It's frustrating when your backyard fence won't contain your pets or keep wildlife out. Determined dogs, cats, raccoons, and coyotes have an amazing ability to scale fences. When it's time for a new fence, talk to the fence company about the best fence for your goals so you can keep pets in and wildlife out of your yard. Here are topics you might want to discuss with your fence company.

The Best Type Of Fencing

Some animals can jump to the top of a fence and others need to dig in with their claws and pull themselves up or find a foothold to boost themselves over. Cats can claw into a wood fence and use chain line fencing for footholds. Vinyl fencing is slick, so it isn't easy for animals to sink their claws in and climb to the top. Vinyl fencing is also good privacy fencing. The pickets in the fence panels interlock to form a solid wall. This blocks the view through the fence. If animals can't see through your fence, they may not be attracted to the other side and try to climb or jump over the fence.

Ways To Block Good Climbers

Another thing to talk to the fence company about is how you can block good climbers and jumpers. You can buy fence toppers that angle toward your yard or that roll when a cat grabs them. The toppers are designed to thwart animals when they try to climb the fence. If you're having a problem with wildlife, you'll need the rollers on the outside of the fence. If you want to keep your pets corralled, you'll want rollers on the top of the inside of your fence. You can also buy rollers that rest directly on top of your fence, and these even keep birds away that might entice your cats. Your fence company may not install the rollers for you, but they may offer advice on matching fencing with rollers so you'll be able to add rollers later and have satisfactory results.

Ways To Block Diggers

If your dog keeps digging under your fence, your fence contractor might have some advice on things you can do to put a stop to it. Some fences can be buried in a trench, but that adds to the cost, and it isn't suitable for all types of fencing, such as wood. Instead, you might get clever with landscaping. By putting in a border of gravel and shrubs, you might keep your dog away from the fence so they don't get close enough to dig.

Another option is to bury chicken wire near the fence so it's flat and gets in the way of your dog digging. You can even consider driving an animal barrier in the ground next to the fence. These are short metal barriers with bars that you can push in the ground to close the gap between the soil and the bottom of a fence.

Talk to a fence contractor before you have your fence installed and explain the problem you're having with your cat, dog, or coyotes so the contractor can help you choose the right fencing material and accessories that help put an end to your problem.