Sneaking Out The Gate...

[cavNrott]

We had a dog that would always sit on the grass beside the driveway, wait for the garage door to be opened and the car was parked inside and the engine shut off ... until one day he ran into the garage the same moment that the car was moving forward. He died in my arms.

Please do not rely on training ... one day it may just fail with terrible consequences.

And this is the risk the OP and her partner are taking with their dog.

[Teebs]

If I have to drive into the garage I pull up. Open the door, put the dog/s (when I had two) in the car and let them out when the door was shut.

Kaos is actually trained to not come in the garage when the roller door is open, but it takes a second for something to happen and I would never forgive myself. I won't take a risk with a car and a dog.

[Clyde]

Just last month, my neighbour went down and opened his front gate as his wife was on her way home. Their gorgeous 8 month old Lab heard a car and went running out and got killed. He died in his owners arms and is now buried in their garden

[sheena]

I would be more worried about the dog being run over. If you gave your OH a bag of treats to give to her each time he came home, it would be even MORE dangerous encouraging her to run beside the car in the anticipation to get a treat. Can't you fence her off from that part of the yard. We have our yard fenced in two. The back part belongs to the dogs & the front yard is for motor cars & my garden & they are only allowed out there under strict supervision. But please don't get him to start treating her when he pulls up in the car That will equal ...dead dog. Keep her well away from moving cars. Maybe id you can't fence off the front from the back yard, then train OH to give you a ring when he is on his way home, so you can put her inside.

[sheena]

He is home before me 90% of the time so this is the main problem - Maya never tries this with me as I have trained her to keep back from my car when it is moving. She stands with Zeke, behind the gate, when I drive in. Clearly she is using OH's poor memory to her advantage.

Fencing off not an option, he won't have a fence running through the yard. Bringing her inside is not an option, he will not go to the trouble. He probably would tie her so I will keep that in mind but I would rather train her to respect the gate/OH... restraint is not going to prevent the urge she has to sneak out when his back is turned.

I think a chew may be the best option if I give him a bag to keep in his car. She can't run in front of his car waiting for the treat because he drives up outside the gate and stops, in theory could hand the treat then before he opens the gate to drive in, and she could go to one of her chew spots.

Will sit down with him and try to talk about this again and see what he is willing to do.

No the dog is not using OH's poor memory as an advantage. You are attributing cunning to your dog that doesn't exist. Your OH is risking your dog's life. Surely any adult of normal intelligence is capable of restraining the dog so it doesn't get hit by a car, possibly your OH's car. If he will not go to the trouble of putting the dog inside or putting up a barrier gate/fence then he doesn't value the life of your dog.

It is the responsibility of both of you to ensure the dog never has access to an open gate. There is no valid excuse for neglecting this. Even the best behaved dog is at risk of running though an open gate if the opportunity is available. It only has to happen once at the wrong time.

As was suggested, if necessary put in an electric fence. Both of you need to be more responsible. How would you feel if the dog was run over simply because neither of you took precautions to prevent it. You list the things the OH won't do to keep the dog safe. What is he prepared to do?

I would be laying down the law rather than sitting down to have a quiet chat about what he's willing to do. So far it appears he's not willing to do anything. If this was my dog the terms would be non negotiable. Either a barrier is put up to prevent the dog from getting out...or else.

Agree....agree...agree.....my thoughts exactly. To your OH, your pup is "just a dog" & he probably thinks that if she gets herself run over, then it would be her fault Not sure how old your pup is, but until they are about one year old, they have no idea about the dangers of moving wheels. This is not a case of putting her on the grass with something to chew...OMG ... The car & your OH coming home would be far more exciting than something to chew, especially if she sees him coming home, means getting a treat. Fence her off from the front yard.

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

Thankyou to those who have expressed concern I am aware of the risks of cars moving and free dogs. We are always careful when we drive in or out. I wouldn't be encouraging the pup to approach the moving car, any treats would be given from outside the gate, with the car outside, and stationary. However, my issue is not the dog approaching the car.

With all the rescues coming and going I have a few that dig or jump fences and will meet me at the front of the acreage as I arrive home. I've taken to keeping a bit of kibble in the car so I can throw it a short distance from the gate which gives me time to drive through whilst they are hoovering in the grass.

We keep a small container of kibble in our cars and a leash on the gate post for my lab who will escape if given the chance.

We stop the car, call her, she sits for her biscuit, the lead is put on and she is hooked to the gate post.

We then drive in, walk back to the gate, tell her she is a good girl, give her another biscuit and let her off after closing the gate.

This works well for us.

Very useful advice... will use a combo of these

[espinay2]

We had a dog that would always sit on the grass beside the driveway, wait for the garage door to be opened and the car was parked inside and the engine shut off ... until one day he ran into the garage the same moment that the car was moving forward. He died in my arms.

Please do not rely on training ... one day it may just fail with terrible consequences.

This. Remember too you have an LGD who will act on instinct not necessarily training when older. Something going past your gate at the wrong time may cause the dog to act with possible disasterous consequences. It is about putting safety mechanisms in place. You may not think they are needed, but why keep testing the theory. IMO putting in a tether sounds like a good option if you can not put in a fence or train your OH to put the dog inside etc first. I never risk dogs around a moving vehicle. Even if I am only moving a few feet. And i never risk them with an open gate. This is a human training issue rather than a dog one.

[Crisovar]

Pets killed by cars at home is so common, and mostly so preventable

[Guest Labradork]

I know someone who accidentally killed their own dog (a Yorkshire Terrier) who was lying on the driveway. Very sad.

[mixeduppup]

How about when he gets home he quickly goes in and restrains her and then parks the car, closes the gate and let's her out again?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Can't he come inside first, put Maya in a crate/pen/room and close the door, then come in, lock the gates behind him (I assume they get locked so no one can just let her out) and then let her out? I wouldn't have OH give her a treat because she might anticipate it and run in front of the car to get it.

Sounds laborious but it really is the only option. Pup could get run over or get on the loose.

She's a LGD breed no? What might happen when she matures and someone walks past as the gate is still open?

This and HW's comment. You need to develop a risk reducing strategy in these cases and quick. Your dog may not be so lucky in the future. I once wrote an article on this sort of situation, you'd be surprised how many people's dogs get killed or severely injured just going out of the house to their car parked in the driveway (with no fence) - their thoughts are that the dog doesn't need a lead because it knows it's goign out in the car and it is in its own driveway after all.

Well noone looked to see if a major distraction was going to happen - the neighbour whose dog your dog hates walking past - on the opposite side of the road - a cat and so on.

Edited November 11, 2012 by dogmad

[Steve]

I put in an airlock . Get out of the car open the gate drive though to the next gate, get out of the car and shut the first gate then open the second gate , drive through the second gate and get out of the car and shut the second gate - do in reverse as you are leaving.

My house Maremma would always go out in front of the car to clear the paddock as I was going out - I had to turn around and act like I was going back in before the rat came back so the double gate prevents her needing to make sure where Im going is safe and there is nothing there which will hurt me .She just yells at the fence now to tell anything thinking it might come and hurt me that she is watching and that they will die if they get near me. the lesson is - know your breed and manage its characteristics rather than trying to fight them because if you try to fight them under pressure they revert to insinct and its a constant battle with everyone including the dog being miserable. the way I did it isnt the only way but you need to come up with your own solution which works with where you live and who you live with.

[Salukifan]

You can lead a horse to water....

One of my dogs' littermates was killed in precisely the kind of scenario the OP outlined.

If it hasnt happened yet it might happen. NEVER confuse good luck with good management.

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

Lead & treats are being put into place on the days when I will not be home beforehand. Thanks to those who advised with this issue.