Fence or no fence yard

[DJ]

Hi, we don't have a fenced in yard and Lily is only 12 weeks but I feel like she really wants to run sometimes. I want her to have fun and run her little heart out but I can't trust her. I had her off the leash and she will just run anywhere and doesn't know her boundaries. And she doesn't come immediately when I call her name. I think she is still learning her name or thinks I'm playing with her and just keeps running. I don't think I can do an electric fence yet. What do you do with your pups? I just took her for a long walk and I'm trying to leash train her. She did great and sits everytime I stop already! Should I get a runner? I'm not a big fan of those. Thanks

[Nick]

Hi, my vote is for a regular fence. Yes, it is expensive but we have one for our dogs and we love it more than they do (which is a lot!). It is great to simply let them out and keep an eye on them through our window but not really have to worry. Helped immensely with house training because our puppy Cooper takes his sweet time going to the bathroom. Also, we live in the country so the fence keeps skunks and raccoons away, not to mention on cold or rainy days it's nice to just send them out to do their thing.

One last benefit, I recently sold a house with a fenced in yard and the buyer had dogs and said it was one of the main reasons she picked our house to buy. So, the investment could pay off if you ever plan to sell.

[Diane D]

There is no substitute for a fence. Doodles are very tolerant to pain. An invisible fence would not deter a doodle from chasing a squirrel. If you're handy, you can put one up yourself. Metal stakes and 4 foot high fencing from a home store or tractor supply will do it. Roxy is 2 yrs. She comes very well in the house, backyard and dog park. But when she's FREE, there's no getting her back until she's ready. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

I would get your yard fenced if at all possible. Electric fences work for some but I have also heard stories where the dog followed their instincts out of the electric fence boundary and then was reluctant to come back home because they didn't want to get that shock again. 

If by "runner" you are referring to a retractable leash, my opinion is NO! Dont do it! They are dangerous for the dog as well as the human. Many injuries have been sustained and unfortunately even death. You have no control over the dog at all on that type of leash.

[Susan & Randy's Kate]

I feel your pain. I have had 22 dogs over the years. If you have an older dog that respects the boundaries they train the younger one. Some dogs are worse than others. We had a puggle and my daughters dachshund and they loved our woods and lived to explore. No stopping them.

We have a labradoodle and a Shih tzu and they do well without a fence. That being said you can buy electric fences that send a signal that keeps the dogs within 100 feet or less. The secret is the dogs have to be trained to respect the boundary.

I know five dogs that have electric collars and they work. Two lab mixes live in a busy suburb. One of the dogs stays no matter what. The other one knows when the battery runs out and will venture outside of the boundaries. Two lab mixes live in a rural area on beautiful acreage. My brother put in the fence when he lost his favorite rescue greyhound on his almost frozen lake. My brother first buried a cable but when the wire broke a few times he got a device that sends signals. My favorite pup is my boxer granddog. He is stubborn. My daughter had an underground electric fence put in and the company installed and trained the dog. They put up flags and trained the dog to know the warning sounds and then shock. He now doesn't venture outside his boundary even without his electric collar.

My rescue puggle would not have done well with an electric fence because he was nervous and not trusting. It took me 3.5 weeks, sitting on the floor, hand feeding him and petting him for him one day coming to me me and let him pet him. It was a magical pet moment. So they aren't for everyone.

Kate, our labradoodle, is the sweetest dog. One day she pushed my walker forward with her head to move it. If I could train her she'd be great service dog. Yesterday she let me know when the mail woman arrived. She knows the sound of her car. I slowly made it to the door and the car was just coming into view.

Enjoy the pup. In the world there are probably many more unfenced dogs then fenced. That comes with a risk. It usually works but for me about 10% of the time it didn't.

Susan

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We have a fence and I don't envy anyone who doesn't.