[PyrNet-L] CHAT, CARE: fencing tales (long)

[MagEBroD@aol.com]

This is a reprint of an earlier post of mine about fencing that I posted in
Oct. 1998. Felt with so many getting new Pyrs that it was worth repeating for
them:

     All Houdinis (Pyrs) are not created equal!!  At least not in fencing
escaping skills!!    
  I love all the different stories of Houdinis and Shapeshifters!! 
    If you use the green fence bars, they can bend down fencing easy with
their   
  weight. Top boards help prevent this,  but can also be used by some to aid
in their 
  pulling themselves over, too!!  Plus what goes up can come down with enough 
  pulling and chewing often!!  Albert has pulled off a number of fence boards!
I heard
  last week of a St. Bernard that bit right through chain link!!  If a St.
Bernard could
  I bet there exists the Pyr that could!! Albert has chewed right through
numerous 
  fencing boards!!  Albert can undo many clips and hooks and open doors, too.
Pyrs 
  can also dig down their height with ease and relish!!  
     Albert even tried climbing trees to get out!! It was the funniest sight:
There is a
  tree that starts growing out of ground near the fence but slants away from
the
  fence at a fairly severe angle.  Albert used to put his front paws on the
top  of the 
  fence and then try to climb up the tree backwards with his hind feet  (rump
towards 
  tree) He'd get about 4 or five feet in the air and be all stretched out
between the tree 
  and the top of the fence, with the most bewildered look on his face!!! He
knew it 
  should work and was utterly confused  when it didn't!!
     Also never say NEVER!!  About half a year ago we had friends move back to
town 
  from Germany and the woman was leary of Albert's size. We said "Don't
worry...   
  he's in his pen and can't get out."  Within seconds Albert ran and jumped
the fence
  and headed right for us at a gallop!!  Woman was screaming and hugging her
  hubby and hiding behind him!! I'm telling her he's friendly and both hubby
and I are 
  trying to head him off and grab him!!!  Albert runs up to us and we try to
convince 
  her she's not about to be eaten alive. Albert is allowed to lick them (with
their less 
  than enthusiastic permission)  and then Albert rolls over on his back to get
his belly 
  rubbed!!  She actually laughed about it all then, but it had definitely
taken a few 
  minutes for her heartbeat to slow down!! This was an almost five foot
fence!! Most of 
  it is close to 6 feet, but this was shortest section of fence. In a matter
of minutes it 
  was six feet high like the rest. So far so good.......(notice I didn't say
"never" or
  "can't"???!!!)
     Another aside on fencing issue:  I'm always saying I'm not sure who is
more
  obsessed with fencing: my hubby or Albert!!  Albert in the beginning loved
the
  extra time hubby spent in his pen with him...until he figured out that he
was
  making it harder for Albert to get out.  Then the SAD LOOKS he gave
hubby!!!!
  He'd look depressed and sad for a day afterwards!  Then once hubby said "OK
  Albert - you're never getting over this fence now. You'd have to DIG your
way
  out now!!"  (This to a young Albert who at that time had never dug in his
  life!!)  Albert immediately turned around, went over to the gate and started
  DIGGING!!!  Hubby swore he understood him!!! He's never stopped digging
  since!!  (That was probably at least 5 escapes ago! Didn't I say never say
  never?!!)
     Then there was the time shortly afterwards and shortly after yet another
  escape, that hubby was once again in the pen reinforcing the fence again.
  Suddenly he smells something really gross and strong....Albert had come up
and
  pooped right between hubby's feet!!!  Albert just felt a need to give his
  opinion on the whole fence-reinforcing situation!!!  Somehow hubby didn't
  appreciate the humor in this near as much as I did!!!  <VBG>  LOL!!
     OK, future prospective Pyr owner......you can't say you haven't been
  warned!!!
     Then there's the Pyr on my hubby's mail route in Aberdeen that has a pen
  made out of flimsy lattice less than 3 feet high that the Pyr can look over
the top of
  the fence when it has all 4 feet on the ground!!!!  Totally blows our
mind!!!  Maybe
  it's an imposter Pyr!!! Can't be for real!!! Takes all kinds, I guess!! Not
all Pyrs are 
  created equal in escapee skills!! BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!!
     Good Luck!! (You're gonna need it!!  LOL!!) And share your own Houdini
and
  Shapeshifter stories when you get them!!!  Love to hear them!!
  
  :)  &  :)````   (me grinning & Albert grinning & drooling!)
  
  Janice Vocke
  MagEBroD@aol.com
  Shelton, Washington