Why do Dogs Jump the Fence

Why does your dog jump the fence?

Imagine spending a month in your house and back yard. Never leaving to see what is out there on the other side of your walls. A shocking number of dogs are forced to live their lives under this confinement.

Dogs are, by nature, compelled to travel; to explore territory, to hunt and to mate. When high energy dogs are confined their frustration level will eventually reach a point where they must escape or become destructive. Barking, digging, chewing (on anything they can find in your house/yard or even on themselves), and aggression are escalating signs of destructive behavior.

Preventing your high energy dog from getting to the point of jumping over the fence (or digging under it) demands exercise and leadership. Your dog needs to be challenged; physically and mentally. She needs a calm and assertive human pack leader who will provide for these needs. The best way to provide physical and mental stimulation is to take your dog for a walk, a bike run or rollerblading for at least one hour each day. An alternative (when you can’t go outside) is treadmill time. Your male dog needs to be neutered to overcome the strong urge to go in search of a mate (female dogs should, of course, also be spayed). 

Lower energy dogs also feel the stress of confinement. They may not get to the Houdini point but they may develop neurotic behaviors that let you know they are stressed. Signs would include spinning in circles, urinating/defecating indoors, becoming territorial over food/toys/furniture, chewing on themselves/excessive licking and changes in dietary habits. A lower energy dog may not be thrilled with the idea of sprinting alongside your bike but she will most definitely benefit by the challenge of a daily walk for 45 to 60 minutes.

What if you have a dog who is already jumping the fence? Here are some suggestions. 

·      Install a radio boundary system. This is a wire that goes along your fence line that transmits a series of beeps followed by progressively stronger shocks as your dog approaches the fence. Some dogs will charge through this field to freedom but this has a higher success rate when applied with a fence rather than as the sole barrier. Try installing the wire a few feet in front of the fence to increase the field size.

·         If your dog always jumps at one point put a scat-mat there. This is a battery powered mat, similar to one you would use under your office chair, which shocks when stepped on. This will work in that location (usually a gate) but your dog may simply move his preferred jump spot.

·      You can build a higher fence (boy is this going to be expensive!) One client just added on to her block fence to make it 8 feet tall only to discover her dog was athletic enough to get over it, yikes!

·     Install a strand of wire just in front of the top of the fence and put PVC pipe over the wire. The dog is not able to get a foothold at the top of the fence as the PVC pipe rolls on the wire. 
·   There are No-Jump harnesses that go around your dog’s rear legs and across the chest to the collar; preventing the dog from being able to lift the front legs off the ground well enough to jump. It does not impede any other physical activity. If your dog doesn’t destroy it this is pretty successful and, at $15.00, is also the least expensive solution.
·       For dogs who are serious escape artists a chain link kennel in the yard with a secure roof and door on a cement foundation may be your only option. This is not an ideal full-time solution as it further confines an already stressed dog but would be acceptable if your dog is getting 60-minute daily walks and is only kept in it for short periods of time.
·     NEVER chain your dog. One or more of the above solutions should work. Chaining a dog is not a humane solution and can lead to injury. Chained dogs can easily become aggressive dogs.

These suggestions should be combined with a daily exercise program for your dog’s mental health and best success. Hopefully, having considered all of the above solutions and the difficulty involved in correcting this problem, you have become inspired to walk your high-energy dog before he discovers the joy of jumping the fence.

Creature Comforts Pet Sitting Service offers dog walking and biking sessions as often as needed. We will also come to give you and your dog treadmill training sessions.