The great, but brief, escape

Zipper aka Pepper went on a little run yesterday.  He leapt the fence at his doggie daycare.  We're all puzzled by this because he seems to really like it there.  I guess a scent wafting by on a January-thaw day was just too much for this boy to resist, so over he went.

He didn't make it too far before a woman was able to approach him.  Since Pepper was not wearing collar or tags she did not know where he belonged, so she took him to a neighborhood veterinary clinic, where he was picked up by relieved staff.

About not wearing collar or tags:  it sounds like a bad idea but it is a safe choice. Collars can quickly choke a dog if a paw tangles in them during play.

Now that we know Pepper can scale a very tall fence, he will be watched more carefully.  It's best not to leave a dog unattended even in a fenced yard until you are pretty confident that he is not a jumper.  Sometimes a dog has every capability of going over a fence but doesn't know it. As long as he lives in ignorance, he'll never try to leave.  Once he figures it out, he may freely jump over.

One of my friends has a four foot chain link fence for her German Shepherd Dog. With all the snow we've had this season, the fence is only about a foot high in places.  Kallen just sees FENCE and so far hasn't breached the security of her yard.

Back to Pepper.  This boy immensely enjoys the playtime and affection he gets in his boarding house.  But what he needs is a real place to call home.    Since he can jump fences, one is not required.    He will still need a lot of exercise, though, so if you are a runner or would like to become acquainted with the wonderful dog parks in the Twin Cities, Pepper could be the dog for you.

He's asked that inquiries about him be sent to dogs@pethavenmn.org.