Yesterday whilst I was oblivious out riding our Westie made a fresh bid for freedom and escaped from the back garden to go and play in the Park.

Hes got previous form. Even with me he’ll try his luck sometimes (usually to head to the house that owns two cats).

Anyone else? Is this a breed-thing?

When I was young ours used to try to get out to chase cats, had to watch him very closely when leaving for school. Also when a certain ‘friend’ was in season he got very cunning – didn’t eat for a few days so he could squeeze through the gate and also tunnelled out under the fence. I don’t know if that’s characteristic though!

I think somebody made a comment here last week that he had a blacksmith’s dog. It made a bolt for the door.

Your thread should be

Terriers- are they natural born escapers?

Yes!

Just be grateful you haven’t got a digger otherwise your garden will look like a maximum security prison in no time!

Pleased to hear you’ve still got him though!

An elderly neighbour who had one told me how he always got out of the garden. He was flumuxed until he watched the little fecker hinching up the gap between the wall and a tree in the garden….. genius.

Cunning
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SDhrgETDYY[/video]

That dog has been playing Assassin’s Creed.

You can see the other two dogs at the door going “Quick now go and get a lockpick.”

I have 2. They will both get out if they get the chance.
However, 1 is far better than the other and I never did find out exactly which parts of the hedge he was getting through. He never used his sneakier holes when I was watching.
In the end I resorted to an electric fence off ebay, (no doubt this will cause cries of disgust from some members on here, though the fence is there to protect him.), however, after he had invesitgated it once or twice he won’t go near it. I waiting for him to work out the batteries are flat and we can get through painlessly.
I think that all terriers have an instinct to “work” hedges, looking for prey and this leaves to their Steve McQueen impressions.

I’d add spaniels to this list. I have to regularly check our perimeter. If he makes it out and doesn’t get distracted by next doors chickens he then enjoys playing in the road, not good!

There were quite a few westies escaped from HMP Maze during the troubles, most of them were in the IRA