Large dogs and fences

For large dog owners - what size fence do you have in your backyard? Has your dog ever jumped it and gotten out?

I just found my survey and I don't think I will be able to get a permit for a 6 foot fence for our sideyard/backyard.

We live on a corner and we have to have 75 feet clearance from the intersection. Our entire plot on that side is only 100 feet so we would be dramatically decreasing the size of our backyard to a 25 x 30 foot square. We currently have a wood deck which monopolizes the rest of the area.

We currently have a 4 foot fence but I don't feel comfortable leaving a Labrador unsupervised. Maybe I could plant privacy hedges on the outside of the fence... But there's still the gate which we can't cover, obviously.

We don't have the dog yet. Just planning ahead. And feeling discouraged.

Thanks for reading/replying.

Message edited 7/27/2008 1:00:23 PM.

Re: Large dogs and fences

We have a tall fence. In the front though it's maybe 5 foot. Rudy has never jumped it.

My friends have a golden and they have a 4 foot chain link fence. The dog has never jumped and she totally could.

Re: Large dogs and fences

Thanks.

We had a border collie/lab mix when I was young and he was constantly scaling our 6 foot stocade.

I know that had a lot to do with him being "intact" though. Our dog(s) will be fixed.

We have dogs all around us too, so I also worry about other dogs getting into OUR backyard.

Re: Large dogs and fences

We have a 5 foot stockade fence around our yard and we have a golden retriever. Even if we had a 3 ft fence Casey wouldn't jump it..she's a fraidy cat

Re: Large dogs and fences

Ours is 4 foot and we never had a problem.

Re: Large dogs and fences

Our fence is over 5 feet so we don't have a problem. Once we were in NC and we put Bella in a fenced in yard that a 4 ft fence, and Bella jumped it and ran back to our friends house. Luckily they lived on a dead end street or Bella could have been in trouble We never thought she would jump, but she did, so now we don't take any chances.

Re: Large dogs and fences

We have a 6 foot fence. I'm not taking any chances. We had a baby gate in our house that was probably 3 feet up in the air and watched Sara clear it one day with no effort at all.

I used to place foster greyhounds. We required a 6 foot fence for all yards.

Re: Large dogs and fences

When I was a kid our neighbors husky jumped our 4 ft chain link fence and attacked our cocker spaniel. I think that maybe since it was chainlink it made it easier for her to jump.
You could always do an electric collar as well. I'm not that big of a fan of them though.

Re: Large dogs and fences

I looked into electric collars and decided I couldn't do that.

We measured this weekend, it looks like we could do a 6 foot fence in half the sideyard, we would lose about 20 feet. DH is not excited about that prospect but I'm going to show him this thread.

We plan on turning the other side into a yard too. I'm thinking until we take the deck down, it will have to do. We have to keep our pup safe - I can't vouch for all the other neighborhood dogs!

Thanks for your info - keep it coming if you can.

Re: Large dogs and fences

Misty is a 60 pound dog and we have a three foot fence in the back and one side. Our neighbors have a six foot fence on their side and we have a six foot gate at the front.
She has never even attempted to scale the fence.
I think if the dog is happy and gets enough exercise, jumping fences is not really a strong desire.
Also, when you say the dog you had as a kid jumped fences, remember that breed is extremely high energy. You are talking about getting a lab which is not the same kind of dog. A lab would be much less likely to jump a fence and run away.

Re: Large dogs and fences

6ft(actually slightly higher) PVC privacy fence. Only because we had an old 5ft stockade and she found a spot to get out through the posts. The next day after she got out I called the fence company....

Re: Large dogs and fences

DH agreed to go with the 6 foot fence.

Thank you to everyone for your information and help!

Re: Large dogs and fences

We have 6' fences, and even though our dog could jump straight up and look over the fence from a stand-still, he never attempted to actual jump it.

Could you ask the town for a variance for the fence? Permit rules can be bent as long as you go through the town and get a variance and explain why you need to go closer than 75' from the corner.