Jumping the Fence

Question
I have a 2 1/2 year old black lab that jumps the fence.  He is not neutered and is mostly an outside dog.  Our old neighbor had a white lab that came to visit and he started digging under the fence to go play.  Now that they are gone he jumps the fence, but only on that side of the yard. I would like to leave him out instead of the kennel but spend alot of time chasing him down before the dog catcher gets him.  I can't put up a taller fence due to town regulations.  The last lab we had learned that if he ran fast enough he could get past the electric fence.  HELP!!!

Answer
Ethan, the first thing I'd suggest would be to have him neutered. That will reduce his drive to roam. He is old enough now to where it will not affect his growth or anything.

Secondly, I would suggest that you start spending more time with him; he's probably jumping the fence because he's bored. Enrolling with him in some obedience classes would be a wonderful way for the two of you to bond and for him to release some energy. Daily walks are a must as well, at least 30 minutes straight.

Lastly, to prevent him from jumping the fence, I recommend installing an invisible fence that you will attach to your existing fence. Set the boundary so that he receives a correction if he gets within 3-5ft of the fence, so that he is not able to get a running start and blast through it. You will need to spend time training him just like you would if the invisible fence was all you had. That means putting up the flags and working with him daily. Until he understands that he is not to go past that point, you will need to keep him kenneled when he's out there, because if he succeeds in getting out of the fence during the time you are trying to teach him the boundary of the IF, you will never be able to keep him in.