Making the garden secure - any home checkers around?

[DogDecision]

I've posted a couple of times about being ready to adopt a dog and I'm looking at older dogs, small to medium breeds, perhaps a whippet but not overly fussed as I feel temperament is more important than breed.

I have approached several rescues and been honest that whilst we currently have an enclosed garden, it is not secure so they won't come and do a home check until it's been sorted. Most insist on a minimum of 5 - 6 ft fences regardless of the size of the dog.

It's going to be tricky as I share fences with 2 NDNs, one of whom has a springer who has chewed some of the fence posts. It wouldn't be practical or affordable to replace the fences in their entirety and I'm not sure if my neighbours would agree. The fences are just 3ft so the gardens feel quite 'open' at the moment.

One affordable solution would be to raise some of the posts to 5 or 6ft on my side of the fence and attach bamboo fencing, like in the picture, all the way round. However, it wouldn't be as strong as a 'normal' fence.

Would this be acceptable to the rescues do you think or will they insist on something very sturdy? It wouldn't be easy to knock down I don't think but I wasn't sure and thought I should check first.

[BiteyShark]

My dog can jump very high and he is also a digger. So at the moment he would have no problems escaping your garden especially with another dog next door to go and play with.

The problem with bamboo fencing is I think mine could easily chew at it. He has certainly had a go at my solid fence panels but they are too sturdy for him to do too much damage.

[Floralnomad]

Can you not just tell rescues that you have access to an outdoor space rather than saying a garden , as garden implies dog is loose and safe and outdoor space implies you take dog out on a lead . Surely they rehome to people in flats and places that don't have gardens . That way once you get the dog you can assess what you need to do to ensure it cannot escape the garden .

[Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse]

Probably depends on the rescue centre. For instance my local Dogs Trust didn't send anyone to check our home was suitable (it's doggy paradise by the way, and home checker exclaimed 'oh, you lucky dog!') until we had chosen the dog we were interested in rehoming. So as we were rehoming a young bouncy boy Labrador, the fact that we have eight foot fencing and/or walls all round the boundaries was excellent, it didn't matter however that there are plenty of holes/tunnels under the base for the hedgehogs and rats, grrrr access. It probably would have mattered if we were rehoming a JR though. Likewise when we adopted from local Labrador Rescue. Both girls were eight+ and not about to jump or attempt escape, as they were sadly very overweight they could barely climb in and out of the doors! However, when we got them we were also considering a gorgeous young Labrador/Collie cross but she was specifically flagged up as being a persistent escaper (they were recommending she was exercised on a long lead even in the garden) and we felt maybe she wasn't right and I think they agreed.

[TakeASipOfDancingJuice]

I rehomed a dog. It ran at the fence and broke through it 3 times so it wouldn't have mattered how high it was! The fence was a bit pants admittedly but that was a new one for me, he would just ram it with his head until there was a hole big enough to run through.
I would think you are going to have a pretty strong boundary just incase.

[manzilkid]

I homecheck and would accept the bamboo fencing on the understanding that you would only be suitable for an older placid dog who wouldn't attempt to jump the fence. Also if you have a gate make sure that is also secure ie no one could open from outside and then leave open. Please don't say you have no garden as most rescues won't consider someone with no garden.

[DogDecision]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I am specifically looking at older, placid dogs but it doesn't seem to matter - it is stipulated by every shelter I've looked at that there is an enclosed and secure garden. I got close to adopting a very gorgeous and placid 10 year old JRT but it is being fostered 3 hours away and there is no one to home check us for this shelter It's a shame really as after chatting to his fosterer, she agreed that we seem a good match and she wasn't that bothered about a low fence as he has no desire to be anywhere but next to his owner.

There is a low metal fence at the end of our garden which I will be replacing with double 6ft high wooden gates which can lock from the inside. It's all going to cost quite a lot but I understand it's something I have to do if I want to adopt a dog.

[BagelGoesWalking]

Would they accept a homecheck done by another organisation?

This is a national network of volunteer homecheck and may be able to help.

www.facebook.com/groups/507452969296045/

[imonaplane]

I am a home checker. For me, it would depend on the dog you were hoping to adopt. A 3ft fence would be fine for a small breed but obviously not for any dog with the ability to jump over. Rescue dogs are very good at escaping, especially in the early days of being with you. If you don't mind saying, where are you?

[DogDecision]

Hi imonaplane. I'm in West Yorkshire.

I have now scheduled someone to come abd do the work on the garden necessary to make it secure. I've opted to go for the bamboo. It's costing around £500 to sort the garden, but I want to provide the best environment for a dog.

So, there's good news and bad news. Good news is I found someone local who is willing to home check me. A really lovely lady as well! Bad news: she is on holiday for the next two weeks and we don't know if this shelter will accept her assessment. Although this does give me time to he the house ready, I've already been told they won't hold the dog for me for two weeks. Not that I expect them to. He's had lots of enquirers so there's a good chance he will be taken. I found him on a website which specifically advertises hard to home dogs due to age or health condition, etc.

I know it's silly but I've totally fallen for him. There's just something about him. If I do get him, I will post his photo so you can see what I mean. And he sounds really compatible with our family which is hard to find for our circumstances (good with kids and cats). I'll be a teeny bit gutted if we don't get to adopt him.

[manzilkid]

Hope everything works out, if not have you heard of the oldies club, they deal with older dogs all over the UK.