Couple of Question

Ok nobody be mad at me for the questions or anything. I'm really wondering.
1.) I've heard that Purina dog food isn't good. Why not? and what is better?

2.) I got some people really upset with me over this but i do need help. my dogs have 25 acres to run around on. (we live in the mountains) she chooses to go up a grass covered hill to our neighbors house cause they give her little tidbits off the table and gives her free reign in their house. (she stays on her pillow by the fire and gets no people food in our house) How do i get her to stay home? i've tried everything from shock collars (no one get upset over this , please) to talking the neighbors to send her home. they are getting a new dog and i don't want her hurt. there is a crazy deer that has killed 2 dogs, mountains lions, bears, hunters, and many dogs have "mysteriously" disappeared around us as well. I'm suspecting dog nappers and highways. Please don't tell me a little patience and hard work will do it. 5 years of patience and hard work has gotten me squat. any suggestions?

 

A kennel for when your not home???? $125 for a good chain link kennel will stop her from going any where.

 

oh yes, she is definatly locked up in a kennel (with 3 locks, she's a magician) when i'm gone. no this is when i'm home and she's out with my other dog going to the bathroom. I let them out for 5 minutes before i check on them. in the 5 minutes she's gone up the hill.

 

this is a hard onewell you know the problem is your neighbors are feeding her such tasty goodies that she does not get at home, you said you talked to your neighbors, have they stopped feeding her?? I agree with Sam about a keenel, but then that does no good when she needs to be out. She has been doing this for 5 years?

I would try to make sure they stop feeding her and to get her to come home dont use table food but some really tasty dog treats and give her these and and the she will want ot stay home.

sorry but I cant give any other advice.

as for purina, go to the top of this therad and there is a thread called foor for thought there are lots of posts abuot purina and other foods as well

honeybear

 

hmmm i don't understand. why don't you have a section of your yard fenced in? there's no need to wait 5 years patiently when you can have a fence put up in just a day. i don't understand, maybe it's just me but there isn't a house here that doesn't have a fence up around it and/or their yard. especially if you say you have wild animals and a nearby highway and your neighbors will have a dog too :shock: this was the first thing we did before we got a dog. i live in LA but in the hills so we still have a very large lot of land that belongs to us because we didn't want another house built next to ours. but you don't need to fence the entire thing. we just had a good sized section of it fenced, right off of one of the patios for my sibe to run and exercise and go potty, and keep her away from the skunks when she goes out in the early morning.
this is the only solution, its just a fact, dogs are going to wander, regardless of how much they love you. especially if theres more interesting or tasty things else where. there's no quick fix for the dog, but there is for your yard.

 

I understand where horse child is coming from, she is just a tennager and her parents probably dont want to put a fence in, of coarse that would be the easiest, so I think she is looking for better solutions.

we live on 5 acres but have about 1/4 acre fenced for our dogs.

honeyber

 

1) I think you might find this site helpful: http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/index.php?page=li101

2) Can't you just tie her for the 5 minutes that you're not out there with her?

 

arent you the one who smacks your dog to stop it from running away?

 

Honeybears: yes i have talked to my neighbors about feeding her, no they haven't stopped. i'm only 14 so i don't have alot of power over adults...

Gwen13: my parents would give me the line "you have to pay for it and install it, and i don't want to be able to see it from the road"... so no a fence wouldn't work very well, but thanks for the idea anyway.

Nern: i haven't looked at the dog food site yet but i'm sure it will be helpful. i can't really tie her anywhere because my parents won't let me (trust me, i've tried this already) and she gets all tangled in the line. we've thought about a run but we don't want anything to come out of the trees and kill her because she can't get away. (this has happened before)

Kyles 101: let's turn smacks into smacked, everyone freaked out at the way i work with my dog i decided that i just shouldn't do it so that things like that don't happen again. (this is exactly what i didn't want to be brought up by the way...


Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

well thats good then. proof that it doesnt work if she still runs away. only way i can think of is to stay outside with her and keep treats on you so she hangs around. once shes done her business bribe her inside and give her the treat.

 

Why don't you talk to your parents about installing invisible fencing? Granted it doesn't keep the other animals out but should keep your dog in. Could fence a large portion or small. There is other fencing like deer fencing, less expensive even if they were to do an acre or so. Perhaps talking to your parents and expressing your concerns will help even it you have to say the same thing over & over - sadly your dog may not return home one day. Tell your folks the bears, lions and psychotic deer are causing you to worry about the safety of your pooch. Make them an offer, if they pay for the fencing and let you have an acre - you will maintain it, maybe even landscape it in a way that would fit in with the rest of the property. There are plenty of fast growing trees, shrubs and plants that can hide unattractive fencing - or even compliment it. Other than only letting your dog out when she's leashed, there are not many options. Each time the neighbors give her food she is rewarded and going there is reinforced. They must stop. If they don't listen tell them she has allergies or can only eat certain foods.

Find out if its the law in your area to contain your dog. If you have to, report your parents. They may have to pay a fine - and that will wake them up! I would keep hounding parents and bring up some info on responsible ownership. Sounds like they need a lesson in it. It's great to see that you are the responsible one!
:y_the_best:
Good luck.

 

Jas: We've talked about invisible fencing, but until i can drive i can't get it. my parents don't want to drive 2 hours to get one and have it installed. i'm stuck for another year on that one. and i don't think i can afford one. i haven't done any real deep research on it so i'm not sure. we have talked about it though. mabye i'll bring it up again. the law in our state is you can fence to keep animals out, not in. so i'm not sure how to make that work, and our police system really stinks here so calling in my parents wouldn't work, besides the fact that they'll kill me if i do. my dad is real conservative and hates to spend alot of money. he will take some convincing on that cost issue. my mom will be better about it though.

Kyles: I don't really care to stand out with her when it is 30 below zero and there is a foot of snow on the ground. :wink:

 

I still don't think I understand that situation. The dog is kept inside or at least contained in a kennel, but runs away when let out to go to bathroom, correct? Then why not just leash her to do her business? I know it's cold in the winter, but, I trudge out there with my dog to let her go on a leash and stand out there until she's done. It's usually pretty quick in the winter, she's cold too!

 

That would be the easiest way, but what if i'm not home? my parents sure aren't going to go out with her, my sister would rather not have dogs anyway, so she won't go out either. and in the summer i work so i won't be home and she sometimes runs off even if we are outside with her and get sidetracked in the house for a phone call or something. i just talked to my mom about an invisible fence and she said it was too expensive even if i helped pay for it. im not ready to give up on that one just yet though. :roll: