Dogs: they’re often the most exciting family members – you never quite know what they’re going to do next. And although that brings us endless joy, it can be a problem too. One of the main issues for proud dog owners everywhere is keeping their furry friends in the yard. A lot of dogs just seem to have escape skills that would put Houdini to shame.So the question that arises is – how to dog proof your fence. Luckily, there are so many ways! Different dogs have different escape tactics – many of which never quite reveal themselves. So it’s important to cover all the bases. To help you with that, we have developed this list of our top tips to dog proof your fence. They’re cheap, they’re easy and, best of all, they are effective!
Try planting some dense shrubs or hedges to dog proof your fence
When it comes to dog proofing your fence, this method is by far out favourite. Planting shrubs and thick vegetation along your boundaries is not just a good way to dog proof your fence; it’s also a great way to make your yard look great. Better still, it allows you to enjoy a high standard of privacy. So what sort of shrubs do you need? Well, generally speaking, the thicker the better. If your dog can find its way through a fence, it can probably find its way through a lot of shrubs too.But the idea isn’t to rely on the shrub alone to dog proof your fence. Instead, the shrub and the fence work together to deter your dog. To even get at the fence, your dog will have to penetrate some pretty thick vegetation. That means that by the time it gets there, it won’t have a whole lot of room to dig or jump. And to be truthful, using shrubs to dog proof your fence is just another excuse to get some more greenery in your backyard! What’s not to love?
If you want to truly dog proof your fence, you’ll need to know its weak spots!
So now that we have gotten our favourite tip out of the way, we can get into the nitty-gritty of dog proofing your fence. And that has to start with finding the weak spots. Your fence might look perfect at a glance, but if there is a single weakness anywhere in it, your dog will find it. So let’s go back to the start; we suggest getting a professional fencing contractor to lay your fence. This will place you in the best position to keep your fluffy companion right where you want him or her. Then, you can build it up further. Look for elevated platforms that your dog can use to jump the fence, and keep an eye out for soft soil that your dog could dig under. This is important because you can’t fix the problem if you don’t know what it is.
Is your dog still getting out? You could try a more extreme approach that some dog owners have used successfully: cameras. Setting up a strategic camera in the yard can help you get to the bottom of your dog’s magic. And in terms of dog proofing your fence, getting footage of an escape is pretty helpful!
Get creative and dog proof your fence with an ‘L-footer’ style of fencing
It’s no secret that dogs love to dig. In fact, stopping them from digging is nearly impossible. But you can stop them from digging under your fence pretty easily with L-footer fences. If you’re like a lot of dog owners, you’ve probably never heard of L-footer fences. And that’s fair enough – they’re not exactly a mainstream fencing solution. But they do work well. L-footers are named after their shape. They are mounted like a conventional wire fence, but with a folded foot at the bottom – like an ‘L’.
The folded foot runs flat along the ground for about 30-50cm back into your property. This means that your dog cannot dig beneath the ground immediately beside the perimeter of your yard. The only trade-off is that it only works with wire fences. If that doesn’t sound like your jam, then read on for some more tips.
Does your dog like to tunnel? Dog proof your fence with a concrete trench
If wire fences don’t really fit with your desired aesthetic, we understand! Luckily, there are plenty of other solutions for those tunnelling dogs of yours. Like a concrete foundation, for example. If your dog loves to dig and you love a good timber fence, why not get your fencing contractor to dig and concrete a trench beneath your fence. This will do two things. Firstly, it will secure your fence very well. Secondly, it will prevent anything – dog or otherwise – from tunnelling beneath. And you won’t even know it’s there.
Most homeowners opt for this approach; it may be a little more expensive but it is the best and most durable way to dog proof your fence. Better still, it can be done a whole host ways with a whole range of different fencing styles. If you speak with a fencing specialist, you will be able to find the perfect fencing solution that looks great and is dog proof too.
Often, one of the best ways to dog proof your fence is to go for height
So we’ve covered the dogs that dig, but what about the dogs that jump? It’s surprising how high some dogs can jump and the bigger the dog, the higher the jump. Fortunately, the solution for this is about a simple as it gets: fit a taller fence! You can source a whole range of fences that curve inwards to prevent jumping dogs, but more often than not a slightly higher fence will do the job perfectly. And when you couple a high fence with some nice vegetation, you can enjoy a stunning and very private backyard. That’s just one of the joys of high fencing!
Do you need to dog proof your fence? Contact FenceCorp today on (07) 3715 5055.