Your neighbors are knocking on your door to tell you they’ve found your dog in their garden—again! If your HOA threatens to make you get rid of your pet if he destroys the neighborhood one more time, you need to figure out how to keep your dog in your yard. It’s in the best interest of you, your pet, and other residents to secure your animal at all times. Keep reading for ways to prevent your dog from running off your property.
Extend Your Fence
Regardless of the type of fence you have, you should add height to it if your dog gets out by jumping over it. While making the fence taller can be a pain, it’ll be worth the trouble. You might consider a piece that leans in to prevent your dog from leaping. The correct size t-post to use for a four-foot fence might not work anymore if you wish to extend the fence vertically. T-posts come in sizes between five and 10 feet. Choose the one best suited for your plans.
Fill in the Bottom of Your Fence
If your dog is a digger, you can create a trough or valley around your fence and fill it in with chicken wire or cement to prevent your dog from escaping. Good diggers can burrow deep, so you should make your trough about a foot deep too.
Remove Climbing Aids
Dogs that are adept climbers escape from fenced-in areas all the time. The way to prevent it is to remove what they use to climb. If your fence has climbing aids, you may have to install metal bars known as coyote rollers to prevent your dog from getting a proper foothold on them.
Plant Landscaping
Installing bushes and water elements around your fence may prevent your pet from getting over or under your fence. Likely, your dog won’t be able to climb the bushes and may ignore the fence if it isn’t in sight as much. Further, planting landscaping around your fence may block your dog’s view of what’s outside the fence. Dogs often try to escape when they want something.
Spay or Neuter Your Dog
Another reason dogs try to escape their yards is to find a mate. Once your dog is six months old, it reaches sexual maturity. Your dogs’ sexual energy will motivate it to try to escape until you spay or neuter it. You can prevent unexpected puppies by keeping your dog in your yard and practicing proper pet care.
Figuring out how to keep your dog in your yard can be challenging. Keep in mind how important it is to secure your pet so that they don’t roam the neighborhood. Another way to ensure your dog stays in your yard is to supervise them while they’re outside.