Some dogs love to roam, visiting the tastier garbage cans in the neighborhood and their favorite four-legged friends, or just out for a little self-prescribed exercise. But the best of days can quickly fall apart if your dog escapes the yard and has been picked up by hopefully a concerned neighbor, the local animal control officer, or, worse, he is at the emergency hospital after being hit by a car.

 

How do you stop your dog from escaping the yard to roam on his own? Once a dog learns the freedom of roaming free, it is hard to keep them home. The best plan is to have the yard ‘dog proof’ from the day you bring him home so he never gets the ‘bug’, however, it is possible to prevent his escaping and foil his doggish plans!

 

Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places!

 

Most dogs learn to escape the yard and roam because of the instinct to procreate. Some females in heat will wander looking for a man while the intact male dog is obviously drawn to the pheromones produced by a female in heat and have been known to travel for miles in order to find their lover.

 

Early spay and neutering will help stop the wandering ‘urge’. By ‘fixing’ the dog before they hit sexual maturity, the instinct is removed almost entirely and rarely do they get themselves into trouble! Many people feel that it is not necessary to neuter a male dog as it is not them that produce the puppies, however, it takes two to tango, even in the canine world, and early neutering does help keep your dog in your yard.

 

Tie-Out and Pulley Systems

 

The least expensive way to keep a dog contained is using a tie-out. This can range from a piece of rope tied to a tree or railing to an elaborate system similar to a clothesline.

 

Anyone who has tried to tie their dog up with a rope or leash, however, will tell you that unless their pet has no teeth, the chance of the dog staying where you put him is slim. Rope and nylon leash material do not stand up to chewing well and in a matter of seconds, any dog can be free to roam. Avoid a tie-out made of any ‘chewable’ material – it is not worth the headache of teaching your pet not to chew the rope!

 

Many pet stores sell dog restraints that include a cable tie-out that is attached to a metal post that corkscrews into the ground. These products are pretty much dog proof for the average canine. The metal cable can is almost impossible to chew through and, the corkscrew is a secure in most types of ground. These are also good in that they can be moved around the yard easily so no one area becomes unsightly and a great item to keep in the car for visiting friends, going on picnics, or anywhere else you may want to have your dog temporarily but safely secured.

 

The clothesline system allows the dog more freedom then the ground based corkscrew containment system. This system uses a clothesline strung between two solid objects such as your house, trees, or a shed. From there, a pulley is attached to the clothesline with another line to attach the dog. This gives the dog the freedom of the length of your yard as well as the width by however long you make the second line. These systems tend to keep yards from developing wear spots and keep the dog from feeling like they are always on a leash.

 

Invisible Fencing

 

Invisible fencing is different again. Like the name suggests, it is entirely invisible as it is buried around the perimeter of the yard so there are no unsightly tie-outs or fences to spoil the view of your garden. They work by giving your dog a mild shock through a specially made collar if they come too close to the perimeter. Your dog is trained to avoid the perimeter and how well invisible fencing works is largely dependent on how well your dog is trained.

 

Unfortunately, some dogs learn that if they run far enough, fast enough, the shocking subsides. This means that when they do decide to escape, they do so at a flat out run, hopefully, not into traffic.

 

Invisible fencing is often used as a way to keep pet dogs out of a certain part of a yard, garden, or pool area.

 

The downside to any of these systems is that they do not keep other dogs or animals from coming into your yard, nor can your dog get away if the other animal wants to harm your pet. Part of a fence is to protect your pet from other animals (or people).

 

Not All Fences are Created Equal

 

There is a saying that good fences make for good neighbors and it goes doubly for good dogs! Wood or chain link fencing is the most common canine containment system. A good fence keeps your pet in the yard, the neighbor’s dog out of your yard, and a solid fence can help cut down on nuisance barking.

 

What is the best height fence for your dog’s needs? Many people feel a short fence is fine for short dogs however it does not keep tall or athletic dogs from jumping into the yard to harass your pet. A four or five foot fence is a good place to start.
Wood or chain link? This is a tough choice as chain link is quick to install and basically maintenance free. However, chain link does not offer any privacy to the yard and does not stop nuisance barkers as the dog can still see everything that is going on out in the real world.

 

Wood fences require some maintenance through the years but offer better privacy. They can also be adjusted and easily repaired as needed.

 

One problem with a fence is that they can be dug under, allowing the dog to escape. Any easy way around this problem is to build a cement foundation under the entire fence. This also helps keep the fence from rotting from the ground up in wet conditions. Another option is to bury chicken wire two feet down along the perimeter of the fence while attaching the top to either the wood or the chain link fencing material.

 

A properly built and maintained fence can keep even the most determined dog from escaping the yard as well as keeping unwanted visits from the neighbor’s pets. Although the initial investment of a fence may seem daunting, the cost of not having a fence can be higher both financially and emotionally!