6 Best Livestock Guardian Dog Fences For Predator Control Old Farmers Swear By
Explore 6 farmer-tested LGD fences for predator control. Learn which time-honored options, from woven wire to electric, best contain dogs and deter threats.
You’ve done everything right. You brought home a well-bred Livestock Guardian Dog, spent months bonding it with your flock, and now it patrols the pasture with quiet confidence. But last night, you got a call from a neighbor a mile down the road—your LGD was in their yard. A good LGD is only as effective as the fence that defines its territory, and a standard livestock fence just won’t cut it.
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Why Your LGD Fence Needs to Be Different
A fence for containing sheep or cattle is a simple physical barrier. A fence for a Livestock Guardian Dog is a psychological and structural boundary that must contain a highly intelligent, determined animal whose instinct is to expand its territory to counter threats. LGDs don’t just see a fence; they see a challenge to be tested. They will push, climb, or dig if they perceive a threat just beyond their reach.
The fence serves a dual purpose that many people overlook. It’s not just about keeping predators out; it’s about keeping your guardian in. An LGD that can roam is a liability to neighbors and traffic, and more importantly, it isn’t protecting your animals. Your fence is the anchor for your entire predator control system, defining the zone your dog is responsible for.
Red Brand Woven Wire: The Tried-and-True Classic
When you think of a farm fence, you’re probably picturing woven wire. Red Brand is the name that comes to mind for a reason—it’s been the standard for generations. This type of fence, often called field fence, uses heavy-gauge steel wires woven together to form a tough, resilient barrier.
Its primary strength is its physical presence. The graduated spacing, with smaller squares at the bottom and larger ones at the top, is perfect for keeping small predators from slipping through while containing lambs or kids. It’s a formidable visual and physical deterrent that most animals will respect without testing.
However, it’s not foolproof. A determined coyote or a young, athletic LGD can learn to climb a woven wire fence, using the horizontal wires like a ladder. Installation is also labor-intensive, requiring properly braced corner posts and significant tension to prevent sagging over time. It’s a fantastic foundation, but sometimes it needs reinforcement.
Gallagher High-Tensile for Determined Climbers
If you’re dealing with an LGD that thinks it’s part mountain goat, high-tensile fencing is your answer. Unlike woven wire, which provides a convenient grid for climbing, high-tensile consists of multiple individual strands of smooth, highly tensioned wire. There’s simply nothing for a climbing animal to get a foothold on.
The real magic of a high-tensile system is electrification. A "hot" high-tensile fence is one of the most effective psychological barriers you can build. The sharp, memorable shock teaches both LGDs and predators to give the fenceline a wide berth. The key is a powerful, low-impedance charger and an excellent grounding system—don’t cheap out here.
The main tradeoff is visibility. The thin wires can be hard for animals to see initially, so flagging the fence with tape is crucial during the training period. It also requires diligent maintenance to keep the wire tensioned and the fence line clear of vegetation that could short it out.
Premier 1 ElectroNet for Rotational Grazing
Permanent perimeter fencing is one thing, but what about managing pastures? This is where portable electric netting, like the options from Premier 1, becomes indispensable. ElectroNet is an all-in-one solution with lines, posts, and conductors woven directly into a mesh fence that you can set up or take down in minutes.
This system is the gold standard for rotational grazing with small stock like sheep, goats, or poultry. It allows you to move your animals and their LGD to fresh forage, concentrating their impact and keeping them safe in a temporary paddock. The constant zap from the net teaches respect quickly, creating a secure boundary wherever you need it.
Of course, it’s not meant for permanent use. Heavy snow can flatten it, and it requires a potent solar or battery fencer to keep it hot. You also have to keep the bottom line clear of tall grass to prevent it from shorting out. But for operational flexibility, nothing beats it.
Bekaert Solidlock Pro: High-Tensile Woven Mesh
Think of this as the modern evolution of classic woven wire. Bekaert’s Solidlock Pro takes the woven mesh concept and combines it with high-tensile technology. The result is a fence that is incredibly strong, durable, and resistant to animal impact.
The key innovation is the "fixed knot" design. Unlike a standard field fence where the vertical and horizontal wires can slide, the fixed knot locks them in place. This creates a rigid, resilient mesh that won’t sag or stretch when a 120-pound dog or a determined deer hits it. This strength also means you can often place your posts further apart, saving on material and labor costs.
This is a premium, "build it once and forget it" option. The upfront material cost is higher than standard woven wire, but the longevity and reduced maintenance can make it more economical in the long run. It’s the perfect choice for a permanent perimeter where failure is not an option.
The DIY Woven and Hot-Wire Combination Fence
Sometimes the best solution isn’t one product, but a combination of two. Many old-timers swear by a hybrid system: a solid base of 4-foot woven wire topped with one or two strands of electric wire. This approach effectively addresses the primary weaknesses of each fence type.
The woven wire provides the essential physical barrier, stopping most predators and keeping your LGD contained. The hot-wire offset on top acts as the perfect deterrent for climbers. A dog or coyote that tries to go over will get a zap on the nose or ears, quickly teaching them that the top of the fence is a place to avoid.
This is an incredibly practical and cost-effective strategy. You can retrofit an existing woven wire fence that’s in good shape or incorporate it into a new build. It adds a powerful psychological layer of security for a minimal additional investment in insulators, wire, and a charger.
Zareba Polywire as an Effective Top-Line Hot-Wire
When adding that top-line hot-wire to your woven fence, polywire is an excellent choice. Polywire is a type of electric fence line made from plastic filaments interwoven with several fine strands of conductive metal. It’s designed to be both a conductor and a visual marker.
Its main advantage in this application is its high visibility. The bright white or yellow color stands out against the sky, helping animals see and learn the boundary before they ever touch it. It’s also lightweight, flexible, and easy to work with—you can install it quickly using simple offset insulators attached to your existing fence posts.
While not as conductive as solid aluminum wire, it carries more than enough charge to deliver a memorable shock. It’s also simple to repair if a falling branch breaks it. For adding a psychological deterrent to the top of a physical fence, polywire provides the best balance of visibility, effectiveness, and ease of use.
Adding a Buried Apron to Stop Determined Diggers
You’ve built a fence that can’t be pushed through or climbed over. But what about the threat from below? Coyotes, foxes, and even some LGDs are persistent diggers who will exploit any perceived weakness at the ground level.
The classic solution is a simple wire apron. This involves laying a 2- to 3-foot-wide section of fencing—like chicken wire, welded wire, or a scrap piece of field fence—flat on the ground. You attach one edge to the bottom of your vertical fence and pin the rest of it to the ground, pointing it outside the pasture to stop predators, or inside to stop a digging LGD.
Create beautiful floral arrangements and protect your garden with this durable chicken wire. The 15.7" x 157" galvanized and PVC-coated mesh is easy to cut and shape for crafts, enclosures, and garden barriers.
When an animal tries to dig at the fenceline, its paws hit the buried mesh, and it can’t get through. Over time, grass and soil will cover the apron, making it invisible but no less effective. Alternatively, a single hot-wire strung 6 inches off the ground and 6 inches away from the fence can serve the same purpose, zapping any curious nose that gets too close.
Ultimately, the perfect LGD fence is a system, not a single product. It must account for your terrain, your budget, your specific predator pressure, and the unique personality of your dogs. By combining physical strength with psychological deterrents, you create a reliable boundary that keeps your guardians in, predators out, and lets you sleep soundly at night.
