# GSD dangerous to small animals



## Mr & Mrs Kirkley (Mar 9, 2012)

Hi. We need some advice about our GSD Xena. We recently bought a house about an hour from where we currently live and are in the process of moving. Unfortunately, the chain link fence at the house we're moving to is only 4 ft tall. We also learned while moving a few things in that one of our next door neighbors has a small dog. Xena gets along with most larger dogs, but she aggressively attacked a small dog we tried to adopt and killed a kitten that got inside our fence (we didn't notice the kitten in the yard when we let her out). She has never bitten a human. Xena is also fence aggressive with people and animals of all sizes she does not know. The last time we took her to the dog park, she jumped up on that fence aggressively barking (just like she does at home) until the people came inside the fence. Then she was fine. That's why I'm fairly certain it's a fence issue as opposed to a territory issue. Would a live wire around the top and bottom of a 4 ft fence fence keep Xena contained and keep the neighbor's dog safe until we get a taller fence built? Would a live wire also correct her fence aggression? I can't use an underground electric fence with an electric collar because we have more than one dog and they like to play, which would likely damage the collar.


----------



## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Can you just build a solid privacy taller fence? Can Xena see through the current fence?


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I don't know about your dog. Does she jump fences to go after other dogs or people?

Mine did fine fence running with the neighbor's large dog (their dog started it) and a 4 foot fence. The top of the fence (hillside) was 6' privacy fencing, but the bottom half was 4 foot chain link. In this house (different location) I have 4 foot fencing that is field fencing and my dogs do not jump it.


----------



## Mr & Mrs Kirkley (Mar 9, 2012)

Yes, Xena can see through our current fence. She's never been contained in a privacy fence. Two fencing contractors have told me that by the time I get a 6ft tall chain link fence and have black mesh screen installed so she can't see out, it will cost almost as much as a privacy fence. My husband thinks we should have a privacy fence installed one section at a time as we can afford it and use a live wire. My concern is, if the live wire doesn't work and she jumps over the shorter chain link section of the fence, she can still get to/kill the neighbor's dog. Will a live wire stop a GSD from jumping a 4 ft fence to go after prey?


----------



## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Buy a 6 foot tall kennel to put the dog in until you get a taller fence built. An electric fence on top and bottom might work,but you already know your dog will injure and kill small animals. That is not fair to trust a wire to keep your dog in YOUR new yard.......or risk the chance of her biting a person on the other side of the fence. Plus your new neighborhood is not going to welcome an aggressive dog behind a 4 foot fence.


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Honestly I wouldn't trust the current fence at all or even a hotwire if the dog is determined enough. For your dog's sake I would be doing either a outdoor kennel as mentioned or a strong leash and supervise all outdoor activities until the yard is fully sealed in with a 6' privacy fence. Make sure it's dug into the ground slightly too or make sure it's dig proof


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Shade said:


> Honestly I wouldn't trust the current fence at all or even a hotwire if the dog is determined enough. For your dog's sake I would be doing either a outdoor kennel as mentioned or a strong leash and supervise all outdoor activities until the yard is fully sealed in with a 6' privacy fence. Make sure it's dug into the ground slightly too or make sure it's dig proof


 This . We have an acre fenced in 4ft its what we always have had. however Charlie doesn't jump the fence she opens gates. We are supervising and using only our back yard until we have the gate issue in the front taken care of. Has she cleared the four ft. fence? I would look to use a 6ft privacy. The kennel idea is a good one till you can afford the higher height fence.


----------



## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

Don't take the chance. Either build the privacy fence, buy the outdoor kennel or keep your pup on a leash until you can afford something better. My dog did not jump the chain link fence, the altercation took place UNDERNEATH it and it involved my 80 pound shepherd and a (roughly) 5 pound dog. The little dog was seriously hurt, but thankfully not killed. I paid half the medical bills and paid for a privacy fence, but wished I had put up the fence before this happened. For whatever reason, it never occurred to me to worry about the bottom of the fence.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I had no fence when I moved in to my house. It was about a month and a half until it was put in. I had my neughbors dogs visiting, even dogs visiting my neighbors came over. It was not easy, because I never knew who would be in the yard. I got a 10x20 kennel that was 6 ft high. That worked great. I still have it and have moved it three times. Even with a fenced yard it comes in handy.


----------



## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

A kennel run sounds ideal. If cost is an issue, as it is for most of us, I have priced a nice kennel about 6 by 20 feet, but it was about $800, and the doors/gates and top were sold separately! However, I know that several expens can be joined together, for much less.This may work for you - I use a single expen now, but I have joined two in the past when I had more dogs. You can also buy ground anchors. Anyone else have any thoughts on this idea for cost savings? I wouldn't take any chances with your dog and small animals.


----------



## GreenCo (Sep 26, 2013)

Definitely do not risk just trying to get by with current fence as is. She could seriously injure or kill the smaller dog. Remember you are the one with a GSD with aggressive issues and that's not the nieghbours problem. Its your responsibility to keep everyone safe and make sure an accident does not happen.


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

You can add deer fence on top of your existing fence with many posts so it remains secure along with the live wire until you get your existing fence all finished. If she is that determined a privacy fence she may even scale. Then she would need to be monitored at all times while outside or a dog kennel the times you can not be with her outside.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

You can get a good kennel 10 x 10 x 6 tall for about 350. 

Another thought would be to put coyote rollers on the top of the existing fence. (larger PVC over smaller PVC - free turning). Or I recently ran across a booklet on building preditor safe (as in proof) electric fence. It had hot wire every so often and the top was 6 ft. So a hot wire on the bottom, on the top with another couple of strands above the 4 ft level would likely work to discourage your dog.
This booklet was an extension service publication from either Washington State or Oregon State if I remember right. Might have been a colaboration of several western states.
If you have a county extension office, they should be able to track it down for you. As should your local library (I think interlibrary loan is still a thing.)


----------



## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

If you aren't moving immediately after closing, I'd get a fencing company in ASAP to put in a tall, solid privacy fence.


----------



## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

To save money, I would go with the kennel run first. After you save enough money put privacy fence all the way around and fencing into the ground as well so no digging is possible. I know you don't want your new neighbors to hate you or to have a neighborhood lynch mob after you due to your dog getting out and killing someone's small dog or cat. I stay outside when my dogs are out always. I do not leave them alone for more than a few seconds when I fill the water dishes or something but even then I have the door open and I can see them. My older girl who is 8 years old this year hates small dogs and got into it with the 6 pound neighbor dog across the street. Luckily she was on a leash and I stopped it before any damage was done but she never forgot that little dog bit her foot and still barks at it when she gets a chance. We have a 6 foot privacy fence and there is no way she can get out but I still am very careful. Bottom line, you are responsible for your dog's actions. If you know she is small animal aggressive it is your responsibility to take all precautions necessary to make sure she is secure in your yard.


----------



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Do you have reason to believe this dog will jump a 4' fence? I had a GSD for years who was the most predatory dog I have ever met. It wasn't aggressio with him, very clearly predation (I mean you could say predatory aggression...but he was not dog aggressive at all, but sometimes a small dog would trigger that predatory shift)

He was not the most agile or athletic dog and he never even considered jumping or climbing any of the 4' fences I had for years with him. On our farm, we had field wire fence. The goats would stick their heads through to nibble stuff, therefore all new fencing aimed towarss the dog domain had to be 2x4 wire. Existing field wire, I double fenced with smaller hole wire because he WOULD stalk them waiting for someone to stick their head through.

This same dog did accidentally touch some hotwire that was not intended for him and he would not go back in the barn for 6 months afterwards (I had open air stalls hotwired top and bottom to keep bobcats from eating my goats at night)

So, the hotwire might do the trick or it might make your dog afraid to go out in its own yard which I would think would really defeat the purpose.

Examine your fence closely, little dogs can get through the littlest holes. Make sure there is no way the neighbor's dog can sneak through and double fence with rabbit fence if need be.

Another thought would be buy a dogtra e collar and start practicing recalls with your dog. Never leave it unsupervised outside, always be there with e collar on or leash until you have replaced your fence with a privacy fence. 

In the end I agree you need privacy fence, be super vigilant till then


----------



## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

My trainer was bitten by a dog who was only aggressive like that behind a fence. The aggression can get out of control sometimes and the dog can get carried away.


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

pets4life said:


> My trainer was bitten by a dog who was only aggressive like that behind a fence. The aggression can get out of control sometimes and the dog can get carried away.


 .... Thank You. 

Stand by ... time to:










for folks.


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

OK then ... the "OP's" dog is outta control! Franky if "I" were the neighbor and "I "understood" that my neighbors dog posed a* "Clear and Present danger"* to one of my dogs ... I would buy a hand gun! Rouge dog comes into my "house" to threaten one of my dogs ... I'll solve it right there. 

Ramifications from doing that??? *"I don't care" *that's what lawyers are for! Hopefully the OP's neighbors are not as aggressive in the defense of there dogs as I ???

Moving on, the taller fence and the kennel are nice stop gap solutions, and if your content to chase one "out of control behaviour after another" ... go for it.

Those are all "stop gap solutions" and avoid "addressing" the real issue, the dog is out of control! No one that "knows" how to train dogs would put up with this crap! 

If it's gotten to this point?? Then the "training out the bad behaviour option" is "off the table." It's time to *"keep it real for the dog!" * The "fence fighting thing" is a 3 second solution with an E-Collar. Works like this :






And iff the dog "Dares" to go over a four foot fence ... same deal, set him up and teach him to* "Make better Choices!"* Anyone can do that ... "Behaviour Modification" get any E-Collar crank it to high, wait for the dog to do something "Stupid" and hold the button down for a count of three! "Problem solved" just like that! He won't do that again ... end of story!

But if that is too much for the OP to do themselves??? Then as is the frequent refrain here ... "find a trainer" to E-Collar train your dog,
apparently all the serious trainers use an E-Collar these days anyway but for* "Behaviour Modification"* ... take a look here:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/7378442-post9.html

The fence fighting is only a signal that there are "issues" here. The "kitten killing" is over the top! The OP has some serious freaking issues, and as I am want to say ... it's time to* "Keep It Real" *for the dog.

Homie school of dog training and as I am want to say "Homie":


----------

