Dog proofing a new beech hedge
carmel2902
Posts: 4
This year we have removed a very long and high tired looking leylandii hedge. We have replaced it with a beech hedge which is not very high yet. The problem is that we have a neighbour with two dogs, and although generally well controlled, they do escape in to our garden. Is there a cheap solution to blocking the base of the hedge until the new one has grown sufficiently to provide a barrier?
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Posts
Timber posts with stock proof mesh perhaps?
Chicken wire and posts along the length. Various widths available so easy to find one for the height you need. Depending on how sturdy you make the posts it can stay there and the beech will send stems thru it or you can remove it once the beech hedge has thickened.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
What sort of breed are they..?
digging terriers will exhaust most options unless you blockade down to a decent depth
Just a thought, but, unless it's the neighbour's hedge that's been removed, surely it's up to them to put a fence up to keep their dogs in their own garden?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
...If only the same thing applied to cats, FG.
*Quietly places pound coin in Hostafan's jar*
Thank you for your comments. It was my hedge that was removed. I am loathe to spend much more money as removing the oldhedge and replanting with beech was quite an expense. Is it their responsibility to keep the dogs out? .
ah - quite so Will.....
Carmel - they've had the benefit of your solid boundary keeping their dogs in their garden. They now don't have that, so yes, I'd say it's up to them to keep their dogs in their garden, not you
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Legally yes, it is the owner's responsibility to keep their dog on their property (as is true for most other animals but not cats) unless you have a specific obligation in your deeds - sometimes property can be sold by farmers with the obligation to maintain stock-proof fencing being transferred.
Assuming that you don't have such an obligation, then even though the hedge that was removed belonged to you, you are not required to put any fence back if you chose not to. In practical terms, it will be years before a beech hedge is inherently dog proof, so they need to take measures themselves appropriate to their dogs - as Mark points out, different dogs need different levels of control to keep them in. One of mine can jump over a 5 foot fence without breaking his stride, if he wants to. Our fences are 2m high to keep him in, but he doesn't dig and he's too big to fit through the holes. Our neighbour's terrier can get through teeny gaps to turn up outside my door. I just keep taking him back. They know the risk they are taking by not keeping him in - in the end it's your neighbour's dogs' safety that is in question. Around here (farming country) an unaccompanied dog is very likely to be shot. Where you are it may be different - perhaps getting run over on the road is more of a threat. so keep telling them - take the dogs back, phone them and ask them to come and get the dogs but keep going on until they do something. Don't get into a discussion about whose fence it is, just keep pointing out when the dogs escape.
If you can't get anywhere by talking to them then you can go to the Council. Essentially if it's off their land unaccompanied then the dog is deemed to be not under proper control, which is a criminal offence. The Dog Control officer will visit and tell them the rules in the first instance. If it keeps happening the dogs could eventually be removed and put down.
Good point will. Thank you also raisin girl for the legal info. I'll save my money and try the softly softly approach first!
I think it's a slightly tricky situation Carmel. Your neighbours might take the stance that, since you've removed what they see as 'the boundary', it's up to you to put one back, completely disregarding the fact that it's your hedge, to do with what you want
Good luck with it - I hope they see that the dogs, and where they go, are totally their responsibility, not yours or anyone else's. Let us know how you get on anyway
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...