Blue Merle Sheepdog

[quizzer01]

I have a beautiful 2year old dog , but when i let him out for a wee he keeps jumping the fence and goes wandering for hours .Does anyone know how i can stop him doing this ? thanks

[Brinjal]

Make your fence higher. I had an afghan hound who would jump my fence. She was so naughty she would raid peoples chicken coops. The only solution for me was to raise the fence. Considerably.

[Tilly2]

You could take him out for a walk and wear him out...................it would have to be a long walk though.

[RATTER15]

He obviously wants more than being let out for a wee, take him for a walk, you say he goes wandering for hours. If you know he is doing this why dont you go into the garden with him and monitor him and stop him jumping the fence and when he does jump the fence you should immediately bring him back, not let him wander for hours! Sheep dogs need a lot of mental stimulation, I get the feeling your dog maybe be lacking this?

[Tilly2]

I agree 100% with what Ratter has said.

[quizzer01]

Ratter, I appreciate what you said , my son walks him twice a day,but I am disabled so I let him out for a wee but cannot chase after him. I have been told that I should have him spayed ,would this stop the wandering?

[Tilly2]

Take him out for a wee with his lead on, then.

[RATTER15]

Im sorry to hear of your disability, are you unable to walk him at all or take him to the garden yourself, maybe you will need to have the fence raised.

I understand your predicament but please also bare in mind the needs of your dog, maybe you would be better off with an older labrador who wouldn't require as much exercise and not as demanding. Its a difficult situation, I hope you are able to come to a satisfactory conclusion for you and your dog.

[Sharingan]

The cinnamon trust helps people in your sort of situation maintain their relationship with their animals. They can often offer volunteers to walk your dog for you etc. I hope you can get some help, but a good start is a really high fence meanwhile.xx

http://www.cinnamon.org.uk/cinnamon-trust/

[Kleiber]

First of all, can I correct a previous comment? Female dogs are spayed and male dogs are castrated. It is not possible to "spay" a male! I agree that collies need loads of excercise and stimulation, I have 2 of them - a 10yr old male and a (spayed!) 2 year old female. He's finally settled down, in his dotage, but she is a little madam. When she was a pup, she too used to leap over the wall and attempt to go off on her own, but with some training, she doesn't do it any more. Collies are very intelligent dogs and respond well to training. At 2 yrs old, yours is still young enough, so why not try and find someone who can spend quality time with him, train him for you and give him the mental stimulation that he needs? A couple of walks a day by your son really aren't enough.

[divegirl]

Could you not put him on a long line when he is in the garden? I use a horses lunge reign when training rescues a decent recall [and have used it on my own dogs]. Just attach it to his collar and have him tethered securely at the other end.
Make it long enough that he has the ability to wander the garden but not so long that he can do a runner ;0)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-NYLON-HORSE-LUNGE-REIN-LINE-TRAINING-AIDS-/180906468106?pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item2a1edda30a

Lisa x

ps .... no I do not agree with dogs being tied up in the garden all day but this would work as a temporary fix.

[woofgang]

Work his mind. Walking a collie wont help at all if he isn't given opportunities to work his brain. There is plenty of training you can do around the house that will make him more responsive to you and also less bored... How long are the walks that your son does with him and does he get free running time? Have you had the dog since a pup and how much training have you done with him?

Kleiber is actually not correct. If the entire dog is legging it after bitches (and at 2 years old, this might be a contributory cause) then castration will help to extinguish the behaviour PROVIDED the dog gets appropriate kind training as well.
No offence but are you sure that this is the right dog for your circumstances?

[woofgang]

Jordyboy is wrong too!

[Kleiber]

Hey, woofgang, I didn't say anything about not having him castrated. What am I wrong about?? You're assuming that the dog in question is going off because he's following the scent of a bitch, but quizzer didn't say that. It's a collie thing, they love to go off on their own. They're working dogs, after all and need lots of excercise. K

[divegirl]

''No offence but are you sure that this is the right dog for your circumstances? ''

The OP asked for help with a specific problem with her dog. For all you/we know she could be doing flyball each weekend. Please do not question her ability to own this dog when she has already stated that that he is walked twice a day, which is more than a lot of dogs get.
I'm pretty sure that if Quizzer wants help in keeping him entertained she would ask so in a different question. And yes I am aware of the needs of this particular breed.
That said I do agree castration may help, but then I advocate to de-sexing of any dog unless it has been bought with the specific intention of showing and breeding [and even then most of them should be 'done']

Lisa x

[woofgang]

apologies kleiber, i misread, it was jordyboy who said don't castrate. As the OP doesn't seem to know why her dog is legging it, then seeking bitches might be a factor. I am not assuming that it is, neither am I ruling it out.

I do agree that it sounds like the dog doesn't get enough stimulation, but its not unheard of on here for OP's to come back and say...."and he always ends up at so and so, the people are getting really fed up with him bothering their bitch"!!

[Kleiber]

I agree with you, Divegirl.

[woofgang]

OP says she is disabled and can't walk him, therefore I doubt the flyball, also if he was well trained enough to do flyball, i doubt that he would be legging it out of the garden!

[Kleiber]

And you, woofgang. Apology accepted :-) K

[divegirl]

All I am requesting is that the OP is not judged by one post. I see way too much of that on here and find it to be detrimental. Who on earth is going to return for advice when their ability to own their dog is being questioned?
Quizzer mentioned a disability that stopped for from chasing a dog, does that mean she has no right to own one?