How do I keep my dog from messing with bears? (lab, vet)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I mentioned before that Kaiser, our rescued GSD of over a year, showed us he is able to jump a 6' fence this past winter. He goes over to say hi to other dogs. I thought I jump-proofed the fence, but was proved wrong.
Two days ago, he jumped the fence and chased off across the creek behind the house. We heard branches breaking with him chasing something down the creek. We thought it was another dog until my son saw a bear walking up the creek. Kaiser came walking up the street in front of the house, muddy from the creek. We figured he saw he bear, chased after it and lost it in the brush.
The next day our neighbor asked how Kaiser was doing. She had heard from a neighbor two houses down that he saw Kaiser dusting it up with the bear and was just certain we took him to the vet. No, he was just dirty, got hosed off and a bath.
So now it's on to other solutions for fence jumping. A doggy backpack seems to be promising. We just have to figure out the ideal load that will keep his feet on the ground while not restricting movement. Oh, the joys of owning an escape artist dog.
I have heard of dogs that will chase off bears, I think thats pretty amazing. He evidently feels very strongly about protecting his family.
As far as the jumping goes, I have seen an aparatus that goes on them like a harness but on the underside so their legs can't get so far apart as to be able to jump but I am not sure these are recommended to be used on a dog when there is no human around.
I have heard of dogs that will chase off bears, I think thats pretty amazing. He evidently feels very strongly about protecting his family.
As far as the jumping goes, I have seen an aparatus that goes on them like a harness but on the underside so their legs can't get so far apart as to be able to jump but I am not sure these are recommended to be used on a dog when there is no human around.
I was able to find a link.
Next time he chases off a bear, you need to give him a special treat.
Yeah, I'm not sure I'd want him wearing it unattended and it looks to be a pain to put on and remove all the time. Currently, we have an inner pen and outer fenced backyard. The dogs have access to the pen all the time and backyard only when someone is home.
I don't mind him chasing off a bear in the yard, but I don't think he needs to chase one outside the yard.
Obedience school will not keep a dog from going over a fence as once it knows it can do that there really is no way to stop it with just a normal 6 ft fence. The self reward of runnig free and chasing what ever is much more of a reward then you could come up with so fence jumping is a self rewarding behavior and is next to impossible to break.
Awhile back I suggested Brightdoglover check out this product for her escape artist so I will put the link on here again. It is called a Coyote Roller and was made to keep coyotes out but it also keeps dog in. It is a bar that rotates under the slightest pressure so is installed on top of a fence so when the animal jumps up to hook their feet which they then pull them selves over the fence they contact the bar and it rotates and they fall back and can not get over the fence. I don't know but I bet after a few attempts they give up even trying. I think I read some place it costs about $4.99 a foot so is not cheap if you have a large fenced in area but it is cheaper then the vet bills if one has a dog that gets out and hit by a car or tangles with wildlife such as a bear.
Fix your fence and never leave your dog unattended to in the yard, especially at night.
You can only make a fence so high. The dogs are never left out to roam in the yard. While we may not always be out with them, we keep an eye on them and he can jump the fence in a blink of an eye. I should add that there have been a couple of times last winter where I was outside and he jumped the fence behind me.
You can only make a fence so high. The dogs are never left out to roam in the yard. While we may not always be out with them, we keep an eye on them and he can jump the fence in a blink of an eye.
Let me tell you, if your dog would hurt a bear, and the game wardens found out about it, you'd be in big trouble. You would be fined.
Now, even if a bear harms your dog, or kills him, you would still be held liable, and bears with cubs are very protective....
Why don't you string a small gage electrical charge around the top of your fence....not a cattle unit, but one for smaller animals. He'll do it once, and never ever try it again, it won't kill him and it's not mean.
All you'd have to do is run one wire at the top of the fence...
We had dobies, years ago and ran one around the bottom and top of the fence...you purchase the charge according to the dogs weight.
some people feel electric fences to be mean, but it was a sure way for us, to keep our dogs from climbing over the fence. We didn't use the area to contain them during the day....but when we were outside, we put them outside.
Last edited by cremebrulee; 07-30-2009 at 11:26 AM..
Obedience school will not keep a dog from going over a fence as once it knows it can do that there really is no way to stop it with just a normal 6 ft fence. The self reward of runnig free and chasing what ever is much more of a reward then you could come up with so fence jumping is a self rewarding behavior and is next to impossible to break.
Awhile back I suggested Brightdoglover check out this product for her escape artist so I will put the link on here again. It is called a Coyote Roller and was made to keep coyotes out but it also keeps dog in. It is a bar that rotates under the slightest pressure so is installed on top of a fence so when the animal jumps up to hook their feet which they then pull them selves over the fence they contact the bar and it rotates and they fall back and can not get over the fence. I don't know but I bet after a few attempts they give up even trying. I think I read some place it costs about $4.99 a foot so is not cheap if you have a large fenced in area but it is cheaper then the vet bills if one has a dog that gets out and hit by a car or tangles with wildlife such as a bear.
Thanks for the link, but I don't know how long they would work in our wet climate. It did give me an idea for an alternative way hinder climbing.
Also, thanks for the first comment on dog behavior. I was considering putting in an invisible fence in addition to the existing fence, but I was thinking he'd take the hit anyway. Your comment confirms that his desire to go meet other dogs will outweigh any reward we can give him to stop it. Right now, it appears the backpack with a couple bottles of water is keeping him off-balance for jumping.
You can only make a fence so high. The dogs are never left out to roam in the yard. While we may not always be out with them, we keep an eye on them and he can jump the fence in a blink of an eye. I should add that there have been a couple of times last winter where I was outside and he jumped the fence behind me.
I would run two feet of a good thick chicken wire along the top. I am thinking of doing this on part of my 4 foot fencing where I think my lab has jumped when I first got her.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Kaiser came walking up the street in front of the house, muddy from the creek. We figured he saw he bear, chased after it and lost it in the brush.
She had heard from a neighbor two houses down that he saw Kaiser dusting it up with the bear and was just certain we took him to the vet. 
No, he was just dirty, got hosed off and a bath. 
as once it knows it can do that there really is no way to stop it with just a normal 6 ft fence. The self reward of runnig free and chasing what ever is much more of a reward then you could come up with so fence jumping is a self rewarding behavior and is next to impossible to break.
