How to Dog-Proof a Fence: 4 Ways to Dog-Proof a Fence

Dog-proofing is any modification to your home or yard that can help prevent your dog from harming themselves, other people, or property. In the case of fencing, dog-proofing means modifying your fence so that your dog can’t escape. Conversely, dog-proofing a fence can prevent other dogs, wild animals, or people from interacting with your pet. Many dogs are natural-born escape artists, so dog-proofing usually requires some effort and ingenuity. Dog owners know their dogs best and will have to adjust their dog-proofing methods to suit their pet’s habits.

If you’re starting from a pre-existing fence, several different methods are available to keep your dog safe, depending on your dogs’ needs and your resources. Consider the following ways to dog-proof your fence:

1. 1. Secure the bottom of the fence. If your dog is a digger, you will have to make the bottom of your fence or wall deeper and more secure. You can extend the staves, install an L-footer (an L-shaped extension along the bottom of the fence), or put in gravel, bushes, a concrete footer, or any other material to make digging more challenging.
2. 2. Extend the height of the fence. If your dog is a jumper or climber, you will have to concentrate your DIY dog-proofing up top. You can extend the height with chicken wire, longer fence staves, or rollers (long metal bars that go lengthwise along the top of your fence). Also, consider your landscaping—you might want to remove anything that your dog could climb on to get over the fence, such as trees, shrubs, or lawn furniture.
3. 3. Install a redundant fence. One fencing solution involves placing an additional line of fencing around the gate area or the entire property. This will make evading the wall much more challenging for your dog, but it can get expensive and effort-intensive.
4. 4. Obscure your dog’s view. If your dog can see out of the fence, they’re more likely to want to get out, and likewise, to attract attention from other animals or people. By putting up boards, dense netting, or a solid wall, you can reduce your dog’s view at the fence line, making it less likely that they will want to escape.

You can purchase or build a fence specifically for keeping a dog safe. Many different fencing options and materials will work for this, depending on the breed of your dog and the features of your property, including:

1. 1. Chain link: A chain link fence is secure, relatively inexpensive, and durable. Made of interlocking links of galvanized steel secured to poles, it also comes in different heights, from the standard six-foot to significantly higher.
2. 2. Concrete or brick: These sturdy, opaque materials are the best fencing options for privacy. Concrete and brick have the disadvantage of being expensive, and these fencing options are permanent—once a brick or concrete wall is up, it is difficult to remove.
3. 3. Wood: You can construct a wooden fence in various ways. A picket fence, made of wooden staves spaced at different intervals, is short and suitable for small dogs that can’t jump over them or easily dig beneath. Privacy fences made with wood can be much more tall and secure—these will usually have broad slats that fit tightly together, making it hard for your dog to interact with anything or anyone outside the fence.
4. 4. Metal: Metal fences can be visually appealing, strong, and effective for preventing your dog from escaping the yard. They come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes and range from relatively affordable to very expensive. Wrought iron and aluminum fences are the most popular, with aluminum being a lighter and usually more affordable option.
5. 5. Plastic: Plastic and related materials like vinyl and PVC can sometimes stand up better to the weather, but big and strong dogs can damage them.
6. 6. Wire: Metal wire, often galvanized steel, is a good material for a DIY fence project. You can choose sturdy fence poles made of wood, plastic, or metal and then string the wire across them, securing them with metal ties. The wire is not as sturdy as chain links or metal bars, but it is easy to repair.

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