How to Stop Your Dog from Jumping Fences

Many dog owners have asked the question of how to stop their dog from jumping fences. A fence is meant to keep your dog in its own yard, or to keep other dogs out. A dog that can jump one fence may be able to jump others.

The results of all this fence-jumping can be quite devastating as a dog may get hurt during these leaps, escape never to be seen again, or may jump into the yard of a particularly territorial dog and get into a fight. Most consequences of your dog jumping fences are negative, so how do you stop your dog from doing so?

Understand Why a Dog Jumps Fences

In order to stop your dog from jumping over fences, you should first understand why he feels the need to do so. If you understand why your dog would want to escape the yard, you may take preventative measures against the action itself. A dog will likely jump a fence for the following reasons:

• The dog is lonely and wants to play. If someone or something they like is on the other side, the dog will make every attempt to seek that person’s companionship.

• Another animal is on the other side of the fence and it wants to scare it off, or chase it. The other animal may be a female dog your male dog is attracted to.

• The dog is bored. The act of jumping the fence is an exciting activity for the dog.

Don’t Leave Your Dog Alone

The easiest and most effective way to stop your dog from jumping over his enclosure or over a fence is to not leave him in the yard alone. If you or someone else is in the yard with the dog, you can keep an eye on him and prevent him from going over the fence. During this time, you can also monitor his behavior to see what may influence him to jump the fence. Are there enough toys for him? Is there enough water? Is the fence too short?

Take the opportunity while in the backyard to not only observe the dog’s influences, but to train him to stop attempting the fence-jumping. If he attempts it, reprimand him firmly. If he does not, reinforce his good behavior with positive rewards. Just remember, training your dog won’t happen overnight. You will need to practice plenty!

Fence Height Extension

The higher the fence, the less likely your dog will be to jump over it. A fence of at least six feet should be sufficient to stop any dog from jumping over it. So, if your dog continually jumps the fence, you may want to think about investing in a fence height extension kit.

Many hardware stores stock complete kits and materials to increase the height of your fence. An alternative to fence height extension kits is the use of welded wire leaners, which are also quite practical. However, if you choose to use leaners, be sure to cover them with fabric or covering so that your dog is not injured should he make the attempt to jump.

Enclosed Dog Run

If you have enough room in your yard, you may consider building an enclosed dog run. This is simply another area in your yard, dedicated to your dog. It is fenced in, to have a border, but also has a chain link ceiling to prevent your dog from jumping out and over the fence. Once your dog has become used to the ceiling it may even be removed.

The Hidden Dog Fence

A hidden dog fence is one that makes use of electricity and underground connections to create a border around a yard or fenced in area to prevent a dog from escaping. This electronic system uses a weak radio field to enclose the area. The transmitter and receiver, which is attached to your dog’s collar, will send signals to deter your dog from crossing the border. Hidden dog fences may be used in yards with or without metal or wooden fences.

If you have a hidden dog fence, when your dog decides to move too close to the border or attempts to cross it, the underground system will send a small electrical shock to the receiver, which is administered through the dog’s collar. While this may seem too harsh a punishment, it is really not a strong shock and will not do any damage. It is more along the line of a gentle nose tap to deter the dog from escaping.

More on Dog Jumping:

The #1 Jumping Prevention Guide - Click to view our top rated prevention guide to finally get your dog to stop jumping up on you and other people.

How To Stop Dog Jumping – More useful tips and advice on how to go about getting your dog to stop jumping. Including a basic understanding and solutions to jumping dogs.

How To Stop Your Dog Jumping Up On People – There can be many different reasons why a dog would jump on a person. However, these reasons can be broken down into three different categories.

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