Sammie Girl the Wanderer Bolted Out the Door this morning

[snoopymjm]

Ok. So I've had a fun morning herding up my dog. We got her back. This girl loves to roam and can run like a whippet. She thinks its fun. So, I've been hanging out in the field at the end of our street hoping she doesn't follow the canal to the other neighborhood. We just got her back on the 14th after she went missing for 6 days. We just adopted her from the Humane Society on New Year's Eve.

I managed to catch her after 3 hours. I get her in the car, to my front door and then she pulls her little head our of her collar and takes off again. dog. By this time, I have renamed her head. Just kidding. And, she has made me feel like Steve Martin and made a out of me. LOL I'll walk away, she comes toward me. She will even get in reach of me, but scats off quick. I walk to her, she goes the other direction. Argh.

So, I've got the whole neighborhood looking for her. She has now become socialized with the dogs at the end of the culdesac in front of the field. But she is just sniffing along having a good ole time. My neighbor finally trapped her between two houses with a wood fence . So, Sammie says, "hmmm okay...I'm trapped. I think I'll take the cheese she is offering me. Cindy got her. I donno what I am going to do with this dog. She has made friends with Cindy's dogs, Duchess and and her male cocker, Dexter. In addition, she has taken to Muggs, the male Boxer at the end of the culdesac. However, she is still a little intimidated by Muggs because he is a 60lb Brittish Boxer. But Duchess is great with her. Duchess is a mixed breed of Irish Setter, and Border Collie or some type of herding dog-because this dog is very smart. She can round her up and at least keep her interested in playing.

So...I am hoping that if she gets loose again, she won't wander far from our neighborhood. I just hope she doesn't make it a habit of taking off. I will gladly take her down to the field to play and sniff about. But, I don't have 4 hours a morning to waste supervising her playing down in the field. She will come to you when she is darn right ready to on her terms.

I know I have to get her in obedience training soon. ASAP.

Right now, she is just chillin on the couch watching cartoon network with my son. She has been out most of this morning.

But this girl is a roamer and a hunter at heart. Will she ever settle with us? I have no history on her. She is spayed and 2y/o. Despite all this, I love the lil stinker. Maybe I should rename her STINKERBELLE. She looks like an , but wants to field and wander. We aren't even a hunting family. What can I do to stimulate her or keep her interested in us?

[clm]

Quite the morning you've had. She's adorable.
First off, I would get a no slip collar for her so she can't back out of it.
Second, every time you go to open up the door, clip the leash on her. Keep it by the door so it's handy.
Third, you already said it, obedience training. I would have a trainer come to the house to deal with the bolting out the door thing as well.
Now for working off her energy. A couple of good brisk 45 minute walks a day will help or you could get her into obedience or flyball, other doggie activities through a club in your area.
Hard to get past that pretty face, she really is a sweetie.

Cindy

[snoopymjm]

I am DEFINITELY going to get a harness collar. Thanks! The leash tip by the door is great too!

[luckypenny]

She wanted to play tag with her Mom this morning .

Definitely look into obedience training, your trainer will be an invaluable source to you! I taught our gals and guy "sit" "stay" a distance away from and before I opened the door and then progressed to teaching it to them while the door was being opened and then while it was open. Not only should you have the leash by the door, but it should be on her and it securely in your hands before you head out.

Of all the friends she made this morning, are there any who you could make play dates with, in a secured yard that is? It'll help with some of her energy for sure.

[snoopymjm]

Originally Posted by luckypenny

She wanted to play tag with her Mom this morning .

Of all the friends she made this morning, are there any who you could make play dates with, in a secured yard that is? It'll help with some of her energy for sure.

Yes. Duchess loves to hang out in my yard. Especially when Cindy's daughter comes over to see my daughter. We have a fenced yard. So, it should not be a problem. My husband has secured the area where she got out before. And, we keep a baby gate infront of the iron gate so she doesn't try to stick her head through them and get herself stuck. we are going to have to put some chicken wire or something over it so this won't happen.

[rainbow]

Hee hee....that was quite a morning you had. I'm glad you got her back fairly quickly though. Play dates with Duchess is a great idea to tire her out and can't say enough about how valuble obedience training is. Sometimes I think we should go back for a refresher course.

[t.pettet]

Try running in the opposite direction after you've called her and if she responds catch her and give a treat and praise. Very few dogs ran resist chasing after someone. Treats and praise can be used when she's in your yard and you want her to come in. Positive training.

[snoopymjm]

Originally Posted by t.pettet

Try running in the opposite direction after you've called her and if she responds catch her and give a treat and praise. Very few dogs ran resist chasing after someone. Treats and praise can be used when she's in your yard and you want her to come in. Positive training.

Oh i know. I ran so fast out the door to get her that I forgot the cheese.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by snoopymjm

But this girl is a roamer and a hunter at heart. Will she ever settle with us?........What can I do to stimulate her or keep her interested in us?

She's obviously part hound so the roaming is instinctive, so is the taking off to wander. Hound breeds were bred to "go" all day long on hunts so she will need LOTS of exercise. The field you mention would be great expecially if you have a 50-100+ foot lead to take her out on - this gives her some freedom to wander plus you still have a "hold" of her.

Obedience training is a must w/all hound breeds but you will need to work extra on come/stay & all her training will need to be kept up & reinforced repeatedly.

Hounds are also very much pack dogs & are most happy when with their people or other dogs, not left alone.

An old neighbour of mine had a Treeing Walker Coonhound who was not happy at all (most pathetic baying you have ever heard all day long) if not allowed to come & go as he pleased during the day when no one was home

[snoopymjm]

Originally Posted by growler

Hounds are also very much pack dogs & are most happy when with their people or other dogs, not left alone.

An old neighbour of mine had a Treeing Walker Coonhound who was not happy at all (most pathetic baying you have ever heard all day long) if not allowed to come & go as he pleased during the day when no one was home

Poor baby. I wish I had a smilie for pouting.

She doesn't bark..mostly a squeeling, pitiful whine :sad: Just looking to get out. I am here during the day, so I can keep her company. But a definite on the lead. She needs a harness, because she's houdini with a collar.

[growler~GateKeeper]

the squeeling pitiful whine - is the hound baying - listen to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCSbf7FbA_s 2 bloodhounds baying

[snoopymjm]

Originally Posted by growler

the squeeling pitiful whine - is the hound baying - listen to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCSbf7FbA_s 2 bloodhounds baying

Still looking at it. Takes a while to load. It is a very, high pitched almost whistling whine. Not deep.

BTW, British Columbia IS beautiful. I would love to visit Vancouver one day.

[allymack]

i agree to keep her leash by the door, and also if there is a shelf ner ther front door, maybe put a few treats up there without her knowing, she when she does bolt out the door you have treats handy and you wont forget them. also have a trainer come to your house and work with you guys there, also i will reccomend "intteruption" training. put her on her leash and open the door, when she starts to go out, shut the dog, it may tap her on the sides a few( so dont close to hard, but hard enough that she will get out of the way) and after a while she will realize after a few days of the training not to bolt out the door. also i must add in she is such a cutie!

[snoopymjm]

I think she is finally taking to us. She had a good day yesterday and today had some fun romping in the backyard with our son playing some fetch and run. She loves to play. My son thinks she likes to play tag and they will chase each other back and forth. I need to invest in some good toys. She seems less preoccupied with finding a way out. The other day, we found her digging to China under the gate. My husband placed some bricks half way down in the grass. I haven't seen her digging since then. We also got some better wire to place over our rod iron gate to the courtyard so she doesn't poke her head or muzzle through it.

She now thinks she owns the couch. She comes in the back door and the first thing she does is plop right up there. Thank goodness for Denim Slip covers. I don't now how we'd get by without them. , especially with a 5 y/o boy and a new dog. We don't mind her getting on the couch. We want her to feel at home.

[Saphron83]

LOL, sounds like one of my mornings I had with our boxer Apollo. he got out and thought it was a game, so i run away and he will kind of chase me, and i'll almost catch him, then he's gone again. He was out on a -30 day and wouldn't come in, and someone in the bay drove up. I asked her to call his name, she was such a witch she wouldn't call him because it wasn't her #$%$$@$ dog. So we both froze for 45 minutes. I have never experienced someone so rude.

I thought she needed the behavioral training, not my dog.



Good Luck with your puppy, shes quite cute. It took about a 3 months for Apollo to realise that this was his home.

Good luck
Jessica