How do I fence my yard for dogs who dig??
I would like to know the best way to fence a yard for medium size dogs who dig? Also, how do I make gates they can't get under? I habe horses on the other side.
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This is on the humane society page.
Here is the link link and below that is what they recommend.
http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/digging.html
Escape
Dogs may try to escape to get to something, to get somewhere or to get away from something. Your dog may be digging to escape if they dig under or along a fence.What to do
Figure out why your dog is trying to escape and remove those incentives. Make sure their environment is a safe, appealing place for a dog.
To keep your dog in your yard:
- Bury chicken wire at the base of the fence. Be sure to roll the sharp edges away from your yard.
- Place large rocks, partially buried, along the bottom of the fence line.
- Bury the bottom of the fence 1 to 2 feet below the surface.
- Place chain-link fencing on the ground (anchored to the bottom of the fence) to make it uncomfortable for your dog to walk near the fence.
- For more detailed advice, read our instructions for keeping out burrowing wildlife.
- Work with your dog on behavior modification to stop them escape efforts.
What doesn't workRegardless of the reason your dog is digging, don't:
‘’I love my dog. He is a rescue and had 3 homes before he found me. He likes to take his own walks even though he gets them daily. I call him a “runner”. He would miss me if he got lost and I would just die so I can understand your concerns. I hope that this helps.
‘’Candice
Hi Jenni,
Candice is right on with her solutions and recommendations of what to do.
If dogs are left out to just be dogs, that is what they do when left to themselves. It just comes back to you as their behavior and you are not too happy with that, it creates a mess, an inconvenience, and possible menace to others. The courts are full of animal bite lawsuits.
Take the time to train your dogs and walk them for exercise, play with them and reward their good behavior. They want to please you.
If you have horses like I do, you are probably familiar with electric fencing. You can run a wire about 6" above the ground and about 6 to 12" away from the fence they are trying to dig under. There are also "gates" available that have a spring on them for adjusting to the width. They are easy to connect and disconnect, or you can step over them (if you are not accompanied by a horse). There are solar-operated versions, too. I bought my system years ago from a catalog company called "Jeffers", but you could just Google "electric fence" and see what comes up. Good luck!
I do appreciate both of your responses. I have chosen not to use electric fences with my animals, but perhaps I can apply your idea of a deterrent inside the fence with some other strategy, so thank you both.
Electric fences are humane, in my opinion, because once the animal is shocked once or twice (by their own behavior), they learn very quickly to avoid it, and therefore don't have to have any more problems with it. Furthermore, I have come in contact with them myself, and it is not a strong shock; it just feels sort of "fuzzy".
That being said, I hope that you can resolve your problem to your satisfaction.