Re: [PyrNet-L] underground fencing

[Jeanne M Bravin <gypsyunltd@juno.com>]

I'm lucky with Gypsy with regards to fencing.  We've got two fence
systems - a 6' stockade around the back deck, patio, and pool area, and
then a 6' foot chain link encompassing the entire yard.  Usually we leave
the stockade gate open so that she can come and go as she pleases between
the two parts of the yard, and we haven't had an escape attempt yet. 
Then again, Gypsy has an unusually high respect for fences of any type. 
We put up one of those little baby gates to confine her to the kitchen
when she was a wee little pup, and now, at 9 months, she could step right
over it but doesn't.  To her, that little fence is an unpassable
boundary.  Her respect of fences came in handy when we covered our
in-ground pool.  As far as she was concerned, that cover had no business
on the pool and she felt it her duty to remove it.  Knowing how she felt
about fences, we ran a roll of cheap wire fencing (2' tall, like you'd
use in a garden) around the pool.  She took one look at it, recognized it
as a new boundary, and hasn't tried to cross it.  

I had an Irish Setter one time that could and would jump any fence.  We
tried everything that we could think of, with no success.  Every day, I'd
come home from work to find him waiting for me at the end of the
driveway.  He was a great obedience dog, so this fence thing drove me
crazy.  Finally a trainer that we were working with at the time suggested
that we teach him to jump the fence.  I thought it was a dumb idea, but
promised that I'd give it a shot.  At first it was funny, trying to
convince the dog that I really wanted him to jump the fence, but he got
the idea and would soon jump that fence on nothing more than a hand
signal.  Surprisingly enough, he stopped jumping the fence unless I asked
him to do it!  

Jeanne
GypsyunLTD@juno.com