Which Fence Height Is Best for Dogs?

Fences are great for privacy and creating a nice backdrop for your yard or garden, but for dog owners their most important role is to keep their pet inside the yard. Dogs have been known to make some clever and daring escapes, and these escapes can be dangerous for both the dog and others. When a dog owner contacts Hartsell Brothers Fence Co to begin planning a fence for their yard, one of their first concerns is how high the fence will need to be to keep in their dog. The required height of the fence depends on a few things.

Size of Dog

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them can leap higher than others. If you have a miniature dog, a three-foot fence could be more than enough to deter them. However, if you have a large, athletic dog, three feet is nothing more than a speed bump. You’ll be limited in most areas to a fence height of about six feet, and while some dogs are more than capable of leaping that, it is unlikely that they will try unless they are highly motivated.

Other Escape Methods

Leaping the fence isn’t the only way a dog can escape a yard. Dogs can dig beneath fences or squeeze through weak spots if they are highly motivated. This is why, in addition to the height of the fence, you should pay attention to other factors that might motivate your dog to want to escape.

Sterility

Sterilizing your dog can actually prevent escape attempts. Dogs can smell a female in heat from a great distance, and will do anything they can to get to them. This is a biological impulse that is almost possible to ignore without sterilization.

Training

Rather than building a huge, impenetrable wall, it’s usually better to train your dog not to leave your yard or even go near the fence. Training takes discipline from the owner, but it can impart a bit of discipline into the dog. Spend time with your dog in the yard, preferably when it’s still young or when the fence is new. Each time the dog comes close to the fence or becomes interested in something on the other side, call him away from it, and reward him for coming to you. With the proper training, even a three-foot fence from Hartsell Brothers Fence Co can keep in the highest leapers.