I need some advice regarding my fence (gate) and lab.

About two months ago I had a new gate installed on my fence. It's cedar plank. Yesterday my wife called and said that she heard my basset whining and went outside. The lab's head was stuck under the gate and his teeth were wedged into the bottom of the wooden gate. He had tried to bite through the wood and got caught.

Later in the day, animal control brought the dogs to the front door (they are chipped). The lab had chewed his way through the bottom of the gate. Yesterday evening before the rain really came down, I fixed the gate and put new planks on and even fortified with extra planks. Later my wife heard some noise and I went outside. The dogs were gone.

The lab had chewed out enough of the gate bottom for him and the basset to get through. I found them down the street and they are now in their large kennel.

I'm at a loss. I've never had problems with him in the past. He is about 8 years old and good tempered. I'm not sure what I should do.

Should I just rebuild the gate and put up the invisible fencing (shock fencing) at an inside perimeter of the place he is chewing?

Is he fixed? At 8 I'd be a little suprised to see him trying to get out after a dam in heat but it is possible.

Might also try putting chicken wire along the inside bottom of the fence/gate; make it really undeseirble to chew through.

yeah! Chicken wire might work.

He is cut. I'm not sure what's causing him to flip out. It's amazing how he just chewed it up - like some kind of crazy assed wild animal.

Was it during a thunder storm? My first lab never had a problem until she turned about 8 years old, then all of a sudden she was terrified of thunder. She was a hunting dog and gun fire and loud noises never bothered her. Another problem is once they have escaped a place, they never quit trying to escape at that same point of weakness.

I would just run a hot wire at the bottom of the fence, it's easier/cheaper than an invisible fence.

I can't run the hot wire because I live in a neighborhood and that would probably be a liability issue. I'm going to try the chicken wire. I'll probably double or triple up the chicken wire.

He's never been afraid of thunder in the past...and it wasn't thundering when he first did it.

Why would a hot wire INSIDE your fence be a liability?

It should be no more liability than dog ownership.

[This message has been edited by Max06 (edited 7/10/2012 10:35a).]

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I can't run the hot wire because I live in a neighborhood and that would probably be a liability issue.

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Go to Tractor Supply, get the small animal hot wire kit. It runs on 2 D batteries.

If you touch the wire while wearing shoes, it will feel like a 9v battery on your tongue. If you are not wearing shoes, it'll make you jump, but it doesn't hurt. It won't hurt the dogs either, but they won't like it.

I have an area with no fence, I put up the wire several years ago. There are no batteries in the thing, but my dog won't get near it even when chasing away cats. The same dog used to run through the invisible fence like it wasn't there.

I had the same issue with my border collie/aussie mix. She would literally chew through the fence in thunderstorms. After getting tired of replacing the wood I went to lowes and bought a couple of metal L straps and screwed them into the corner of the gate. Hasnt gotten out since.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_72401-72913-1212L_4294934399__?productId=1099147&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1


[This message has been edited by FlyFisher99 (edited 7/10/2012 11:15a).]

Once he gets popped a couple of times by the wire it won't need to be turned on. The sight of it alone will deter him.

If the wire stapled to the fence doesn't work. roll it up similar to concertina wire and put it at the base of the gate along the entire bottom so he can't access the wood to chew on it.

Ya but your dog is crazy, and eats chi-chi birds whole (feathers and all) that get shot during bad duck hunts.

I'm having the exact same problem with my 6 year old chocolate lab. I routinely replace boards every 2 months. What I am planning to do soon is getting soem flexible tin and screwing it around the board then putting it back up. Chicken wire would also work I would imagine.

Electric wire for a few days.

I replaced the boards yesterday along with a good hard barrier of fine mesh wire. It looked real good and was sturdy. Well, he chewed right through the wood and the wire. Tomorrow I buy the hot wire...I'm gonna shock his ass back to sense.

Got it installed. The basset hound touched it slightly and yelped. The lab wasn't fazed by it at first, but after about a second on it he yelped. I think I have found some success. If he digs elsewhere, I'm gonna run it around the entire fence.

How long is the electric wire? I might be needing to resort to it soon

The electric is a pulse, not.constant. The probably had to touch it for a second before the pulse hit. Seriously, once they learn that the wire is hot, you won't ever have to turn it on again.

Trey: this particular one can run for 2 miles. However, mine I ran just where he was getting out...about 6 feet.

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Trey: this particular one can run for 2 miles. However, mine I ran just where he was getting out...about 6 feet.

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Not sure why I found this so amusing... I am assuming it is because I know you and can visualize you going out there doing this all frustrated with a **** eating grin on your face saying "now try to get out you ******!!!"

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Once he gets popped a couple of times by the wire it won't need to be turned on. The sight of it alone will deter him.

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Unless you are my pointer and just yelp and keep climbing the fence.