My dog is nearing two years old, and she's getting bold and taking off for a run about in the neighborhood recently when given the opportunity. So I'm finally taking the plunge and fencing my backyard. I'm still deciding between vinyl and wood, but I think a four foot fence would be okay for height. My girl, Finley, can jump without a doubt. She's jumped up on my very tall bed and on picnic tables down at the park, but I don't think she realizes what she's doing because she's never attempted to jump the gates in the house. And, in the basement, it's blocked off by a much shorter fence. She definitely wants to be over there, but she just never tries to jump. Whines and cries, definitely, but never jump it. Does anyone have a four foot fence that works well for their dog that isn't a jumper?
Our fence on two sides is 90cm (I guess that is about 4 foot?) with a much taller hedge on the other side. My dog is not a jumper and has never tried to clear the fence (though he does a hearty line in barking at passers-by!). The hedge makes it not that attractive for jumping though... If you only have the fence, as opposed to also having a hedge like me, then I would probably go for 6 foot if possible to be on the safe side. I know people who have had their dogs hit by cars after getting out of their yard and it is a gut wrenching experience.
I would go for a six foot fence too. One of my girls can jump a 4'6 gate from a standing start. Even if your girl is not a jumper, a four foot fence is not a massive obstacle if she sees something exciting on the other side!
I would tend towards 6 foot if there's no tall hedge too. When we were home checked for adopting Coco, they were looking for 6ft fences. I wouldn't want to risk an escape - even if you've never seen her jump, you just never know, and 4 foot is easily cleared.
I'd go for something a bit higher. My boy has easily jumped 4 foot. I was in the front garden chatting to a neighbour when he spotted a c-a-t across the road. He jumped our fence, into the neighbours, over their wall, across the road, into a house, out again over two more fences then stopped at the bottom of a tree. Fortunately it's a quiet residential road but he's never out front unattended. If ther's a will there's a way! We've got 5 foot fence panels at the back but they are raised on top of a low wall around flower beds so in effect 6 foot or more. Then there's a 4/5 foot wall that has a trellis on top. If you don't want to feel too closed in then a trellis on top of the fence may be an option. A hedge may also soften the look.
Our fence is four feet, it was here when we bought the house. The only times it's been too low is when the snow was piled high and then it was other dogs walking IN that was the problem, not ours walking out. BUT, you never know when you're going to get a jumper. If we replace our fence it will be as high as we are allowed to make it, six feet I think. OUr neighbour's lovely GR, a training companion in our first agility classes, easily jumped their four foot fence. I found her loose twice and put her back and told them. They knew she could jump it, her ability was one of the reasons they thought she'd do well in agility. Still, they didn't build up the fence, one day she jumped out and got hit and killed on the road. Stupid people. Agility taught our Jet to jump. She never jumped the 30" high split rail fence till she learned in agility. 30 inches was her jump height. The squirrels used to taunt her by scampering through the fence that split our yard when she chased them from the bird feeder. The day she jumped over instead of going around was pricless. Really, did you know a squirrel's face can express shock and awe? If there was thought bubble over those squirrels' heads it would have said, "Crap, guys, the dog's learned to jump, be careful"
I know that she wouldn't jump a five foot fence, mostly because I know my dog. I honestly don't think she would jump it at all, except for chasing after bunnies. She's on a tie out now, and when she gets to the end, she stops. (Obviously because she's not dumb.) And it just makes me wonder if the fence would do the same thing. When she's out in the woods or at the park and something is in her way, she doesn't usually jump it unless it's the only way. I haven't seen her jump OVER anything that's more than 2-2.5 feet off the ground. I have seen her jump, but only jump to get on things or jump up on people, unfortunately. And as I won't be putting in the fence by myself (because I don't want to deal with the steep hill in the backyard) I wanted to save as much money as possible as vinyl fences aren't cheap and neither is labor. But I would hate to sink all that money into something for her to jump.
Sometimes they partly jump, partly climb over. I've seen Youtubes of dogs getting over 10 foot high fences that way. A coyote roller might help then. Sometimes your fence height is limited by by-laws. If you make it four feet see if you can make it so that it can be heightened if need be. An invisible fence on the top might work. Strategically placed bushes might help. Remember too, going over the top is only one way out. Some dig. For the last 1/2 hour our lunch was spoiled by the darn dog next door barking at squirrels, as close to our house as he can get. There he is, behind a feeble fence that is all bellied down in the middle so that with the snow it's at his head level. He could easily jump out, the squirrels are practically begging him to. But no, there he stands, and barks. Arrggghhhh. And yes, we have told them about the fence and we have put the bad word dog back when he's gotten out but they are eejits.
We had the same, and our new neighbours have small children - a temptation, I think. So we have put trellis above the fence - I'm going to grow beans and sweet peas up it in the summer - and it looks good. But the dogs are never in the garden unattended.
LOL, now that definitely would not work for us. The beans would attract Oban to the fence for a snack and as he ate the bottom ones off I just bet the ones growing higher up would entice him up. I'd have to plant climbing roses.
Yes, the climbing aspect I thought would be minimized if I get a fence that doesn't have the boards/bars for her to use as leverage. And I've also considered putting the coyote rollers on whichever height fence I do get. And neighbors dogs barking is one of the only reasons I'm on the fence about the four footer. Two doors down, there are two small dogs that do not stop barking. If they're outside, they're barking at something. Usually, Finley is fine, but after a while, she will sometimes bark back. And if she gets out on her run about when they're out, she chases them around their yard. (It would be funny if it wasn't so embarrassing.) The chances of her jumping the fence to go over to them is minor, but possible all the same.
I wouldn't have thought my dog could jump my 4-5' fence until the day I tested him - we knew he was getting out but weren't sure where. I put him in the backyard, I went into the garage and by th time the electric garage door rolled up (less than a minute) Simba was standing outside the fence waiting for me. He had gone over right by the gate close to the garage, which shocked me as I thought he was going over on the other side of the house, where the fence was actually shorter. But this fence was wood (the other side chain link) and he could get purchase with his front paws on the top ledge and scrabble over. Plus there was a shorter gap between the gate and the fence that allowed him to get over. He wasn't even winded. So, no, I don't think a four foot fence is enough to keep a determined jumper out. But some dogs aren't jumpers, so maybe it would be okay. Would hate to find out the hard way, though.
She would never be out when no one is home, because she's still not completely trustworthy on her own outside of her kennel. (No tissues are safe from her!) It's not something that can happen until Spring as the ground is frozen and covered in snow, but I'm pricing out some fences. If I could, I would put up a chain link fence, but they aren't allowed in our neighborhood. I just thought that vinyl would last and may be too smooth for feet to get purchase.
I would go for a 5 foot fence over 4 foot, just to give the extra security in preventing a dog jumping/climbing/scrambling over. It's quite amazing what a determined dog can get over. My personal preference would be 6 foot if that is allowed.
My OH's dog, when he was a teenager, scaled a head height stone wall because she heard her sister on the other side (she lived around the corner and were in regular contact). All in the blink of an eye. I don't think in the UK we leave our dogs outside on their own when we are out, although I know it common practice in other countries. There are lots of variable factors here. You aren't going to know whether it is high enough until he goes over it the first time. I guess I would put in a fence that is aesthetically as high as you can tolerate and finance. And be prepared to possibly revise that. I would also make a stab at a male dog that has not been neutered would be more likely to scale a 10 foot fence topped with barbed wire and greased with oil if there were an in-season bitch on the other side LOL.
She likes to investigate and wander for a while, especially on the first trip outdoors of the day. I don't usually have an extra 30 minutes in the morning to wait outside. Especially in the weather, now. It was below zero today... Not ideal. So she is usually outside alone. The plan is to get another puppy in the spring so she has a buddy, but that's a different can of worms, not knowing if the new puppy will be a jumper or not. Depending on the price point, I'll probably end up with a five footer or six footer if the difference isn't too much. But thanks for all the input!! I appreciate it!
I have a growing yellow lab male....he is five months old, and a wild little hellion, with massive strength. I am going to get a five foot fence, just to be on the safe side....but I would never leave him out there by himself no matter what, this is just so we can throw the ball and hang out with some safety. My neighbor has a four ft. fence, but that is too short in my opinion. A six foot would make me happy but in my case may look too institutionalized....and given that he won't be out there alone, ever, I feel a five footer will do the trick. But I will let you guys know.
