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Watch your Turkey!

Any suggestions on how to keep dogs from jumping the fence?  Loki and Red have gotten in the habit of jumping (or climbing!) our fence and are out most of the time anymore.  This has just started the last couple of weeks. 

My fence is 48" high, so it not easy for them to get over.  I even put an electric wire (like and electric fence for cattle)  at the top and it did not even slow them down.  We live in the country, so they are not bothering anyone when they do get out, but they cruise in search of skunks, coons, feral cats, etc.  Of course, I don't need to tell you the outcome if they find anything. 

A couple of nights ago, I went out to let them in on the porch and heard the most awful commotion in the corral.  I whistled and called, but there was so much going on that they either didn't hear me or chose not too.  Robert had to go outside with the shotgun and shot up in the air to get them distracted.  They did finally come back to the house.

I put the dogs in at night to sleep on the porch, but they are out pretty much all day.  This fence jumping is really getting on my nerves.  I don't want to have to keep them chained up all the time,  but the last couple of days, I have put them on the chain except when I am outside with them.

Robert has always said: "If you have 1 dog, you have a dog.  If you have 2 dogs, you have a half a dog.  If you have 3 dogs, you have no dog."  Lately, I am beginning to agree with him.

I have to figure this out or I have to have one less dog.  I'm catching a lot of flack from Robert - like it is MY fault that HIS dog and MY dog have started this.  His logic is that HIS dog didn't do this until I got my dog.

Any suggestions?

I couldn't do it.  I just could not let her go to live with my daughter.  I just love her too much.  I would not be able to see her smile when I went outside, I wouldn't get anymore slobbering kisses, and heaven knows how much I would miss having her in my lap whenever I sat in the porch swing.

I suggested to them that they check out the nearest rescue facility for their next dog.  It would do them all (expecially the dog! ) so much good.

Thanks for putting up with me through all of this.  You all made me think hard about what would be missing from my life if I let her go.

Charlotte

I went outside the other morning to say good morning to Loki.  I was shocked to find that her whole jowl area under her chin was horribly swollen up.  She looked like she had swallowed a softball.

 By the time the vets office opened it was as large as a melon.  We live quite a ways out of town, so I called my vet.  He asked the obvious questions: snakebite? dogfight?  These were pretty much ruled out.  We are assuming that it was from a hornet sting (they hang around the water bucket and dog house).  He had me put her on mega doses of benadryl for 3 days.  The swelling is mostly down now, but a hard knot the size of a golf ball remains under her chin.

Has anyone else had anything like this happen to their furkids?  

Leerburg Kennels has a good informative board that has a lot of health information.  The people there put me into a panic.  One posted that her GSD had this happen and was dead by evening.  Another posted that his was fine one day and swollen the next day.  He had a melanoma and had to be put down.

I want to err on the side of caution.  If the rest of the swelling and the knot are not better by Tuesday, I will be taking her to the Vet.  It's time for her shots, anyway.  

BTW - tomorrow - JULY 3 will be her first birthday!

Thanks for being here.

Charlotte