According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than half of all US households own at least one pet. If you have a pet (…or two… or more!), keeping them healthy and safe is most likely a high priority. A pet fence can help.
Importance of Physical Fence
One great way to help keep your dog safe and healthy is to enable them to play in a safely fenced yard. Not only does a physical fence prevent your dog from running away, a good fence prevents other dogs from entering your yard. It is also a stronger deterrent for someone looking to steal your pet.
Depending on the breed, dogs need anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours of exercise each day. The beauty of a strong and durable fence is that you can let your dog out day or night, rain or shine. No need to walk out in the elements! Although it doesn’t save you from muddy paws!
Fence Style Considerations
As you think about a new fence, here are some things to consider:
- Size of dog – do you need “puppy pickets” to keep a small dog in? Or 6’ or taller height to keep a big dog in?
- Blind spots – do you want to make sure you can see your dog at all times? If so, you’ll want to consider that as you lay out your fence. Work to make sure you can see all of the fenced area from inside your home.
- Talkative dog – do you need a solid fence to help screen outside activity from the view of a dog who likes to bark at other dogs, cars, pedestrians . . . ?
- Climbing dog – some breeds are adept at climbing chain-link fence, so you’ll want to do your homework to make sure you chose a fence that will truly secure your pet.
- Digger – if your dog likes to dig this can be a challenge. It will probably require you to check the fence line regularly to ensure they are not engineering an escape route.
- Utilities – it is often best to keep utilities outside of the fence so that if they need to be worked on your pet stays secure.
- Pool – pets can and do drown, not all breeds can swim, so keeping the pool separate from the pet’s play area is the safest alternative.
Fence for Cats?
Fences can sometimes be effective to keep cats in, too, although not every cat is easily deterred from escape! A “cat-io” is a way to allow your cat(s) to safely and securely enjoy fresh air and sunshine. This is a chain-link enclosure including chain link on top. It is often attached to the house with window access for the cat(s).
A Valuable Investment
Regardless of what style you chose, a fence on all sides is a great investment! It not only improves the value of your home, but offers protection for your pet from many dangers outside of your yard.
