As dog owners, we do our best to make our home a place where they can feel safe. But even if you close the gate, it is not safe for your dog to leave the yard.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to build a wall around your property to keep your furry friends at bay. We’re going to give you some tips about dog-proof fences that every pet owner should know.
Before we discuss how to keep your dog from leaving the yard, it’s important to first understand why he does it. After all, your home is a safe place to find food and love, right?
Your furry best friend will love and enjoy being part of the family. However, things on the other side of the fence are pretty compelling.
One of the most common reasons a dog runs away is another dog. Like us, dogs are pack animals. They love to be with their own kind, and sometimes a fence is the only way to keep them from doing so.
If your puppy has not been neutered or neutered, it may seem to them that walking over the fence is an opportunity to find a mate.
Did you know that a male dog can smell a bitch in heat at a distance of more than 4 kilometers? Whether your canine companion is a boy or a girl, mating can be a good reason to run away from the pen.
On the other hand, your dog may get tired of spending time in the yard every day. Going outside is how they amuse themselves, whether it’s bird chasing, garbage sniffing, or territory marking.
“Finding out the root cause of a dog jumping is important because understanding why a dog jumps over a fence is the first step to solving the problem.” — Emma Bronts, RSPCA
Whether it’s boredom, loneliness, fear of being alone, or another reason, knowing what causes yard breaks is a good start to addressing the problem. Once the root of the problem is fixed, your dog may have no reason to leave the yard. But if it does happen, you can use the trick we’ll mention in the next section.
In some cases, it is quite obvious how your dog got away. For example, there may be a hole in the fence nearby or a high place over which the puppy can jump over without any problems. But sometimes you can’t be 100% sure that magic is somehow not involved.
Some breeds, such as Belgian Malinois, Huskies, and Labrador Retrievers, are the natural Houdini when it comes to reaching the other side of the fence. There were no obvious signs of an escape, and if you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, you wouldn’t have believed it had happened.
But that doesn’t mean they can’t be stopped. The first step in this is to learn their methods. Some dogs burrowed under the fence, while others jumped or climbed over the fence. Others can’t bother with acrobatics and manual labor, so they just decide it’s best to go for sabotage.
Once you know which of these ways your canine companion prefers, it’s time to take the necessary steps to prevent this from happening. Now let’s see how to protect your fence from dogs based on your dog’s escape method.
Some breeds, such as the Border Collie and the Australian Kelpie, can jump over 1.80 meters from a standing position. With that in mind, it’s pretty clear how easily the dogs climbed over the fence and out of the yard. But there are a few things you can do to stop them from doing so.
Don’t worry – you don’t need to replace the entire fence because it’s too short for your fluffy bouncing ball. Instead, you can simply extend it.
Perhaps the most popular way to extend a fence is to add a trellis. A trellis is a panel of shaded sections (metal or wood) that you attach to a fence or wall. They are designed to support the vines and create privacy in the backyard.
Trellis is easy to install with tools you probably already own. Simply install a U-bracket on each side of the bottom of the panel, screw it to the top of the railing, and you’re done. Quick and easy, but it will prevent your dog from jumping that high.
The advantage of using such a system is that there is no need to dig anything or make any major modifications to the existing fence, and the installation only takes a few minutes.
There are many different options, so if you decide to go down this route, be sure to do your research.
Most dogs cannot jump very high, especially when standing. But many of these furry escape masters don’t need it because they have other things to help them in their endeavors.
Let’s say the dog house is right next to the fence. The roof can easily be turned into a jumping fixture, allowing them to jump off and reach the top of the fence. The same can be said for benches, trash cans, barbecue areas and more. Keep anything that can be used as a prop away from the fence.
The long grassy yard is great for dogs as it allows them to run and exercise all day long. But it can also help them get the motivation they need to jump high fences.
One way to prevent this is to use redundant fences. In other words, a fence-within-a-fence system. The system is often used in yards near busy streets or highways, or when neighbors cannot agree on a fence design.
You can build an interior fence on one side or around the entire yard, depending on the number of possible “weak spots” of the escape. Ideally, you want it to be at least a meter away from the outer fence so that your dog doesn’t gain the necessary momentum to jump over it.
Dogs are not known to be strong climbers, especially when compared to cats. However, some dogs are agile enough to climb a fence like a ladder. It really is an art form and can be really fun to watch if it doesn’t mean your dog is running out of the yard. Luckily, there are a few tricks to get around this.
The coyote roll is a long aluminum tube that prevents the animals from gaining a foothold and climbing over the fence. The design is very simple. Dogs must use their paws to pull themselves up to the fence in order to get through it. But as soon as they step on the roller, it begins to spin, depriving them of the traction they need to pull.
This design originated in the United States and was used to prevent coyotes from attacking livestock, hence the name. While coyotes are not common in Australia, this sturdy fencing system can come in handy against rock climbers in your backyard.
The beauty of the Coyote roller is that it requires no electricity and requires almost no maintenance. You can also buy original products or make them yourself. While the latter takes time and effort, it is the more affordable option.
As you know, cats are excellent climbers. And none of the aforementioned dog defenses will work on these animals. But the cat net worked. This type of aviary uses top panels that slope inward, making it difficult for cats to keep their balance.
You may not have a cat, but your dog can serve as a cat that runs over the fence. This type of fence may be the only way to safely keep your puppy in the yard.
You can make cat netting from just about any material, but wire is the most popular choice because it’s affordable and easy to install.
Some fences are easier to climb than others. Wire or mesh isn’t too difficult, as your pup has plenty of options when it comes to support. The same goes for classic wooden fences and railings.
On the other hand, a panel fence, whether vinyl, aluminum, wood, or other slippery material, can weaken a dog’s grip when climbing. You don’t have to completely replace the fence to create a smooth surface. You can install sheets from any of the above materials to create a smooth surface.
You can green up your backyard to make it harder for your dog to climb over the fence. You can do this by planting shrubs to act as a barrier between them.
Ideally, you want the bush to be about 50-60 cm from the inside of the fence. They also keep your puppy from starting and jumping. But they won’t stop your canine companion from digging. In fact, you may not see the leaves tunneling. So, in this case, you should also apply one of the tricks from the upcoming section on combating mining.
Some dogs may not be good jumpers or climbers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t find a way out. One activity that many dogs find very interesting is digging. Escaping through the tunnels is not difficult, unless you take extra steps to prevent this from happening.
The peculiarity of this trick is that it is not the fastest way to solve the problem. Laying a good foundation takes time and money, and that time and money increases exponentially with the size of your yard. Also, you can’t just “add” concrete to a fence. You need to remove it all and start from scratch.
But concrete may be the only thing keeping your dog from digging under the fence. To do this, it punches holes up to 60 cm deep. This should be enough so that the dogs do not find their way to the other side.
Breeds such as terriers, hounds, and northern dogs are known for their digging skills. If your dog is a proud member of the aforementioned breeds, then you need cement foundations. But if your pup isn’t such a stubborn digger, a simple L-shaped footer will do just fine.
L-shaped legs are sections of wire fencing that curve vertically into an L shape. You can bury the footer in the ground, but this is not required. If you’re lazy, you can put some rocks on top and the grass will eventually grow through the wire, hiding it.
L-shaped footers are a great choice for puppy protection because they keep the puppy from trying to dig under it in the first place.
Finally, some dogs need help finding their way through or around a fence. With brute strength and determination, it’s somehow easier for them to get through it.
There are many things that dogs love to chew on, and sometimes a fence is one of them. Whether it’s for fun or for an escape, your dog can grab onto the fence and pull on it until it comes off.
Of course, this may not be a real problem if you have a Chihuahua or a Maltese, as these breeds don’t have a strong enough bite to break a fence. But some breeds of hounds and wolfhounds can pass them.
If you already have a mesh fence installed, don’t worry. Instead of replacing it all, you “upgrade” it. To do this, you will need cow or goat panels. Made from welded galvanized steel wire, these panels are strong enough to withstand your dog’s bite.
The difference between goat boards and cow boards is the size of the holes. The goat panels have 10×10 holes and the cow panels are 15×15 cm. Make sure the holes aren’t big enough for your dog to get stuck in.
You don’t need panels that cover the entire case; only the part that your canine companion can reach while standing is sufficient.
Whether it’s boredom, loneliness, hormones, or other reasons, dogs can feel the urge to leave their backyard. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to install a fence that protects against dogs.
However, you must deal not only with the actual behavior, but also with its causes. Avoidance is your dog’s way of telling you what is missing in your relationship.
Post time: Feb-28-2023