My Yorkie – Cooper Is An Escape Artist!

I am in love with my dog Cooper Anderson. He came to me in a very difficult point in my life. Cooper has been with me through thick and thin. He has survived chewing my favorite flip flops, digging all of the stuffing out of my favorite quilt and barking like a crazy dog in the middle of the night for absolutely no reason. What he (and I) may not survive is his desire to constantly escape!

Ever since Cooper was a puppy he was getting out of back yards. I think his very first escape came at just 6 weeks, right before I got him from his breeder. He was a kennel pup for awhile, and while I lived with my mother for awhile, I had to go out with him for every potty break because he was able to get through the opening between the gate and the fence post because he was so little. He is actually amazingly able to get out of the smallest openings and holes.

When Cooper was about 18 months he fathered a new puppy, Jackson. I thought that having a new puppy around would keep Cooper from wanting to wander. No such luck. Lucky for me that Jackson likes to squeal every time Cooper gets out! He will come and get me and bark until I see that Cooper has once again dug a hole, or slipped through the slightest opening!

Last week, my Cooper had finally made me crazy enough to make a drastic decision. I let the boys out for the last time in the evening, and he got out. I looked and looked for him until 10:30 at night, it was late to keep walking the neighborhood. It became clear that a shock collar was the only option!

One of my co-workers had a wireless one that I could borrow, so I thought that my problems were solved. The collar emits a beep as Cooper reaches the perimeter and them sends a shock once he breaks it. I was ready to test it.

I made the collar as small as it would go, and sent him out. He ran straight to the back fence! Well, OK, maybe I didn't make the perimeter small enough. So back inside, change the perimeter, and then send him out again. This time I walked with him and could hear his collar beeping! It must be working! Again, no luck. But with the bulky collar, I thought there is no way he can get under the fence. Wrong again. Last night at 9:30 p.m. he made another escape! He returned covered with mud at 1:00 a.m.! I am at my wits end! I need to find the best most inexpensive way to keep my Cooper at home!

What can I do to make sure Cooper never escapes again?