Dogs.

[EscapedSuburbia]

We're moving from the suburbs to a 6 acre rural lot. We've had invisible fencing for our current dog and the previous three and it's worked great with proper training. I'm wondering how I should approach keeping our dog on our 6 acre property. I think invisible fencing (ours is actually Dogwatch brand) can cover an area that size but that's a lot of wire to bury. I don't really want a physical fence. Are folks just boundary training their dogs or using a physical or invisible fence?

 

[ponytug]

@EscapedSuburbia welcome! Can you update your profile to where you are? What kind of dogs do you have? Do you have them trained, and trained for anything in particular? (Hunting? Herding? Agility? Search and rescue?)

I think a great deal depends on the dog and the owner, so I find it hard to generalize.

I can't speak for others, but we have a fenced in area for the dogs close to the house. When not in that area, we train and expect them to move with us, track us, and be nearby us at all times when we go out of the fenced in area unleashed. Above all, a recall command is absolute. We have too many apex predators here. Our dogs have been and are protective, and none of them have tolerated pigs, so we need to be aware ourselves to keep the dogs from dispatching the pigs into the next county. Not that I would mind that, just that I want our dogs to stay on our property at all times. Even with pigs, I think we have only had one dog step off the property, her only twice as a puppy, before we understood just how strong her protection drive was.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Torvy]

Fencing laws vary by location. Where I live is open range, so if you don't want your neighbors cattle in your place, it's your responsibility to fence them out. We put up woven wire fencing all around the property with barbed wire on the top and bottom. We don't want our dogs to get hit by a car or to bother the neighbors.

We've used invisible fencing before. A determined dog will run through it.

We also get a lot of strays dumped off that wander. The fencing keeps them out, too. Deer jump right over. Small animals run right through the 4x4 squares. It won't stop feral hogs, but they will take an easier path if they can (usually go around our place).

 

[Torvy]

^^^^^
Do you have problems with their toenails punching through the pool?

Not inflatable. It's hard plastic. They could damage it if they were trying to dig. Fortunately, they just want to flop down and cool off.

 

[BackRoad]

Fencing laws vary by location. Where I live is open range, so if you don't want your neighbors cattle in your place, it's your responsibility to fence them out. We put up woven wire fencing all around the property with barbed wire on the top and bottom. We don't want our dogs to get hit by a car or to bother the neighbors.

We've used invisible fencing before. A determined dog will run through it.

We also get a lot of strays dumped off that wander. The fencing keeps them out, too. Deer jump right over. Small animals run right through the 4x4 squares. It won't stop feral hogs, but they will take an easier path if they can (usually go around our place).

Mr. Torvy, did you run the barbed wire on the inside or outside of the fence, since you're trying to keep livestock out.

Just wondering what's commonly done in that situation...

 

[gsganzer]

My 11 month old Black Mouth Cur got skunked for the first time last night. If he's anything like our previous BMC, it'll be the first of many times he gets sprayed. Cur dogs just don't know how to back down from a challenge.

When I'm in town today, I'll stock up on more baking soda, Dawn and peroxide. I'll also pull out my live trap. Next time I head to my deer camp, I'll get my old thermal scope sighted on a new .22 rifle I bought a few months ago.

 

[RjCorazza]

My 11 month old Black Mouth Cur got skunked for the first time last night. If he's anything like our previous BMC, it'll be the first of many times he gets sprayed. Cur dogs just don't know how to back down from a challenge.

When I'm in town today, I'll stock up on more baking soda, Dawn and peroxide. I'll also pull out my live trap. Next time I head to my deer camp, I'll get my old thermal scope sighted on a new .22 rifle I bought a few months ago.

We dog sit a Black Mouth Cur for weeks at a time. He's a great dog, but an escape artist.

 

[gsganzer]

We dog sit a Black Mouth Cur for weeks at a time. He's a great dog, but an escape artist.

Ours is like that too. He'll lay flat on his side and scootches under the fences.

 

[Torvy]

Mr. Torvy, did you run the barbed wire on the inside or outside of the fence, since you're trying to keep livestock out.

Just wondering what's commonly done in that situation...

It's just Torvy.

The barbed is directly above and below the field fencing. 2 rows closely spaced on each. It seems to be a common setup here. The cows haven't visited since we put it up.

It discourages the 2-legged kind a bit, too. Nothing will stop a determined animal of either sort, short of some well-placed rounds.

The law here is to fence out. Our personal primary focus was to keep our dogs in. They aren't considered livestock, so it doesn't really apply. A nuisance animal isn't neighborly. We want to be good neighbors and dogs don't always read maps too well. The lower wires help discourage diggers.

One of ours will exploit natural gaps if given a notion. Armadillos, skunks and opossums will dig under. That 100+ lb bruiser will squeeze under using those gaps. I think Anatolians have a high pain tolerance. Fortunately, the other 2 don't join her. In fact, when she comes back, they give her a 'correction'.

 

[goeduck]

We've used invisible fencing before. A determined dog will run through it.

Or a dog with thick fur. My neighbor tried that with his malamutes, after a year for looking for his dogs every other day, he put up a fence.