Is your dog a master escape artist? Does he break out of your fenced-in backyard every chance he gets? If you answered yes, you’re not alone! Which brings me to what sparked this article in the first place: My new furry friend, Winnie.
The Backstory
It was around 11 p.m. on a Friday and I was driving home from a night out with friends. While getting ready to turn into my community, I spotted a small, white, Chihuahua-looking pup wandering the street alone. I pulled over, jumped out of my car and called out for the pup, trying to get her to safety. She was scared and ran under my car. After a few minutes, I was able to coax her out. The dog had no collar or ID, and because it was so late, no vet’s office was open to scan for a microchip. So, I scooped her up and brought her home with me.
As soon as we got in my house, I started posting on all the local social media pages, hoping someone would recognize her. No success in finding her family that night … so my four-pawed houseguest and I settled in and went to sleep.
The next morning, good news, I located her family. I drove the little girl home – her name was Winnie. Since this sweet girl’s escape began in her fenced-in backyard, Winnie became my inspiration for this article.
Thankfully this story ended well. But, unfortunately, that isn’t always the case when a dog gets out. Many escapes result in tragedy. Dogs get hit by cars, stolen, into fights with other dogs, and often become the victim of animal abuse and attacks.
If your dog is in the habit of escaping from your fenced-in backyard and you’re trying to stop it, ask yourself two key questions: Why and how is he getting out?
Why Do Dogs Escape From Their Backyard?
1. Boredom
Just like people, bored dogs look for ways to entertain themselves. Some may bark excessively, chew, or dig. Then you have the extra-crafty pup, who manages to find the escape hatch!
What To Do
As the saying goes, “a tired dog is a good dog.” So, help him release some physical and mental energy before you put him in the yard.
- Walking Or Exercising – Take your dog for a walk. Play games like, fetch, tug-of-war, agility, or any of your favorites. Teach him some new tricks.
- Make the Yard a Fun Place – You wouldn’t want to be in an empty room. Well, neither does Fido. Put out some favorite toys, balls, puzzles, or whatever he likes to play with. Rotate them often. Create a place for him to dig, add a water feature to splash in, make sure he has a comfortable place to lie down and rest with shade and fresh water.
- Keep Outdoor Sessions Short – Dogs are social animals. They want to be where the action is and you can only distract them for so long before they’ll become bored again. Nothing positive comes from idle paws.
2. Outside Stimulation
Can your dog see through your fence? Watching people, critters, other dogs, etc, is really tempting for Fido. If your dog’s getting overstimulated, to the point of wanting to join the action, it’s time to block his view. The concept is quite simple. Just like adding curtains or blinds on your indoor windows, you’ll cover up your fence. You can find a variety of ready-made options in multiple materials to suit your taste. Check out Fence Privacy Screens HERE.
3. Fear
Fear and anxiety often cause dogs to flee. Why? They’re scared and they want to get away! Sudden loud noises, such as fireworks, thunder, emergency sirens, and loud construction noises are frightening to most dogs. Be aware of what’s going on outside before you open the door to let your dog out in the yard. FYI: Did you know that more dogs go missing over the July 4th holiday than any other time of year?
4. Separation Anxiety
Do you have a dog who knows your every move and doesn’t let you out of sight for a moment? (I do). Dogs who are so bonded and attached may get super anxious when you’re out of sight. When left outside alone, these feelings can magnify, making Fido desperate enough to try and find you.
Separation Anxiety is a behavioral issue that needs to be worked on. It’s not good for the family or your fur baby. First, you’ll need to slowly condition your dog to be able to separate from you for very brief periods. Next, you can increase the time intervals as you see him making progress. For safety sake, work on this indoors.
For more information on this topic, I have an article titled, “Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Advice From a Dog Trainer” Read it HERE. It’s a Q&A session where a certified dog trainer offers plenty of good information, advice, and tips.
5. Looking For A Mate
Unspayed females and unneutered males often get powerful hormonal urges to mate. Males may find a way to get out if they sense a female in heat is nearby … or go to search for one. But they aren’t the only ones that roam. Females in heat may also attempt to roam in search of a male partner. Getting your females spayed and males neutered will offset these natural behaviors and urges. But if you wish to keep your furry kids intact, be aware that urge to roam is always a possibility. Intact females should be monitored and preferably indoors when they’re in heat. Don’t leave them in the yard by themselves during this time. Even if your girl can’t get out of your yard, an intact male could find his way in. He’ll more-than-likely be all too happy to leave his calling card…an unintended pregnancy!
How Do Dogs Escape From Their Backyard?
Now that we thought about some of the reasons why your dog may be escaping from your fenced backyard, let’s figure out how he could be getting out and what to do about it.
1. Is The Fence Sturdy?
Inspect every inch of your backyard fence, including the fence itself, the posts, pickets, chain links, or whatever your fence happens to be made from. Make sure all materials are in good condition and not in need of repair. Fix and secure any areas that are faulty.
2. Gate Locks and Latches?
Does a little shaking cause the gate to swing open? If so, check, adjust and repair any locks, screws, or latches in question.
3. Gaps or Openings at Ground Level: The Diggers
Check the perimeter of the fence for any gaps or openings at the ground level. Small to medium dogs might be able to slip right under and out. For larger dogs and diggers, with a little work…they can be out too!
How To Prevent Under Fence Escapes
- Fill in any openings you found during your inspection.
- Create a landscape border between the grass and the fence, by planting a line of shrubs or a hedge in front of the fence. This will put a natural barrier between your dog and the actual fence. It will buffer what he hears on the other side, prevent him from jumping directly on the fence, and as the landscape grows it will crowd him out. Whatever plants you decide to use, make sure they are pet safe. Plus, don’t forget to periodically check for any new ground openings.
- Create a rock garden border next to the fence. Use large and varied sized rocks that are uneven and uncomfortable for Fido to walk on to discourage him from walking near the fence.
- Add an L-Bracket Footer at the base of the fence. This will prevent your dog from being able to dig under and out of the fence. It’s quite simple to make one.
- Purchase a roll of fencer or chicken wire at your local home hardware store. Tip: (Wear work gloves when you are doing this project, I’ve poked myself with this wire in the past – ouch!)
- Measure and cut it to the length you need for your fence.
- Fold it lengthwise into a 90º angle, so it looks like an L.
- Place it with the top part of the L (the long part) against the fence and the lower part of the L (the short part) onto the ground. You can simply secure it onto the grass or dirt with landscape pins, put rocks on top of it, or bury it. There is no right or wrong way to do this. You just want to make the area so that the dog can’t dig down and under. Important note: Make sure to check for any sharp edges on the wire and make sure they aren’t pointing where Fido or anyone can get poked.
- Add Underground Fence Defense to your existing fence. These are simple to install underground fence barrier panels made to prevent underground escapes or intrusions. If you decide to go this route, these panels are made in various sizes from S-XL. Check out Fence Defense products HERE
4. Height
How tall is your fence? Do you have a tall dog and a short fence? Or a high jumper little athlete and a short fence?
How To Prevent Climbers and Jumpers From Escaping:
- L-Footer This is the same as the L-Footer above that was placed at the ground level, but flipped. This time, the bottom of the L is secured to the fence and the top of the L will be facing inward to the yard – like a canopy. It doesn’t have to be very high, just angled in towards the yard so when the dog looks up he sees an obstacle blocking his way out. Fido is really smart – most times he won’t attempt the climb or jump if he doesn’t think he’ll make it over.
- Purchase a roll of fencer or chicken wire and L-Brackets at your local home hardware store. Tip: (Wear work gloves when you are doing this project, I’ve poked myself with this wire in the past – ouch!)
- Cut it to the length you need for your fence.
- Fold it lengthwise into a 90º angle, so it looks like an L.
- Place the wire with the bottom part of the L (the short part) against the fence. Start about 8 inches down from the top. This will allow the top part of the L (the longer part) face inward toward the yard (like a canopy).
- Depending on the length of your fence you’ll need L- brackets to support it. This will keep the overhanging from sagging. Simple L- brackets for hanging outdoor planters can be used. Start at one end, place and secure them approximately 8 – 10 feet apart. It will be different for everyone depending on the size of the fence. Figure out how many you’ll need and space them evenly. Important note: Make sure to check for any sharp edges on the wire and make sure they aren’t pointing where Fido or anyone can get poked by them.
- A Coyote Roller is a spinning bar installed across the top of a fence. It works by preventing an animal from getting that final grip at the top to pull himself over. Instead, when he attempts to grab, the bar spins, causing him to lose his grip and slide down. This can be a good option for climbers, but it won’t stop a dog that can just jump over. Here are some Amazon links to Coyote Rollers, or you can DIY them yourself. Search the term DIY Coyote Rollers and you will come up with pages of instructions, videos, and tutorials.
- Relocate any furniture or portable items your pup can stand on that are next to the fence. Even with a tall fence, you may be unknowingly assisting in your dog’s escape if you have tables, chairs, or anything else your dog can climb on, next to the fence.
5. Open or Wide Pickets?
This type of fence can offer an easy escape route for smaller dogs as they can often just walk right through them like an open door. Some medium-sized dogs, soon figure out that with a bit of oomph they can squeeze themselves through as well. And, remember, dogs are super intelligent – once they figure out how to do something once, you can bet they’ll do it again the first chance they get.
What To Do
Fencer Wire
This stuff is great and simple to use. It’s a wire mesh that comes in a variety of sizes and colors. You can get it coated or plain wire. I prefer the coated, especially if you have a black aluminum fence — it pretty much blends right in. Purchase whatever length you’ll need and some zip ties to secure it to your fence.
To Install: Just roll it out and secure it to the fence with zip ties! How much more simple can that be?! Check out Fencer Wire HERE
Puppy Bumpers
If you want to keep your small pooch from walking out through the pickets, a puppy bumper may be your solution. It’s nothing more than a stuffed pillow collar that makes your dog too wide to fit through the pickets. But even with a puppy bumper – I wouldn’t recommend leaving a small dog in the yard unattended. Some pups can be very crafty and if given a little time, might figure out how to fit through anyway. When you’re standing by, you can deter them from having the opportunity to ever figure that out. Check out Puppy Bumpers HERE
I hope this article will assist you in finding ways to keep your dog from ever escaping your backyard. But first and foremost, the very best way to keep your dog from escaping your backyard is to not leave him out there alone. Puppies should never be left outside alone.
