# Fencing in 25 acres (in a dog-safe way)



## Ack (Nov 12, 2008)

The new place we're moving to is on 25 acres. We'll be getting a dog once we're there.

I'd really love to put some kind of dog-proof barrier around the entire 25 acres and let my dog have the entire area to roam and play in instead of fencing off just a small portion for a dog yard. The human part of our family will be roaming the entire 25 acres to camp, fish, bike, etc., so it would be great if the dog could roam with us freely without needing a leash.

The 25 acres is currently fenced off with a 5-strand barb-wire fence. Of course, this means nothing to a dog, who can just slip under the bottom wire at will. 

It takes around 4000 feet of fenceline to fence off 25 acres. Any suggestions on the best way to dog-proof the fence? The buried wire with e-collar seems like it might be the only feasible way, but I've read that they're sometimes not very effective. Would running a strand of cattle electric fence along the bottom gap deter the dog from crossing?

Any ideas on how to reliably dog proof 4000 feet of fenceline?


----------



## Mach1girl (Apr 17, 2006)

No, the cattle line will not contain your dogs. Do like we did, we fenced in 5 acres. With the house in the middle. Reason being-and I know it sounds wonderful to let your dogs wonder on 25 acres, but if something were to happen 24 acres from the homestead-you got to go out looking. Get what I mean? Thats alot of territory for a dog to get in trouble, attacked by wildlife, get into possible poisonous plants, get stolen, or even get out far from the home.


----------



## pattymac (Oct 11, 2008)

one dog boarding place has 10 acres fenced for the dogs. They use zoo fencing, which I seem to recall is about 10 feet high and goes right down to the ground. It's also a small mesh. You might try predator fencing, most people who raise Alpacas use it. It's also small mesh and about 5-6 feet high.


----------



## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

we used woven wire attached by trees 
and while I understand the desire for your dog to have 25 acres to run my question for you is whether that is really necessary vs. having an acre or two fenced and him having access to the rest when you are supervising him... 

I have to honestly say that here where we have two acres fenced and the dogs have plenty of space to run and play amongst the trees they generally don't and even wtih this amount it is hard to keep it fully safe.... and know if a tree came down on the fence 
or an animal broke the fence 
or whether there are mushrooms growing or anything hazardous 

while having them have access to 25 acres seems wonderful.... I really would rethink that 

s


----------



## pattymac (Oct 11, 2008)

I agree, it would likely be pretty expensive no matter what type of fencing you pick. Personally though I'd get rid of that barbed wire even if you just put up page wire fencing. I'd hate to see a dog get caught on barbed wire. I don't think I'd let my dog run loose on that much acreage even if it was properly fenced. She tends to stick pretty close and even at the dog park that's 5 acres she doesn't get very far from me so even 5 acres is plenty of running room for most dogs.


----------



## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I would consider either non-climb horse fence (5 foot) that is installed tight to the ground and stapled to wood posts OR (if you get a larger dog.. over 30 pounds or so) you can use 10-47-6-12.5 Stock Fence that comes in 330 foot rolls. The numbers stand for 10ga top and bottom wires, 47 inches high, 6 inch spaced vertical stay wires and 12.5 guage horizongal wires. This fence has closer spaced horizontal wires at the bottom with increased spacing as you go toward the top. I have a price on a 330 foot roll of this stuff for around $185. The Horse fence is 9 guage and runs $400 for 330 feet. Then you add posts every 8 feet and post installation (either a tractor mounted auger or a tractor mounted post pounder) and stretching the wire (it takes a tractor and/or come along to stretch it) and you are into a pretty large investment. You need 13 rolls of fence (12 and a partial roll) and 500 posts plus staples and labor.. and it is a LOT of labor. I have put up a LOT of this type of fence and you need a loader to lift the horse fence and the stock fence isn't light. 

The issue with such a large area for Invisible fence is breakage (it is an electric fence.. and under ground and is subject to breakage and grounding out) as well as loss of signal as you get out there in length. Invisible fences are fine with some dogs, and others will "break" through them. If the power goes out, you have no fence. 

A better suggestion is for you to fence a smaller area.. maybe an acre on such a large property and then TRAIN YOUR DOG so he sticks with you when you use the remaining property for recreation. 

It is a lot more interesting to train the dog and a lot less expensive when it comes to fences. It is also nice to have a dog that always comes when called, will not chase anything unless given the "word" and is a pleasure for everyone to be with. This means the dog can come with you when you go places and that is fun too.


----------



## fattball (Jul 15, 2013)

I just fenced in 5 acres I did it 100% by myself!!! Using 5 foot welded wire. I buried it in ground 1 foot down. It came in 100 foot rolls its 12.5 gauge. I did it for my 6 dogs and to keep out rabbits and other animals so that they are not eaten by my dogs.


----------

