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Dogs And Rural Fences


Morgan brand
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We have roughly 3/4 of an acre fenced off with strong dog mesh (wasn't cheap) and my dogs are not jumpers or diggers. But in saying that they are only allowed out there when we are around. At my last property I had a hot wire.

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We are on a farm, but if we didn't contain our dogs, they could be wander, chase the cows & wildlife & could easily get themselves shot by an irate neighbour. We have our house yard fenced with dog wire 900mm with a hot wire running around the top. They have never tried to get out that we know of. We have the yard divided into two, with pool fencing, so we can keep them contained to either house yard.

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We fenced off a couple of acres on our 100 acre property using 1.8 metre mesh (the strong 'rabbit/sheep mesh' fencing). The fence is 1.5 metres high with a 30cm lap at the bottom to help prevent digging. We also have secure dig proof 1.8m high runs where the dogs can be when not supervised. This works for us. If I needed better I would also run a Hotwire top and bottom. I would never trust normal farm fencing, particularly ring lock (which is fairly easy to push through) for any dog. how large an area you fence for the dog will depend on your budget, but you WILL need a better fence or risk a dead dog, dead stock and fines as well as the ire of all your neighbours. The saying 'good fences make good neighbours' always applies.

(A final note on 'invisible' fencing. The law in new requires that there also be a fence 1.5m high. It is not legal to install it with normal farm fencing only. Not sure about the laws in other states)

Edited by espinay2
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That's the thing - pups can be brought up to never set foot over a very low fence ... an aduklt dog who knows the fun to be had in 'the chase' needs to be 100% controlled immediately , so they don't learn how to circumvent any physical containments ( and they WILL.. ;) )

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I would ensure adequate fencing or a secure dog run. If he gets out and chases sheep he could get shot. Not worth the risk.

Adequate fencing to me is not ringlock. Many dogs get through, under and over it with reasonable ease.

At least 1.8 metre fences with a folded in bit or a dog run with pavers or a concrete floor or edging.

Mine are behind 2 metre chainmesh fences and I have the ability to confine them to dog runs with a concrete floor and fully covered roof.

Edited by OSoSwift
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Whether this fence will keep this dog in is really a suck it and see situation. If I want to test whether a fence is dog proof I go to the other side of it and do something that is really, really doing to want to dog to get to me (with mine it is just calling them, lol). If they can't work out how to get to me through/over/under the fence I figure it is pretty safe. Going to the fenceline and then walk away from the dog and see what happens. If he joins you then you have a problem. Or get a juicy steak, wave it under his nose and then walk away if he doesn't have enough value for just you.

Ringlock is different sizes too, And a new fence is going to do a better job than a falling down fence too.

I would approach with caution but I wouldn't say that it was a total no to start with.

A run would still be good though.

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Totally useless :(

Yep. We're currently looking at rural properties and the plan is to fence off a house yard with Colourbond.

Not sure why you would want a solid colourbond fence. I think it's great that our dogs have the pleasure of being able to see out through our fence at all the interesting stuff that's going on around the farm. We often say to each other .....wouldn't it be boring for them if they lived in surburbia & had nothing but a colourbond fence to look at all day. :(

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Totally useless :(

Yep. We're currently looking at rural properties and the plan is to fence off a house yard with Colourbond.

Not sure why you would want a solid colourbond fence. I think it's great that our dogs have the pleasure of being able to see out through our fence at all the interesting stuff that's going on around the farm. We often say to each other .....wouldn't it be boring for them if they lived in surburbia & had nothing but a colourbond fence to look at all day. :(

A few reasons.

They will be allowed on the whole property when with us. The fenced in area would only be used for if they are outside unsupervised which would only be for short periods. They're normally inside on the couch anyway. I want a solid fence for some privacy as when I say rural there are still a couple of other houses within sight. I also have an ASD who barks at everything so I want his sight restricted to an extent when unsupervised outside.

Edited by Dame Aussie
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Totally useless :(

Yep. We're currently looking at rural properties and the plan is to fence off a house yard with Colourbond.

Not sure why you would want a solid colourbond fence. I think it's great that our dogs have the pleasure of being able to see out through our fence at all the interesting stuff that's going on around the farm. We often say to each other .....wouldn't it be boring for them if they lived in surburbia & had nothing but a colourbond fence to look at all day. :(

A few reasons.

They will be allowed on the whole property when with us. The fenced in area would only be used for if they are outside unsupervised which would only be for short periods. They're normally inside on the couch anyway. I want a solid fence for some privacy as when I say rural there are still a couple of other houses within sight. I also have an ASD who barks at everything so I want his sight restricted to an extent when unsupervised outside.

Oh OK then :) We are so lucky that we have unrestricted views & privacy. I just couldn't imagine being rural & still having to be looking at a solid fence. We are also lucky that our dogs don't bark although they will do the odd bit of fence running if a cow comes too close, but that doesn't happen often.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dogs can smell they don't need to see very well and he clearly sees well enough to chase the sheep so I wouldn't rely on him being nearly blind.

:) he will smell/hear the sheep long before he sees them , yes!

He doesn't actually chase them until they start running so if they are grazing he doesn't bat an eye is just when they start movinf

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We have a weld mesh/chicken wire hybrid around our house, mixed with a couple of panels of dog run (on the end of the verandah). Tundra isn't really interested or sneaky enough to get out, but Cilla can wombat her way under tiny spaces eek1.gif little minx! She doesn't really have any interest in chasing anything or even leaving the house area though, she just likes to think she's in charge.

The fence is only waist height, and thankfully they're not the jumping type and I've never encouraged them to jump fences. I have no doubt Tundra would be perfectly capable, he jumps onto the ute no worries.

Their main excursion if they do escape (if I'm a genius who forgets to close the small gate when I go out) is to the dam to have a swim and maybe terrorise bobtails :(

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Most farms I've ever visited... the dogs are either chained up or in runs when they're not working.

When I take my dog - she's either under my supervision, or in a crate or a run.

Already lost one dog - shot by a farmer for getting too close to his sheep - tho it wasn't clear if that dog ever left the property it was supposed to be on. Just not worth the risk. And there's other ways to die if a dog is prone to wandering - like being hit by car, or stomped by a bull, ripped up by a roo, or bit by a snake, or drowning in a dam...

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