One of the reasons why people have fencing around their yards is to prevent their dogs from potentially escaping from their homes. Dogs are prone to escaping from homes, especially if they are left outside without any supervision at all. It is certainly frustrating for dog owners when they discover that their dogs had indeed escaped from their homes. A lot of things can happen to dogs who have escaped.
They could end up being stolen, getting run over by a car by accident, or simply getting lost to the point that they may never be recovered by their owners. Even though the fencing is meant to prevent the dogs from escaping from their homes, dogs have been known to be able to jump over it somehow. So, with that in mind, I am here to help you with how to stop a dog from jumping a fence so that you can further prevent your dog from escaping.
Suggestions For How To Stop A Dog From Jumping A Fence
1. Get Rid Of Climbing Aids
Are there anything that you have put right by your fence? If so, that is going to make it easier for your dog to cross your fence because then he/she will be able to climb on something by the fence in order to help with the escape.
So, let’s say that you have a trash can and/or a picnic table located right next to the fence. You will want to move them somewhere where your dog can’t use them as a springboard for escaping your home.
So, I would suggest that you put your trash can right next to your street and then put your picnic table somewhere in the middle of your yard.
2. Create A Barrier To Escaping
We have to realize that dogs can be capable of escaping their yards on their own, even without the need for climbing aids like a trash can or picnic table.
So, you will need to create some kind of barrier to prevent your dog from potentially escaping on his/her own. There are a few options available for creating a barrier to escaping.
L-footer
One option that is available foe creating an escape barrier is what is referred to as a L-footer. It is a type of fencing that, when set up, is bent in order to make it shape like the letter L.
It is often set up right in front of the fencing that already exists. The L-footer is either bent at a 45 or 90 degree angle. It can be oriented in two ways depending on how your dog may be able to escape.
If your dog is able to escape by jumping over the fence, you will want to orient your L-footer at the top.
If your dog is capable of escaping by digging up the ground in order to go under the fence, it will make sense for you to orient your L-footer to the bottom. It can be partially buried into the ground although it isn’t necessary.
Landscaping
If I were you, I would consider doing some landscaping alongside your fencing. Not only will that create a natural barrier to deter your dog’s escape, but it will also make your yard more visually pleasing for yourself and your dog.
The only problem I can see with that is that your landscaping work will need some time to grow to the point that it can become a barrier for your dog.
So, you will want to do something about your dog in the meantime while waiting for your landscaping work to reach its full potential. So, consider putting your dog indoors or in his/her crate.
Putting your dog in your yard too prematurely will put your landscaping work at risk of being damaged.
3. Address The Root Causes Of Escaping
If you are going to motivate your dog to stay in your yard, you are going to want to address the reasons why he/she would want to escape in the first place. So, here are the reasons and how you can address them.
Boredom
When we human beings feel like there is nothing for us to do, then we will naturally become bored. The same thing is true with dogs. So, if there isn’t anything for dogs to do, then they will get bored too.
The first question you will want to ask yourself is “Is my dog getting enough exercise?” If the answer to your question is no, then it is time for you to start exercising your dog.
Giving your dog his much needed exercise will help him/her to use up a great deal of energy. That will make your dog too tired to feel bored because then he/she will want to spend time to rest him/herself. Not only will exercising help your dog to rest, it is also good for his/her health.
One great way to exercise your dog is through frisbee. Frisbee is played in which you throw the frisbee across and your dog needs to run in order to catch it. I would recommend that you order the Hyper Pet Flippy Flopper Dog Frisbee because these are soft which will be better for your dog’s teeth.
The second thing to ask yourself if your dog is bored is whether he/she has anything to keep him/her busy. If not, then I would suggest that you give your dog a stuffed Kong toy.
A stuffed Kong is designed to take a long time for your dog to chew off. That will keep your dog busy while he/she is outside in your yard. A stuffed Kong will also contain treats inside as a reward for completing the toy.
If you are looking for some tasty treats to tuck away inside the stuffed Kongs, you may want to check out the Canine Carry Outs Dog Treats as they come in a variety of treat options such as hot dog, chicken, and bacon and cheese.
Loneliness
If your dog is motivated to escape because he/she saw other dogs on the other side of the fence, that is a warning sign that he/she is feeling lonely. So, you will want to ensure that your dog is getting enough personal time with you.
That way your dog will feel like he/she has somebody to be with. Try and make your personal time with your dog fun.
Playing a game of frisbee is a fun way to spend some time with your dog. You can even get your dog to bark for fun. You also may want to take your dog to a dog park where there are other dogs around.
That will give your dog an opportunity to get to be around other dogs without feeling the need to escape from your home.
Protection From Perceived Danger
Depending on how busy your street is, it may be that your dog is feeling threatened depending on what he/she hears and/or sees. It could be a simple case of children playing around on the other side of the fence.
It could be that your dog is hearing something that he/she feels is out of the ordinary. And so your dog may be motivated to escape in order to defend his/her domain or to investigate something.
So, you may want to bring your dog indoors and/or to desensitize your dog to common noises.
How To Stop A Dog From Jumping A Fence – Conclusion
All in all, these are my suggestions for how to stop a dog from jumping a fence. So, what are your thoughts? Are you worried at all about your dog potentially escaping? Feel free to leave a comment below.