So you’ve moved into a new house or gotten a new furry friend, and you’re wondering how to let them outside without having to worry about them escaping. Do you have a lab or terrier that likes to dig holes? Do you have a Chihuahua that can fit through fence gaps? Or, do you have an athletic German shepherd or border collie who can easily jump out of constraints? The breed of dog will often dictate what kind of fence you should get.
What kind of dog do you have?
Digging dogs
- Terriers (Cairn, Schnauzer, Bedlington, Jack Russell, Smooth Fox, Airedale)
- Hounds (Beagle, Dachshund, Wire hair pointer)
- Herding (Border Collie, Australian Shepherd)
- Working (Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute)
If your dog likes to dig, it’s important to get a fence that will deter your pro hole digger. The good thing about a digger is if you already have a fence, we can modify the existing one instead of installing a brand new one. Modifications include adding what’s called an “L-footer”, which is just what it sounds like – we’ll take some chicken wire, extra chainlink fencing, or hardware cloth and bend it into an L shape and attach it to the bottom of your fence. Many people bury the extra fencing for aesthetic reasons, but you might find you already have heavy things lying around that will work. Heavy objects like large planters or rocks will do the trick. Or, a large amount of smaller objects will do just as well – like gravel or mulch. And, if none of those options prove worthy enough for your master hole digger – we can always pour a concrete footer at the base of your fence to deter them for good.
If you don’t have a fence, we can install one that is built to be digging resistant right from the get-go – this way you don’t have to worry. If you’re struggling with a dog that won’t stop digging and are curious about what your fencing options are, give us a call and we can walk you through some of them!
Jumping dogs
- Terriers (Jack Russell, Pit Bull, American Staffordshire, Rat)
- Hounds (Vizsla, Greyhound)
- Herding (Australian Kelpie, Australian Cattle Dog, Border Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Australian Shepherd)
- Working (Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, Rottweiler)
- Toy (Papillon)
If your dog is athletic and can scale a fence easily, you’ll want to think of clever ways to keep them in your yard. Foothills Fence can install a privacy fence that is a guaranteed way to deter a jumper. A more cost effective solution would be a high chainlink fence – virtually any height is possible. But if installing a brand new fence is out of your price range, we can add what’s very similar to the “L-footer” we talked about earlier – except it goes on the top. We can typically use the same materials as you would for an L-footer because any kind of fencing that curves inward will deter your jumper.
And sometimes, the solution might be a simple one – just check and make sure there aren’t any climbing aids around like firewood piles, lawnmowers, a well cover, patio furniture, etc. You can also invest in some shrubbery and plant them along the fence line for a more aesthetically pleasing solution.
Small dogs
- Toy breeds (Pomeranian, Chihuahua, Pug, Yorkshire Terrier, Dachshund, Shih Tzu)
Small dogs can fit through the slats of a picket or wrought iron fence, therefore making them master sleuths. To prevent this, your main 2 options are going to be a wooden or vinyl privacy fence, or a chainlink fence. A chainlink fence is going to be your cheaper option, but a privacy fence will be more aesthetically pleasing. This way, you can rest assured your tiny but mighty sleuth is safe and secure in your backyard.
