Lessons From The Leash: Chapter 2: The Fence Fighter

The Dog Who Argued with the World...

Photo by Osvaldo Florez on Unsplash

Every day, like clockwork, the war began.

It started with a bark, sharp, urgent, like a smoke alarm going off in a quiet room. Then came the frantic pounding of paws on grass, nails scraping along the fence line, and growls that could rattle the windows. Another dog was on the other side of the six-foot chain link fence, equally committed to the daily battle.

Two dogs, two yards, one long-standing feud.

This went on for close to one year. Same time. Same chaos. Same irrational behaviour.

Both neighbours were frustrated, embarrassed, and confused. “She’s such a sweetheart in the house,” they told me. “But when that neighbour’s dogs are out at the same time, they lose their minds.”

During the home visit, I didn’t just see reactive dogs, I saw dogs who rehearsed this behaviour every day for months. It became a ritual. Every repetition reinforced the reaction. As odd as it may seem, the dogs barked and ran along the fence line because they found the activity rewarding.

The behaviour change process began with a shared agreement: this was a problem we needed to solve together. The fence fighting wasn’t just one family’s burden; it affected both households, and resolving it required mutual commitment. Once both families were on board, we could approach the issue as a team rather than as opponents. Cooperation laid the groundwork for consistent boundaries on both sides of the fence.

We didn’t fix it with yelling. We didn’t fix it by blocking the fence, although managing with visual barriers did provide a short-term solution and a decrease in the behaviour.

We fixed it with engagement, clear boundaries and a partnership between neighbours.

We focused on attention, redirection, and rewarding calm behaviour. We conditioned the dogs to look away from the fence and back at the handler. We offered them alternative activities and made those behaviours more rewarding than barking.

To meet each dog’s needs while reducing reactivity, we alternated between two key exercises. One dog practiced the place cue, learning to remain calm, neutral, and settled despite the movement nearby. The other was engaged in chase and catch games that fulfilled their prey drive and provided an appropriate outlet for energy. By switching roles throughout the session, both dogs learned that the yard wasn’t a battleground; it was a space for structure, focus, and fulfillment.

It took time. It took reps. But the ritual started to break.

Then one day, the dogs were alone in their respective yards, and both made the right decision.

It’s when everything clicked.

The moment when all the training made sense, and they understood that fence fighting was no longer necessary.