10/27/2026
Who’s on the other side of the fence? If you share a fence with neighbors, your dog might be obsessed with this question! You may see them try to get the answer by whining, barking, racing up and down, jumping, growling, biting, and generally losing their mind at the fence.
Why do dogs do this? When a dog can’t get information they want because a physical barrier stops them, they can get frustrated and overwhelmed. We typically see this in dogs with big feelings about people, other dogs, and prey animals.
What can we do about it? Here are 5 ways you can reduce fence fighting and help your dog be a great neighbor:
1. Create distance between your dog and the fence.
Installing a temporary fence 5+ feet away from the shared fence creates a buffer zone, which can significantly lower the intensity of fence fighting. You can make your own with hog-wire or chicken-wire and T-posts, or use x-pens and ground stakes.
2. Keep your dog on a long-line.
If you can’t install a temporary fence, use a long leash to keep your dog away from the fence. Don’t forget that being held back on leash can create frustration too, so this method needs to be paired with solid reward based protocols.
3. Talk to your neighbor.
They are likely not big fans of the behavior either, so they might be happy to discuss ways to keep the dogs from practicing the behavior.
4. Build up your recall in the backyard.
We love using Control Unleashed Pattern Games here to build your dog’s focus on you instead of the neighbor dogs!
5. Keep your dog engaged when the neighbor dogs are out.
Practice training games, play with toys, or do anything else your dog loves! Energetic play alone can backfire without additional work, but it will prevent the behavior in the moment.
If you are struggling with your dog’s fence fighting behavior, feel free to reach out to us for professional help in solving this problem:
Northern Colorado dog owners: https://www.nocounleashed.com/successful-start
Worldwide dog owners: https://www.nocounleashed.com/community-unleashed-worldwide
