Tips to Keep Your Dog Securely in Your Yard
- Barb M
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
The neighbor’s husky pup can’t get past the buried landscape timber. An hour later he made his way into my yard. He found a spot where there was no barrier.
by Barb McDonald, LDOW Volunteer and Founder of the Lost/found Husky Dogs Facebook page
Here are some ways, many cheap and still very effective ways to keep your dog from getting through the fence and getting lost. These work for dogs that jump over, climb over, dig under, squeeze through gaps, etc. Some ways can also help keep coyotes and other animals out of the fence as well. Most of these will work for almost any type of fence.
DOGS THAT CLIMB THE FENCE– Use Coyote Rollers or Lean Ins. Coyote rollers are mounted at the top along the entire fence and they literally roll so it’s impossible for your dog to get a grip on it to get over the fence. If you’re a handy person you can make these out of PVC pipe for cheaper. Just make sure they ROLL and that you place them high enough to keep your dogs paw from getting stuck but low enough to keep your dogs head/body from getting stuck. These can be installed on pretty much any type of fence and also work great for keeping coyotes and other animals out of your fence and keeping your animals safe. Lean ins are simple and cheap. You can use welded/chicken wire for these. It’s just angled fencing attached to the top. This makes it impossible for a climbing dog to keep a grip to get over the fence. Both of these methods are used at wolf hybrid rescues to keep them from escaping. Both can also be taken down and moved if you ever move to a new place.
DOGS THAT DIG UNDER THE FENCE– Use a “no dig” fencing/L-footer system. For no digging wire/fence you can use welded wire literally dug into the ground and buried at a slant but enough left out to connect it to the fence. If you have to cut the wire for any reason be sure to keep the sharp edges facing where the dog won’t come in contact with them or you can dull the ends of them. You can also use welded wire and lay it directly on the ground along the fencing still connecting it to your fence though like an “L.” To secure it to the ground use lawn staples. You can always use concrete to make a no dig “fence” or footer too. Same concept but with concrete.
DOGS THAT SQUEEZE THROUGH SMALL SPACES– If your dog is squeezing through small spaces such as the spaces in a picket fence you can do a couple things. You can buy a puppy bumper. They connect to the collar so as long as the collar fits correctly the bumper won’t fall off. Do not make your dog wear these 24/7 & make sure there is nothing around your dog can get caught on. Use them when letting the dog out to potty or just to run around and play for bit. They are light weight but your dog may need time to get used to it because it may be a little “uncomfortable” at first but it’s better than having a lost dog. Besides a puppy bumper you can use a Bar Harness, these are just a few dollars more but will work better with wider gaps and probably more comfortable. They make these for large dogs as well. If you don’t want to use a puppy bumper/bar harness you can always line the fence with a mesh wire, they do sell some mesh wire that is hardly even noticeable. If you don’t like the look of wire you can use bamboo rolls to line the fence with.
DOGS THAT DASH THROUGH THE FENCE DOOR WHEN OPENING IT– Simple and quick fix. Make an Airlock Fence Entrance. This is just a small extra fenced area/barrier attached to your fence entrance (inside the fence or outside the fence) so if your dog dashes out it prevents him from running off by keeping him inside the entrance. Making it easier on you to keep your dog in the yard. Also great for people that have kids that don’t always pay attention when opening the gate and causing the dog to get loose. If your fence doesn’t stay latched, buy new latches and/or locks. If you’re worried about your dog dashing through the front door and it’s a small dog a wrap around baby gate as an “airlock entrance” may do the trick for inside the home.
FENCE JUMPERS– Remove anything the dog can use to help them jump over the fence… tables, dog house, etc. Install an extension either to make the fence taller by using welded wire or to put a flat barrier to block them from getting past where they jump.
*If your dog is just squeezing under a chain link fence that has gaps under it or just isn’t secured to the ground… you can buy some lawn anchor/staples for $15-$25 and secure the bottom of the fence to the ground.
*If your fence has a hole patch it up or if it’s possible remove that section of the fence and replace it with a new section.
OTHER TOOLS:
EXTENDING FENCE HEIGHT You can extend your fence height using post extenders, fence toppers (such as trellis or lattice panels), or mesh extension kits, with specific products available for DIY installation on various fence types. Before starting, check local regulations and homeowner's association (HOA) rules regarding maximum fence height, as permits are often required to exceed typical limits (e.g., 6-8 feet in backyards).
COYOTE ROLLERS- http://www.coyoteroller.com/ LEAN IN FENCE TOPPER • Shelf Bracket Method: Attach heavy-duty shelf brackets (angled inward) to the top of fence posts. Secure chicken wire or welded wire mesh to these brackets to create an inward-leaning overhang.
NO DIG FENCING/L-FOOTER- A no dig footer is created by stapling chicken wire ( or stronger metal mesh) onto the bottom of the fence, bending it at a 90 degree angle and have it extend at least 12 inches into your yard and use long landscaping staples to secure it to the ground. This creates a no dig zone.
PUPPY BUMPER- https://share.google/DdoVrlAh6XLKtB9R6
AIRLOCK Create an easy to install air lock using a push in fence with a gate.
