How to Keep Your Dog from Jumping the Fence?

        Have you ever gotten nervous seeing your dog no longer in the fence where he/she should be? Having a pet that is an escape artist can sometimes really trouble people, especially if you spend a lot of money building a good fence. Nobody wants to see their pets brought into a shelter or in danger because of constant escaping. So this blog is to give you some advice on how to keep your dog from jumping the fence.

        First of all, before you dive right into the solution, understanding why your dog keeps running away may give you some hints on what you should do to keep your dog inside. Basically, there might be two reasons that you can think of.

        The first one is that your puppy might feel bored and want to find something to do. All dogs need some daily exercises such as walking, playing games, or a trip to the dog park, etc. A fence does not provide enough space for a dog to exercise and he/she may not have enough to do inside the fence. So it will make your dog want to go explore the outside. In this case, you can provide your dog with more time to exercise. You can take a regular walk with your dog, and play games in your yard, or you can also rotate toys regularly so your dog doesn’t feel bored. If you are too busy to spend time with your dog, you can also hire a dog walker to come in once or twice a day just to make sure your dog gets enough exercise every day. Your dog will not jump out of the fence if he/she got enough exercise and is already tired.

        The second reason could be dogs want to mate. Hearing a dog nearby or sensing a dog in heat can also make dogs want to get rid of the fence. This kind of situation is more common in non-neutered male dogs. In this case, it is recommended to have your dog spayed or neutered. Not only because sex drive one of the reasons that make your dog want to escape the fence, but neutered dogs also live longer than those who don’t. In other words, spaying or neutering can be beneficial to your dog's health by reducing the likelihood of cancer or prostate problems.

        There are also other ways to prevent your dog from escaping the fence. For example, you can train your dog to stay away from the fence. Dogs are actually more intelligent than you think. Though it may take a long time, still it is totally possible to train your dog to stay away from your fence. The key here is to let your dog understand that escaping the fence may draw negative consequences. You can give your dog negative feedback such as saying “No!” loudly or using an air horn whenever he/she gets close to the fence. And when your dog stays away from the fence, you can give him/her some treats as praise. After repeating these over and over again, I’m sure they will have some effect.

        Besides, removing the jumping aids in the fence would help a lot. Try to look around your yard from a dog’s perspective and see if there’s anything that can be used as an escape aid. Trashcans, small boxes, or a small stool near the fence can be used as a launching pad and give your dog an aerial boost. Therefore, it is quite important to get rid of things that might help your dog climb.

        Several ways to keep your dog inside the fence being told, it is necessary to know your dog's behavior since every dog is different. Knowing how your dog manages to get over the fence and knowing exactly how he/she finds his/her way out will help you a lot to choose the best solution for you.