Our 7 Favorite Types of Fences To Safely Give Dogs Room to Run (2024)

Updated on 06/18/24

Our Top Picks

The Veranda Linden Vinyl Fence is one of the easiest ways to install full, professional-grade fencing in your yard: simply measure the boundaries of your yard and order the requisite number of vinyl fence panels. The pre-built panels combined with line, corner, and end posts that are sold separately by Home Depot. No special tools are required.

The Linden vinyl fence system is ultra durable, never requiring sanding, staining, painting, or other maintenance common to wooden fencing. Plus, you can install it with either a four-foot walk gate or a dual drive gate with two five-foot panels. With six feet of height, the Linden fence provides plenty of privacy.

The Veranda Vinyl Privacy Fence is available in 15 different fence panel designs (our favorite is the Linden) and five different colors.

_{Height: 6 feet | Material: Vinyl}

This chain-link slat fence offers many of the same advantages of a privacy fence—at about half the cost. The slats in the chain link prevent your pooch from climbing it and at six-feet high even large breeds won’t be able to jump over it. The slats are made of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) material with UV inhibitors that help make this fence able to withstand ice, snow, saltwater, sunshine, you name it. It’s easy to install yourself, though you’ll also need to pick up fence spikes, sold separately. Another important thing to remember: don’t place any furniture or large planters near the fence that your pup may be able to climb and use as a booster to get over the fence and out to the other side.

_{Heights: 56, 68, or 72 inches | Materials: High-density polyethylene, coated steel}

Tenax Pet Fence arrives packaged in a roll with a minimum of 100 feet of rust-proof fencing. You can use it to create a dog run within a wide open space, or to keep your dog from crossing into an area in your yard that's off limits. The Pet Fence is available in two heights, four or five feet, made in the United States, and can be recycled when no longer needed.

_{Heights: 4 or 5 feet | Material: Polypropylene}

Have a digger on your hands? Prevent them from escaping (but not digging, unfortunately), by fortifying your existing fence with this Dig Defence. Simply hammer the 4-gauge steel rod fencing with 15-inch spikes spaced 1.5 inches apart into the ground along your fence to make your fence impervious to diggers. It also works to keep animals that burrow, including bunnies, and predators (especially handy if you have chickens) out of your yard. The only caution: you can’t use this along a tree line where it would hit tree roots. We recommend installing this after a rainy day when the ground is soft.

_{Height: 15 inches | Material: Galvanized steel}

When you want to contain your pooch in a room or specific area of your home, an extra tall baby gate is the best choice. This one from Regalo is 36 inches tall and expands to fit openings 29 to 36.5 inches wide. It comes with a pressure mount kit that’s easy to use and there’s no added hassle of needing to drill or screw anything into your walls. With slats spaced a narrow 2.5 inches, there’s little chance even small dogs will be able to squeeze by it. The gate is easy to open, even with one hand.

_{Height: 36 inches | Material: Metal}

Create an indoor or an outdoor play yard for your pup with this foldable fence kit. It has 16 individual panels that you can shape into a rectangle, square, or octagon—whichever fits your space best. The doors have latch panels that are easy for you to operate, but not your pet. The black powder-coated fencing is just under 2-feet high, so this will work for puppies or smaller dogs who don’t jump but isn’t suited for larger breeds. The kit comes with everything you need and arrives ready to be assembled.

_{Height: 23.6, 31.5, or 39.5 inches | Material: Metal}

The Fenpro Hedget Slats for Chain Link Fence adds an appealing green aspect to an area you want to enclose for a dog run. The faux greenery provides privacy—limiting the amount of distractions a dog will be exposed to—and significantly blocks UV rays to provide a safe and appealing space for a dog to expend their energy. This durable fence from Fenpro is made in two heights, four or five feet, and each box provides ten feet of coverage.

_{Heights: 4 or 5 feet | Material: Galvanized steel, PVC}

Final Verdict

Our favorite overall pick is the Veranda Linden Vinyl Fence, which is perfect for privacy and providing your dog with a safe space to play. If you have a dog who digs, or need to keep out unwanted visitors who burrow, The Original Animal Barrier Fence from Dig Defence, is our top recommendation for underground protection.

FAQ

• How high a dog fence do I need?

  In general, a 6-foot high fence is sufficient for larger dogs, while smaller dogs are typically contained by a 3 or 4-foot fence. That all goes out the window, though, if your dog is a jumper, in which case you'll either want to opt for something even taller or an electric option, which will prevent dogs of all shapes and stripes from escaping.

• What’s the best kind of fence for dogs that like to dig?

  If your dog likes to dig, you’ve probably already learned that there’s little you can do to completely stop the instinctual behavior. Encourage your dog to dig in a safe place that’s far away from your fence—and any flower beds, too. We realize that’s easier said than done, so as a secondary precaution, consider using a anti-digging fence along with your regular fence. These fences have tightly-spaced spikes that extend a foot or more into the ground to deter your dog from digging.