Fencing requirements
Why is fencing recommended?
Experience is the best teacher and it has taught us that the safest environment for a Rescue Lab includes a fenced yard or area.
Generally speaking, second-hand dogs need limitations because they do not have the benefit of having bonded with their new owners since puppyhood.
We feel very strongly that dogs allowed to wander unsupervised are dogs that are unloved, because they are at risk of getting lost, stolen, poisoned, or struck by a car. Dogs that run loose are also at risk of exposure to rabid animals, potentially bringing this fatal disease home to the family.
Does LRR require a fenced area?
We will not place Rescue Labs in homes with children aged 10 and under unless a fenced area adequate to hold a Lab is already installed.
The fenced enclosure is intended to guarantee a secure outdoor exercise area for the dog, but is not intended as a place for the dog to live or to spend all day unsupervised. Labs are highly social, "people dogs" and need to live with you to be happy.
Fencing construction
A satisfactory fenced area may be built of stockade, chain link, heavy wooden posts with heavy gage wire, or metal posts with wire, (No dog should be left unattended for any length of time in an enclosure made of metal posts and wire because they are relatively easy to escape.)
The enclosure should be at least FIVE feet high (SIX feet is preferred) and include a lockable gate. Equal attention should be given to the security of the fence along its bottom in order to prevent dogs from digging out.
You should provide shade, shelter, and water.
Location
The fenced area should be directly accessible from the house, as a safety measure for your dog and a convenience for you.
Size The fenced area must be large enough to provide the dog with a comfortable space in which to be played with, get some exercise and fresh air, and eliminate.
Electric ("invisible") fences
Electric ("invisible") fence systems and portable pens are accepted on a case-by-case basis. The yard should not border a highly trafficked roadway, and the applicant should have previous experience with the system or be able to demonstrate a knowledge of the system, the training process, and the system's limitations.
Major limitations of electronic fencing system include:
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They do not keep unfriendly dogs or rabid animals from coming onto your property
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Not all dogs can be trained to obey the system
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People coming onto your property do not have the benefit of a physical barrier between themselves and the dog
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Given sufficient motivation, a dog will take the shock to get out of the yard, but then won't return
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Malfunction of the fence or battery failure
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Dog experiences a shock while a child walks past and associates children with pain
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Tie-outs and overhead runners
Tie-outs and overhead runners are not safe and are not allowed for a Rescue Lab. Dogs on tie-outs can become tangled or choke. They are not able to defend themselves from other dogs or animals that might enter the yard. They are easy targets for thieves. Dogs on tie-outs are usually not happy dogs and tend to bark a lot.
Fencing limitations
While security is the goal of our fencing policy, a fence does not automatically make a home good for a Rescue Lab. A fenced area is just a place for the dog to be safe while offleash for some fresh air or to play... it is not a place for the dog to live!