Your Fence is Not a Babysitter

It's been a bit since I've written a blog post, but I felt inspired to write something up after a small pattern of clients with similar complaints and frustrations about their dogs' behaviors in the yard. The weather is nice and we've all pretty much exited hibernation, which means our dogs are also spending more time outside - and some of us aren't thrilled with the behaviors that come with the season or what our dogs are choosing to spend their time on in the yard! I chose a slightly cheeky title for this blog post (I'm not above a little bit of click bait), but it's a topic worth discussing when so many of my clients have fences!

Fences are super great for a lot of reasons:

• There's a lot less "getting tangled in the leash" going on - the dog and the kiddos and the adults, so ankles and patio furniture are spared.

• Our dogs are able to join us while we're gardening, working on a project in the garage or backyard, or just relaxing in the sun with a lot of freedom (and peace of mind for us humans)!

• All of the space that is fenced-in can be used by our dogs (versus just what a tie-out or the leash we're holding can give them access to).

• We don't need to take our dog out to go to the bathroom on leash when it's below zero, raining cats and dogs, or the humidity makes the air feel like it could be cut with a knife.

• There's a lot less worry about escape or running into the road if they shoot out a door held open by an inattentive toddler, a non-dog-person guest, or when our arms are full of groceries. Actually, I once "trapped" a dog in my fenced-in yard when he wandered into it from a couple of blocks away; this was after the family's younger kiddos left a door open when playing with their friends in the backyard, so it was a plus to have him contained!

• Some dogs struggle with all the triggers and distractions that the great, big, wide world contains, so a fenced-in backyard can be a haven for the dog to enjoy fresh air and exercise with a lot less stress.

• In our household, part of the driveway is fenced in and our doggos get a little pawdicure every time they race out of the house, which is great with a dog sensitive to handling and nail trims.

Despite all the positives of having a fence, relying on the fence to babysit the dog has the potential to cause a host of downsides:

• Re-landscaping of the yard (aka digging)

• Barking (at other dogs, people, bikes, vehicles, etc. just passing by the fence or even the neighbors hanging out on their patio)

• Fence fighting with the dogs passing by the fence

• Eating plants in the garden or grabbing branches off the shrubs or trees in your yard

• Eating the mulch, toys, rabbit turds, even their own poop

• Inappropriate play with the other dog(s) of the household or even resource guarding of one of the toys, chews, or sticks

• Jumping on the fence or even escaping the yard

• A dog is susceptible to predators who don't see fences as barriers (much more of a concern for small doggos, who can't defend themselves).

• Especially in the case of "designer" or popular breeds, a dog who appears to be alone can be a target for theft.

• Any dog could be a target for potentially unwanted attention, as well; people or kids passing by don't always keep their hands to themselves and some even heckle a dog who may be super uncomfortable with strangers (a teenager once stood on my driveway, barking and shouting at my dog, who is weirded out by strangers as it is and wanted him to leave her alone).

• A fenced-in backyard can also turn into a replacement for walks and become one of the only forms of physical and mental exercise for the dog in some households.

So many of the items in that list are behaviors folks don't like and reach out to us for help with reducing or eliminating! The biggest, quickest, and most effective fix for those behaviors is not always a very welcome recommendation, though...Supervision. A dog is a lot less likely to participate in shenanigans or find their own entertainment if someone is watching them, if they're being played with and kept occupied, or if their time outside alone is limited to using the bathroom.

If you're thinking about getting a fence, hopefully this post gives you some things to think ahead about; if you already have a fence and are struggling with some of the things listed earlier, you're not alone! And we'd be happy to help you work on and through some of those so everyone in the household can enjoy the Summer!