Puppy-Proofing Your Yard

It's a tough world out there. A loose puppy can get lost, stolen, or hit by a car. Inside her own yard, she might swallow a rock or chew pesticide-treated wood. If she's tiny enough, a large hawk might swoop down out of the sky and kill her. What can you do to make life safer for her?

A Good Fence - You Gotta Have One!

The first and most important thing to do is make sure your yard has a safe, adequate fence or wall with a padlocked gate. This fence does more than just keep your puppy in and strange dogs out. A good fence protects your dog from thieves who sell puppies to laboratories or to trainers of fighting dogs. In addition, a secure fence reduces your family's risk of being burglarized, raped, or robbed.

If you already have a good fence, walk the perimeter, checking for gaps a puppy might squeeze through. Don't overlook the few inches of space underneath your gate. Although our six-foot locked gate looked 100% secure to us, our Corgi puppy somehow managed to squeeze under it; we were grateful - and lucky - to get him back unharmed the same day.

After you bring your new puppy home, continue to check the wall or fence regularly. Look for loose dirt by the fence - a sure sign that your puppy's trying to tunnel out - and damaged areas that might become an escape route or potential causes of injury.

What if We Don't Already Have a Fenced Yard?

Create one! You have a number of options for fencing, depending on the size and breed of your dog, and the money you are able or willing to spend. Wood, block, block-and-wood combinations, and chain-link fencing all work well.

The type and size of fencing depends on your dog. For a large breed like a Great Dane or a Newfoundland, your fence or wall should be six feet tall. "Mush with P.R.I.D.E." recommends a five-foot fence for sled dogs, but Southeastern Virginia Retrievers Rescue says that a "four-foot minimum" will keep most Golden Retrievers in. However, even a six-footer may not be enough for small escape artists like Basenjis and Beagles. I know one Basenji who can easily clear a six-foot block wall with a running start, and many Basenjis can scale chain-link of any height. So do some research about the breed, and ask your puppy's breeder for recommendations before you bring your puppy home.

If your puppy is a digger, surround your fence with railroad ties. For a really determined digger, bury wire fencing around the perimeter of your yard, right up to the fence or wall, and then put down railroad ties.

While you're creating or reinforcing your fence or wall, you may want to put in additional fencing to protect some of the yard from your dog. You don't want your dog to be digging, chewing, urinating, or defecating in the garden or in your toddler's play area. Nor, if you have a pool, do you want your puppy to drown in it. An adequate dog run or dog area can protect both yard and dog.

Is Your Yard the Kind of Place a Puppy Would Want to Be?

Your fence's ultimate success or failure may have nothing to do with the fence itself, but the environment it surrounds and how long your puppy spends there.

Consider your own behavior for a moment. If you're alone in an uncomfortable, boring place, what do you do? If you can, you leave. Your puppy will do the same.

So, if at all possible, create a yard or play area that your dog enjoys. Include shade, adequate shelter, a comfortable surface to play on, and some toys for your puppy to play with. Remember that hard-baked, dry dirt with no soft, cool place to lie down and nothing to play with will certainly make an active young dog want to be elsewhere.

Adequate play with your family and other dogs, if they are available, will also make your fence more effective. Your puppy needs attention and exercise. No animal was ever intended to exist as just a "yard" dog. A curious dog will attempt escape, just for something to do, but a puppy who's all "played out" and whose social needs are met will probably relax instead of trying the fence all day. Getting a second puppy of the opposite gender may not be a bad idea either; a puppy with a canine companion in the yard has little motivation to leave.

What about Invisible Fencing? Some people prefer an invisible or electronic fence for cost or aesthetic reasons, but the only people who claim that invisible fencing is safe for your dog are the folks who sell invisible fencing. Pet owners know that batteries go dead, loose dogs can enter the yard and attack your pet, and that your dog may be so intent on chasing a cat or squirrel that he charges right past the invisible fence, perhaps never to return. Another possible drawback of invisible fencing is the investment of training time required. Invisible fencing is not an automatic solution for an escape artist; it is a reinforcer for a dog that has been trained not to leave the yard. If you do not have the time or the expertise to train your dog to stay inside your yard (and if you are not willing to risk losing your dog), do not choose an invisible fence as your sole fencing option.

Fence Links Pros & Cons of Invisible Fencing "Fencing" by Tracy Warncke (Good tips on planning and placing a dog run from the Newfoundland Club Of America). "The Fencing Issue" - by Georgia Hymmen (detailed information on dog runs and fencing for large dogs like Great Danes). "Please FENCE ME IN!!!!" (secure fencing for beagles - and other canine escape artists!)

Don't Forget the Shade, Shelter and Water! Even in the wild, wolves and coyotes don't just roam around without shelter. They dig deep dens, which keep them cool in summer and warm in winter. Whether your puppy spends his days or nights inside, he needs adequate shelter (i.e., a dog house) in your yard. Check out the great suggestions in the sidebar for how to choose or build a comfortable dog house! If you have multiple dogs, you may need multiple dog houses and even multiple dog runs. This may seem like an unreasonable expense, but in bad weather, the dominant dog may not be willing to share his or her space with other dog(s). Remember that puppies cannot handle extreme cold. Even a dry, elevated dog house with lots of insulating straw may not be enough to keep a young puppy healthy and comfortable. In colder climes, crate training and paper- or litter-training are highly recommended.

Dog Housing Links Evaluating a dog house (high standards from PETA) Keeping a doghouse cool in the summertime Plans for building your own dog house: Instructions from Noah's Animal Rescue Corps, Inc. Lowe's Home Centers Dog House Plans Woodzone.com's Free Dog House Plans Dave's Shop Free Dog House Plans Full-size templates for a barn-style doghouse (Cost: $6.95)

Eliminate Other Hazards In addition to checking for exposed electrical wires and storing poisonous chemicals in a locked shed, watch out for these hazards: Cover your spa to prevent your puppy from drowning. Pick up any children's toys or small objects (such as cans, screws or nails) that the dog could chew, choke on, or swallow. If your yard or lawn has been treated with pesticides or fertilizers, follow the manufacturer's instructions for keeping the puppy out of the area afterwards. If possible, remove any poisonous plants. Some breeds, such as Weimaraners and Great Danes, are notorious plant nibblers, and a puppy will often chew what an adult dog would ignore. If you cannot remove a poisonous plant, surround it with chicken wire. Look at the surface of your yard. Pea gravel is safe, but many puppies chew on or even eat larger rocks. Other puppies have hurt themselves chewing on sticks. Short grass is wonderful, but the seeds of tall native grasses can become stuck inside a dog's delicate ears. Remove or cut back anything that might harm your puppy. What wildlife lives in your area? In the Southwest, coyotes often kill dogs that are left outside at night. In other parts of the country, dogs are threatened by raccoons - fierce fighters who can seriously injure or even kill your dog, as well as infecting your household pets with distemper and rabies. If there are raccoons in your neighborhood, don't leave pet food, bird seed, or garbage out where raccoons can get at it. Fence your vegetable garden securely enough to keep raccoons out, and don't let your dog go outside at night unless you're there. If your puppy is small enough to look like lunch to a great horned owl or large hawk, consider a covered dog run if the puppy must be left outside alone.

Parasites from wildlife create problems for puppies. Check your dog regularly for fleas and ticks, and keep your puppy current on all appropriate vaccinations. Pick up your puppy's droppings as frequently as possible. This will reduce the chance that your puppy will "eat poop," keep down the number of flies and ants in your yard, and make your yard more pleasant for everone in the family. Preparing and maintaining a safe environment for your dog may sound like a lot of work, but once you've created that safe environment, it's easy and inexpensive to maintain. Besides, you'll love spending time outside with your dog and your family, playing with that new puppy of yours. A Few More Links "Indiana Toxic Plants" from Purdue University. Toxic Plant Database - Veterinary Medicine Library, UIUC "Puppy Proofing Your Home and Yard" from the Official Website for The Bichon Frise Club of America, Inc. (Good advice on teaching your puppy about the swimming pool!) Keep Your Dog from Digging The call of the wild: Wildlife + dogs can be a formula for disaster

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