Dog Fence Fighting: Causes, Dangers, and Solutions

Fence fighting, also known as fence aggression or barrier aggression, occurs when a dog on the opposite side of a barrier goes into an aggressive frenzy at the sight of another dog, person, or other stimulus. In this article, we will explore the causes, dangers, and potential solutions to dog fence fights.

What Causes Dog Fence Fighting?

While it is not always possible to diagnose a single cause for dog behavioral issues, some of the most common causes for canine fence fights include:

• Territoriality. One of the most well-known reasons that dogs fence fight is that they are guarding what they perceive to be their territory or resources, or that they are reacting to a dog that is guarding its perceived territory. Dogs may feel territorial over their house, yard, balcony, or even toys or other objects near the fences or barriers where they react.
• Barrier Frustration. When dogs see other dogs or people that they want to interact with but cannot due to being restrained by the fence that separates them, they may get frustrated. This can result in an escalation of behaviors, including whining, barking, face scratching, and in some cases aggression. While the cause of barrier frustration may not seem as alarming as others, it is important to know that the consequences of barrier frustration, if unaddressed, can be very serious.
• Fear Issues. In some cases, dog fence aggression may come as a result of fear-related issues. A dog may be scared of people or dogs walking by "its fence" and learn to bark, lunge, and even bite passers-by to make them go away. Dogs repeat behaviors that repeatedly result in the outcomes that they want. Although people passing by the fence may simply be walking away from the fence of a reactive dog because they had somewhere to go, a fearful reactive dog may see this outcome as the response from it's display of aggression, therefore creating the association that reacting to the fence results in the dog feeling safe when passers-by move away.
• Conditioned Adrenaline Reaction. Although very rare, some dogs may fence fight "for fun." This isn't to say that these dogs are villanous creatures, but rather that they have come to enjoy the hormonal response that they have been conditioned to. In these cases, dogs that are extremely excitable come to associate passers-by with the adrenaline rush that they get when they are near the fence, whether it be out of territoriality, fear, or frustration. Over time, a dog or person at a distance will trigger an adrenaline response that would have previously occurred when they were closer, and the dog in question will react through the fence in a frenzied state when someone passes by the fence.

Why Should You Prevent Dog Fence Fights?

Some people may undermine the severity of the dangers that dog fence fights pose to owners, dogs, property, and other people. Regardless of the cause, it is very important to take dog fence aggression seriously for the following reasons:

• Danger to self and others. Fence fighting can lead to dogs becoming overly aggressive and potentially biting people or other animals. Dogs may redirect the aggression that they are displaying on the fence to other dogs or people that are within reach. In many cases, fence fighting can also lead to aggression in other situations without barriers, such as walks.
• Liability risks. In the case that dogs develop barrier aggression, physical damage to other dogs and especially humans can result in serious legal issues. Moreover, depending on your living situation, noise complaints can also results from repeated fence aggression episodes.
• Dog stress. Just like with people, excessive stress levels are detrimental to dogs' quality of life. Barrier aggression episodes are highly stressful for dogs, leading to anxiety, fear issues, and further behavioral issues. ‍
• Destruction of property. Dog fence fighting often leads to property damage, including broken fences, holes in the yard, and more.

How to Stop Dog Fence Fighting?

• Proper Supervision. Adequate supervision is key to properly prevent barrier aggression. This involves staying outside with your dog and keeping a close eye on it, especially if it is playing close to the fence or barrier near which it tends to fight. If you notice your dog becoming too worked up, interrupt the behavior by bringing it back inside.
• Leashing. In the early stages of the process of stopping your dog from fence fighting, use a leash to keep your dog close to you when it is outside. This ensures that your dog cannot get close enough to the fence. Therefore, your dog will not have the chance to even begin fence fighting. Eventually, you may detach the leash from you and have your dog drag the leash in the yard in case you ever need to interrupt your dog's behavior and bring it back inside.
• Talk to Other Dog Owners. If your dog's fence aggression is mainly with a neighboring dog, brainstorming ideas with the other owner may be the best way to mitigate the issue at hand. A few ground rules may make the management process much easier.
• Seek Professional Help. In some cases, fence fights can be too much for an owner to handle on their own. If this is the case, it is best to seek a professional dog trainer's help. In Denver, Chomps Dog Training specializes in helping dogs overcome behavioral issues, including fence fighting. We can help you find out the cause of your dog's barrier aggression and work through it. Get in touch today to learn more about our training services.