I have a question for those placing puppies...
I have always felt that a fenced yard, either solid or invisible, was an absolute before considering placing a pup with a family.
A breeder friend of mine said that she takes each circumstance seperatly.
I have a wonderful family that wants one of my pups.
Lost their 11 yr old lab to cancer a month ago.
They do not live near a busy street but I still am worried.
What questions would you ask these people or would any of you even consider this family?

First let me say I prefer a fenced yard. BUT like your friend I have learned to look at each individual situation. I would rather place a puppy with someone w/o a fence but one who likes to take their dog for walks on lead,go to a safe dog park, stay outside with the dog when it is outside, than place a puppy with someone who has a fenced yard and the puppy stays outside with little to no human interaction.
I would just ask your prospective family how they deal with the no fence issue. So I do not think the fence or lack of is the issue, but the personality of the family and how they deal with this and other situations. But you have to do what you are comfortable with and what you can live with.
Julia

I also take each family's individual circumstances into consideration. I ask them how they plan to keep their puppy safe, and help them understand how to do that. I strongly encourage obedience training for all my puppies. Also, look at the age of the dog they just lost, 11 years old. Obviously they kept their dog safe for a long time. Not every puppy buyer fits into a narrow definition of the "good buyer", but after a good interview and visiting/watching them, you can usually spot those who will be good owners.

Talk to the family and give them credit for keeping their past dog alive for 11 years. It is the family that refuses to fence that tells me that the puppy "learns the boundary lines" that doesn't get a puppy from me.

I completely agree that you have to judge each family on their own merits. If someone is looking to bring a new puppy home and doesn't have a fence because they just don't know any better then I would have serious concerns. On the other hand, if someone doesn't have a fenced yard because their dog is always with them in the house and when it goes out to potty, it is with them on a leash and is never "put out" during the day... then I would say this is preferable. Sometimes a fence can be an excuse to put a puppy outside because it isn't housetrained yet or to leave a dog out there alone because it isn't convenient to bring him in. I would rather see my puppies go to a home that doesn't have a fence because there isn't any animal to keep in the yard during the day.

Exactly...I used to be hung up on the fence issue but have had some great couples adopt my adult dogs who actually end up spending more time with their 4 legged friend than some who have a fenced in yard.

Puppies sold to a family without a fence gets a little trickier. They either need to put in a kennel run or be able to explain to me in great detail how they are going to manage their new puppy without a fence to contain their dog or what they plan on doing with the puppy while they are at work. Keeping a dog in a crate all day long is not acceptable.

I actually have more issues with potential families using invisible fencing as a soles means to contain their dog, esp when they are away at work. Our neighbors put in an invisible fence around their property...guess what, their dog still crosses over the line and leaves the property. Some dogs have a high tolerance for pain.

Probably my best buyer is a guy who gets up early, has a cup of coffee and heads for the local large & beautiful recreation area with his dog. They spend at least an hour hiking. They hike again in the late afternoon before dinner. At home, he is always throwing the ball for the dog. There is no fence on the acre+ lot. I want to be this guy's dog in my next life.

I'm with Joy I don't like invisible fences for containment and they create a false sense of security for the owner. Even IF the dog obeys the boundaries other dogs can still come in the yard. I know someone with 3 labs that use an invisible fence and they all cross it when the temptation is great enough. If they don't have a fence hopefully they will spend more time with their puppy. I would prefer no fence to an invisible fence for most people. Ask the right questions.

Quote:

"First let me say I prefer a fenced yard. BUT like your friend I have learned to look at each individual situation. I would rather place a puppy with someone w/o a fence but one who likes to take their dog for walks on lead,go to a safe dog park, stay outside with the dog when it is outside, than place a puppy with someone who has a fenced yard and the puppy stays outside with little to no human interaction.
I would just ask your prospective family how they deal with the no fence issue. So I do not think the fence or lack of is the issue, but the personality of the family and how they deal with this and other situations. But you have to do what you are comfortable with and what you can live with."
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Although this sounds feasible, I still have a problem with no fenced yard. A dog I sold to a completley wonderful couple had an incident when the dog was 18 months old. They let him out the door on a winter night, and before the man could get his boots on to go out with him, he took off after a deer. He was hit by a car. The loss of an eye, and his hearing and almost $6,000,00 later in surgery, he is still alive. They went out with him every time to potty. Accidents can still happen with no fence.

Years ago as a child I was the family dog trainer. I trained all our Shepherds to stay within the 1 acre back yard. They never ever went in the front yard, pasture or driveway all their long lives. My training kept dogs more secure than today's invisible fences which some dogs run through.

I ask how they are going to learn boundary lines, and if lines are well marked and they have a solid training program laid out, including training with distractions such as a child throwing a tennis ball outside of boundary, I allow this having done it myself. They must, however, agree to always be outside with the dog until at least 18 months old because pup is not trustworthy until then.

However, my own 9 month old goes outside in unfenced yard by herself an nothing will entice her over boundary lines - due to training with distractions.

Forgot to add that just yesterday we had a lovely Australian Shepherd running free in front of our church. We contacted the owner via tag numbers. Dog had dug under the fence and escaped. So fences are not always the perfect containment system.

so glad to see so many breeders having an open mind about family and fencing.
It really should be an individual decision.
fences are not fool proof, accidents happen, but what I am really interested in is the family who will love the pup as a family member.