Yippee! Freedom is so close I can almost taste it!

There are few things more frustrating than a dog that continually digs under the fence.  Not only does it tear up your yard and make a mess, but more importantly it’s a safety liability for your dog. While there are no necessarily perfect answers, here are some possible remedies and solutions to help you prevent your dog from digging under the fence.

1. Purchase and install spikes

There are a lot of behavioral suggestions below, but perhaps the easiest and most practical tip we’ve been given is to put stakes deep into the ground. Now, this could be impractical if your dog digs all over every inch of the fence, but if your dog has a penchant for digging in one area, this could be a good solution.

Purchase some stakes or rods; hardwood, rigid plastic or metal will do. A camping store may have some good tools for this in the tent section. Drive the stakes deep into the ground, spacing them apart in such a way that your dog can’t dig in between them. This largely depends on the size of the dog that is doing the digging. You’ll need to drive the stake 2-3ft into the ground for it to be effective. Above everything else, ensure that you drive them deep enough into the ground so that no one will trip on the them or your lawnmower blade won’t suffer.

2. Look for clues of heat discomfort

If it’s hot, your dog may be digging to find a cool spot in the dirt to lay. Ensure that your dog is not left in the heat too long, and that s/he has plenty of access to water. If you notice your dog digging only when it’s really hot, or that he is laying in the hole after its been dug, then chances are he may simply be trying to improvise on some natural air conditioning.

3. Make sure you’re not rewarding negative attention

Dogs can be like teenagers: Sometimes negative attention is better than no attention. If your dog continually digs despite admonishment–especially in front of you–this may be a sign that you need to give him/her some TLC such as play with him or go for a walk. A tired dog doesn’t usually like to dig, so if you’ve given him/her a bout of exercise, s/he may be more interested in a nap than digging. Having said this, we can admit that sometimes this isn’t practical (we love dogs but we understand busy lives).

I wasn’t digging….promise!

4. Implement some other obstacles.

If the stake option (1) isn’t doing it for you, there are 2 other obstacles you can consider:

a) Install Chicken Wire
Chicken wire lined across the bottom of the fence should prevent digging. Your dog will not like the feeling of chicken wire on his paws and should therefore stop. You’ll want to make sure that sharp edges of the chicken wire are not placed in a way that will hurt the dog.

b) Bury Rocks Along the Baseline
Alternately, you can place or bury larger rocks along the baseline of the fence. Your dog will give up quickly when he starts digging into the rocks.

5. Create a digging zone.

If your dog just loves to dig for the heck of it, you may try sectioning a small area in your yard that s/he is allowed to dig. You’ll want to ensure that there are barriers that prevent him/her from escaping while providing enough fun for digging. This will result in some training to teach  your dog about the safe dig-zone.

If all else fails, you may want to consult a professional dog trainer for help.

To see more information about our dog-friendly vinyl and aluminum fence, see these links on our website:

How to choose the right fence for your dog’s safety

Why customers love WamBam’s fence for their dogs

We’ve spent some time on the blog recently talking about the true cost of maintaining a wood fence. You can find the infographic here.

Time is money, however, and we would like to focus on the time required to properly maintain a wood fence. Maintaining your fence should be on the home maintenance roster biannually at the very least, and many professionals would recommend doing it once a year. You can use a brush to paint or stain your fence, but renting a paint sprayer will save you time. If you have a painted fence, you may need to strip the old paint first, which is a whole other time-intensive project.

Staining or painting a fence can be messy and the toxic fumes aren’t good for you. You’ll also want to make sure you get a high quality, weather-resistant paint or stain to ensure longevity. Depending on the size of the fence, it can take a lot of time to do both sides. Optimally you should give it more than one coat if you really want it to look good and last against the elements. While this sort of work isn’t hard, it is time intensive and you should plain on spending a fair bit of time on this home project.

If the thought of maintaining a wood fence makes you uneasy, consider vinyl or aluminum fencing. It is a truly low-maintenance solution. A simple spray of the garden hose will keep it looking new, year after year, and a good quality vinyl or aluminum will last a lifetime.

Planning a fence is a big project with many considerations. You don’t want to be ill-prepared, or you might get frazzled and end up like this:

Don’t be like Frazzled Joe!

Don’t worry. If you pay attention to these 4 tips, you won’t end up like Frazzled Joe.

1. Your Ground Probably Slopes More Than You Think

Even though your yard may appear to be level, many people don’t realize that their property has been playing tricks on them, hiding a subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) slope. With our fence system, slopes aren’t too detrimental as WamBam Fence handles sloping ground quite well, but you should still be aware of the slope of your yard before you embark on a fence project, or you might find your posts too short. Click here to see how to figure out your yard slope, or check out this page on how to best handle sloping ground.

Your Ground Slope is Probably Greater Than You Think

2. Take Time to Sketch Out Your Proposed Fence Lines

A fence project is like a fine wine- it should be savored and sipped slowly. Ok, perhaps no one wants to savor a fence project. You always should, however, proceed slowly in the planning stages. We recommend sketching out your fence lines. If it doesn’t make sense on paper, chance are, it won’t make sense in your yard and you could have issues after starting. Remember that a WamBam Fence consultant will help you plan your project and is willing to do countless revisions for you if you need it. We are also happy to look at pictures of your yard or diagrams.

Bring out your inner artist and sketch your fence lines

3. Talk to the Appropriate People (Neighbors, HOAs, Locates, etc.)

We’re “ready, fire, aim” kinda people here sometimes, so we get that approach to life. However, it’s not a good approach with your fence. There are things you absolutely need to do before you start your project, such as calling locates and determining your actual boundaries. HOA’s can cause trouble at times, and with them the adage “forgiveness is easier to get than permission” never applies. Reading installation guides before you begin may not be the manly (or womanly) thing to do, but we won’t tell anyone if you do, because you really should. Don’t feel overwhelmed with the “to do” list. We’ve created one for you here.

A grumpy neighbor or HOA rep could make your fence project difficult

4. Remember Murphy’s Law

You will probably run into a few snags along the way. This is the nature of the beast when dealing with the mysterious underground. Rocks and tree roots can lurk underground like dust bunnies under the bed. The good news is that obstacles won’t derail your project, but they could cause some delays and frustration, so it’s good to be mentally prepared for some surprises. WamBam also has staff available to help you navigate any tricky situations. And don’t be too worried because in our experience, obstacles are the exception and not the rule. Here is a list of Murphy’s Vinyl and Aluminum Fence Laws (wambamfence.com) – and how to solve them.

In short, a fence is a lifetime investment in your property, and with a bit of planning, you can make the process much more enjoyable. You’ll be the neighborhood hero once you get that good looking fence up!

Once that fence is up, you’ll be like Hero Joe!

A good quality vinyl fence is virtually maintenance free and will last a lifetime. When initially shopping for a fence, you may be lured by the price of wood, as  it’s often quite a bit cheaper out of the gate. However, after a couple years you may live to regret that decision when you’re laboring away on weekends staining and maintaining it. After a few more years, you may abandon the maintenance all together. This means your fence’s lifespan will be cut way down, and the fence will need to be replaced sooner. Vinyl really is the least expensive option over the long haul. Need proof? Check out this infographic.

The true cost of fence ownership over the years.