My wife and I have been house shopping for the past 6 months and occasionally we bring our GSD along and take a walk in the neighborhoods we are looking at houses in.

This is a broad comment/question. I have encountered dozens of dogs behind 3or 4 foot picket and chainlink front yard fences that seem extremely territorialy aggressive, but for whatever reason don't or can't hop the fence.

At first I thought it might be breed specific because I came across a lot of rotties, labs, pit bulls and thought maybe they just aren't good jumpers?

This strikes me as odd because I don't think I could leave my GSD unattended in a yard with a short fence like that. We have a 5+ foot gate and when I take the garbage out he gets all worked up and jumps at it. He can clear it as far as his shoulders - and with proper motivation I bet he could get over it. I'm sure he could leap a 3 or 4 foot front yard fence in a single bound.

Anyhow, I have come across a handful of Shepherds lately under similar circumstances and they didn't actually jump the fence. All of these dogs were barking very agressively (including the labs, goldens, rotties etc. mentioned above). And I can't help wonder what's stopping them from hopping the fence? I'm pretty sure there weren't any electric fences because the would get either their necks or paws over or across the tops of the fences.

Just yesterday I found out my neighbor (by a mile or so) has a massive jet black Cane Corso behind a white picket fence and when we walked by he went nuts and then settled at the corner standing up. He was probably 120 or 130 pounds but all lean muscle with a head bigger than mine. He was an extremely formidable sight. I don't usually feel threatened by dogs, but this thing actually made me a little nervous being behind such a short fence and acting so aggressive towards my dog. I know mastiffs aren't the best jumpers but this guy was a lean, but giant ball of muscle. Actually kinda made me wanna get one - but my wife nixed that idea pretty quickly.

Just a rant on breeds and short fences. I don't think I could leave my dog out behind such a fence. Is it a training thing??? Or a mixture of breed types and training??

It's all noise. Those dogs are putting on a show and they've simply learned to put on a good one. They've learned that their teritory is clearly marked. If they don't get out much past that teritory (ie walks) chances are they're even less likely to want to jump the fence. The rest is just repetition, I bark they walk away, I scared them off, woohoo what a fantastic dog I am! Plus it gives them something to do while they're stuck in their yard. Chances are majority of those dogs won't jump the fence because they don't want to. They don't want a face to face confrontation with you, they just want to bark and act tough from across the fence. If you were to walk in, I think majority of those dogs would retreat, bark, retreat.

There is a Rotti in my neighborhood that is exactly as you described. The fence seems to be about 4-5 ft. tall and the dog aggressively barks and runs at the fence whenever anyone walks by, and he gets his front paws on the top of the fence and looks like he's about to go over. I have always wondered the same thing--why hasn't he jumped out yet? This dog looks a little on the plump side so I always just figured he couldn't make it. I've stopped walking by that house with my dog, just in case.

I have never ever ever seen this dog being walked so he most likely spends his life in that little yard. I think the owners are perfectly happy to have him react this way because they probably think he's protecting the house.

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It's all noise.

Possibly...

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If you were to walk in, I think majority of those dogs would retreat, bark, retreat.

Possibly again.....even the most non-aggressive dog will bite someone who enters their turf, may even be a fear bite if the dog thinks it has nowhere else to go, but a bite nonetheless. I'd be careful about statements like that!

My dog always shys away from people in the street, but if you come into HIS garden your for it! And I know this for a fact!

It's something you can work on in training (we have intensivley) but the likelyhood is that this dog will always be this way!

John

very true, i should have added to my statment.

I personally wouldn't chance it walking into a yard with a barking dog like that. If any of those dogs felt pushed beyond it's limit it likely would bite. Even if it bit and retreated, a bite is still a bite.

I'm thinking a dog who will jump a fence
A) has the drive to do so and/or
B) has had the training to do so.

On the flip side (getting OVER the fence) funny note, my old neighbor has a mutt mix dog, cute as all get out. Big squarish head, floppy ears, doofy looking lab? mixed with some kind of jumping dog.

When I was visiting, the dog actually jumped up on a (NO LIE) 6 foot privacy fence with both arms over the top. He then twisted his body to throw his back leg over too! Big dog with 3 legs over a 6 foot privacy fence. Just to see the PEOPLE talking on the other side. Funny sight. I guess I just hope he knows how to land, as obviously, he's got the jumping thing down pretty good and with some more practice will likely be getting to the other side soon enough! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Actually, he's a very laid back kind of dog, prolly just wanted to really see what was going on!!! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />