• My boy Rainie goes over the fence so I have to keep him on a cable inside the fenced yard. The cable is attached to a point where he can cover the majority of the fenced yard but it doesn't stop him from going over the fence itself. If he does go over the fence he can only go as far as the cable allows but he can't run off. (He usually likes to perch on the top rail to look around but rarely goes over.)

    On the afternoon of Dec 24, I left Rainie and 3 other dogs outside and went to take a nap. When I got up, I opened the gate to let them in and to my surprise, Rainie ran in dragging half his cable. I crated the dogs then went out to investigate. The broken part of the cable was on the outside of the fence. Uh oh. It looked like Rainie had gone over the fence, broke the cable, went who knows where for who knows how long, then came home and climbed the fence to get back with the other dogs.

    I wanted to hug him for being so smart about getting back home safely but on the other hand I wanted to kill him for getting out of the yard in the first place. @#$% dog.


  • Isn't that dangerous for Raine to be able to go over and/or jump up on that fence with a cable hooked to him? If the cable got caught on the top of that fence he could hang himself or cause serious injury. Lisa Voss posted a link to Coyote rollers which I think is a better option.
    http://www.coyoteroller.com/home


  • I'm so glad he came back home! What a smart guy. He doesn't want to run away, just to come and go as he pleases!


  • That is exactly what I was wondering.. all it would take is a bizarre crinkle in line to catch and choke him. The coyote roller looks good, so does the relative cheap inward leaning attachments that keep them in.

  • Houston

    How funny..glad he made it back and was happy to return home.
    I once had a dog, Lou, he was a dalmation/lab/chowmix, that would scale our 8' security fence, only to perch on one of the 4x4 posts for a few minutes, jump out, pee then scale his way back into the yard again…much to my Westies chagrin...Lou never had an interest in running away though..like a B might.


  • Robyn, what a funny story! I understand everyone's concerns, and I'm sure Robyn has taken precautions to make sure it doesn't happen again… 20/20 hindsight....

    My sister has two basenjis and brought her girl, Becca to the car... went back upstairs to get Bacchus, and even though she was gone less than 10 minutes, Becca got ticked off and decided to poop in the backseat... and then step in it... and then traipse to the front of the car... and then look out the windows with her front paws.... my sister was SO ticked when she called me! Laughed later, but at the time, she was surely in a $hitty mood, lol. 🙂


  • LOL, ewww.


  • @Patty:

    Robyn, what a funny story! I understand everyone's concerns, and I'm sure Robyn has taken precautions to make sure it doesn't happen again… 20/20 hindsight....

    My sister has two basenjis and brought her girl, Becca to the car... went back upstairs to get Bacchus, and even though she was gone less than 10 minutes, Becca got ticked off and decided to poop in the backseat... and then step in it... and then traipse to the front of the car... and then look out the windows with her front paws.... my sister was SO ticked when she called me! Laughed later, but at the time, she was surely in a $hitty mood, lol. 🙂

    Wow, that stinks! 😃 Actually she probably just got excited and had to go. I had a rw Basenji that used to get so excited when I take him somewhere that if I didn't have him poop first he would go in the back of my truck.


  • @nobarkus:

    Isn't that dangerous for Raine to be able to go over and/or jump up on that fence with a cable hooked to him? If the cable got caught on the top of that fence he could hang himself or cause serious injury. Lisa Voss posted a link to Coyote rollers which I think is a better option.
    http://www.coyoteroller.com/home

    I am the one who made and installed the fence rollers on my porch. They did not work with Rainie because he does not climb the fence. He jumps up and hooks his chest over the rollers then goes over.

    The cable is 20' long. The fence is 4' high. The chance of choking is pretty slim though there is a potential.

    Escaping the yard is the main reason why I have been trying to find this dog a home for months. I hate tying up a dog but it's either tie him or let him get squashed by a car or stolen.


  • @YodelDogs:

    I am the one who made and installed the fence rollers on my porch. They did not work with Rainie because he does not climb the fence. He jumps up and hooks his chest over the rollers then goes over.

    The cable is 20' long. The fence is 4' high. The chance of choking is pretty slim though there is a potential.

    Escaping the yard is the main reason why I have been trying to find this dog a home for months. I hate tying up a dog but it's either tie him or let him get squashed by a car or stolen.

    Can you make the length of the cable so he can only get to or near the fence but not over?


  • @nobarkus:

    Can you make the length of the cable so he can only get to or near the fence but not over?

    Not with the way my yard is configured.


  • Robyn you live my nightmare. 😞 When I first got a basenji I bought the electric hotwire caps and stuff to put on my fence. Fortunately none so far have climbed. My fence, however, is 6 ft and my male rottie once (I was on the other side of the fence) .. FLAT FOOTED, not running jump, simply LEAPED in the air and hooked his feet over the top. He hung there a sec as if to say "nah nah" to me, then dropped. Fortunately he never did it again.

    The other option of course is an underground system. since he is your only issue, you'd only need one collar. The inward leaning things are what I looked at after the Connor incident. They fit on the top of the fence, extensions that lean inward so the dogs can't go over them.


  • The good thing is Raine stuck around and came back. All my Basenjis only escaped 1-2 times when they were pups but stuck around only going to the neighbors and back. I've had 2 Basenjis get out all day and when I got home they were waiting in the driveway and porch. Back in 1980 I was renting a house with 2 irresponsible guys and my Basenji Nipper just didn't care to live there (she sensed I should move out out) and got out while I was at work. I worked 1 hour away. The landlady lived next door and called me at work to say that Nipper was out and she was just sitting in the driveway waiting for me. When I got home there she was just sitting in the driveway waiting. Can't ask for a better Basenji!


  • I thought I was sharing a story of a clever and sneaky Basenji yet for some reason my post turned into an advice column. Perhaps I could understand if I was a brand new poster that no one knew but I am not. (See upper right corner of post where it shows that I have been an active member for 4 1/2 years.) I certainly do not expect people to know who I am but for anyone who is curious, I do have a link in my signature. What I am trying to say is that I am not a rank novice Basenji owner. I know it may come off as conceited but I really do have more hands-on experience with this breed than all but a handfull of people on this forum.

    The decision to use a cable with this dog was not a spur-of-the-moment, I'm-too-lazy-to-do-anything-else decision. I have explored every avenue of confinement and although I hardly consider it to be ideal, a cable is the most sensible solution for this situation at this time.

    I understand now why so many members have retreated to "lurker mode". I was in a humorous mood when I made my post. Now, not so much. 😞


  • @YodelDogs:

    I thought I was sharing a story of a clever and sneaky Basenji yet for some reason my post turned into an advice column. Perhaps I could understand if I was a brand new poster that no one knew but I am not. (See upper right corner of post where it shows that I have been an active member for 4 1/2 years.) I certainly do not expect people to know who I am but for anyone who is curious, I do have a link in my signature. What I am trying to say is that I am not a rank novice Basenji owner. I know it may come off as conceited but I really do have more hands-on experience with this breed than all but a handfull of people on this forum.

    The decision to use a cable with this dog was not a spur-of-the-moment, I'm-too-lazy-to-do-anything-else decision. I have explored every avenue of confinement and although I hardly consider it to be ideal, a cable is the most sensible solution for this situation at this time.

    I understand now why so many members have retreated to "lurker mode". I was in a humorous mood when I made my post. Now, not so much. 😞

    Robyn, I apologize if you felt my question was an attack on you or your credibility. But being it's a forum we do ask questions. I don't know your yard or situation as far as your options to contain Raine. From what info you gave I just had a concern and so I asked. You can then have the chance to answer my question or not answer it. Sorry again if I ruined your mood.


  • Don't worry about it Robyn-those of us know it can happen at anytime to anyone. No matter the years of experience. I understand why you did the cable thing as I've been to your place. In certain areas, there are 'restrictions' placed on property owners regarding fencing, etc. as well. I'm lucky. I live in the middle of nowhere (we call it lower podunkville) and I've left the top of my fence loose so that when Sugar climbs, she can't get over the top.

    I can just see Raine sitting there with the big, clever little grin on his face! I know that look well. I have two of yours! Shadow has perfected the grin.


  • @DebraDownSouth:

    The other option of course is an underground system. since he is your only issue, you'd only need one collar. The inward leaning things are what I looked at after the Connor incident. They fit on the top of the fence, extensions that lean inward so the dogs can't go over them.

    Debra, what is the name of this product? There is probably a little area in my backyard that would need something like this, near a small pond that is built up, thus making the fence height only about 4 feet.


  • Robyn, I've been a Basenji owner since 1969 probably longer than most folks on here but every time I offer advice one person here says that because I'm not a breeder my opinions don't count. That's why I seldom post anymore. I always appreciate your advice. I'm so glad your guy came back and wasn't hurt. Lenora and Abbey who turned 7 on Christmas Day


  • @Lenora:

    Robyn, I've been a Basenji owner since 1969 probably longer than most folks on here but every time I offer advice one person here says that because I'm not a breeder my opinions don't count. That's why I seldom post anymore. I always appreciate your advice. I'm so glad your guy came back and wasn't hurt. Lenora and Abbey who turned 7 on Christmas Day

    Lenora, this forum does not be belong to that person. I ask that person "where does it say in the forum rules that non breeders opinions don't count"?? Exactly, there is no such rule. I hereby state that your opinion is valued!
    Anyway talks about fencing and escape proofing our yards is a good thing we can all learn from. That pic of Raine on the fence is a good one to enter for next years BRAT calender.


  • @YodelDogs:

    Escaping the yard is the main reason why I have been trying to find this dog a home for months. I hate tying up a dog but it's either tie him or let him get squashed by a car or stolen.

    If we were closer to you, we'd take him since we don't have a fence to worry about! :rolleyes:

    For all but 3 years of Maxx's life we were fulltime RVers, which meant we didn't have a yard with a fence…so we took him on several long walks each day.

    We bought a house this past spring and now split our time between Washington State and Arizona, but still don't have a fenced yard in either place...so we're still taking our dog (a 7-month old Brussels Griffon) on long walks and will continue to do so with whatever Basenji we get (of course, the definition of "long" is different to a little Brussels Griffon than it is to a Basenji! 😉 ).

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