Portable Fencing
So over at this thread about doggie trailers, I started talking about portable fencing for travelling with your dogs, so I thought I'd make a new thread so as not to hijack the trailer thread.
So, there are ex-pens that are made for this process, but to me, they seem too short and small to really be any better than just an over-sized crate. I think my dogs could escape from one easily, although you could put a roof on it. I haven't seen any ex-pens that were really tall enough for anything but a very small dog, but I think you could probably use livestock panels to make your own, big-dog ex-pen for a fraction of the price. The panels are stiff enough to not need any posts, so you can just use metal clips to attach four pieces in a square, and there you go. A 16'x16'x5' dog run - that's as good as any permanent dog run! For something more permanent, use t-posts, which if you have a t-post pounder and remover, are quite portable, too, but they do leave a small hole. Here's a link to a 5' tall horse tall panel. Here's a t-post (they're cheap!). Here's the post-pounder, and here's the post-puller. Now, the panels are 16' long, so you'd have to use wire-cutters to get them down to whatever length works with your camping/travel system. If you have a 16'+ camper, then you probably could use the full-sized panel and just attach to the top or side of your trailer (maybe add some hooks added to the side so you can hang it off?). If you're travelling with just a tear-drop trailer and a car, then obviously you want to put the panel into smaller pieces.
Another idea would be those portable e-fences. You can get the wireless one that you just plug-in and it creates a circle that the dog can be in. Or, you can get the wire kind, and place it on top of the ground, covering the exact area that you want covered. Here's a link on using invisible fences above ground, so you don't have to bury them every single time, which would obviously be a huge hassle.I'm not really into invisible e-fences because I don't trust them, but it's one portable option.
There's also portable electric stock fencing. It's a wire mesh, and it's supposed to keep coyotes out, so presumably, it can keep dogs in! Depending on where you are, people might not appreciate an electric fence being erected, but if you're at a campsite, they should probably stay off your campsite anyway. I like these much better than the e-collar invisible fences, because they keep other things out, and they really are more effective at keeping the dogs in. They fold up tiny, too. Very portable.
The latter two options require electricity, and the first one is probably the least portable, but I think it's my favourite. What do you guys think?
So, there are ex-pens that are made for this process, but to me, they seem too short and small to really be any better than just an over-sized crate. I think my dogs could escape from one easily, although you could put a roof on it. I haven't seen any ex-pens that were really tall enough for anything but a very small dog, but I think you could probably use livestock panels to make your own, big-dog ex-pen for a fraction of the price. The panels are stiff enough to not need any posts, so you can just use metal clips to attach four pieces in a square, and there you go. A 16'x16'x5' dog run - that's as good as any permanent dog run! For something more permanent, use t-posts, which if you have a t-post pounder and remover, are quite portable, too, but they do leave a small hole. Here's a link to a 5' tall horse tall panel. Here's a t-post (they're cheap!). Here's the post-pounder, and here's the post-puller. Now, the panels are 16' long, so you'd have to use wire-cutters to get them down to whatever length works with your camping/travel system. If you have a 16'+ camper, then you probably could use the full-sized panel and just attach to the top or side of your trailer (maybe add some hooks added to the side so you can hang it off?). If you're travelling with just a tear-drop trailer and a car, then obviously you want to put the panel into smaller pieces.
Another idea would be those portable e-fences. You can get the wireless one that you just plug-in and it creates a circle that the dog can be in. Or, you can get the wire kind, and place it on top of the ground, covering the exact area that you want covered. Here's a link on using invisible fences above ground, so you don't have to bury them every single time, which would obviously be a huge hassle.I'm not really into invisible e-fences because I don't trust them, but it's one portable option.
There's also portable electric stock fencing. It's a wire mesh, and it's supposed to keep coyotes out, so presumably, it can keep dogs in! Depending on where you are, people might not appreciate an electric fence being erected, but if you're at a campsite, they should probably stay off your campsite anyway. I like these much better than the e-collar invisible fences, because they keep other things out, and they really are more effective at keeping the dogs in. They fold up tiny, too. Very portable.
The latter two options require electricity, and the first one is probably the least portable, but I think it's my favourite. What do you guys think?
Comments
I would use an x-pen and put a top on it. Even large dogs like Malamutes and Akitas will fit under them. You can only set up long rectangular configurations rather than big square ones with a top, but it's plenty room for most dogs.
I would use a tether rather than the e-fences.
This one is 34" high.
This one is 4' high.
With wire cutters, of course you can make any height you want.
ETA: Here are some photos of people transporting the full-length 16' livestock panels. I'm not sure how tall these ones are, though.
For added strength, the x-pens can be zip-tied to one another at the corners.