3 Best Fence Types for Your Dog

When choosing the best fence for your property, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Are you seeking privacy? Affordability? Decoration? If you are a parent or pet owner, you are also likely seeking a fence that doesn’t just fit your house–you’re looking for one that fits your family. So which type of fence is the best fence for dogs? More importantly, which type of fence is the best fence for your dog? As a unique individual, your specific dog may have specific fencing needs. Read on to discover which fence may be the best option for your companion.

Wooden Picket Fence

Best For: Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bulldogs, Border Collies, Chihuahuas, Pekingese, Pugs, Spaniels, Shih-tzus, and other easygoing, laid-back breeds.

Pros: A wooden picket fence provides a laid-back dog a clear indicator of where their space starts and ends, and allows them to have visual access to the world beyond their home. Intelligent breeds, low-energy breeds, and lapdogs are often the best types of dog for this type of fence, but each owner knows their own dog better than anyone else, and there is no one-size-fits-all model. No dog should reside unattended in a yard with only a picket fence barrier, but a few breeds are capable of spending time in their picket-fence-enclosed yards with owner supervision and being just fine.

Cons: Picket fences are generally short, wooden, and have wide gaps between the poles. They are often used more for decoration or to define a clear property barrier than for security or privacy purposes. As such, it is easy for small dogs to slip through the gaps–and for large dogs to simply leap over the top. Some of the most easy-going, least excitable breeds may never even try to escape and, as such, be fine with a picket fence barrier. However, if your dog is prone to chasing other beings, taking off into dead sprints, or generally becoming over-excitable, it is probably best to use a different type of fence.

Ornamental Iron Fences

Best For: Great Danes, Greyhounds, Pit Bulls, Mastiffs, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Collies, Labs, Rottweilers, and other large dog breeds

Pros: Ornamental iron fences are often a popular fence choice, both for their security features and for their intriguing appearance. The best part about these fences is that they are often capped with metal spikes or balls, making them difficult to leap over, and are too smooth to be easily scaled. They are also generally much taller than other types of fences, adding yet another barrier. When it comes to dogs, large breeds are best suited for wrought-iron fences because they are often too large to slip between the bars, and the fences themselves are too difficult to jump over.

Cons: In general, ornamental iron fences are often the most expensive fencing option for homeowners, which is often its lowest selling point. When taking one’s dog into consideration, however, these fences often have large gaps between the poles, making them easy to slip through for the escape artist hound. Because of this, this type of fence is a poor choice for owners of small dog breeds. The general rule of thumb is to have gaps between the bars that are not big enough for the dog to fit their head through–otherwise, you may be calling the fire department! Many small dog breeds are often small enough to make ornamental iron fences not a desirable option for the cost.

Chain Link Fence

Best For: Basset Hounds, Bulldogs, Great Danes, Greyhounds, Pekingese, Pugs, or otherwise low-energy and/or low-intelligence breeds

Pros: Chain link fences are some of the cheapest on the market, as they are easy to install and often made from cheap material. Although they don’t provide the best security for humans, they are not bad for containing canines of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. For this type of fence, size does not matter so much as how determined your dog is to escape. Unlike picket fences, which can be simply hopped over by large dogs, or ornamental iron fences, whose bars are often spaced too far apart for small dogs, chain link fences provide a clearly defined barrier that is breachable, but only with significant effort and a bit more thought. Therefore, it is not a great option for intelligent, high-energy breeds.

Cons: Chain link fences provide no privacy, and provide extremely poor security, as they can be climbed or hopped over by almost anyone. Additionally, some of the most determined dogs can chew through the wires or even climb them like a human would. Therefore, if your dog has a habit of escaping the yard, and you are determined to possess a chain link fence, you might consider making the fence a minimum of 10 or 12 feet high–otherwise, you may find yourself spending money on “lost dog” posters instead.

The Verdict

At the end of the day, the type of fence you as a homeowner decide upon should depend less on your dog’s breed, and more on their individual temperament. Small, low-energy dogs are likely best suited for picket fences; large dogs of all breeds are best for ornamental iron fences. All dog breeds, provided they are not determined to breach your barriers, can handle chain-link fences, though they may not be the best fencing option for your home if you are seeking privacy or security. As a pet parent, you alone possess the tools to make the best decisions for your family members. At Rio Grande Fence, we hope to simply provide you with the information necessary to make the most informed decision for your family and choose the best fence for your dog.

About Rio Grande Fence

Rio Grande Fence has been providing excellence to the Tri-State area for over 57 years. Our service area includes Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Our fencing projects can be seen in residential homes throughout the Tri-State area, as well as commercial businesses such as the University Of Kentucky and Cincinnati Airport. We are proud members of the Better Business Bureau, The Associated General Contractors, the Home Builders Association of Lexington, and the American Fence Association. Rio Grande Fence provides the fence installation Lexington KY trusts including quality wood fence, vinyl fence, aluminum fence, chain link fence, ornamental fence, privacy fence, decorative fence, pool fence, gates and gate operators. Learn More.