Man (Mar 18, 2010)

Willow52 said:


> We live on 5.5 acres (plus another 3.5 acres of "family land" adjacent) but we never let the dogs out of the fenced portion unsupervised. To much wildlife to distract and chase where they could end up on the road or bothering neighbors.
> 
> If a visible fence isn't an option, I'd at least get an invisible fence but keep an eye on them until you're sure they'll obey it 100%.


Yeah I'm thinking that the invisible fence is the way I will go, sigh, lol, there goes another $300.


----------



## Nicole74 (May 30, 2009)

Some dogs are really good about not leaving the yard and others are not. I'm very lucky and Bailey sticks by us. She comes when she is called. I have done a lot of training with her. However, we do not leave her outside unattended.


----------



## T Man (Mar 18, 2010)

Well, got the wireless invisible fence and it works AWESOME! I tried it on myself to make sure the setting wasn't too high, laid out the flags so the dogs had a visual reference, walked them around the perimter a couple of times and they got it almost immediately. Now in place for a week or so, they don't go out of the area at all! I still have the flags up, but I will begin to take out every other one and then eventually all of them. I won't use this when we aren't home, but at least to me this is soooooooo much better than tying them up because they have way more freedom. Worth every penny IMHO.


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I agree, I love my hidden fence, it's working wonderfully for us too. I do want to caution you to not get too comfortable though. Dogs will run through the boundary if the temptation or reward is great enough.

Good luck, glad it's working for you!


----------



## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

It ain't gonna work. A Golden will chase a butterfly clean to China if given the chance.

At a minimum, if you want them outside, you need to put up a fenced kennel. Even if it's a 15 X 50 chain link area. ALWAYS bar the bottom of a chain link fence used for dogs.


----------



## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Just remember that an electric fence isn't going to keep other dogs or animals out (I know you said you have coyotes). If your female is still intact, when she goes into season, it isn't going to keep other dogs out either. You won't even want to have her out in the kennel during the day while you are gone.

I am not fond of underground fencing but think that it can work as long as you are out there with the dogs. If the temptation is high enough value, many Goldens will run through the fence without a thought.


----------



## lovealways_jami (Apr 17, 2007)

Ill tell you what worked for mine (sounds silly) but I used positive reinforcement. I started by walking mine on a leash right on the border of the yard and road. When they would touch the road I would stop and smack the pavement with a stern "No". I did this everytime I took them out for months. When they would walk the border without touching the road they got treats. I know this probably isnt routine procedeure but it totally worked on all 3 of mine. Happy Training.


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I've said this before but I'll say it again. What the hidden fence does for us is give Daisy a little more distance from the temptation and a little more time to process -- that gives me more time to react.

It works for us, but it is no substitute for supervision. Daisy is never outside without me, I am always vigilant to what is going on in her world.


----------



## Sophie_Mom (Jan 21, 2009)

My fenced in backyard is my favorite thing about my house. It is great for us and for Sophie (and the cats too - but they are naughty and try to climb it sometimes!). Sophie has great recall and never runs off when we have her supervised in the front yard, but I would never, ever leave her out there by herself for even a minute. The people across from us have the electric fence, and I can't help it -- I cringe every time I hear a yelp. I can see some benefits to them, but I just wouldn't have the heart.


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

The stable I used to teach at had two dogs that were outside most of the time. They lived in the house with the owner, but whenever the owner was outside (which was 90% of time) the dogs were with her. She had them since they were puppies and they got used to sticking to her side off leash when she was doing the chores or teaching lessons. One was a JRT and the other was a rottie X. There were times when she'd go into the house and leave the dogs outside and the JRT would hunt gophers in the back field while the rottie sunbathed. A busy highway was about 50 feet from her front door, but the dogs NEVER went near the front of the property, just the back acres.

One evening, though, the JRT and rottie weren't in the yard when the owner went up to the house for the night. She called and only the rottie came back. Found the JRT a few days later - poor thing tried to take on a badger. She was only about 50 feet west of the house in a little wooded area. 

The neighbours on the other side of that acreage just got a lab puppy a few months ago. Instead of having the dog following them around when it was still young and impressionable, they always had him leashed up and would drag him around until he was about 7 months old. THEN they took off his leash and trusted him to "not leave the property" when he'd never been off leash or shown the boundaries OR taught to follow his "person". One day they found him 15 miles down the busy highway sitting ON the highway. Since then they leave the poor guy chained up regardless of whether they're home or not. 

I think a huge part of it depends on the dog itself (whether or not they're wanderers or hunters) and the other is how they were raised. I took my old border collie out to the stable constantly and he was never on leash. I'd be there for 5-8 hours at a time and he'd wander around, hunt gophers, sleep in the shade, but rarely let me out of his sight. That was just him. Ranger, on the other hand, I wouldn't trust for the life of me. He'd be out of sight so quickly on the scent of something, I wouldn't find him for days. If I had him as a puppy, he'd probably be better but I still don't think he'd ever be as trustworthy as my old border collie (who we didn't rescue until he was 2 yrs or so).


----------



## T Man (Mar 18, 2010)

Sophie_Mom said:


> My fenced in backyard is my favorite thing about my house. It is great for us and for Sophie (and the cats too - but they are naughty and try to climb it sometimes!). Sophie has great recall and never runs off when we have her supervised in the front yard, but I would never, ever leave her out there by herself for even a minute. The people across from us have the electric fence, and I can't help it -- I cringe every time I hear a yelp. I can see some benefits to them, but I just wouldn't have the heart.


 
The couple of times that mine needed a correction didn't seem stressful to the dog at all, she just turned around and came back, no yelp or anything, but I tested the strength to make sure it wasn't too high.


----------



## GoldenJoy (Jul 30, 2009)

We live right next to a very busy road, we cannot afford "real" fencing, and we don't trust e-fencing, sooooooo Joy is always on a leash! I have a 45 foot lead so that she can romp and run and fetch, and we do a lot of running around together - good exercise for me! Of course, this is in addition to long walks and trips to the dog park. Leashes are GREAT!!!!!! It's also a VERY helpful arrangement for guaranteeing that she potties where we want, and we can continue to "surprise reward" her for going in the right spot.


----------



## T Man (Mar 18, 2010)

NuttinButGoldens said:


> It ain't gonna work. A Golden will chase a butterfly clean to China if given the chance.
> 
> At a minimum, if you want them outside, you need to put up a fenced kennel. Even if it's a 15 X 50 chain link area. ALWAYS bar the bottom of a chain link fence used for dogs.


Different dogs must react differently. Mine used to chase robins as they landed, even after just a week she won't go after them outside of the zone now.

Oh, and we do have a fenced kennel which is where they go when we aren't home. They can move around and they have an insulated dog house in there as well.


----------

