How high can a dachsie climb?

[Tina]

I have not been around for a while; I have needed all my energy to finish my divorce and besides that I have tried to look for a little house for my family. However, all the houses seem to have one serious weakness (if we overlook the price): they don´t have a proper, dachsie-proof fence around them, so I must be prepared to build one (or get somebody to make it, more correctly). But the question is how high the fence should be if it is A)wooden fence(paling) or B) a wire-fence. According to your experience, how high can a dachsie climb on the spur of the moment (I would not dream of leaving them alone in the garden, I´m sure that ,given enough time , Little Princess would climb over any fence and Miss Piggy and Candy would dig their way to freedom under it).
I´m afraid that my new home will look like a prison or a concentration camp, but as they say, safety first.

[dutchman]

Hi Tina,

Several questions come to mind before attempting to answer you question. First are you dachshunds minis or standards? Second is there any chance that there may be items placed close to the fence that your crew could jump up on and use as a launching platform for their assault on the fence? I found out a 32" x-pen was not tall enough for my standard Frank. I've yet to see a dachshund climb over a six foot privacy fence which is the most common type of fence in this area. I common chain link fence I believe 42" always kept the girls in when I was growing up. However from recent experiences if a launching pad is close enough I wouldn't trust a 42" fence to keep a dachshund in if they saw a rabbit or cat running on the other side. There are so many variables in determining the proper fence height. I would worry more about low spots in the ground where a dachshund might squeeze under than going over most common types of fencing. Of course we can assume you have already ruled out things like a rail fence.

Good luck,

Tom and the boys (Frank and Tanner)

[crock]

Hi Tina,

What a delinma. We just recently built a run off the side of our bedroom for our guys (all 5). Then we built a gate that goes onto our pivate patio from their run. It is 40" high and Darby and Stretch clear it like it wasn't there. So we are taking it down and making it taller. They are 10lb minis. My little one -Laila- 7 lbs can't get over it. I think the best for their protection is a 5 foot fence. That would help insure anybody else getting in from the outside too. Always a risk also!
Good luck.

Char

[Penny's Aunt]

Once your fence is up, you can add a "flange" to keep creative dachsies from digging under:

Get a roll (or several rolls) of 18-24" chicken wire (1" size). Unroll it along the fence, then fasten the top edge to the fence about a foot above the ground. Press the wire down to the ground, then flatten it right along the ground, so you've got a long L running along the fence. Keep it flat & let the grass grow right through it. You can even mow over it. And it will keep the little devils from digging once they hit the wire.

I've also read about using chicken wire along the TOP of the fence, but it probably wouldn't make Martha Stewart's show. You fasten it as an extension to the top of the fence, then form it slightly to fold inward. If they try to climb, they hit the chicken wire, which is floppy, & the floppy part sags down, preventing them from getting over. Never tried it, but it should work.

If it doesn't, there's always concertina wire & broken glass.

[dutchman]

Watch the chicken wire. Tanner got his lower jaw stuck in the wire on my gate. I was there to get him out before he got cut up. I'm looking for a replacement. The chicken wire replaced some plastic mesh fencing I was using that Tanner would tear holes in.

Tom

[isobelsmom]

My backyard does look like a concentration camp! My male pit climbs and jumps, so I have a chainlink fence with a privacy over it. Isobel burrows, so I have chicken wire and big rocks at the bottom. I'm going to be moving to a new house and having privacy built for the yard. There will be chicken wire at the bottom with cattle wire (live) also. This will keep all the dogs away from the fence. This may sound cruel (the live wire) but since my backyard is somewhat uneven, Isobel and the pits will take advantage of it.

I've found that if a dog (any size) can get their head through a hole they will make their body fit. Who cares what the fence looks like as long as it keeps your babies safe!

mary

[Krista]

I have a 6 foot privacy fence made of vertical wooden planks. It is very attractive and virtually impossible for a dog to climb -though a determined larger breed of dog might be able to jump it.

I am very happy with it.

Most others I know with dachshunds have been fine with a 4 foot chain-link fence. I would worry more about digging than climbing, but thankfully neither of my two boys have ever tried to dig in th yard -they are too busy keeping rabbits and squirrels OUT http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/wink.gif.