Fence Question

[Dooney's Mom]

Ok folks. I have a fence question for you. I am having a house built and I am choosing between 2 lots. The one lot has rear neighbors, while the other lot backs up to dry retention pond. The lot with rear neighbors I can put up a 6 foot vinyl fence, the lot on the retention pond I can only put up (at the highest) a 5 ft aluminum fence (because of "line of sight" rules. At our old house we had a 4 ft aluminum fence and Dooney never tried to jump over it, though we all know she could if she wanted to.

My question- do you think a 5 ft high aluminum fence is high enough for a GSD? there would be a much better view in the back yard from this lot and no rear neighbors, so I really prefer this lot. I figured if the fence height became an issue I could always run a hot wire?? Its not like I will be leaving her alone outside all day.

Thanks for your input!!

[MountainGSDs]

I go for the no neighbors behind you lot. The only thing to consider is how often is the storm water runoff pond going to have water in it and will it be a breeding ground for mosquito's and a play yard for gators?

[Emoore]

If you're not leaving her alone outside for long, I'd go with no back neighbors and the shorter fence.

[arycrest]

Originally Posted by MountainGSDs

I go for the no neighbors behind you lot. The only thing to consider is how often is the storm water runoff pond going to have water in it and will it be a breeding ground for mosquito's and a play yard for gators?

mosquitos would also be my concern with living next to a retention pond! I don't know, but a 5' fence should be tall enough to keep gators out wouldn't it? Also would the runoff to the retention pond cause "streams" going thru your yard? What happens during the rare storms when retention ponds overflow?

[Dooney's Mom]

Thanks guys- it is what they refer to as a "dry retention" pond. My old house with the ex was also on one- they hardly ever have water in them- they are there just in case water from other places has to be moved there during a massive rainstorm/flood event/hurricanes. the one behind our old house never had more than a foot of water in it and even then it went away within a week or so. Thank you so very much for the input!!

[Girth]

You can also supplement your regular fence with a wireless fence. I've done that with my chain linked fence and rather than burying the wire just ran it along the top of the fence. Works like a champ.

[Dooney's Mom]

Originally Posted by girth

you can also supplement your regular fence with a wireless fence. I've done that with my chain linked fence and rather than burying the wire just ran it along the top of the fence. Works like a champ.

great idea!!!! Thanks!

[Scarlettsmom]

We ran our invisible fence wire along the top of a low, vinyl picket fence. Worked great...breaks were easy to find (squirrels were the main culprits of breaks!) Scarlett never went within 4 feet of the fence. We had a full on swamp behind us. We had all the fun critters that come with a swamp too...cotton mouth snakes, red earred slider turtles, opposums, raccoons, (OMG, I cannot spell those critter's names for the life of me!)

I would do ANYTHING not to have a water feature behind my house again. The mosquitos and yellow biting flies are bad enough here without giving them some place to breed right behind my house again. :P