What is there about a fence that makes the grass greener grass on the other side? During my childhood in farming country, I’ve seen many cows stretching their heads through and over barbed wire fences to reach tender morsels just on the other side of the fence. But, the truth applies to dogs such as the husky, Shyan, and the blue-tick hound, Gus, owned by the News-Times production manager Iva Gail.
As a responsible owner, Iva Gail keeps her dogs penned up in a fence. That satisfied the dogs until their fenced in arena was moved closer to the road where they could see stray dogs roaming the area.
The husky wanted the freedom and fun found on the other side of the fence. While the people went to work and school, Shyan dug a hole and slid under the fence. Glorious freedom!
Gus, the hound would have joined Shyan – but only his head fit through the hole – and Gus is not into a digging dog. He laid with only his head outside of the fence – watching Shyan enjoy her freedom.
She enjoyed freedom so much that she eagerly ran to her owner’s car the minute they arrived and hopped in as soon as they opened the door.
The folks did not join her celebration. They escorted that dog back to her pen, fixed the weak spot in the fence and filled in the hole.
The dog found another spot the next day. The people filled it.
The third day the dog greeted them outside the fence, the family simply did not have time to secure the perimeter. They chained Shyan to her dog house inside the fence and went to town.
When they returned, Shyan had managed to wiggle through the hole. But with a chain, she could only go as far as the other side of the fence. Shyan greeted them, howling pathetically.
“I’ll have to put a dish outside the pen,” the man of the house said.
“No, just let her sit there for a while and be miserable. She needs to learn where to stay,” Iva Gail said.
They went inside. The dog howled until her voice sounded dry from the exertion.
Iva Gail went to the window to check on the dog. Shyan looked at the house, saw no people and quietly slid back under the fence where she slurped water – until she heard the door open.
Immediately, Shyan left her water dish, scurried to the fence, slid out and renewed her pitiful howl.
“I want you to watch this,” Iva Gail called to the departing person back inside.
Behind the window, they watched the husky look around. Seeing no one, she slid under the face and headed for her pans.
Iva Gail tapped on the window.
Shyan perked up her ears, scrambled out of the pen and began whining miserably, again.
That was the last escape. The dog owners moved the fence inside an old cement block foundation. Shyan can not dig through the foundation.
An electronic fence kept another dog away from greener pastures. We heard its story while visiting with folks at a yard sale. The proprietor-for-a-day told my husband and me that he watched their neighbor’s dog as it explored the perimeters of the electronic fence while wearing the receptor collar. Every time the dog neared that invisible fence, it received a mild shock.
It yipped every time – but it continued to investigate the invisible force.
Day after day the dog paced the fence which kept him in the yard.
Bright and early one morning, they heard the dog yipping with even more energy than usual. They went to the window to check on him.
Yipping anxiously, the dog made a running start and headed straight for that invisible barrier – and he never stopped. Yipping loudly from the series of shocks he received, the dog ran straight through the electronic fence, escaping the yard.
He was never, ever seen again – probably because he found a truly green pasture – one without electronic fencing.