# Getting the yard fenced



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Little Fletcher is almost 5 months old and I'm so excited that we're going to get the yard fenced! He'll mostly grow up having a nice fenced yard to run and play in and I can put away his 25' and 50' lines that he's been using since we brought him home.

We've had lots of fence folks out to give us quotes, and we've gone through several ideas about what type of fence to get installed. 

We've gone through everything from chainlink, to wood fence, to vinyl picket fence, but we've finally settled on wire "field fence" since we're in a more rural setting and I hate the idea of blocking my view with a more solid fence, and neither my husband or I like the look of chainlink in this type of setting.

Even though I can't imagine leaving him outside for any length of time without someone being there to watch him, we'll be getting a 5 foot tall fence, and they're using "no climb" horse fence, which has the wires closer together at the bottom and slightly wider spacing at the top. Hopefully this should safely keep him in the yard since I'm told his momma can easily clear a 4 foot chainlink if she sets her mind to it.

It might be 6 to 8 week until they can get here to get it installed, but I'm still so excited!!!!!! :whoo::bounce::cheers2::clap2:


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

That is great news Jill. It will be really nice peace of mind to be able to leave Fletcher out while you run inside to get a beverage for yourself. 

It is funny, but even though our yard is fenced (six foot vinyl, since our neighbors are close so not much view) and Lily and Peeves could stay outside and play on their own, they don't like to be out by themselves. If we come in, they come in. Lily doesn't even walk away from the back door if I don't go out with her.


----------



## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

The no-climb option is a very good idea. We had a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, who was quite heavy, with short legs, but she could climb a 4 foot chainlink fence with no problem.


----------



## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

Congrats on the new arrival of a fence. Who but us would be so excited.


----------



## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Yay Jill. Fletcher will love having his own yard to play in. In a rural setting it also keeps most other critters out as well. They are funny though, Dixie doesn't like being out alone either.


----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

It's so great to have that peace of mind factor with a fence. My puppy Buck is getting really fast and bolder about exploring on his own. Good to know that he can't wander into a neighbor's yard or onto the street. Lucky you to get a brand new one, I had to do some patching/ reinforcing.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Awesome!!! So happy for you!!

Could you post a picture or a link to information about that type of fence. I'd love to learn more 

Thanks!! Wishing you the best !


----------



## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

I've never seen a dog that could get over a seven foot fence. But I've seen some who could clear a six foot fence. Most Poodles can deal with a five foot fence with no problem. 
He will understand it as an uncrossable barrier 'til the minute he finds out he can clear it. So take good care initially to not give him a reason to try. Mostly, don't be on the other side of the fence when he wants to be with you!

And best of luck!


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Yes, I'm super excited!

There have been times when it seems that Fletcher would be one of those dogs who likes to explore and watch the world, whether I'm there or not. There were so many times when I would come inside and he would just stay outside while I called him to come in. But recently, particularly after I put a treat jar next to the door and started treating him he came back inside, he's been less interested in staying outside if I'm not there.

I know that there are no guarantees in life, and that even a 5 foot, "no climb" fence is not 100% safe, but I thought it was a good compromise between having him tied when we go out to play and making the house look more like a compound rather than a home.

The fence we're getting is design number 1561-3, which means there are 15 horizontal wires, that the fence is 61" tall, and the vertical "stays", which are the wires that run up and down, are 3" apart. The vertical and horizontal wires will form 3" squares at the bottom, then 3x4", and up to 3x7" at the very top. 

Here's a picture of my view from the living room...









And here's the yard, I've circled the markers in red where the fence will end, which is about 75' out from the front of the house. We have plans to remove the rusty old play set. The trees are a crab apple and a holly, which I can hopefully keep Fletcher from getting into, particularly the holly!









As for critters, I think the 3x3" openings at the bottom should keep some critters out, but things like baby bunnies, toads, mice/rats, and others could probably still get in. In fact I found a toad UP ON OUR PORCH last night, which is 3 steps up from the ground! The little blighter had to have hopped up the steps to get up there! Fortunately our Eastern American Toad isn't as deadly as the Cane Toad, but any toad can be an issue and we've got a few of them out here.


----------



## all that jazz (Feb 6, 2011)

Having a fence (we have an electric fence that works wonderfully for our mpoos) changed our lives. The dogs can be let out in the back (we figure eighted it so they can't get to the front) and I can watch them from the den with my coffee through the sliding glass doors. Jazz in particular loves to makes his running rounds around the back yard to check his territory every time he goes out! Have fun with your new setting.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

I've given serious thought to the electric fence option is he ever decided to seriously try to breach the fence.

Annnndddd... on the other hand, we've got a roving pack of Chihuahua's from our neighbor's house that apparently treat *our* house and yard as their toilet. So disgusting! Our other neighbor has called animal control when the dogs bit gentle old Golden. I nice ZAP from an electric fence could help with that!

Just kidding (mostly) about the electric fence, but I do think that good fences make for good neighbors.


----------



## Poodlerunner (Jul 4, 2014)

Yay for Fletcher. I would be so excited to be getting my yard fenced in. I'm working on my husband.

pr


----------



## Alicesmom (Jan 26, 2014)

So excited for you! I just bought a new house and my first order of business is getting a 6 ft vinyl privacy fence for Alice. Closing isn't until the 26th but I already have the company coming out next week to measure and everything so we can get it put in right away!


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Just came in from taking the pup out for an afternoon romp/ball toss.

It's really damp because of some earlier light rain, and we both came in wet, me mostly because he kept dragging his wet (super long) leash across my bare legs! Yick!

I just got a pleasant surprise call from our fence guy confirming that he'll be here in 6 to 8 weeks. Yay!! It seems like a long time to wait, but I'm sure the time will fly by and it will be installed before we know it.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Alicesmom said:


> So excited for you! I just bought a new house and my first order of business is getting a 6 ft vinyl privacy fence for Alice. Closing isn't until the 26th but I already have the company coming out next week to measure and everything so we can get it put in right away!



Could you please share some info on vinyl fence? Your personal experience , cost, safety. If critters can crawl under or through it?

I'm wanting to move next year and I wang to learn about the best fence to keep my poodles safe 

Thanks so much!!


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Our house is next to a house with a vinyl fence, which is on the back side of our back yard. We put a wooden fence on the other sides to enclose our back yard. During the first winter we were here, several portions of their vinyl fence blew down. In the middle of winter, I had to jury rig a temporary fencing across the gaps. We live on the edge of town, and there are wild critters out here (coyotes, etc). Their yard had an opening without a gate and there is about a 6" gap beneath the fencing where critters can crawl through and dogs too (depending on the size). So I did not want our yard open to their backyard.

They put their vinyl fence back together and it blew down again in a strong storm. That storm had a bit of twist in it because it blew down one portion of our wooden fence. When the fence guys came out to fix our fence, I had them put a chained link fence covered in green vinyl (to prevent rust and look better) across the section of vinyl fencing in our neighbor's yard. So now our backyard is totally fenced in mostly with wooden 6' privacy fencing (we have a corner lot) and with chained link that is about a foot away from our neighbor's vinyl. I can spray weed killer in the summer between the fences so there is no weed problem and this solution has worked out fine. 

During the 4 years we have lived in this house, portions of their vinyl fence has blown down every winter and they have left it open for weeks, sometimes months, before repairing it. I believe that they did not get a good quality vinyl fence, and there may be better quality ones on the market. But while they look good and are maintenance free, I would not have one. My wooden fences are much lower to the ground and don't make noises flexing in the wind. Wooden is also easier to repair. The company that made their vinyl fence went out of business, and the parts to their fencing are not easy to get now.

That is my experience FWIW.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

MiniPoo thank you so much!!!!! For taking the type to type up your experience and share the info!

Vinyl can be the most expensive too, so I wasn't digging that too much..

I just found these!!

Any thoughts? 

I'm excited about this one!!!









And having stuff at the bottom of the fence around the perimeter is a smart idea!


----------



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

We have a 6 ft. vinyl privacy fence along the back side of our property. I believe the distance is about two hundred feet. It's been several years since it was installed and we split the cost with neighbors, but it was close to two thousand dollars. Remember, everything costs more in California. No animals have breached the integrity of that fence; not their English Mastiff, not our Rottweiler. Our fifty pound tortoise did burrow down below the two feet of buried cinder block in his pen and go under it once, but Sulcatas are pretty determined. We have still had snakes, raccoons and opossums show up, but some of the yard still has the wire "estate" fencing (small squares at the bottom, large at the top) and we have chickens which is, apparently, like having a neon sign inviting wildlife over for a free dinner. Over the years, we've had several dogs and different problems with our varied fences. The smartest thing we've done is cross fenced so that there are two gates to any exit... and we finally installed a very large dog run (cement) that has a four foot high fence near the house. This area has easy access to three patio doors, and is where we all sit and visit... and can, now securely lock the dogs away from the grill, etc. without isolating them from the "action". I have white dogs, so this is also where the dogs get tossed after a bath so they don't run off and roll in dirt while they are still damp. Anyhow, love the vinyl fence. It is much sturdier than it seems. I think, most dogs do not challenge the fence because they can't see through it. When we can afford it, we will have vinyl fencing put on another side of the yard.


----------



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Ugh, just read the falling fence nightmare. It had to be poorly installed. We have Santana winds that often precede our wildfires with sustained 60 mph winds and have had no problems. I never noticed any sounds either. Hmm, next time I am near San Bernardino I will look for fences and see how they fare in that area. According to my dad, that area gets wind like Lubbock, ha-ha!


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Wow!!! Hubby is funny!!

He says :

"Ok, ya wanna keep the poodles safe? Fine!! This fence has links 1/4 inch small but strong enough to keep 

from a small critter ..to dogs... deer, elks, buffaloes, cars... Dinosaurs OUT!!!" 


From 
"This corrosive free material and small link size make mini mesh unbeatable in high security fence markets, it's impenetrable paws and feet can't climb it"

"It's recommended for prisons and highway use" 

Bwahahahaha!!!

What if we lock ourselves out of the house??! LOL


----------



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

Charmed, we live right in the wind tunnel at the base of the Cajon pass. You can drive 1/2 mile east or west on the 60 freeway and the wind stops, but our little neck of the wood is insane!!! Our homeowners association put up vinyl fencing a few years ago and for the most part it has held up better than wood. But we have two areas that butt up against open fields and the wind is especially bad there. Every time the whole fence goes down. This year they replaced those areas with wrought iron.

We had wood and it kept going down every year, we eventually put up 6 foot block wall and had extra rebar put in. We also had much more concrete poured into it. It's not going anywhere! lol


----------



## mom2Zoe (Jun 17, 2014)

lily cd re said:


> That is great news Jill. It will be really nice peace of mind to be able to leave Fletcher out while you run inside to get a beverage for yourself.
> 
> It is funny, but even though our yard is fenced (six foot vinyl, since our neighbors are close so not much view) and Lily and Peeves could stay outside and play on their own, they don't like to be out by themselves. If we come in, they come in. Lily doesn't even walk away from the back door if I don't go out with her.


Zoe just started to be that way too, which I love because I used to have to call and beg her to come in. We weren't allowed to put a fence in so we have an electric fence so I can never leave her unsupervised, which is a little annoying.

Yay Jill!!!!!!!!!!! You will love watching her run around and be free. They love being unleashed.


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

N2Mischief said:


> Charmed, we live right in the wind tunnel at the base of the Cajon pass. You can drive 1/2 mile east or west on the 60 freeway and the wind stops, but our little neck of the wood is insane!!! Our homeowners association put up vinyl fencing a few years ago and for the most part it has held up better than wood. But we have two areas that butt up against open fields and the wind is especially bad there. Every time the whole fence goes down. This year they replaced those areas with wrought iron.
> 
> We had wood and it kept going down every year, we eventually put up 6 foot block wall and had extra rebar put in. We also had much more concrete poured into it. It's not going anywhere! lol


I would love to have a solid concrete fence. Very good privacy and built to last and no foot holds for dogs. If only we could afford it and our subdivision would allow it.

Lou, the fencing you found looks safe and secure for the dogs and it would not blow down. Just not the prettiest. I would plant evergreens and shrubs in front of it for privacy and to improve the look. As you can tell from my posts, privacy is important to me. I sometimes accompany dogs in backyard in pj's and like my 6' privacy.


----------



## nataly (Jul 31, 2014)

In our old house we used to have a fence similar to what sparkyjoe describes. It looks kind of like horizontal and vertical wires and it was attached to T-posts. In fact I like the looks better than chainlink, it was blending in with the woods and it cost even less. We had 3 acres and put it along the entire perimeter. Then we also made another line along the lawn area, since the dogs were coming home full of burrs from the woods we had. The only problem with was since it had no top rail and the wire was not very thick, so it could be bent pretty easily, i.e. one day deer were jumping over and bent the top, another time a large branch fell and also damaged a section. I think chain link would have held better. Most dogs would have been fine with it (I had 5 ft fence), but we had a special case. My dogs were digging under. So my husband put some wood around the perimeter to prevent digging, but then they started climbing on the wood and jumping over. We ended up installing invisible fence along the fence, so they couldn't come close enough to jump. After a little while Toby figured out if he was willing to get hit 3 times from the fence the safety feature would turn it off, so I watched him deliberately walking to the shock line, scratching around the device on his collar, doing another approach and another and then they were free... I had to bump up the electric shock a lot. Then one day, after months of having the invisible fence, I forgot to put on the collars and they cleared both lines of the fence and were out just like that...

In the current house (1/4 acre lot) we have a wood board-on-board 5 ft fence. There was also a pre-existing hedge alongside it and we installed wood blocks along the perimeter. Since the hedge didn't let them approach close enough to jump and the wood block prevented digging they were safe and secure  I love my fence now. We just have to fix the grass, so there is not so much mud inside the fence... 

That was a long fence story. I am missing my escape artists and a little nervous before getting my pup tomorrow, so I keep talking too much  Hopefully Chaplin is not going to be an escape artist, but if he is, we are covered fence-wise.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

My vinyl fence has stayed up through two hurricanes and several really terrible winters. The only damage has been from when a tree fell directly on it in the first hurricane and when somebody kicked one section's worth of panels out a few weeks ago. For the hurricane damage the fence company had to do the repair and we waited a long time. Thankfully my neighbor whose yard the opening led to also has a fully fenced yard. For the vandalism none of the panels broke and my lawn guy fixed it the same day. The only critters that have ever gotten in the yard aside from birds at the feeder are squirrels that climb up and down the trees along the fence line and cats that squeeze under one of the gates near our driveway. There are plenty of raccoons and possums around, but never in the yard. The advantage that made me choose vinyl was that it will last my lifetime. I hired a company that set every post in concrete and filled the gate posts with concrete that set for a week before they came and hung the gates. This way they don't heave around when the ground freezes.


----------



## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

nataly said:


> We ended up installing invisible fence along the fence, so they couldn't come close enough to jump. After a little while Toby figured out if he was willing to get hit 3 times from the fence the safety feature would turn it off, so I watched him deliberately walking to the shock line, scratching around the device on his collar, doing another approach and another and then they were free... I had to bump up the electric shock a lot. Then one day, after months of having the invisible fence, I forgot to put on the collars and they cleared both lines of the fence and were out just like that...


We had a radio fence, which worked like a charm for our old Lab, for about seven years. Then, either he found a dead spot in the fence, or he decided the game was worth the candle, and he disappeared with disturbing regularity. We'd stand out in the yard to watch him, but if we got the least bit distracted, he'd slip out. We never were able to see how he was doing it, so eventually we stopped letting him out except on a leash. Still have the fence, but I don't trust it for the poodles.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

I just couldn't ... Ever... trust an INVISIBLE fence..., the name says to me... "Tooth fairy/Casper the friendly ghost" Hehehehe LOL

I just don't believe in it 

It's like: if a (neighbor's) mastiff decides, that all of a sudden, it's totally worth it getting shocked to chase a cute poodle ...?!!?!! 

I stopped walking my dogs when I realized there was a HUMONGOUS mastiff sitting on the front yard of this house a block away.....

(Hence the huge fenced-in-yard for my 2 to exercise)

I just made my decision then. It's not for me.

I'm leaning toward the really tiny mini chain-link fence 6ft tall ... Not sure yet. 

I like the idea of planting evergreens or some kind of foliage to cover it 

Hubby asked me if I wanted to create a dome ... an enclosure like at the zoo to keep the birds out too!! ??Hahahaahaha!!!!
(Like the ones for butterflies..) I was like: YES!! (Just kidding) hehehe 


Jeez!! I see it now ...why people call me "crazy dog lady"  

Well... I LOVE THEM and the good thing is I CAN be overprotective of them... It's not like they'll one day have to go to college and face the world on their own LOL  

So I allow myself to overdo it  

I'm kinda hard-headed ... "Kinda" is an understatement  *To say the least* --- (hubby added)


----------



## Searcher (Aug 7, 2009)

If I am reading responses correctly, there seems to be a misunderstanding about electric fences. The dog has to have a collar on him that is 'tuned' to the electric fence. Any other dog can cross over the fence & nothing will happen to them. 

I feel that there are problems with them: 
1. if your dog somehow got thru it, he won't come back as he would get shocked again. 
2. your dog is a target for other dogs if they come after him.
You shouldn't just let your dog out unsupervised with an electric fence.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Searcher said:


> (...) .



Amen ! ... Indeed!


----------



## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

I think a radio fence can work well in some circumstances, with some dogs. The homeowners association here doesn't allow any kind of fencing that would actually restrain a dog, so a radio fence was our only option. Our Lab weighed 85 pounds (no hawk was going to carry him off), there were no dogs running loose in the neighborhood, we live in a rural area, on a dead-end street, with no other houses and no traffic other than ours. Deer are abundant, and he'd chase them out of the yard but never beyond it. We allowed him outside as much as he wanted during the day, if we were home, but he was always on a leash after dark, because of the coyotes and skunks. As I noted above, he respected the fence for seven years, even if someone walked a dog or rode a horse past the house. That fence was perfect for us, gave Luke great freedom in addition to his daily 3 to 5 mile walk, and saved us many a quick trip out in the rain so he could relieve himself. 

I would never trust it for a very small dog, nor in an area with frequent vehicular traffic, stray dogs, or strangers on foot (too much risk of theft). I will never use it for the poodles, who are much higher energy, with a high prey drive. I think they'd be more likely to be stolen, too, if they did get out and wander off.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

We've discussed what we would do if Fletcher would show signs of trying to climb the "no climb" fence, and came to the conclusion that since it's "farm" fencing, we could always electrify it if we absolutely had to, or we could add invisible fence around the bottom edge to discourage him from trying to climb it.

But mostly he won't be out for long without being monitored, so I should be able to discourage climbing.

I'm getting so excited I can hardly handle it! The fence should be installed in 2 to 4 weeks and not a moment too soon. "Little" Fletcher is a serious jumper, as in he can jump 4 foot straight up in the air even though he's only 16-17 inches at the shoulder! The area we've got as his temporary potty area was created using a baby/pet "play yard" which is only about 30 inches tall.

I've very glad we went for the 5 foot fence.


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Looking forward to seeing pictures. I will be happy for you and Fletcher both when he gets a little running room.


----------



## vegas (Jul 5, 2014)

How tall a fence would I need to keep a toy poodle from leaping over it? My yard is already fenced, but to make it tpoo-ready I would want to add a second, interior, fence to keep the tpoo near the house and away from the pool. Kind of like a baby gate. I would plan to go outside with the dog most of the time, but there might be times when it's just a quick "pet relief" trip outside and back again, or I might get distracted. I would worry about the tpoo jumping in the pool when I wasn't looking, so I would like to create a "safe" area near the back door.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

vegas said:


> How tall a fence would I need to keep a toy poodle from leaping over it? My yard is already fenced, but to make it tpoo-ready I would want to add a second, interior, fence to keep the tpoo near the house and away from the pool. Kind of like a baby gate. I would plan to go outside with the dog most of the time, but there might be times when it's just a quick "pet relief" trip outside and back again, or I might get distracted. I would worry about the tpoo jumping in the pool when I wasn't looking, so I would like to create a "safe" area near the back door.


If I had a pool, even if I had a fence, I think the first thing I would do would be to carefully introduce the dog so it's comfortable with the water. Gates get left open, and accidents happen, so I would also be very serious about teaching it where the steps were so it can safely get itself out if it would happen to fall in. 

As for fence height, I would think 3 or 4 foot would work for a TP. But then I never thought I would need a 5 foot fence for our pup, but he's proven me wrong with his amazing ability to jump!


----------



## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

Jumping isn't the only worry. We had a Cardigan Welsh Corgi once who, even though she was overweight, could use her short little legs to climb our chain link fence if she had enough incentive, such as fireworks or thunder.


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

The talk about climbing fences reminded me of a Youtube video about a big rabbit climbing a wooden fence covered with chicken wire. It is funny to watch. I will put the url below. Hope this works.

Can't a dog do what a rabbit does?


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree with poolann about teaching the dog how to get out of the pool safely. It was the first thing we did when we introduced Lily and Peeves to our pool.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

We went to the new dog park in the area, I go into detail in this thread (http://www.poodleforum.com/5-poodle-talk/123201-fletchers-big-day.html), but I thought I would mention that one of the reasons I wanted to take Fletcher there was because they have 5 foot wire "field fencing" all around the park and I wanted to see if it looked like it would be tall enough.

Here are a couple of pics of Fletcher checking out the big dog area on the other side of the fence.
















Thankfully it looks like this fence will be plenty tall enough to keep my little guy safe. YAY!

Oh, and I kinda like the look of the board across the top of the wire. Might have to consider adding something like that to our fence.


----------



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

On our "patio" safe area we didn't have a top rail put on the four foot fence because we didn't want the big dogs to have anything to grab onto and then, hoist themselves over. We were worried most about the Rottweiler; so far no dogs have challenged that fence. We did have a whippet/border cross that bounced and she was clearing four feet, but she stayed inside the fence. On one low section of wrought iron on top of block wall, we had to have a training session with hot wire. It took us longer to set up the hot wire than it took us to train the Rottweiller. The poodles had been around livestock fencing before, and they wouldn't go near the set up, but then they never challenged the fence, either.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

sparkyjoe said:


> If I had a pool, even if I had a fence, I think the first thing I would do would be to carefully introduce the dog so it's comfortable with the water. Gates get left open, and accidents happen, so I would also be very serious about teaching it where the steps were so it can safely get itself out if it would happen to fall in.
> 
> (...) !



Very very very very very good comment!!!!! 

I agree 100million% 
thanks so much for posting this.

I always go the "better safe than sorry" route. And I try to look at things from all possible worst case scenarios... Yup! I do......
Being prepared - is the best thing we can do to avoid tragedy. 

Some people choose to pretend nothing bad will ever happen to them , until it does. 
Then it can be too late... I am not referring to anyone specific at all ok? Just being a bit dramatic to show how much I appreciate you posting that. Since I don't have a pool, I wouldn't have thought to say anything like that. 
But here's why I think that's awesome that u pointed that out. when I was a little kid I did have a dog at our farm that drowned when he got in a fight with the neighbor's (aggressive) dog and he fell in the pool. This dog of ours, always defended us from that big dog from the farm adjacent to ours. I was too little to know things... And my grandparents at the time kinda treated dogs like "cattle" they just lived outside and stuff... Point is.. His death could have been avoided. But it was too long ago for me to even think of putting blame on anyone. I love my grandparents, but they just didn't know any better. Now that they have met the poodles they are amazed by them!!! and even ask me things like: "is the backyard gate closed? Can I go out in the backyard?"  --- meaning she wants to make sure they're safe and she totally gets it now.. that they are my babies and NOT cattle ! Hehehehe 

Sorry about the long story. But I just feel like, just because we don't know something doesn't mean we should just live in lala land... I try my best to educate myself as much as I can to provide the best life possible to the poodles. At first I knew nothing! And well... There's still sooooo much more to learn, LOL 
but this why I LOVE POODLEFORUM sooooo much!!

Sharing knowledge .. 
Avoiding tragedies....
loving poodles...
and caring for one another.


Thanks again!


----------



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Lou said:


> Very very very very very good comment!!!!!
> 
> I agree 100million%
> thanks so much for posting this.
> ...



Lou, you know that you and I are of very similar thinking on this. Yup, 
I am the crazy lady that you see walking her poodle down the street with two leashes - one attached to the easy walk harness, and one attached to her collar just in case


----------



## Rhett'smom (Sep 23, 2012)

You are not alone being the crazy lady with 2 leashes "just in case"


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Tiny poodles and Rhett's mom 


Yup.  

just in case... 

thanks for saying that 

Big hugs !!!!


----------



## vegas (Jul 5, 2014)

Okey-dokey. So in addition to sodding the side yard (currently desert landscape) and installing the poodle fence, I will add poodle swimming lessons to the list.

I hope the pool steps are short enough for a tpoo. If not, I'll have to add a mini-step! I guess I won't know for sure until (s)he is full grown.

I will have to take before-and-after pictures of the yard so I can impress the breeder enough to secure a precious tpoo!


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

If somehow you think the tpoo couldn't negotiate the pool step they make ramps that attache to the side of the pool as a self rescue escape route for dogs.


----------



## vegas (Jul 5, 2014)

Great idea. I might get one as a back-up plan just for extra safety.


----------



## Pella (Oct 7, 2014)

Great to see this thread. One of the reasons my puppy search is going slower right now is because I do not yet have a fenced in yard. I've lived in a suburban area for most of the decade plus that I had my 2 dogs, so leashes leashes leashes! 

I've identified where I want the fenced in dog yard to be--on the side of the house with less traffic, and with the most level ground. Sadly this is all in the process of getting dug up as my septic system needs maintenance. I probably won't have a fenced in dog yard til next spring/summer. Should I put my puppy search on hold until then? Wondering what others think...seems like a lot of breeders require it, and I'm feeling like my chances of finding a good breeder who wouldn't require a fenced in yard are slim. Maybe it's best to just wait? 

Also, I have chickens that I currently free range. I will probably be fencing them in too, again when the septic crisis has passed. But if there's situations where a Spoo is in a fenced in yard and there's chickens on the other side of the fence free-ranging...wondering if 6' is enough for most Spoos?


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Pella,

I raised a 24"/55lb Standard Poodle in a 900 square foot condo without a fenced yard. 

It can be done! 

BUT, you have to be willing to be creative in how to let your pup get exercise while remaining safe. I was an idjit and over estimated how much time I would be willing to put into exercising that pup. Plus I ended up getting a SUPER high energy/drive dog, so we almost drove each other crazy when he was younger, but we both survived and had a great bond. I've learned since then, and this time around I wanted to have the added blessing of a fence, in addition to getting a dog much lower in energy (pure hyperness) that my first dog possessed. 

I think if you were honest with the breeder that you have plans to get a fence, but have to wait until the yard/septic work is done, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem. This is what I did, and our breeder was OK with it.

Some breeders may want you to wait until the fence was in, but realistically, if you are looking for a baby puppy (8-10 weeks old) then even if you found a breeder that had a puppy available in an expected litter, you should have several months before the need for a fenced yard would become a serious concern (time till pup is born, then 2 months until it comes home, and then a couple of months before it would be active/big enough for a fence to be a real issue.)

Until that time, you have options...

There is more "temporary" fencing that you could consider erecting in another part of the yard that's not torn up. Usually this would be plastic or wire fence installed using "t-posts" that hammer into the ground. It's not terribly expensive, and can be installed, then removed once your permanent fenced area is ready. I've considered this for another part of our yard so we have a "back-up" is something happens that makes the main dog yard unusable.

You can also do what I've done and use a couple of pet/child exercise yards to create a temporary "pee pee area". I have two of the "yards" put together (found one for $10 at a yard sale, the other on Craigslist for $30 or $40) and created a good size space.









Our pup is just almost 5.5 months old, and he's more of an oversized mini at 16-17" and 18lbs, but he's just now getting to the point where I've grown more concerned about his ability to get over that fence. That time would come sooner for a full sized Standard, but it would give you time. (Plus, we plan on continuing to use the play yard to create a designated "potty area" so the rest of the yard remains poop free.

For real exercise, I have 2 "long lines", one is a 50' and the other is 25', so I can use them separately or I attach them together to let him have a lot of room to run. I use a harness on him to help prevent injury to his neck.

We also have the local dog park that recently opened where we can go for a serious blow out.

In my opinion, do your research and find *your* breeder, then everything else will fall in place. We found *our* breeder months before our pup was ever conceived, and actually had to deal with disappointment when an expected litter only produced 2 pups and we didn't get one from that litter, so we had plenty of time to work on solutions before he arrived.

Good luck!!!


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

The fence is going in!!!!!!

It won't be finished until tomorrow, still waiting on the special order 5ft no climb fence to arrive, and it's not coming until later today.

Also, when they were hand digging one of the posts up next to the house (hand dug instead of machine driven in case of encountering structure around the house) they uncovered a leaky drain pipe fitting, so that has to be repaired before they can finish stringing wire. 

OH! And my husband inquired if they could use their huge tractor to help remove the rusty old play gym set in the "dog yard" and they did it! There was a LOT more concrete than any of us expected, so two huge holes in the yard, but I can fix them!


So far the only casualties have been a young toad with a broken front leg, and a tree frog that was critically wounded and had to be humanely dispatched. :sad:


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Great news! Too bad about the frog casualties. I bet Fletcher will love digging in those holes before you fill them in too.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Oh, yes! I'm headed out tomorrow morning to get a bunch of bags of top soil to fill those holes! Hopefully we can save some of the original grassto put back on top. Plus I'm going to spread some grass seed and hope that there's enough Fall left for it to take root before the cold, wet of Winter arrives!


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Wow! You are going to have a big fenced area! You are so smart to get them to take out the concrete posts. Looking forward to seeing finished fence.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

We could have gone bigger, but we thought it might look funny, and we wanted to be totally sure we were on *only* on our property (property lines can be sorta vague out here in the country).

It will be a really nice yard for the pup, and the front of the house is already looking so different!


----------



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

If you need grass to cover the filled in holes in fenced area, you can take sod from out of way area outside of fence and re-seed that area.

Hope you will post pictures of both back and front yards. It sounds like you are going to really enjoy your yards.


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

It's done! It's Done! IT'S DONE!!!!!

YAY!!

Well, sorta. But enough to keep the little guy safe for now!!! It turns out that some of the fence was damaged at the factory, so they have to send some replacement but it might be a week or two before it's installed. But the fence guy is great! He got some strong wire panels (I think he called them pig panels?) and cut them to block the 5 foot gap. Plus he used them to create panels to cover the gaps between the house and the first posts. The fence mostly hits the ground, but in one spot there was something of a space so I had him set a piece of scrap fence post there and he stapled it to the fence so the little guy can't move it. 

The little pup hasn't had a chance to *run* yet because I've got to wait for my husband to get home from work so we can both experience the moment. 

I really like how the wire fencing almost seems to disappear. The crazy yellow roped off area in the front is where I fixed the holes from the play set.









The fence is HUGE! I mean we could keep a rhino in it!!! But it will help keep wildlife out, and the pup safe.









Can't wait to let the little pup loose!


----------



## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

I like it very much. You picked a nice looking fence.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

It looks splendid! Take your camera out and get a video when DH gets home.


----------



## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Looks great Jill!


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Just in from letting the pup out to romp. We were out for over an hour and just came in, but the little guy is already flopped down and crashed.

We did have to take some toys out to get him more interested in actually running, but it's sooooo nice letting him roam, wander, and play without having a leash of some sort attached!

I'll try to see if i can get my husband to give me a bit of the video from when he first went running free.

Now I'm going to try to keep from tossing my cookies due to the migraine that's been creeping up all day. Ugh. Thank heaven the pup is exercised!


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

How awesome is that! I'm so happy for you!!! 

I think having a fenced in yard to watch the poodles run is my favorite "everyday thing"  
Hope you all have tons of fun and get plenty of exercise to be 
healthy happy and safe ?


----------



## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

"good fences make good neighbors" - robert frost


----------



## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

Well, my husband still has to render the video from the other day, but I went out and grabbed a couple of pics of the pup playing in the yard today.

BTW... Fletcher is 6 months old today!


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Jill he looks thrilled to be able to run at home! I can't wait to see the video.


----------



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

He looks soooooo happy!! How awesome is it to see him run run run  I love the photo of him stacked like a champion! Beautiful boy!


----------



## frecklesdmk (Mar 27, 2013)

What an awesome space! He certainly is enjoying it


----------

