Fence Jumping

On the issue of pets. I've been telling people that the one trait we are collectively breeding into dogs is the ability to jump fences.

My parents don't have a dog proof backyard, so Coco spends her days in doors.

Last week I was talking with a neighbor about the problem and how much I wish Coco had the experience of a backyard. We put Coco in the backyard with an 8 foot high fence (and a 6 foot high gate). 15 minutes into the experience Coco escaped. I assume she lept over the gate.

When we lived in Denver, our neighbors had a male dog with a distinctive ring around an eye. It was adept at fence jumping. Sure enough, dozens of litters of puppies mysteriously appeared at households that were oh so good about keeping their female dog in the back yard. They all had the same mysterious ring around the eye.

With each passing generation (dog generations are only about two years), dogs are getting better at fence jumping.

Of course the thing we really have to worry about is the day when one of the millions of pups in this country figures out how to open doors. That pup will spawn a new species of canine.