Rescue groups get many calls each month from people wanting to place their dogs. Many of these dogs are older, and have been in the family for years. Some were recently acquired–sometimes from a relative, or a friend, or from a shelter. The reasons people give for needing to find the dog a new home are as diverse as the population of America itself. I developed this page of the website to help answer such inquiries. We hope the ideas here are taken seriously by those with such needs.

The following is but one example of such a request:

Dear Mr. Kelly,

I am interested in trying to place a siberian husky. We have an older husky that we want to find a home for. My employer is moving my family across the country and we will not be able to take our friend with us. I am looking for information on how to place him. Any information you can provide would be very helpful.

We regret the circumstances and really do not want to have to turn our pet over to the local pound or shelter. We hope you can assist us.

ADRTC rarely accepts older dogs into foster care as it can be many weeks before they get a new home, and we have limited space and never enough resources, even for younger dogs in rescue. We developed this list of ideas to help those many families who have decided to try to place their older dog themselves.

Placing an older dog can be easy if the dog has many assets. Being younger, healthier, female, small, well trained, attractive, well mannered, quiet, and oriented to people are all good assets for placing the older dog. Placing an older dog is like looking for a job when one is older–what is on the resume that will impress the person who may provide the next opportunity?

The first and best approach is to check with one’s friends and relatives to see if there are any takers among them–sweeten the pot with an offer to help pay the dog’s upkeep or vet expenses. That is the most ideal opportunity for most older dogs.

If that is not an option–and think very carefully before discarding it–try groups to which you may belong, such as church, clubs, social groups, or about anywhere else that you, or your family, may have connections. Older dogs are often “charity cases”, depending on what the age and health status of the dog may be, and what assets the dog has acquired while in your care.

Siberians and Malamutes live, on the average, 12-14 years. If the dog is 9, and in less than ideal health, then it may be perceived as a charity case. If the dog is 6 or 7, then it may have enough great years, and be in good enough physical condition to be highly adoptable to the right person–which will then depend on other assets.

At ADRTC, we say that a dog must have at least one asset for every year it is older, after the first year. People do not expect much of a 1 year old dog, or less. As the dog gets older, they expect much, much more. By the time a dog is 5 years of age, it has to be accomplished in order to place it through rescue. It may be easier to make a private placement if one has good connections.

We recommend that those wishing to place older dogs read our article entitled: “The Art of Rescue” on our website, under the General Information section. It will acquaint the reader with the constraints of rescue.

If the dog is already over 10, and has any health issues, it may be kinder to have it euthanized. The dog may never adjust well to any potential home, unless it has always been a very social and outgoing dog, and is used to changing locations. Few breeds adjust well to new homes after this age. Even American Eskimo dogs, which often live far longer than the larger breeds, do not adjust well to new homes after age 10.

The reader is probably getting the idea that this is not a simple issue–it is like human issues–fuzzy and with many variables. One should look at various web-based opportunities to post and promote the dog. It is best to plan on taking about one month for every year the dog is over 4 years of age. Consulting with rescue groups who place dogs can help, as they know well how fast dogs are currently placing.

It is best to ask for a fee if you are placing the dog to the general public. $50 might be in order to demonstrate that the person is a serious adopter, and not a front for an organization wanting a test animal. Yes, there are such. Sometimes, surprisingly innocent people are fronting for such organizations, and collecting dogs to sell for money to the organization that requires them as test animals.

The options for an older dog are about the same as for an older adult were she/he living with you, and not able to live independently. If you had to move across the country, and live where you could not have this hypothetical older adult, stay with you, then you would have to find other options–none of which would ever be quite as good as you would like. That is the problem with which you are now faced. You might wish to review your situation, and see if the dog really can remain housed with you. The chances are all too great that if the dog is not placed with a relative, or close friend, or a person willing to keep you in touch with the welfare of your dog, that it will soon end up at a shelter, or abandoned. It happens all the time.

One additional option is to discuss the dog with your vet, assuming you have a good relationship with a vet. It might be that the vet does know someone committed to dogs, who might take yours. Again, offering a subsidy will help. The vet assumedly knows the health and quality of your dog, and can best assess the opportunities for it in terms of health issues and longevity–healthspan.

You should sit down, and make out a list of all the assets your dog has–these include: housebroken, leash trained, obedience trained, possibly crate trained, good with people/strangers, good with small children or infants, good with other dogs, good with cats, playful, great for jogging/hiking/water sports, exceptional breeding and quality, exceptional temperament and personality, exceptional health and energy for the age, exceptional intelligence and ability to learn, and size–too big is harder, and small is desirable.

Compare this to major liabilities, such as: escape artist, biter, back yard dog only, aggressive with other dogs, cat or small animal predator, bad tempered with children, or strangers, or has major health issues, such as diabetes.

Be absolutely honest. Your dog’s life depends on it. Check it over with your partner, if you have one, or with a close friend, who also knows the dog. Then take it to your vet, and ask if your vet can give your dog a “report card” on your dog’s health. Review the list with your vet, and see if the vet feels the dog is a good prospect for adoption. If the assets are too few, or the liabilities too great, the dog has little chance. If the dog has extraordinary assets, and no major liabilities, then it has an excellent chance.

Your honesty is essential in rating the dog. Your dog wins or loses according to the honesty of your answers to this evaluation. As difficult as it can be, a death with dignity in your vet’s office with you present, may be preferable to a lonely and frightened abandonment in a shelter, and a final death at the hands of a stranger, or worse–on the streets alone. This last is too often the fate of animals that are “free to a good home”, and placed with no understanding of the issues discussed in this paper.

We welcome additional ideas and comments. Please write to us through ADRTC.ORG.

Permission is granted to repost and distribute this article, so long as the material is not changed, and proper credit is given to the Author and ADRTC.ORG. Copyright© 2005, 2007, by Gary Wynn Kelly.

Beginning with Happiness

The best containment system in the world is the simplest, and yet the hardest for owners to manage to do. It is a matter of exercising your dog sufficiently. A tired dog is a good dog. Many inferior containment systems will work well with a dog that is happy, healthy, and tired from being stimulated and exercised well each day. The dog will only challenge the containment system when it is insufficiently stimulated and exercised.

Northern breed dogs are genetically motivated to roam. For their own safety, they must be properly contained in a fenced yard, or confined to a trolley line. Some do well as house dogs–especially eskies, or American Eskimo dogs, but even such a small dog should only be released from a leash in a fenced yard. Larger dogs may have a greater need for outdoor containment, though they too, can be successfully managed as house dogs. People who do this are well aware of the implications of the opening paragraph.

Fencing needs will vary with the type and temperament of dog. Huskies are perhaps the most difficult to contain of the northern breeds, but all northern breeds have their famous escape artists, and the world is replete with a myriad of accounts about the dog that got away. In most instances a good fence will confine a northern dog adequately, but sometimes additional measures are necessary. This is one guide to help northern dog owners confine their dogs with a greater degree of success than many manage to do.

Starting with the Basics

If you have a northern dog that is escaping on a regular basis, it is best to begin with a physical examination of the fence you now have. If you are contemplating acquiring a northern dog, first check your fencing and yard to be certain that you can contain it safely and with as little frustration to yourself as possible.

Huskies require a fence of at least 6 feet in height, as do Malamutes. Many other northern breeds may do with less, but as 6 feet privacy fencing is a usual fencing style used widely in America. We suggest it as an initial appropriate enclosure for northern breeds.

Chain link and other fencing may be considered, but it should not be less than 6 feet, and greater if possible. Chain link can often be climbed by dogs, and can be easier for the dog to climb over than a wooden privacy fence.

If a fence of less than 6 feet is chosen of any type, make certain you first determine that the dog you are adopting will respect the fence. Some do, but it is best to assume that they do not unless they have demonstrated that they will do so over a long period of time.

If you are acquiring a puppy, do not assume that it will grow up respecting your fence. This is one of the best reasons we give for adopting a mature dog. With mature dogs, we usually know their habits, and can give some guidance that is more effective than for a puppy.

Mostly, dogs “learn” to escape. A properly handled and trained dog will be far less likely to escape, but any dog left with no stimulation and exercise for too long is too likely to become an escape artist. If you cannot provide adequate stimulation and exercise for your dog, or the one you are thinking of getting, then reconsider getting a dog, or consider getting two dogs so they can provide companionship to one another.

A physical examination of your fence should include checking posts, fence structure, the ground at the base of the fence, and points where the fence meets other structures, such as the garage, side of the house or another fence. Make sure that posts are solidly set in the ground, not rotten, and are in solid ground that is not too sandy, loamy or mushy. Check the ground area carefully, and think about the possibility that your dog might dig out.

Boredom is the biggest reason for a dog to attempt an escape. If the dog has had sufficient exercise, good training, and gets adequate stimulation, it is less likely to escape. Even that is no guarantee, as many a husky owner can assert. Some dogs just have a stronger tendency to roam.

Spay and Neuter Those Northern Dogs

A male dog will be more likely to roam if it is intact. Neutering your male dog early will reduce the tendency to roam.

Some people believe that female dogs don’t roam. They roam less, but are most likely to roam when they are in heat, and can get pregnant. As one text relates, the female dog in heat will even use her rabies tag to pick the lock and escape to find a male. That may be an exaggeration, but northern dog owners will assure anyone who will listen that they had a female once that.

Northern dogs have a strong roaming tendency, and selective hearing as they roam. They inevitably forget their names as they run or wander off, and do not remember them again until they are returned to home. Their expensive training is usually in the same category.

When a northern dog is in heat,or is looking for that female in heat, the dog will act as though the blood flow to the brain is restricted. It fails to heed any attempt to impair its roaming. It will crete new opportunities to escape confinement faster than the frustrated owner can fix the last escape attempt. The first step to getting your dog to respond is to spay or neuter the dog. With the blood flow restored to the brain, it will likely be a far more congenial companion, and far more responsive to your efforts to provide stimulation and exercise.

While this is written humorously, it is also meant seriously. With the reproductive instinct damped down, even northern dogs can be far more responsive to their owners. These dogs have a high independence quotient. Any owner can do their family a favor by spaying or neutering their dog. Unless one is a hobby breeder, and breeding to improve the breed after apprenticing with a knowledgeable breeder, one should not be breeding.

The Family Pack

Northern dogs are pack dogs. In the absence of another dog, the family becomes the pack. If the dog is getting plenty of quality pack time, exercise, games, and time spent in stimulation with the family pack, it is less inclined to escape. If this quality of life is lacking, even a second dog may not stop escape behaviors. The result can be 2 dogs escaping together. This is why northern dogs do not make good “back yard” dogs. They often start with destructive behaviors, and then escalate to escape behaviors.

Fencing Considerations

If your home has the typical redwood privacy fence, it is best to be sure that it is a solid fence, in good repair. Siberians especially, can go right through a wooden fence. A Malamute can demolish a fence in one lumbering rush. If the posts are not secure, a Malamute can remove them with relatively little effort. The average Malamute has a power equaled only by small tractors, young elephants, or an unhappy buffalo.

This being said, even the largest and strongest Malamutes can be convinced to stay at home happily in a healthy pack environment–one that offers stimulation, exercise, and good training. Often owners think of training as what they do with the dog when it is out of the yard, as when it is in the house, or out on leash. This is a mistake. Your dog spends much time in the yard, too. It should be taught limits, and expectations.

In nature, animals are taught environmental limits and expectations by natural elements and other animals. A hive of bees can teach many mammals to respect their territory quickly, as can a hill of determined ants. Bushes can form a barrier that can be a nasty barrier to prevent a dog from chasing other animals that choose to use the thickets to avoid capture. Your dog is well equipped to understand barriers and limits. Nature has evolved the dog’s brain with a conceptual understanding of barriers and limits.

Dogs typically escape from fenced areas in 3 ways:
1. They jump the fence.
2. They climb the fence, and scramble over the top to escape.
3. They bulldoze through the fence–generally at the weakest point, which is often the unrepaired gate area.
4. They find a hole, which is most likely at the gate posts, under the gate, or at a point where the gate transitions to the house wall, or a retaining wall.
5. The dog digs under the fence, which might be anywhere, but is often at the gate area. Sometimes a dog will dig a hole behind a bush or shrub, where the soil is easy to dig, and where you will not guess the hole to be hidden.

Over the Top–the Olympic Jumper

If you happen to own an Olympic Jumper, who can jump a 6 foot fence in a single bound, then you have work to do. I have seen a Siberian jump 8 foot fences, and known one that could do a 10 foot fence. That is not very usual. Most learn to jump.

Your dog learns to jump by being put into unsatisfactory containment areas, and escaping from them successfully. Each time your dog escapes, the dog wins, and learns a lesson that it does not forget. You can avoid having a jumper by never teaching jumping classes while the dog is young.

Putting a young dog in a 3 foot fence, and expecting the dog to stay there is often the first way that such lessons begin. Unless the dog is an American Eskimo, it is not likely to respect a 3 foot fence. For Siberians of more than 4 months, even a 4 foot fence is too low, unless other modifications have been done first.

Good behavior in fenced areas begins with solid containment in an area that intimidates the dog when young, so the dog will always assume it cannot escape. If the dog has already learned, then modifications must be made to the area to convince the dog that the fence is no longer an open door, or a challenge for future ingenuity

One solution is to add an addition in height. Often the addition of an arbor style open lattice to the top of the fence adds enough height to intimidate jumpers. This can look attractive, be easily installed, and still let in light and air that a higher fence might not.

If this is not a possible solution, then adding a second fence often is. If one has an outer wooden fence of 5 feet, and an inner fence of 6 feet that is set back 3 to 4 feet from the wooden fence, the dog will often not jump the first fence, as it is not sure of the clearance beyond that first fence. A shorter fence can be used if the top is angled inward–slanted back toward the dog. When the dog looks up, it perceives the fence as being vastly taller than it actually may be. Such an addition to a fence often works well, especially on chain link style fences.

A fence of 5 feet might be sufficient if there are tall plants, as in a thick hedge, in front of that fence. Some hedge plants can grow easily to 10 feet, and planted along the fence, present a barrier to jumpers, who cannot get enough space to jump the shorter fence behind the barricading plants. This is not an immediate solution, but over a short time, it can become an attractive one.

Climbers and Scramblers

Jumpers are actually rare. They do exist, and are troublesome, but mostly, even when people think their dog is a jumper, it is often not. Most dogs learn to climb and scramble.

I call such dogs climbers and scramblers, as they learn to go to a corner of the fence, stand up on their rear legs, and give a short jump and scramble. They get their front feet hooked over the top of the fence, and use their rear feet in the corner area to scramble up and over the fence. Chain link and open fences are the easiest to climb and scramble over, but even wooden fences of up to 6 feet can be climbed and scrambled over by a dog that has learned how. A gate area is often a good place for a climber and scrambler, as the dog will learn to use the gate hinges or latch for footing, and many gates are lower than the nearby fence.

Climbers and scramblers are far more easily frustrated than jumpers. Again,it is best to not teach them how to do such things, by always putting the young dog into a secure area, where such behaviors do not work, or have been made impossible by modifications.

One simple modification is to put a barrier across any such corner. The barrier need only be 4 feet tall, but space out from the corner by a foot or so. The dog cannot easily jump or scramble over the barrier, and have room to climb the fence, too. If a plant is put in between–especially a thick plant that has either an odor or thorns the dog prefers to avoid, then the dog will likely avoid that area.

Our favorite solution for climbers and scramblers is the hot wire fence. These units are inexpensive, averaging about $40 a unit, easily installed in an afternoon, and easily maintained. They are available through many pet stores, feed stores, and online at such sites as www.fishock.com. In time, there should be an article just about hot wire fencing in this library. CCNDR used this technique to contain dogs, and it worked for well over 300 rescued dogs. ADRTC has equipped its fencing with such a unit, as new fosters may well have bad habits.

Dogs can be “taught” to not climb over if an electric fence wire is run around the top perimeter. This usually teaches climbers to avoid climbing the fence after they receive a moderate shock a couple of times. The shock is approximately as painful as a bee sting, or banging one’s funny bone, and is more surprising than painful. A properly designed electric fence has a low current flow, and will not hurt the dog physically, but it does effectively teach the dog to respect the fence. The shock is designed to be memorable, and not painful-again, -much like banging one’s funny bone.

If there is only one corner area, and it is an out of the way spot, a piece of mesh cut into a triangle, and fastened to the fences at an angle will prevent a scrambler from escaping. Lattices added to the fence will often stop a climber, too. With a chain link or open fence, adding an upper section that slants inward can completely stop climbing.

Bulldozing Dogs

Dogs that have learned to bulldoze a fence can best be stopped by a much better fence. It may take installing new fencing. Reinforcement can work, but it may be easier to replace fencing, and wiser in the long run. A hot wire is one of the best ways to stop a bulldozing dog. The dog will quickly learn to not touch the wire at any point. If the wire is installed properly, it can completely discourage such bad behavior.

Dogs That Snake

Dogs that snake their way through any hole big enough to admit a rabbit are common. A Siberian can get through a4 inch opening. This should be impossible, but it often happens. Usually a faulty gate area is the favored point of escape. It is vital to be sure that no more than 1 to 2 inches is available at the gate on either side, and underneath it. Dogs will try to dig, chew,or otherwise increase the size of any opening, so measures should be taken to be sure this is not possible.

ADRTC uses the hot wire along gates, too. It is good for dogs to respect gates fully as much as fences, and the connection can be made from the gate hinge side. Using a flexible multistrand wire can insure that you can use the gate, but the connection remains in effect. At CCNDR, we taught entire packs to come through a gate one dog at a time, by using a hot wire on the gates. We have equipped the gates at ADRTC using this prior knowledge.

Metal strips, such as angle aluminum, can be put along edges to stop chewing. Concrete block can be buried under the gate, or concrete poured in the gate area to be certain that no dog can dig under the gate. A combination of gravel or rock with field or chicken wire under it can work, too. The dog cannot dig easily through the gravel or rock, and if it does, it encounters the mesh of the wire underneath. AT ADRTC, we buried concrete block and rock under gate areas. We also have the gates hotwired to discourage any interest in gates that we ourselves are not opening.

At transition points of fences to house walls, or fences to retaining walls, it is best to either add additional wood, wire fencing, or a combination to discourage a dog from considering that alternative. A hot wire works nicely here, too.

The Digging Dog

There are many solutions for digging dogs. Those dogs can be particularly difficult to stop, as they may attack the fence line anywhere along the perimeter. They can often be harder than jumpers to stop. A Malamute can dig a hole nearly 4 feet deep in just over 15 minutes if it is motivated. They should never be trusted in a yard with soft soil, unless one knows they do not dig, or has taken precautions. At ADRTC, we have gone to the expense of putting some 12 tons of large rock along the fence line–on both sides of the fence.

This is rock from 6-12 inches in size, so it is not easily moved. There is more than 100 pounds of rock per linear foot along our fences. This also works around the bottoms of trees to protect them while they are growing.

Northern dogs are diggers by nature. They all have the tendency while young especially. Many out grow it, but some do not. Even the American Eskimo dog can learn this behavior, and be hard to stop, as it does not need much of a hole to escape.

Here are some possible solutions to stopping dogs that dig out:

1. A few rolls of inexpensive fencing–like chicken wire, rolled out with a few rocks/blocks to keep it in place. If the fence line is clear of other obstructions, this works reasonably well, and prevents digging along the fence line. The fence can be cut in places to install plants that grow through it, or just plant grass through it. It cannot be mowed by a power mower safely, but can be kept trimmed with a weed eater.

2. If digging is confined to specific locations, and repeated there most often, then burying large rocks in the holes stops the digging. We had to do this to keep dogs from digging under a deck where we once lived.

3. Again, where digging is more limited, simply pouring concrete along the fence line, and mixing it with dirt, then watering it down to let it set can stop digging. Sure, the result is grossly inferior to concrete, but usually quite hard enough when it sets up to stop digging.

4. Bordering the yard with larger rocks–I used large flat pieces of AZ red slate, can stop digging. Make the rock large enough to prevent dogs from readily moving it with their feet/noses–usually meaning 25 pounds or more for Siberians.

5. Yes, the hot wire again. This is excellent for large areas as it can be strung out to 2500 feet or more. It can protect against jumping over, as well as digging. Simply run the wire from stake to stake about 4-6 inches above the ground around the perimeter you wish to protect. A dog touching the wire gets zapped. Smart dogs learn very quickly to avoid the wire. It is important to keep the wire from shorting, so brush and grass must be kept trimmed to keep a low wire from shorting out. An installation along the fence itself is possible, and works best for higher up to stop scrambling over the fence.. At CCNDR and now at ADRTC, we have successfully used a wire one foot above the ground along the fence, and a second wire at 4 to 5 feet. Dogs digging get the instruction from the low wire, and dogs climbing or scrambling encounter the 4 foot level of instruction.

6. In the new home, consider digging a trench along the fence a few inches out–8-12 inches, and filling it with 4-5 inch river rock, dolomite, or similar rock. The trench should be 8-12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. This makes for excellent drainage, and can look attractive, too.

7. In new homes, but sometimes in retrofitting a home, consider using concrete around the home, or in a walk way along the fence, or a part of the fence. This works very well, and is easy to maintain, too.

8. If the above are not possible, then try using the type of “railroad” tie one uses for flower bed borders and boxes. This can work well when held in place by a few stakes for some areas. Other pressure treated wood can work, too, but redwood does not work well. It is too soft, and easily chewed apart.

9. Planting plentiful shrubbery–larger shrubs with thick root systems can stop digging. Choose plants wisely. Check the ADRTC Library or other such sites for a list of plants that are toxic to dogs. Those must be avoided, but that leaves many excellent choices. In New Mexico, desert types of plants often have strong and plentiful root systems that can hold soil well.

10. For a temporary solution, while others are being implemented, consider cutting the dogs nails so that they are very short. The dog will not think about digging with such poor tools. This should only be a temporary measure.

11. Some garden centers sell manure by the bag. Try burying some holes with it, and see if that discourages digging. In older dogs, this can be enough to change their behavior to give one time to have plants grow, or take other necessary steps to improve containment. Using manure in holes is great for teaching young dogs where not to dig. Using their own poop is often most effective, as they rarely will dig in a hole where their own poop is buried. They always keep providing a good supply, too, and it is all good for the soil.

12. Using a trolley line. A trolley line from the house out to a tree, or other structure can often help with diggers. The line can be adjusted to prevent the dog from getting tangled, or to sensitive areas of the property where it may do damage. The dog can have its digging confined only to areas where the trolley permits it to roam. This works well with one dog, but not well with more than one dog, unless one has a very large area. We recommend such a solution only for one dog use, as dogs cannot play safely with one another, when on lines. It is important to adjust the system so that the line cannot reach the fence, even when stretched. A dog may try to jump a fence, and get hung by a system that was installed too close to a fence. Likewise, it is important to keep the line from entangling around small trees, posts, or other obstructions that could cause the dog to panic and harm itself.

The Invisible Fence

These work well for some breeds, but not so well with Siberians or Malamutes. There are approximately 30% of Siberian owners who have had success when they tried these units, which means that there are 70% who failed to find them adequate. The Siberian or Malamute may just outsmart the fence unit, or just tough it out, and take the pain as they escape over the horizon. The worst feature of such units is that once the dog escapes, the dog cannot return as it will get zapped when returning. The units are costly, and do require maintenance. It is best to borrow such a unit before buying one, as it may not work for a given northern dog. If the determination is made to use such a unit, then it is best to choose a company that will support the unit, help with ideas for installing the invisible fence so it is most effective, and offer a guarantee.

Generally, we at ADRTC found that the hot wire units are far more successful at lower cost, and a low level of maintenance. Every circumstance and every dog is different, so there is always the possibility that invisible fences will work in many instances for many dogs. However that being said, ADRTC will not adopt a dog to a family that plans to use an invisible fence as the method of containment, or as a means of preventing escapes. There are dogs that never escape, but in Rescue, we know that most of ours did escape–at least once. Unless a person is highly trained in using such systems, it is less likely that there will be success with most foster dogs.

Flexible Fencing

Flexible fencing cannot be used to contain a dog by itself, but it has uses in many yards. Flexible fencing is a fence of a light weight wire mesh. Many garden fences are of light wire mesh with vinyl coatings. Also, there are X-pens that are sold in pet stores and through dog supply catalogs, that are of a more rigid wire and sectioned in 2 to 4 foot sections for easy bending around corners. These latter are for show and temporary containment purposes, but are also usable in the average yard.

The garden fences often use the common fiberglass poles for support. The poles or stakes, are inserted into the ground, and the fence is tided to them. The fence is nearly invisible at a distance, as it is designed for garden use, and not for containment of pets. It is useful for keeping dogs out of flower beds, out of garden areas, or away from a hedge, or privacy fence that may not be totally secure.

The concept is very simple. The fiberglass poles or stakes, bend easily if weight is applied against them. The fence also will bend if a dog puts feet on it, or pushes against it. Northern dogs seem to have a genetic predisposition to never trust a surface that moves under them. At CCNDR, we successfully used such fencing for years to keep dogs away from planting areas, and away from a large palm tree that began as a small tree of less than 3 feet. The dogs never have tried to jump over the 4 foot fencing to get to such areas, in our experience. Attempting to climb over moves the fence inward, and the dogs jump back. They can see through the fence, and there apparently is just nothing worth risking an uncertain and uncomfortable feeling to obtain.

If a dog is a jumper, we suggest keeping the distances too short for a safe landing. Space the garden fence just 3 feet from the larger privacy fence, and the dog will almost not certainly jump the garden fence, as there is not enough room fora safe landing on the opposite side. It may be necessary to be sure that the garden fence has enough stakes, in enough places, so that the dog cannot push it up from the bottom, and squirm under it. Old cross ties along the bottom of the garden fence can solve this problem nicely in most instances, especially if the bottom of the fence is tacked to the cross ties. If the fence needs to be in a particular area for a longer time, then plants can be planted along it, so that roots and branches can help secure it. A vine growing on the fence is one way to do this. A flowering vine might well benefit from the fence, look attractive, and offer improved security at keeping the northern dog on one side, and the plants or fence area being protected on the other.

A hotwire fence can also be used along with these flexible fences, or as a barrier in itself. There are “step-in” posts that are for temporary use. Multiple strands of polywire or polytape can be used to create a “fence” which dogs and other creatures will learn to avoid quite quickly. It requires maintenance to be sure it does not have vegetation shorting it out, but it is an excellent temporary method while plants grow, or other solutions are being implemented.

Copyright© 2005, 2007, by Gary Wynn Kelly. Please make all requests for redistribution to ADRTC.ORG.

When choosing a collar for your dog, it is important to remember that it has a utilitarian function as well as a possible esthetic one. In the Arctic Dog Rescue and Training Center (ADRTC), we have rescued many dogs picked up as strays, and never claimed by their owners, because the collar was inadequate in at least two respects:

1. It failed to hold tags that could identify the dog’s owners.
2. It failed to secure the dog, and contained no tags.

Remember, when choosing any collar, that it must have a secure way to hold tags that is separate from the ring used to attach a leash or line. If the dog escapes, you want the dog to have a collar and tags with it to facilitate a quick return to your home. Leather collars are often useful for attaching tags, but should not be depended on to secure the dog to anything–including a leash. Dogs too often slip out of a leather collar by a quick duck of the head, a twist, and a backing motion. Unless the collar is quite secure on the dog, it most often will manage to exit the collar and be gone. If a leather collar is used to attach tags, then use another collar when walking the dog in ADDITION to the leather collar.

Rolled leather collars fasten more securely, and work well on Samoyeds, American Eskimo dogs, and other dogs with longer coats. They are NOT useful for attaching a leash, and again, another collar should be used when walking the dog.

Nylon collars come in many varieties. One make is a rolled tubular collar of nylon, which has an O ring at each end. This makes it useful as a choke collar. We find that the ends do break on these collars, and the dog can escape when the collar breaks. If such a collar is used, check it OFTEN to be sure that no breakage is occurring at the ends where the nylon wraps around through the O rings.

Other nylon collars are made of flat nylon straps that are sometimes adjustable. These can be adjusted tightly enough to make it extremely unlikely that the dog can get the collar off without assistance. They have a ring for fastening a leash, but only some of them have an additional ring for fastening tags. We find that if the tags are fastened to the same ring as is used for the leash, they are often in the way of securing the leash properly, and may get tangled in the leash and break off. Often, people end up fastening the leash to the split ring used to hold tags which is not strong enough to hold the dog. The result is a broken split ring, and a dog running loose with a collar and no tags. We never recommend using an S hook for attaching tags! Tags fastened with an S hook are soon lost, not replaced, and if the dog escapes, it then has no identification.

At ADRTC, we provide every dog we place with an Alaskan collar. These are made from nylon and have large rings to attach to a leash or line. These large rings should only be used for the leash or line. We provide a quick link to attach a split ring and tags. This quick link/split ring combination seems to work very well at keeping tags on a dog over many years of work. It is important to check tags regularly to be sure the split ring has not broken, or the quick link has not loosened, but when tightened with pliers, it usually stays securely fastened.

The Alaskan collar adjusts to the dog, and is so secure that we have had groomers call us to ask how to get it off. It takes a matter of a few minutes to loosen the slider enough to allow slack in the collar that will then let the collar slide over the dog’s head easily. Remember, when the dog comes home from grooming, tighten the collar so that only two fingers can slide under it with the collar tight.

Pinch collars – We never recommend the use of a pinch collar. No dog from ADRTC has ever required the use of a pinch collar, and while we acknowledge that we work with dogs especially evaluated and chosen for good temperament, we just do not feel that the use of pinch collars is justified in most instances where they are used. If you think you require a pinch collar to control your dog, consider obtaining additional training for the dog, or investigating other types of collars.

Fur Saver Collars – Guide dog schools across America have used the fur saver collar for many years quite successfully. We find that it works extremely well for training a dog, and we use them in many instances. Some dogs do not require more than their Alaskan collars, but we get many who have had inadequate leash training, and then the fur saver collar becomes a shoulder saver.

If a fur saver collar is inadequate for handling your dog, there are other training collars. These should only be used by knowledgeable persons, or on the advice of a professional. They are often nylon collars that look no thicker than a shoe lace. They are very strong, and with little effort can choke a dog quite effectively. They are one step less severe than a pinch collar, and the only reason we recommend them over a pinch collar is that we have seen too many instances where the pinch collar actually cut the dog, risking infection, and sometimes traumatizing the dog to a collar.

Choke Chains – We do not recommend choke chains, other than the Fur Saver variety. Proper use of a fur saver collar can accomplish as much when training. A dog should NEVER be secured by a choke chain to a line, as it may tangle and choke. We hear of at least one case each year where a dog was secured by a choke collar in a fenced yard to keep it from jumping the fence. The dog jumped the fence with the line attached, and died. This is entirely preventable, and we urge anyone who has this arrangement to contact us for better ideas to keep the dog in the fence.

Specialized Collars – An E-collar is a plastic cone that has the pointed end cut from it. This cone slides over the dog’s head, and usually has a ribbon that fastens it in place–sometimes a piece of yarn. This collar is used for keeping your dog from getting its mouth to some part of its body and causing damage–as when it is recovering from surgery, or has a hot spot. These E-collars, short for Elizabethan collars, are often recommended by your vet as a means of making your dog comply with the vet’s wishes.

E-collars have some major limitations:
1. It may be difficult or impossible to crate your dog.
2. The dog cannot play with toys or other dogs, when it might otherwise be able to do so.
3. It is very hard to take your dog for a walk with such a collar as the dog is clumsy with it on, and keeps banging into you.

Years ago, at CCNDR, we designed the Carpet Collar to avoid these problems. It is simple to make.

Take a piece of carpet approximately 18 inches long, and 12-14 inches wide. It will have to be larger if your dog has a neck size more than 18 inches around, and smaller if your dog is smaller. The idea is that the length is the same as the distance around your dog’s neck, and the width is about twice the distance between your dog’s shoulders and the back of its ears.

Fold the carpet so that the backing is to the inside, and the resulting rectangle is now 18 inches by some 6-7 inches.

Fold the collar around your dog’s neck with the folded edge at the shoulders of the dog. This will form a band around your dog’s neck that goes entirely around the neck–about 18 inches–and extends from the shoulders to the base of the ears. Tape this in place with strong strapping tape, or string reinforced packing tape. The resulting collar will permit your dog to play with toys, other dogs, and be easily walked. It cannot now get at most of its body, because the neck is restricted by the stiff carpet roll around the neck. To remove the collar, just cut the tape.

We have found that the regular Alaskan collar or fur saver collar could be accessed just below the Carpet Collar. It was not as easy, but it was possible.

In instances where the dog needs to be more restricted and an E-collar has to be used, we recommend changing the lace/ribbon to an adjustable nylon collar with a quick disconnect. This permits a better adjustment of the collar, and far easier removal.

Copyright ©1999, 2007 by Gary Wynn Kelly for the Central Coast Northern Dog Rescue and currently for the Arctic Dog Rescue and Training Center. This document may be reproduced so long as it is not modified or altered, and credit is given to the author and ADRTC.org.

Many people who have called in regard to adopting a dog will ask, “What is this about crate training?” When I explain that crating a dog means putting it into an enclosure designed to keep it safe, they are sometimes horrified. Many say that they would never treat a dog that cruelly. I then explain that there are very good reasons for doing this, and that it is a kindness to the dog to crate train it.When people do visit ADRTC, and meet dogs in crates, they are surprised at how mellow the dogs are, and how content they are to be in their crates. Our dogs view their crate as a private den.

While crating a dog is a good idea if there is even one dog in the family, it becomes more than a doubly good idea when their are multiple dogs. And, puppies and young dogs are best raised being taught crate skills. It is great insurance for an owner’s sanity.

Here are some reasons why:

House Breaking – If your dog is not yet house broken, a crate is the best way to begin. If you are already tired of cleaning up after your dog, and putting your home furnishings at risk., then crate training is for you–and your dog.

Good house breaking includes teaching your dog to live in the house without destroying the furnishings, and not just learning to eliminate wastes outdoors. A crate is great for teaching both skills. Your dog will quickly learn to communicate effectively with you if it has to eliminate, if it is confined to a crate. It has learned this instinctively from its mother when young, and retains that knowledge for a lifetime.

When your dog is confined to a crate, it can only chew the toys you give to it, so it learns what toys it can have, and it learns to not chew on your property. A dog, especially young northern dogs, can be terribly destructive. I have heard owners talk about dogs doing thousands of dollars worth of damage in a couple of hours. A crate could have prevented this, and taught the dog valuable lessons.

In one step, the crate can teach your dog to control its elimination habits, communicate with you when it needs to eliminate, protect your property, and protect the dog by keeping it away from items it can chew that can harm it–from chocolate, toxic house plants, and electrical cords, to plastic and wooden items that it can ingest and from which it can sustain injury.

Why are ADRTC dogs so mellow? Crating helps to reduce anxiety. Dogs are aliens. They are not just copies of your neighbor’s children in fur suits. They have brains and behavior that is far from human–so far that if they arrived in a flying saucer, they could not be much more alien. For your northern dog, Freedom = anxiety, and Restriction = Security. Your adolescent northern dog will actually thrive on restriction, as it makes the dog feel more secure.

If you do have multiple dogs, then crating may be a necessity at meal times, or it is likely that one dog will become food aggressive, food protective, or even toy aggressive. These can all be prevented by good crate training. The worst fights between dogs are often over food, or items perceived by dogs, to be food.

Dogs that experience separation anxiety can especially benefit from good crate training. If your dog is yet a pup, starting with a crate can avoid separation anxiety. When crated, the dog knows what to expect, and how to behave. Dogs like the security of knowing what to do.

Time Out – You can give yourself a “time out” by crating your dogs when you are unable to pay attention to the dog, or likely to be distracted, and not be as aware of what your dog is doing. A dog only needs minutes to get in trouble, and ruin your day in the process. Your mental health is improved by having the dog under control when you have to be busy, or concerned with other matters in the home.

Traveling – A crate is great when traveling, too. It serves the same purposes out of the home as in it–with a double bonus in that it can keep your dog safe while traveling. If your vehicle can accommodate a crate, then a crate is the best way to provide your dog freedom and security both. –And, you will not have to worry about the dog eating up those seatbelts, or worse.

The crate can be used at your destination, too. A well trained dog that can be crated is welcome far more places than an unruly pup, or a dog that requires that everyone watch out for what it is doing, or may do.

Preventing escapes – Keep your northern dog from escaping–teach it to use a crate. If it is crate trained, then continue using the crate regularly. We often say that northern dogs escape on 4 major occasions:

1. When the repairman comes. – Most repair persons walk in and out of your home blithely leaving the door open, or ajar, as though there was no other activity occurring than their repair mission. Your northern dog will likely walk out, and roam the neighborhood or worse, with the repair person totally oblivious to the fact that your dog has just made a successful escape. Crate your dog when the repair person arrives.

2. When friends are over who do not have/know about dogs–especially northern dogs. Many people have friends who do not have dogs, or have had only a mild dog that always came when called. They may be shocked that your northern dog just takes off through any open door or gate. Crating your dog when such friends are over prevents the escape.

If you have children, this may be especially true. Even your own children can forget about the dog, in the excitement of having friends present. The friends may not have any of the skills necessary for watching out for your escaping dog.

3. When relatives come. Many of your relatives may not have owned a northern dog, or lived with one. They may have no idea that leaving the door or gate wide open, while they move a suitcase, baggage, or their family, in and out of your home, provides an opportunity for your dog to escape. Crate your dog when relatives arrive and depart, and during major activities when the excitement is likely to lead to your distraction from what your dog is doing.

Again, the advice in regard to children is especially true. If there is another dog present, this too, can introduce additional tendencies to forget about your dog, and provide it an escape opportunity.

4. When you are traveling, and everything is unfamiliar. Many persons have lost their dogs while on a trip. Sometimes stopping along the way for a break provides an opportunity for the unsecured dog to bolt from an open vehicle door. Sometimes, moving in or out of a motel room, or relatives home, can provide the same opportunity. Crating your dog when traveling reduces the chances of an escape, and gives you far more control over the movements and behavior of your dog.

Consistent good crating practices teach dogs to love their crates, and most will even seek out an opportunity to spend some time in their crates. Here are some tips for crate training your dog:

1. Start with short periods in the crate, while you are around. The first session might be only 15 minutes.

2. Give the dog a favorite toy or treat when crated for the first few sessions.

3. When your dog starts getting used to the crate, feed it meals in the crate. That creates long term positive associations of a crate being a pleasant place. Even if this is the only time you crate your dog, it is a good practice. This is especially true if you have other pets, or small children around. The dog will feel much more secure when eating, and not be as likely to develop food protective or aggressive behaviors.

4. If possible, have your dog sleep in the crate in your room, or in a favorite child’s room. After a night or two in the crate, the dog is usually content to be crated. This is especially good if you plan to travel with your dog, visit relatives and friends overnight, or spend time away from your home. Your dog will be secure, and you will sleep better.

5. Work up to longer lengths of day time crating by increments. First, start with 15-30 minutes, and then increase that time by 15-30 minutes a day until you pass 2 hours at a time. Once your dog can be crated for 2 hours successfully, and relax while being crated, it can be crated up to 4 hours at one time. I never recommend exceeding 4 hours at a time during daylight hours, as the dog needs time out of the crate to eliminate, drink water, and exercise.

The crate time is great as siesta time. Crating your dog after heavy exercise can help it to adjust to the crate, and give it time to relax and recover from exercise, while it is in a receptive state of mind.

If you have more than one dog, it is often easy to train them all, by having them in crates side by side. At ADRTC, dogs train far more quickly, because they see other dogs in crates that are perfectly content and mellow. It takes new dogs no time at all to adjust. Usually, no more than 3 days is required to have a dog perfectly crate trained.

Once your dog is in the crating habit, maintaining it only requires a few hours a week, or perhaps just sleeping in the crate at night, eating in it at mealtime, and otherwise simply using it on an as needed basis.

You are demonstrating the ultimate responsibility as a good owner when you crate train your dog. If you desire to be especially kind to your dog, teach it to enjoy a crate. You are reinforcing feelings of security, providing for the safety of your dog, ensuring your own good attitude when handling the dog out of the crate, sparing your dog from becoming ill or dying due to eating what it should not, or escaping, or being stolen when it runs from the house a person unfamiliar with your dog is visiting. Your dog will be mellow, and much easier for you to teach and maintain. In our experience most owners who failed with their northern dogs never crate trained them.

We welcome additional ideas and comments. Please write to us through our website if you wish to comment, or call us at 505-792-2846, if you would like information on having your dog crate trained at ADRTC.

Copyright © November 2003, May 2007 This article may be reproduced and sited on other websites, provided that the copyright is respected, no material is changed, and the author is given proper credit.

Most northern breeds of dogs are natural predators, but many can and do learn to live with cats successfully. While many dogs have learned to live with cats while the dog was a puppy, some have also learned to live with cats when they, the dogs, were already grown.

If you have cats, and want to have a northern breed dog, there are many factors to consider. Perhaps the most important is your cat. Has your cat had experience with other dogs? What kind of experience? Is your cat “dog smart”?

A dog smart cat is one of the most important ingredients in teaching any dog to live successfully with a cat. A cat that sits still, and sets limits on what it will tolerate from an uncertain dog can be precisely the best teacher for an inexperienced dog in regard to successful cat-dog relations.

A cat that runs from dogs is much less likely to be successful in adjusting to a dog. It still might be done, but will take more work, as the cat must learn not to run when confronted with, or in the presence of, a dog. To learn this, the cat must experience a measure of security first, and learn that it can control the behavior of the dog.

If your cat is dog smart, and has had years of successful experience with a previous dog,or with other dogs, then bringing in a new dog has the possibility of success.

First, find out if the dog you wish to adopt has any cat experience. If possible, find out if the foster home has noted any response of the dog to cats. This might happen naturally on walks with the dog. When the dog is walked, does it react to cats? If so, how does it react?

If the foster dog ignores cats, that is best, as the dog will quickly learn to live with cats in most instances. If the dog is extremely curious, or cautious, then careful handling may result in a successful relationship with a cat. If the dog is aggressive, or out of control around cats, then it may be an uphill mission to ever contemplate bringing the dog to successful relations with cats. A careful evaluation of any dog is in order if you own a cat, and wish to adopt a dog.

If the best case exists, you have a dog smart cat, and wish to adopt a cat tolerant dog, then the introductions are usually easy. Let your cat go to a favorite hiding place when bringing the dog into the house. Walk the dog ON LEASH, through the house, giving it plenty of opportunity to smell the cat’s odor in each room. Have the dog spend time in a room of your choice, with you.

Remove the dog from that area of the house, and let the cat come into that room. Give the cat time to check out the odor of the dog. If the cat and dog both seem indifferent or simply curious about one another, try a careful introduction. This can be done in several ways: if your dog is small, and you are absolutely certain of your ability to control the dog completely, and only if this is so, then allow your cat to be in a room where it can retreat to a safe place NEARBY–without having to run. Bring the dog into the room slowly and under your control, while the dog is ON LEASH. Stand a few feet from the cat with the dog beside you on a short leash. Give them time to watch each other, and the dog time to sniff the odor of the cat.

If the dog seems to be reacting well, and if the cat is still calm, permit a closer approach. IF the dog remains calm, or mildly curious, and the cat is only watchful, then let them continue examining one another. The cat will usually start establishing boundaries by vocalizing, assuming an aggressive posture, or even hissing. If the dog backs down, or turns away, then successful relations are underway in most cases.

If the new dog reacts aggressively, or inappropriately, then correct the dog, making it clear that this cat is yours, and very special to you. I suggest even petting the cat while admonishing the dog to treat the cat as a friend. I have introduced several dogs–usually naive ones–to cats this way, and had them become cat tolerant, or even cat friendly.

I define cat tolerance as a condition where the dog mostly ignores the cat. The dog may even pretend the cat is invisible, or not present when it is in the same room, or has walked by the dog. I usually train my guide dogs to do at least this much.

The cat friendly dog learns to have a cat as a companion, and may even curl up with such a cat, or treat it as a friend. The cats often warm to this relationship. My father had an older dog who had cataracts. As she lost vision, the two cats would take her out at night to do her duties. One cat would walk ahead of the dog on each side as though guiding her by their presence. They would remain nearby while she completed her evening rituals, then escort her back to the door. In turn, when the dog barked at something during the daytime, the cats would take cover immediately, and clearly depended on the dog to protect their territory.

My sister defined a third term–cat reverent. She felt that this was the only appropriate relationship of a dog to a cat.

In the cases of dogs who are not known to be cat tolerant or cat friendly, I recommend that people take a more conservative approach to introducing the dog and cat to one another. In the most desirable of circumstances, it is best to have the dog and cat live separately in the house; each to his or her own area, for days or weeks, until they have each had ample opportunity to absorb the fact that another animal does live in the house, and will always be around. As each of them gets used to the other’s scent, each learns to ignore it. When the dog can come into a room recently vacated by the cat, and not sniff every area where the cat has been, then there is a possibility of introducing them slowly.

One method of introduction in such a case is to crate or kennel the dog. I crate train all my dogs, and a dog safely confined to a crate is one that cannot hurt a cat. If the dog you are introducing to a cat has learned to accept a crate, and shows some sign of being able to be around a cat without barking or growling aggressively, then an introduction can be done by crating the dog in the favorite room of the cat while the cat is absent.

After the dog is safely crated, and quiet, permit the cat to return to that favorite room. If the cat enters the room, give it time to explore and check out the confined dog. It is often helpful to have had the crate in that room for a day first, so the cat can be used to the crate, and the smell of the dog in the crate in advance.

If the dog remains calm, and the cat can explore the crate, perhaps even sitting on top of it, without eliciting bad reactions from the dog, then the two of them are starting to develop tolerance. Repeat this exercise regularly for a week or so.

Even if the dog does react by making sounds, or becoming excited, let the exercise continue for a few minutes each day. Start by just permitting a couple of minutes, then extend it to 5 minutes, then 10, and finally after a few days to 30 minutes.

If the dog reacts with more violence, try using a solution of white vinegar and water–a 50% solution–in a spray bottle, or squirt gun, to correct the dog. When the dog starts to behave aggressively, squirt it in the face with the solution. It will not cause harm to the dog, but it is a nasty smell to the dog. It will help to convince the dog that you mean for it to behave in another way. The dog will try to find that other way, which is most simply done by remaining quiet, and gaining your approval. Praise the dog when it is remaining quiet as the cat explores the room.

When your dog can remain under control in the crate for 30 minutes at a time with a cat in the room, your dog is developing tolerance to cats.

I sometimes suggest doing the exercise in reverse when the cat is crate tolerant. I suggest crating the cat, and let the dog smell the crate, examine it, and be in the room with it, in the presence of the owner, but not able to harm the crate or cat in any way. This will only work if the cat consents to be crated. In cases of young dogs who are full of energy, this approach works more successfully than with a dog crated.

Some cats are stressed by being crated, and it may be a good idea to spend a month or more successfully teaching your cat to accept a crate before adopting a dog. This approach is also recommended for cats that have the bad habit of running from, or in the presence, of a dog.

Dogs are natural predators, and the running of a small animal flips the equivalent of a switch in the brain of the dog. The result is a biochemical sequence of events that can be very unfortunate for the cat. The dog that sees a cat run can, unless well trained to inhibit the reaction, have a biologically programmed reaction to chase and attack the cat. In most instances, this is unfortunate for the cat, but can also be dangerous to the dog. Once a dog has a pattern of chasing running cats, it is almost impossible to successfully train the dog to live with cats safely, unless one is an expert in the training of dogs, and feels it is very important to teach the dog a different behavior. All dogs can eventually learn, but some require more resources and effort than is justified. The vinegar-water squirt bottle can help discourage such behavior from ever beginning.

When your cat can be in the same room as the crated dog with both resting comfortably, or the dog resting in the room with the crated and safe cat, then it is possible to expose them more and more to one another. I suggest having the dog crated at night, perhaps in your bedroom, and the cat in the same room. This can be done for several nights, and usually will work out well for them to get used to one another. When this seems to be happening, then try introducing your dog to the cat as I described previously–with the dog on a SHORT LEASH–and the cat in a room where it is near safety, should the cat feel safety is required. Sometimes, this can be a high counter–perhaps a kitchen counter–with the top of the refrigerator nearby. Not that I believe that cats should ever be on a kitchen counter, but this is a helpful illustration.

The one rule about cat and dog relations is that in most instances, the cat controls the success of the effort. If your cat decides to accept a dog, then it is definitely possible to teach the dog to tolerate the cat, unless that dog has been permitted to be a cat killer previously. If your cat decides not to accept the dog, then it is probably not worth the effort to adopt the dog.

If you own a dog already, and wish to adopt a cat, it is best to determine that the dog is cat tolerant or cat friendly first. If it is not, then please, consider your pet’s feelings before requiring it to accept another relationship that can be stressful.

Sometimes this is essential, as in the case of a relative coming to live in your house. The relative may be bringing a cat along. This is most successful when the cat, at least, is used to dogs. If not, the chances are that the cat will leave, so it may be best to place the cat prior to having the relative moving into your home, unless your dog is extremely cat tolerant already, and the cat has no reason to fear dogs.

Most dogs who have no experience of cats, and cats that have no experience of dogs, can be taught to live with one another. This may not be true with all dogs, but is certainly true of most northern breeds, who have strong pack alliances, and will extend them to include cats if you make it important for them to do so.

Copyright ©2001, 2007, by Gary Wynn Kelly Please respect the copyright, and make all requests for redistribution to ADRTC.ORG.