tootsietoo
Well-Known Member
I have a lovely nearly 18 month old greyhound x collie lurcher who I have had since he was 5 months, from a rescue. He is perfect in every way, he is just the dog I wanted, and he has a pretty perfect life for him I think. I very rarely go anywhere very far from home, so he is with me all the time - he sleeps next to me while I work, comes out with me to do the horses, comes in the car to the supermarket, work site visits, after school activities etc, so is rarely in the car for much more than an hour or so. I also have a couple of good neighbours who will have him for a few hours here and there if I need them to. He comes for canter work with the horse some days, and I walk him for around 45 mins a day in lurcher heaven - up the fields out the back of the house where there are no roads for a long way and more rabbits than he knows what to do with. However, sometimes, obviously, I do need to leave him, and he so hates being left that I just can't contain him. When he was a puppy I left him in the house, and only did it the once after losing a chunk of the vinyl in the boot room. Then he stayed in the yard for a while (a nice big dog proofed concrete yard with a stable to sleep in which does very well for the hound puppies in the summer) until he started jumping out over the 5 ft gate. So I left him in a stable (with windows and a radio) but he is gradually chewing through the door frame, and after a few more months of being in there occasionally he will literally chew his way out. So this week I have put a chain on the wall in my big stable and chained him up in there with the door open, and I thought that was the answer but today he slipped his collar even though I had tightened it up a notch. He never goes anywhere though - I get home to find him sitting outside the back door. I guess that the solution is a proper metal dog run with kennel, set into the ground so he can't dig out and with a roof so he can't jump out. But that is a really expensive option. Is there anything more basic that I can try? I wonder whether a chain outside the back door would work with a bed in the log shed, as he might be more comfortable being near the house. Any ideas really appreciated.
