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Pennyhill Timber Blog by Pennyhill Timber on October 9th 2018
We love our pets because of their individuality and their ability to brighten up our lives. For many of us, they are our constant companions, as we take great care to nurture and protect them. In order to allow them to be happy and to grow, they will need the freedom to relax – but what can you do to stop them from wandering off, getting lost or possibly injuring themselves?
As a leading fencing supplier in the Guildford area, we're commonly approached by pet owners to provide a solution that would help to give their animals that freedom, yet still offer the robust protection needed for them to thrive. Here, we're going to take you through the different types of fencing that you can bestow on your pets.
Fencing For Pets: Advice From An Experienced Fencing Supplier In Guildford
We don't need to be a David Attenborough to tell you that pets come in all shapes and sizes – a fence designed to hold a rabbit isn't going to be much help if you've got a lively dog to contain. Fences also keep things out too – although a fence for chickens is needed to stop them from wandering off, protective fencing is also needed to keep predators out.
When thinking about your ideal pet fencing solutions, the key questions you should ask are; what does this fence need to do? And – how big, strong and mobile are the animals that need to be kept out?
So with this, here a few suggestions from for what to include:
- Fencing for dogs – With dogs especially needing the freedom to roam about, canine containment is the most common of all pet fencing types. You should consider the size, strength and 'bounciness' of your dogs(s) before purchasing materials from a fencing supplier in Guildford and constructing an area in your garden for them.
The bigger dogs can be kept in with standard fencing types, such as panel or close-boarded fencing; both are strong and stable. The height of the fence will depend on the breed of dog you have but 6 feet (1.8 metres) is considered high enough for most breeds. Be aware though that some big dogs may attack wooden fences, damaging or destroying them, so backing them up with a gravel board will provide a sturdier support.
For the smaller dogs, picket or palisade fencing should provide enough height for most breeds, whilst a chain link wire filling will provide a suitable barrier to prevent the even smaller breeds from routing through the fence.
- Rabbit/Guinea Pig fencing – Fencing for rabbits is a perfect example of their dual use; whilst farmers and gardeners need to keep them out, those who keep them as pets need to keep them in. Rabbits are generally small and flexible, so any gap in your fencing will see them sneaking in and chomp on your plants. Similarly, any weakness in the fencing that is designed to keep them in, will easily be overcome by any determined bunny.
Firstly, it's always important to ensure that you have a robust fencing material to provide a strong physical barrier. Secondly, with no gaps available to them, a rabbit will use its natural prowess as a digger to make good their escape (or enter your garden to eat your plants). This is why it's worth burying specialist rabbit netting under your strong fencing, which will prevent them from making inroads in/out of your property.
- Fencing for chickens – Keeping chickens as pets is on the up; whether you own an allotment or have a sizeable garden, they provide education and entertainment to children, they're great at preventing bugs from infiltrating the garden – and of course, they provide a steady supply of eggs. Thankfully, constructing fencing for chickens is a relativity simple task – the two key aspects to think about are the height and the mesh size.
Chickens aren't strong or particularly determined demolition experts, but even with clipped wings they can still muster up a short flight, so you must be able to contain them vertically (as well as horizontally). A mesh ceiling will be sufficient in keeping them contained – providing them with plentiful light and oxygen at the same time. Do check what type of breed you have though, as bigger mesh types can see the smaller chickens slipping through the gaps.
The most difficult aspect of constructing chicken fencing is actually thinking about the materials you need to keep predators out. Whether it's prowling foxes, badgers or birds of prey, they are all animals that look to make opportunist attacks – so having strong fencing is vital. Foxes are able to climb and both they and badgers can dig, so burying some wire at least a foot deep and folding it outwards, will provide a suitable barrier. To protect chickens from climbing foxes and other birds, a robust roofed enclosed is always the safest option – sloped walls also make it difficult for them to climb.
So that's our quick guide to fencing for pets – regardless if you're looking to protect your animals or to keep them out and spoiling your garden, as a fencing supplier In Guildford we stock strong, robust materials that not only are adept at protecting your household pets but also farmyard animals too. Why not browse around our website to learn more?
Experienced Builders Merchant In Surrey
Here at Pennyhill Timber, we are a builders merchant who have been supplying businesses and individuals with construction materials in the Surrey area for the best part of two decades now. Our time in the industry has allowed us to gain an industry-leading insight and make contacts with the best suppliers around, in order to create our leading fencing service.
If you would like to know more about fencing for pets or our previous work as a fencing supplier In Guildford, please feel free to give us a call on 01483 486 739. Alternatively, you can send any e-mail enquiries to info@pennyhilltimber.co.uk