# Controlling freedom



## kdias (Sep 17, 2011)

I need some advise on controlling freedom in our yard. Our back yard is completely fenced and is about at least an acre in size, so plenty of room. We have one far corner of the yard that is where we pile the mulched leaves from mowing and any brush that we gather up (we have alot of trees). Ellie is now 15 weeks old and often when we take her out, she wants to go straight to that one forbidden corner. We are taking a puppy class and are using the click and treat to walk her away from that area, but is there any adise to keep her away from there, other than putting up another fence within the fence, which we are considering? Also, she has shown no desire to try to jump the fence, and I don't want her to learn that. Do all poodles tend to jump fences? My former dog has been a Corgi, so he couldn't jump anything, and did not tend to wander away from us at all.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think at 15 weeks I would put a temporary fence around anything I really wanted her not to get into. Training is an excellent strategy in the longer term, but while she is a pup - and through the adolescent months - I would back it up with management!


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## tokipoke (Sep 3, 2011)

I feel putting a fence up in that corner is a good idea. Maybe a fence that is like chicken wire? Or maybe a sturdy fence you cannot see through will be better for a puppy. That area sounds too enticing for a pup unfenced. Once she gets older you can maybe open a small gap in the fence, and make it bigger and bigger till there is no fence and she is leaving that area alone.

I've been letting Leroy out for days and I did not realize the yard gate was open. He doesn't even go out of the backyard. He runs out, does his business, looks for squirrels, then runs back to the door and waits for me to open so he can come back in. They DO get more focused as they get older.

When I fostered puppies, they wanted to hang out in the one corner of the backyard I did not want them to go. It was near the air conditioning area, with a mud pit, and garbage trashcans. Sounds like puppy heaven! I used chicken wire as a temporary fence. I had to reinforce the fence as the puppies got older though, they were able to jump against the fence and push it down with their weight. But by that time they were being adopted out so luckily I did not have to spend additional money putting up a more sturdy fence.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

kdias said:


> I need some advise on controlling freedom in our yard. Our back yard is completely fenced and is about at least an acre in size, so plenty of room. We have one far corner of the yard that is where we pile the mulched leaves from mowing and any brush that we gather up (we have alot of trees). Ellie is now 15 weeks old and often when we take her out, she wants to go straight to that one forbidden corner. We are taking a puppy class and are using the click and treat to walk her away from that area, but is there any adise to keep her away from there, other than putting up another fence within the fence, which we are considering? Also, she has shown no desire to try to jump the fence, and I don't want her to learn that. Do all poodles tend to jump fences? My former dog has been a Corgi, so he couldn't jump anything, and did not tend to wander away from us at all.


They make these things called leashes.

^^^ More truth than sarcasm ^^^

I think your clicker timing is wrong and you have trained her to go there.


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## irmashanahan (Apr 22, 2010)

Consider some of the 10" sections of plastic ring gating as a temporary barrier. We recently had to restrict a poodle going through rehab from surgery, and i gathered up my gating that I used in the house (for doorways) and what I had outside for obedience training and blocked off a small area near the back door. 

Very flexible in sizing and easy to move for mowing the lawn. J&J has them as well as several other obedience equipment suppliers.


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## irmashanahan (Apr 22, 2010)

You also might investigate what attracts her to this area. Birds nesting in brush, squirrels, rabbits, chipmonks, etc. could be hiding in there and that attracts her attention.


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## kdias (Sep 17, 2011)

We have made amazing progress in the past week, she is starting to catch on to stay away from there. We have a great teacher working with us and her training methods are working. I've been out all morning on my deck letting her enjoy some freedom and she has made no attempt to even go to that corner. We made not even need to fence that off after all.


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