My husband and I are considering fencing part of our backyard in the woods, but we're on a tight budget. What's the cheapest way to fence in an area? It also needs to work on somewhat uneven ground. We would not leave the dogs unsupervised; we just want a space to let dogs off leash to play so we don't have to worry about tangled leashes. Has anyone tried safety/construction fencing?
I used that orange, plastic fencing from the hardware store as a temporary fence once. One of my dogs chewed out of it. However, since you won't be leaving them unattended, that type of fencing might work for you. Although, I might worry about a dog climbing it or jumping it.
What I used as a permanent fence was field-fencing mesh attached to t-posts. I don't know what the cost would be per foot; the materials were leftovers of my dad's that he let me have, and I put the fence up myself (It wasn't the tightest or prettiest fence, but it served it's purpose very well.). But I would think even if professionally installed, it would be a good value for the level of containment it provides.
Another great way to get fence for cheap is Craigslist. We got 500ft of fence for free. We also have uneven ground and you just need to adjust the fence going post to post. Another thing you can do after getting the fence to make it more safe for smaller or thinner dogs is to get chicken wire and nail it to the fence and dig it partially into the ground. This way you'll have no worries even if you're out with them :)
I don't think it is more about the type of fence but more the slots between. I've had a german shepherd my whole life, but both sides of my house their families had dogs too. So all of us went in on a deal and got the neighbors done with ours, and got a deal. This made it so the dogs couldn't get threw the fence but just had their nose threw a bit. We recently introduced a little 9 pound dog in our house, and we found out he was able to get out threw the slot. Wooden fences are you best bet. It easier to fill the holes if the pup digs. But do let the dog see into the other yards, they like to socialize!
We have a 6' Wooden privacy fence that we built for having our own large dogs. I don't know how much installation costs, but labor is a big chunk of cost for the fence. We rented a post hole digger and my father did it with me, my husband and a couple friends that we fed and gave some compensation.
Personally, I love letting the dogs run in the fenced in yard instead of having to walk them every time!
Since you will supervise them all the time, definitely consider field fencing or other suggestions above. Look at fence company websites for pricing, as well as Lowe's & Home Depot. That way, you get a real comparison for types and prices available. Good Luck!
It depends on your dogs. Are they huge or small? Will they clear a fence in a leap or no way? Will they knock it down? You have to start with what will they do and then think size and material. I have a girl that will clear a 10 foot metal fence ans she's a tiny thing. She looks like a mountain lion climbing it but she makes it up and leaps down like if nothing.