Keeping your Alaskan Malamute safely contained in your garden is a necessity. Malamutes love to be outdoors so it’s important to provide them with a space that they can happily spend their time in without needing to be supervised.
To do this, your garden fence must be both tall enough and strong enough to prevent your Alaskan Malamute from being able to jump and climb over it.
Lucky for you, we’ve got everything you need to know to ensure your garden will be secure enough for an Alaskan Malamute, along with a few other tips to further enrich their outdoor time.
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How Tall Does a Garden Fence need to be for an Alaskan Malamute?
Alaskan Malamutes are a large breed and as a result, they will need a large fence to keep them contained. This is particularly true if you don’t know the temperament of the Alaskan Malamute you will be bringing home.
We recommend that your garden fence stands at least 6 foot tall above the ground to deter your Alaskan Malamute from trying to jump over it.
Be sure not to place large objects, such as birdbaths or benches, next to your fencing to prevent your Alaskan Malamute from using them to climb.
Alaskan Malamutes are actually more likely to dig underneath a garden fence to escape rather than jump over it. Many of our past Malamutes have been avid diggers and interestingly, they have always been more likely to dig at the edges of the garden than anywhere else.
For this reason, it’s important to make sure that your garden fence is firmly rooted into the ground and that it can’t easily be dug around by your Alaskan Malamute. Ideally, you’ll want the base of your fence to be buried into the ground by at least one foot.
If you think your fence is unsuitable or has any particularly weak spots, there are a few things you can do that don’t require you to replace your fence.
The first, and easiest option, is to line the base of your fence with large rocks that are partially buried. These rocks should deter your Alaskan Malamute from wanting to bury in these spots but if they continue with their escape plan, you may need a more permanent option.
Burying chicken wire at the base of your fence is another, more cost-friendly option to prevent your Alaskan Malamute from escaping. Make sure that any sharp edges are pointed away from your garden to prevent injury to your Malamute when they dig.
If these options don’t work, it’s probably time to upgrade your fence to a more Alaskan Malamute proof option and work on obedience training with them.
What Kind of Fence Should You Get for an Alaskan Malamute?
So, now we know the required height for your Alaskan Malamutes fence, what kind of fence should you actually buy?
First of all, it’s important to get a fence that’s strong enough to withstand your Alaskan Malamute stood up against it. Malamutes are often nosy and may peer into your neighbour’s garden to investigate strange sounds or smells.
This means your fence will need to be made from a strong and sturdy material that can repeatedly hold up against your Malamute jumping up on it.
An affordable, sturdy and attractive option is a wooden fence. Wooden fences are commonly used by large breed owners as they can be built quickly and can be fixed securely into the ground.
The large number of wood options and the ability to paint or stain them also means you are bound to find a fencing option that suits your garden.
Masonry fences such as stone and concrete are undoubtedly the most secure and long-lasting option when it comes to Alaskan Malamutes. Their impressive structure does, unfortunately, come with a hefty price tag, and their construction is certainly not a quick job.
If you have the time and money for a masonry fence, we definitely recommend it.
Whilst chain link fences are a sturdy and affordable option, we would advise against them as they can make climbing a breeze for your Alaskan Malamute. We also do not recommend iron gate-like fencing, as they do not protect against neighbours who may stick their hands through the fencing.
There are many suitable materials and fencing styles for Alaskan Malamute. We advise that you get in touch with your local construction companies to discuss what dog-friendly options they can provide.
Other Garden Requirements for an Alaskan Malamute
Besides getting the perfect fence to keep your Alaskan Malamute safe, there are a few things you can do to your garden to make their outdoor time more enjoyable.
The first of which is for those of you with Alaskan Malamutes that are known to dig. Another way to prevent your Malamute from digging around the fence, or anywhere else unwanted, is to give them a dedicated digging spot.
Find an area in your garden that you don’t mind your Alaskan Malamute turning into a personal excavation site and cover it with dog-safe loose soil or sand. Train your Malamute to dig in this spot by burying toys and large treats for them to discover and reward them whenever you see them using this spot.
Anytime you see them attempting to dig anywhere else, interrupt them and lead them over to the dedicated digging zone.
More advice on how to stop your Malamute from digging can be found here.
Another change you can make to your garden is to provide your Alaskan Malamute with a bedding spot. Malamutes love the outdoors and will often choose to sleep outside, regardless of the weather or how cold it is.
For older Malamutes in particular, sleeping outside for long periods of time can lead to joint problems. That’s why we recommend providing them with a comfier sleeping area outdoors that will support their joints but still allow them to cool off as they need to.
We’ve had success in using mulch, such as forest bark and small cedar chips, as an outdoor bed for an Alaskan Malamute. It offers them a warm and supportive base to lay on that does not get too easily stuck in their coat, but it also looks natural in your garden.
Other small changes may include dedicated marking spots to train your Malamute not to urinate on certain plants if required, and dog-friendly plants for your Malamute to sniff around safely.
Final Thoughts
Using our guide, we hope that you will able to provide a safe and secure garden area for your Alaskan Malamute. If you have any question on the content we’ve discussed in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch leaving a comment below or by clicking here.
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