I have a JUMPER!!!!

[Terryw123]

So my 8 month old pup has some serious daddy issues and cant handle being away from me and has figured out how to jump my small 5 ft fence. Thank god he stayes in my front yard but, I don't want anything to happen to him. Any tips on training him to not jump the fence?

[HeatherH]

He's young. I had the same problem. My Dutch is a year now and settling nicely. Have you thought about adding lattice to the top of your fence?

As for the anxiey of the daddy issue mix other things and people in the mix, I tried to distract him when my husband leaves for a minute or 2 on a walk. When we leave for work that's when we feed him so he goes after that. He know's we're coming back so he waits by the gate just before we drive in. They get use to the routine. I have to have other people come in to watch him (family only) from time if we go away.

We had a horrible incident while leaving him a a kennel. Not the kennels fault they were great. So we're working him back into the kennel.

Heather

[Terryw123]

Ok thanks Heather. I caught him in the middle of the act of trying to come out front and I gave him a firm no which I think he knew I was serious because he has been good the last couple times I have put him out in the backyard while I was out front. I also was thinking of trying to reward him somehow when he comes in through the backyard door and if he comes in through the front after he gets out trying to establish that as bad. Any suggestions?

[Stacy_R]

if he comes in through the front after he gets out trying to establish that as bad. Any suggestions?

First, Tyson had this issue, too. I swear I should have named him Velcro...

Second, I don't know that I would establish as "bad" any form of coming to you...through any door. If for some reason he got out because of an accident (gate left open, break in fence, a leash breaking while you are out front with him, whatever) you want him to feel comfortable and confident that the front door is good, too. All doors lead to home and safe. If you establish the front door as bad, you may have recall issues in the future if you need to recall from that position. Keep focusing on the not jumping over. Just my

[Terryw123]

Stacy he is jumping a side gate to get to me but, it is also if he is in the backyard and thinks I might have gone out front. IE he cant see me inside. He is great in the backyard if he can come in and out of the house but since i have two young boys that sometimes give me a run for my money I try to get him out of his crate because he loves chasing the birds tha come into my backyard. It's only when he knows that I am out front or thinks there is a possibility I am out there that he jumps the fence.

[Stacy_R]

Hey Terry...I got that. And Tyson was doing that, too...if he even merely thought I was out front, boom, over the puppy fence. There are things that happen accidentally that might lead to him being out front by himself. In that case, I wouldn't want the front door to be seen as bad. If your dog somehow ends up being out front by himself, you want him to come to you through ANY door. If you establish the front door as bad, you may have recall issues (from the front door) in the future (i.e. what dog wants to willingly come to someplace that is has been established as bad?). I am only suggesting that you not equate coming to/in the front door as bad because of experience...
I had a foster Shar-Pei who was a runner, can you say UGH?!
You want to focus on the jumping issue. There are many exercises you can do to modify that behavior which will focus on catching him doing it right Most will require help from a friend or family member (since you can't be in two places at once) and time.
One thing you can try is have someone in the house watching him as you go through the following steps:
1. put him out back.
2. come back in and go out front.
3. when you go out front, have your helper watch his behavior from inside the house.
4. as soon as said helper tells you he is starting to show signs of stress and look like he might want to jump,
5. go back inside and then out the back door (He'll be like "hmm...cool, dad's back.).
6. Don't say anything to him, just walk out back, stand there for a minute or two, and then go back inside,
7. wait a minute or two and then go out front.
8. Lather, rinse, repeat (hopefully being able to increase the length of time you are out front a little at a time).
I wouldn't do this for more that 15-20 minutes per session, or you might reach his threshold (the point at which they are too stressed to think). On the last successful out-in-and-out of each session, I would offer a reward (food, toy, bone...whatever he responds to best).

Hopefully someone else, either on this forum or a trainer in your area, can give you some more ideas.

Good Luck!!!!

[HeatherH]

Because of the recall issue and I don't want him to think of the gate as freedom I don't yell or say "NO". It's simply "Stay" or "wait". I try not to yell. I use "Stop" if he's dong something I don't want him to or "Enough" if he's horsing around. He's alllowed out the gate if we're going for a walk or going in the van. I tell him what we're doing before I slip his leash on so he know what in store. If you continue instructing him on what to expect they soon don't think of the gate as freedom or a game.

H

[Terryw123]

Heather thank you so much for the good imput. Sorry for the long time responding. I have just been really busy. He has been doing really well and hasn't jumped in a while. I'm hoping he is going to keep it up!