Our springer spent most of yesterday out beating and came home knackered.  I bathed and groomed him last night and all was well.  Eldest son went out for the night.  Spent the whole of the night infront of the TV with dogs in the house.  They went to bed as usual.

This morning I let them out and left them in the garden (as I often do) while I prepared for a busy day.  I took a phone call which scuppered all plans so I had to make some emergency calls to stop people making wasted journeys.  I guess the dogs were in the garden (with kennel door and conservatory door open) for about an hour but when I went out, only two cockers and no springer in sight.

Last summer we had a problem with him getting out (twice) after bitches but since his anatomical adjustment he's been fine - until today.  I sent the search parties out and organised a neighbour to stay in the house manning phone and sure enough after about 20 mins the call came to say he was at the vets (my old vet not current one).  I went up to get him to be met by our local police inspector who'd found him in town, 1.5miles away, eating burgers left over from last night!

Rightly so, I got quite a reprimand, not least of all because he wasn't wearing a collar (although of course he was microchipped).  The vets told me off because I they didn't know he'd been castrated!  :rolleyes:

My current reflection is how to stop him scaling 6' fences and how can I be comfortable with him safely wearing a collar.  I know the answer is adapting the fences so they have wire at a 45 degree angle inwards or leaving him either in the house, or garden with supervision only.  His safety is paramount and I'll be phoning the fencing chap tomorrow (bye-bye xmas presents (sorry James, I know you wanted an X-box)., and if I put a collar on him, what happens if he gets into the field and goes straight into the hedgerow?  I've twice had to get dogs out of deep undergrowth when they've been hung up on collars.  I know this isn't such an issue with dogs who don't work, but for dogs that do, I am not sure what to do.  Damned if you do, and damned if you don't. 

I do genuinely feel awful and I don't like the fact I've failed at responsible dog ownership, for today at least.  It's such a shame that castration hasn't stopped him on the odd occasion although it has at least stopped him fathering puppies irresponsibly I guess.

you havnt failed, hes just found the chink in the fence armour that you have already planned to try and remedy.thank god he was ok thats the main thing.

how about the keep safe break away collar?
HTH :)
(and a {hug} for your horrid day, glad he was safe and well x)

Ditto morgan on this ;)  Don't beat yourself up for it - dogs, eh, who'd 'ave 'em :rolleyes: :D

Mine don't wear collars either - I have had one fairly bad accident and another near miss in days gone by so I can fully understand where you're coming from in not wanting them as permanent fixtures :(

Once the fencing is sorted out - which is in hand after all ;) - it will seem a lot easier.

Cheer up, Teri :)

If he is that much of an escape artist, not much is going to stop him apart from your vigilance.  I think I've read on some of your other posts that he is kennelled and not a house dog, (please correct me if I am wrong) if this is the case I would only have him out when you can also be in the garden too, he is obviously one of those dogs who will take advantage the minute you are distracted so I guess you just have to remind yourself he can not be trusted, and when you know you are going to be distracted for a while to pop him back in his kennel. I agree the collar is a bind for him as a working dog and he is in danger of being snagged in undergrowth etc, being a working dog it is quite dangerous so personally after he has had a good exercise working or playing pop him in his kennel unless you are able to watch him constantly, as I dare say he will not wish to escape if he has your attention on him.

What a little piggie eating those burgers!!!!

What a norty boy

Eating left over burgers as well

Perhaps there is a bitch in season and he still remembers what the smell means :)

Lucy
xx

Snap!!

im having th same problem with my springerX he keeps escaping but thankfully at the moment he just goes out of mine up the path to my bosses house and sits by my car, i dont like leaving collars on mine but do for this reason, i do however put their collars on loose enough so that if they are caught by anyone/thing they can slip out. as for escaping when i find the answer to the prolems ill let you know ;) :D

tanya

I hope the OP on the Springer thread reads this!

I am seriously considering the collar issue but can't be convinced.  I know that the answer is simply to keep him securely in.  The fencing chap has been round and I'm waiting for the quote but he looked at me like I was mad when I told him the dog could jump 6' fences.  Probably thanks to larchlap rather than vertical board giving him the small bit of lift he needs.  New gate without rounded top on order!

I think Lucy is right, he knows the smell of a bitch too well (take note if you're thinking of breeding!).  Carrington is right, he's an angel when supervised but is now a cocky git when on his own (so much like my son!) and I have to remember that he can't be trusted.  He's now nearly 9 and has only just discovered this ability. :rolleyes:  (and yes he sleeps in a kennel).

We still love him though, even if it takes me a while to get over the embarassment of a telling of from the Policeman.  PS he had a journey in a lovely unmarked navy volvo estate!  I hope he behaved.