Dog proofing a back yard

[corbs]

Evening all,
We will be moving into our new home in a few weeks and I need a quick and easy (read also cheap) way to dog proof our back yard. At the moment the bottom of the fence is about 8-10" off the ground in some areas and my dog would crawl out but even where the fence is nearly touching the ground she would be able to dig out. I am basically looking for a material that I could bury in the ground a foot or so and have above the ground about the same that will withstand being in the ground (read again cheap). Down the track there will be retained garden beds so they wont be seen once the landscaping progresses.

Looking forward to your advice and suggestions.

Corbs

[dazzler]

I used pool fencing from ARC in gal. I used the full panels but where there was a gap I cut a sheet in half so that you end up with two 600mm x 2440 panels that you cat infill with and stick down into the ground.

see pic;

53086

I used the gal ones for about $46 buck a throw :2tsup: called ARC wattle

cheers

dazzler

[ozwinner]

Are you keeping the dog in or out?

Either way I would go the 12 gauge, once administered the dog is going nowhere.

Al :cool:

[glock40sw]

G'day.
Use gal Weldmesh fencing panels and use bolt cutters to cut off the first bottom horizontal bar.
The remaining vertical bars can then be driven into the ground.
Then cut the panel 2 or 3 horizontal bars higher than the bottom of the fence and continue until you use the whole panel.
sonds complicated, but it is schit easy.

Or just shoot the Pole Pizzer...:D .

[markharrison]

I have a Jack Russell that is a great digger (which is a tautology as they all are!). I drove 45cm star posts under the gate and she has yet to escape since this. This is obviously only suitable where there is a very limited avenue of escape, like a gate, as it would be too expensive otherwise.

[Harry II]

just a thought, are you allowed an low volt electric fence?

[corbs]

Thanks for the response so far team.

Al, its to keep the dog in but if I see a cat I will give you a call to borrow your 12 gauge :2tsup:.

Looks like the general concensus (sp?) is the pool fencing/mesh option. I like the idea of the mesh actually and it should be pretty easy to get. I think the neighbour has actually left some on my block. Hopefully he leaves it there when the fence goes up :rolleyes:. As for the electric fence... dont think it would be allowed but jeeze it would be funny watching the boys find out what they do :o.

Mark I have a bit under 1000 square block so star pickets on three sides may not be the option for me:B

[ozwinner]

Al, its to keep the dog in but if I see a cat I will give you a call to borrow your 12 gauge :2tsup:.




Dont call me, just call Wongo. :roll:

Al :U

[Theremin]

We recently moved into a new house and had a similar problem - wanted to keep the dog in the back yard, stop it from jumping fences, or digging up the garden.

So, we installed an invisible dog fence: http://www.sureguard.com.au/dog_electric_fence_600_604.mv

It is fantastic. The dog will not go within a metre of it. It worked out to be much cheaper than what the materials would have cost to fix up the fences etc. It took me about 1/2 hour to install (although I'm waiting until it rains before I bury the wire!) It's also portable in case we move, or want to adjust the containment area.

I was sceptical at first and did a lot of research. The Sureguard product seemed to be the best value-for-money. We have had no problems with it so far. My only criticism is that the training program they recommend didn't work for us. They say to train the dog using just an audible warning, but our dog did not learn until he had been zapped a couple of times.

[Colin Howkins]

We got dogs. And keeping them where you want them can be a bit of a challenge.

Have used electric fences for years. Good part is you only have to have the dog bump into it once and they don't go there again. We now just use white string around gardens etc and it works

Colin Howkins

[Ausyuppy]

I'll back up the electric fence idea. Ive used it in the past to keep my dog out of the garden. These days if I need to keep her away from something, I put the electric fence tape up and she stays away. She knows exactly what it means.

If you cant find an electric fence from your local pet shop, try a store further out in the country, ie CGT or even a horse shop. You can get a cheap unit for around $100 which is extremly effective.

Cheers
Steve

[Mcblurter]

I think it is a bit like child proofing your home, no matter how well you do it they keep coming back in!!!
Cheers
Rooster

[another termite]

Just need to be careful with the electric fence idea i was going to get it to stop my alaskan malamute (who thinks he is a wombat) from escaping but was told by a neighbour (who works for the RSPCA) that i wasn't allowed to do this in a residental yard. Tried to get conformation of this but no one there could supply me with a paper copy of the rule or if it was there to protect the pets or the neighbours. In the end i used the dig and cement method as i was sure they would be told i had it and would then definatly be able to find the legislation to prosecute me

[Ausyuppy]

NSW is funny about electrical shocks for animals. You are prohibited to use the electric bark collars there as well. I knew this from when I was there a few years ago. However in QLD you can buy and use the bark collars here. I would assume the electric fence is the same.

[Theremin]

Yeah the electric fence we have (see above) uses a radio collar so we, the children, the cats and any other dogs don't know it's there. It also means you can bury the wire once the dog learns where the boudary is (hence it being called an 'invisible' fence).

[corbs]

Thanks again for the response. I have heard a lot of favourable reports of the electric fences but was a bit dubious of them. I like the idea but being in NSW might be restricted. The neighbour has a bit of his stuff spread over our block and there are a few sheets of mesh. I might hit him up and if he doesn't need it will cut it up and knock it into the ground as Glock has suggested. It will probably be the cheapest way for me to go. Once she knows that she cant get out she stops trying. Electric fence would be fun with the kids though :rolleyes:.

Corbs

[S.O.P]

I currently have a cattle electric fence set up for my two terrors. They are very wary of the wire but one dog is able to get past it anyway.

I initially had a single strand of ribbon surrounding the property, one of the dogs got out and I came home to find the ribbon cut in several places around the house. Later I found out, thanks to a neighbour, that the dog left behind attacked the ribbon, while it was on, and was lying on it, chewing it while being shocked at the same time. The neighbour was screaming at the dog for it to get off but it didn't all the while yelping at the top of it's lungs.

So now I have star pickets and a 3 strand wire setup. As above, one dog can still get past it/through it/over it (unknown to us) when it wants to, the other is stuck with us.

Good thing though, is that once they know about it, you don't need it on any more so the general public are safe. Be careful though, an earlier dog we had a fence set up for developed a slight phobia of wire including coathangars etc.

[Barry_White]

Corbs

I think the cheapest way of doing this with what is called rabbit footing netting. This is used on the bottom of rabbit proof netting after it has rusted off after about 20 years from being buried in the ground.

Footing netting is 12" wide and comes in a roll. You just roll it out and attach it to the bottom of the fence with a batten screwed or nailed on top of the netting.

You bury the rest of the netting in the ground and where the gap is wide attach an additional piece (or slit it down the centre) to the bottom to give you enough buried in the ground and attach it with netting clips and a pair of clip pliers. You need at least 6" buried in the ground to deter the dog from digging.

You would have to go to a Rural Supplies Merchant to purchase these. The pliers are only about $10 or $12. The clips are cheap but don't know what the netting is worth.

Attached is a pic of the netting the pliers and the clips.

By the way I have used an electric fence to keep the dog off the garden and it works well but agree that in suburbia it isn't the way to go.

[corbs]

Cheers Barry,
I will be out in Bungendore which is more rural than suburban but will be in an estate so I will leave the electric fence as a last option. I will cost the your great wall of china option (keep the rabbits out) but am thinking the mesh is the go, especially as there are a few sheets already on the block.

Cheers,
Corbs