A Healthy Fear of Fences

[TylerS]

I'm beginning to wonder if trash-breaking dogs from fences isn't a bad idea.

A few years ago, Remy hit a barbwire fence hidden in the grass that zipped open his armpit. $200 later and a few stitches, he was OK. Fast forward to hunting season, and he full-on mangled himself chasing a falling rooster that fell on the other side of a barbwire fence. The horror show his lacerated tongue created warranted an R rating by the FCC.

Now my youngest, Blitz, is out for the season, thanks to his 150-HP motor in a 50-pound chassis with poor awareness or braking skills, which resulted in a bone chip in his neck that has the potential to compress is spinal cord, causing an emergency situation and, possibly, death. He's on pain meds and out 2-3 months, minimum. Such potential. At least there's always (hopefully) next fall. Poor dude.

I'm sick of fences. From now on, I'm hunting just the middle of fields and steering clear of any edges. Just ain't worth the birds, or the heartache.

[CaptainMusky]

Yikes! Speedy recovery to your hound that's scary.

My pup found a non-live electric fence and proceeded to unhook the wire from like 5 posts! Since I knew it wasn't live I put it back up but these dogs have such drive its hard to reign them in.

[bobberineyes]

Ouch...that sucks dude. Been down the barb wire fence road myself. What I hate sometimes there hanging low and covered by grass, and wouldn't ya know it that seems to be where the birds are hiding. ...good luck.

[brittman]

I have hunted with 9 Britts (mine or brothers) and have had only one fence laceration. The local vet helped me by getting the vet tech to help me staple her up.

Youngest dog seems vastly aware of fences and fence danger.

The middle ???

Last week I was grouse hunting in the middle of a clear cut (leaving trail towards swamp edge). Older dog yipes ... not on common ... uneven ground, deadfalls, etc... when we meet up I can see skin hanging under front leg ... she evidently dove onto a sharp stick that cut her skin (split in two directions) about 4 inches long. That vet bill was $500 because they needed to put her under to stitch her up. She gets 10 - 14 days off.

[redhooks]

Yep, had both fences and sticks cause vet bills, got a skid plate 2 years ago and seems to help protect the chest, although it almost drowned her fetching roosters across a river. Great for dry ground not for water

[B-man715]

I had a lab slice his manhood open on a fence once. It looked really painful and bled a lot. Emergency Sunday vet visits are expensive....

Fences suck but that's usually where the birds are at around here.

[BLACKJACK]

The fences in the Dakotas are worse, newer, sharper barbs. Once had my lab to a vet for a five inch cut. Worst I've saw was my brothers male lab, impaled himself on a bent over T-post, then kept hunting, got weed seeds and dirt in the 7 inch wound, missed a major artery by 1/2 inch. Sunday trip to the vet, $450 later, hes still hunting.

I've tried introducing my dogs to fences, even throwing dummies over fences so they learn what they are but get a live bird into the equation, the excitement, they don't stop.

Good luck with your pup!!!

[TylerS]

Thanks for the well wishes, fellas. Blitz is doing better day by day. He's on anti-inflammatory meds and pain meds. Still wants to rest but has a bit more spunk. I think he'll heal up quick, it's just the nagging worry that a floating chip may cause unexpected complications that has me on guard.

Blitz actually didn't hit barbwire, funny enough. It was heavy-gauge square mesh. In the woods, at mach 5, it must have been tough to see. I think it was for an old hog pen or something.