Fence height to keep in GSD/rottie

stencilface

stencilface

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OK, so in prep for getting a dog (GSD x rottie) I thought I would ask for some advice.

I want to create an outdoor run for the dog, with dog flap through into our large utility room, this area is already fenced, but we need (I think) to make this higher, but without making the patio look like fort know if that makes sense?

This is the current height of the railings (lovely plastic table for scale ;) ), we were thinking of adding another 20cm or so, something that the dog can't jump! Most of this area has a drop (4ft) into the stream on the other side, which I think works kind of as a barrier in addition :)

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I personally wouldn't be able to rest easy unless the run was roofed in. One of my dogs has proven herself capable of scaling a 6ft standard wood panel garden fence topped with a further 1ft decorative trellis (squirrel :rolleyes:) and she's smaller than either a GSD or a rottie.

My plan, once we have a suitable property, is to have something like this pen on a patio at the back of the house with free access to a utility/dog room. These have the advantage of being able to take a proper security lock on the external door and, with another lock on the internal utility door, it'd be safe to leave the dogs unattended with access to inside and outside. :)

OK, the view from inside the house will be a bit Fort Knox, especially if the only way to do it is to bolt it across some lovely French doors. :p
 
I had a 13" bitch who could scale 6ft.
Your fencing would be fine for an older dog out with supervision but not at all suitable for an unaccompanied dog or a younger dog. You could put electric fence posts on the existing fence with several strands or sheep netting as a temporary measure but even then you could not leave the dog unattended.
Six foot with an inturned top would be my minimum requirement for an unattended dog. ( I actually have tops on all my runs having known too many dogs go over.)
 
:eek:

This doesn't sound good :o

May have to rethink the plan :(

Just can't think of another way of leaving a dog most of the day, without costing a fortune in dog walkers or not working!
 
Considering it, but I'm not sure if the rescue place would let me take on a dog if I kept it in a kennel all day (although I can't see a difference between that and being in the rescue kennel) the dog would be in a house at the weekend/at night and would be left in if I was going out for an hour or two, but I thought with a outdoor run he could be happily left to toilet etc all day.

I could lie to the rescue place, but I'm not very good at it, and they'll find me out! :p
 
My GSD x Rotties is fenced in with a 6ft6 panel fence ... but I've had to electrify it because she still scales over it! ... and thus she is only allowed outside under supervision which it luckily turns out she is more than happy with. I have got a kennel for those unsupervides times and she absolutely loves it in there. After a long weekend without kennel she's crying and pawing at it to go in. It's her private space!
 
Agree with the others (Sorry!) My diddy terrier would hop your fence, even with the extra 20cm with ease.

Most of our garden is surrounded by 8ft fence, one small section of it is only 5ft but my tiny pooch can clear that section (For a cat!)

I would only feel safe leaving her roofed in, she is like a ninja.
 
Hmm, whilst I do think a terrier would be more bouncy than the lump of a dog I want ;) you are all right, it would be out (esp if it didn't mind/liked water!).

Gah! Getting a dog and working is hard :(
 
I only ever leave mine in a run with a roof on, not sure about rotties but a GSD could certainly scale a 6 ft fence if they felt so inclined. To most of my dogs the stream would be an incentive to hop over the fence.:p Do you have a particular dog in mind, or is that just the cross you are thinking of? If you are just generally looking the best thing is to ask around a few different rescues for their views on kennelling a dog. I know some can be stupid about dogs being kennelled but hopefully you would find one prepared to be reasonable, would you be coming home half way through the day to exercise him/her?
 
I have one in mind, its been at the centre for 6 months now, and I've been to see him twice, I think the people there think I'm a bit mental :o

I would for the first few weeks either be coming home, getting my parents to walk him (I'd have to ask very nicely for that one!) or paying a dog walker, thats just not an option I can afford long term unfortunately. But then I would hope he would get used to being left all day. I think I would be able to take him to work with me sometimes, but not as an every day thing - depending on whether I was doing fieldwork or in the office. Sadly he's not the size of dog I could sneak in using a handbag! :D
 
So next question I guess, how likely do you think it is a rescue centre would rehome to someone who was going to keep a dog in a kennel/run all day? :o

For those that run rescues, would you rehome to someone keeping a dog like this?
 
Stencilface said:
So next question I guess, how likely do you think it is a rescue centre would rehome to someone who was going to keep a dog in a kennel/run all day? :o

For those that run rescues, would you rehome to someone keeping a dog like this?
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Exactly what was going through my mind. Presumably the dog is not to be left outside all day but will have access to the house. I know what a bored and lonely dog left alone all day in my house would get up to, especially one that's been kept in a kennel.

I think maybe you ought to think this one out again. Rescue centres have criteria that owners have to match up to for very good reasons.
 
Well no, if I bought a proper kennel and run, the dog would not have access to the house at all in the day - I woudl locate the run somewhere in the garden that was suitable.

I just don't know how others that work full time have dogs cope, surely not everyone pays for a dog walker every day? A life in a home (even if in a kennel environment for some of the time) is surely better than being in rescue kennels. Dog is currently in the isolation wing as gets too stressed being around all the others, and has been in the rescue for 7 months now.
 
Stencilface, I totally agree, with every point you have made, we have always kept our dogs kennelled/in runs during the day, for decades, they are outside, they can see all around them, they have shelter, they get plenty of exercise (beach five miles away, forest and mountain on their doorstep) and stimulation on either side of their day, bones to keep them busy and company if they need or like company (not all dogs do!!!)
Most of the people I keep company with have kept their dogs like this for years too and none of us have killed one yet and have happy, stable dogs.

I know where my dogs would prefer to be and I don't know how the bloody hell I would afford them and all that entails looking after them, if I did not work.
 
It depends on the breed,but company is what most crave.Personally I think keeping a lone dog outside while you work ..mmm,not much of a life for a pack animal. It will occupy itself somehow,probably destroying and making a racket,my opinion is no,don`t do iot.Most rescues will refuse you .
 
But if the dog currently does not enjoy company (I accept that being in rescue kennels with comings and goings is different to being friends with 1/2 dogs in a home) I'm not sure he would mind being on his own all day? He could go to the stables whenever I went down (sadly not next to the house!) and have 12 acres to run around on (obviously once I've made sure he'll come back :p ) Walked 2/3 times a day for good walks, and in the house at night.

Thinking about it I may be able to do something with the garage and create a run inside/outside that, hmm - something I'd not yet thought about!
 
Ours never destroyed anything, we have only had one yapper, kennelled with her brother, her mother never shut her gob either but her brother is very quiet, horses for courses I suppose....I suppose as you say EK it depends on the breed or even the individual dog, guess we have been lucky.
 
Dry Rot said:
I do wonder why this dog, a social animal, doesn't like company? What does he do when he gets it? Eat it?:eek:
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I don't think he doesn't like company necessarily, just that he is mega stressed in kennels by all the other dogs etc and so is kept away from them. He has been rehomed twice and returned, once because he was too boisterous with the person's other dog. He is very friendly (albeit loud!) and I think is a bit much for some dogs.

He is just not that well socialised or trained tbh, and the fact they have rehomed him twice to people who couldn't keep him is frustrating, as I can see why they don't wnat him coming back again, but at the same time - I really could (if I had the right set up) offer him a great home, that I think would really suit him. :)
 
My older dog does not like most other dogs, they stress him out and yes he does have a go at other dogs. Dogs are not all the same. Not all people are social either.
 
To be honest, I would not even be thinking of taking on a lone dog if you are at work all day. They need company. Otherwise they will bark all day and annoy the neighbours and you will end up having to rehome the poor thing or PTS. If a dog is going to be alone while you are at work all day then either they should have a dog walker come and take them out, or have a spacious run with another dog for company.
 
I know for a fact that if we ever moved with our four extremely noisy dogs we would have to find somewhere out of the way like here. They tend only to bark when someone comes or there's a fox about, but every one of them would howl and bark constantly if left alone in a pen.
 
Well, I only have about 3 houses within ear shot, and one of those has a house alarm that goes off for hours throughout the night far too frequently, so I'm not sure I'm bothered about them! :D

I am a little worried that the squirrels may taunt a caged dog though.....
 
Maybe garage in/out run would be better? You could leave a radio/old tv on at low volume for him and it would probably be warmer than a kennel?
 
I would have a good chat with the rescue, if they have had this lad for a while they should be aware of how he would cope being left, and if the life you could offer would be preferable to being shut up at a rescue kennel.
 
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