Besides having a top speed of 30 mph, the German shepherd dogs (GSD) can also jump high. And such a trait is important when it is chasing criminals-more prominent in working line GSDs. However, if your GSD is more of a family pet, then this behavior may not be right at all.
So how high can a German shepherd jump? Can They Clear the Fence? And is jumping right for dogs? Continue reading as we will answer questions regarding this jumping behavior common in dogs like the German shepherd.
How High Can A German Shepherd Jump?
On average, a German shepherd can jump 4 to 6 feet in the air. That is around 1.2 to 1.8 meters. Although not an official record, a German shepherd named Hei Niu jumped 10-feet up in the air. All in all, German shepherds have powerful hind legs and a muscular body, giving them an advantage over smaller dogs when it comes to jumping.
Will Your German Shepherd Jump The Fence?
With the ability to jump up to 6 feet, a German shepherd is easily able to leap over any fence that is up to six feet high. So, you must raise the fence above 7 feet to keep it in check.
What are the Factors That Contribute To “How High A German Shepherd Can Jump”?
Even though German shepherds can jump 4-6 feet, some may not reach such heights due to a variety of determinants we will analyze in this section.
These factors are –
Age
Young dogs aged between 2-5 years have superior jumping skills than GSDS over six years. These younger dogs have a bunch of energy, and their muscles are still strong.
Health Conditions
German shepherds with no underlying issues are likely to jump higher than diseased dogs. For example, a dog with osteoarthritis or any other joint issues may also find it hard to clear up the 4-6 feet that a German shepherd can jump.
Motivation
Sometimes what your dog needs is just motivation on the other side of the fence, and the next moment you will see him high in the air. Motivations that can drive your German shepherd to jump high include children, pets walking on the other side of the fence.
Experience And Training
A dog with basic training on how to jump high will find it easy to jump over 4 feet fence compared to a dog with no prior experience. A German shepherd who has undergone an agility training class will clear such a height with ease.
How Do German Shepherds Jump So High?
Since they are a working breed with jobs where they need to protect others, they were raised to be super-athletic. This, of course, is attributed to their ability to jump.
Why German Shepherd May Jump Over the Fence?
Different things can cause your german shepherd to jump the fence, from being bored to needing to relieve himself. You should be aware of each of them if you want to properly handle the problem.
Once you know the causes, you may want to know what to do about them. That’s why the next section will cover the solutions to these problems.
Loneliness, boredom, or frustration
Your dog may run away because it gets bored. There are several reasons a dog feels this way.
It can be caused if your dog spends long hours at home alone without toys, physical activity, or a playmate. If your dog doesn’t get any stimulation, it may want to escape and explore its environment.
Separation Anxiety
Like any other dog breed, German Shepherds can also suffer from separation anxiety. And it may run away shortly after you have left home.
This behavior is because of the high dependence your dog has developed on you.
Usually, a dog that runs away due to a separation anxiety problem stays close to home. It will be easy to locate it.
Fears and Phobias
Like us, dogs can experience fear, especially when faced with a negative or stressful situation that they believe puts their physical well-being at risk.
This situation occurs frequently in some cases, such as when the dog is subjected to loud noises, such as electrical storms, firecrackers, fireworks, etc.
To help the dog with this situation and prevent it from escaping, it is important to identify what scares it and work to eliminate the fear.
Also, providing support such as providing a safe place for it to go when it feels scared or anxious, such as a cage, room, or some place closed off that is safe for it.
Lack Of Exercise
Lack of exercise can be intertwined with the boredom factor. If your dog is not getting enough exercise sessions in a day, it may cause jumping the fence to make itself busy.
Your German Shepherd Is Scared
Some dogs are so sensitive to their surroundings, and whenever there are thunderstorms, fireworks, or a lot of noise around, they may become anxious and opt to jump the fence seeking a secure place.
Outside Stimuli
A coyote passing by, a cat, or children playing outside the fence may drive your German shepherd to scale or jump on the fence for him to explore further.
Your German Shepherd Wants To Mate
Often such a scenario is more present in males. When a GSD male catches the scent of a female on heat, then nothing will become an obstacle in pursuit of that female. Thus, such a male instinct may drive your German shepherd dog to jump the fence when seeking a mate.
Besides occurring in males, German shepherd females may also jump the fence as they seek males to mate with them. With that, it’s always advisable you keep your fence secure and jump proof.
There’s Someone They’re Trying To Greet
Your GSD may jump over the fence just to greet someone. Although this may cause some problems, you’ll still likely be happy to hear that your pet is friendly.
How To Stop Your German Shepherd From Jumping The Fence?
Now that we have explored why your German shepherd wants to jump the fence every time, it will be much easier to craft ways of putting this unacceptable behavior to a stop.
Exercise
A tired dog is a calm dog. If you exercise your dog and ensure all his exercise, requirements are met. Then rarely will your GSD plan to jump the fence. An adult German shepherd should get 45- 90 minutes of physical exercise daily. You can decide to take your dog for walks, jogging sessions, or play hide and seek with your dog. Besides physical exercise, your dog will need mental stimulation every day. When you are not around, seek the services of a dog walker who will ensure your GSD gets enough exercise time.
Training
Training your German shepherd not to jump over a fence or jumping on people is another alternative. You can seek the services of a dog trainer to do it for you, which could be costly.
Instead, you can save the money and learn yourself how to make your German shepherd to always listen to you by joining a good online training program.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Train Pet Dog – Train Your German Shepherd To Listen To You.
It will save you a lot of time and effort by taking a path that has been tried, tested, and, most importantly, has proven effective. You won’t be banging your head against the wall trying to get your dog to listen.
Moreover, you will be able to schedule the course around your schedule, not a trainer or obedience class around your schedule.
Keep Your Dog Company
Sometimes your dog may jump over the fence seeking attention– it often occurs when he feels lonely. To curb that, ensure your dog is never left alone. Another alternative is getting another dog to keep your dog company. Or get a pet sitter to engage your dog every time.
The Fence
Suppose you have a 4 feet fence or a common house fence with an average height; it will be easier for your energetic dog to jump. With that, you can change the fence to make it more difficult for your dog to jump.
However, you can use coyote rollers to bar your dog from scaling the fence. These rollers are mostly used to keep coyotes out of the yard, and they can be good alternatives for keeping your dog inside your yard.
If you are not comfortable buying a new fence, you can resort to building one yourself.
A wooden fence is the best, as it is strong for any dog to break. You can also opt for concrete fences.
Chain-link fences are also good alternatives as they give your dog the chance to view the other side of the world. However, if you have a dog who loves climbing fences, then a chain-link fence may not be the best alternative, as the gaps in between will make it easier for your dog to scale up.
Highlights on the fence
- Avoid electric fences or wireless fences. Electric fences or invisible fences may not be the right fit to keep your dog from jumping the fence as your dog may be ready to take a small shock just for it to explore the other side of the world.
- Always ensure you have a seven-foot-tall fence in your yard.
- Keep away from the fence any object that might make it easier for your dog to jump or help it to climb, such as piles of wood, tables, chairs, rocks, etc.
- Using shrubs and plants inside the fence will not only look nice but will also keep your dog from jumping, as he will be uncomfortable about it.
Move Anything That Will Help Them Jump
If your fence is long enough but still your GSD jumping over it, he maybe taking help of something. Watch out for that the next time he gets out. They maybe using a chair, table, anything that can help them to jump over the fence. Always remove anything that can bring trouble.
Don’t Let Them See Outside
German shepherds are keen to watch out for everything that is going on outside the home. They want to know about what is happening there. If they can see something interesting outside the fence, they may jump over the fence to see that.
How to Prevent Your Dog From Fitting A Hole Underneath The Fence
German shepherds are very smart and determined; don’t be surprised if they always find a way to get away with it. Sometimes, if the dog can’t jump the fence, it will try to run underneath it.
On other occasions, dogs do not choose to jump but to dig under the fence to be able to escape since it is easier for them.
We can bury under the fence a wire mesh so that it is very difficult for them to dig since their nails will meet again and again with the wire and they will not manage to make the hole.
Also, you can place stones at the bottom of the fence, preventing your dog from digging near the area or pouring concrete along the entire perimeter, burying the bottom of the fence in it.
What To Do If Your German Shepherd Escapes Then Returns?
If your GSD has run away for any of the reasons mentioned above and returns sometime later, it is important that it does not feel that returning was a bad idea.
When it comes back, don’t punish it. You may feel that the dog deserves to be punished so that it doesn’t do it again. But, the dog can associate the punishment with what it is doing in that precise moment, which is to return home.
This can cause that instead of eliminating the escape behavior, the dog stops coming home to not be “punished.” If your dog left the house because of loneliness, fears, or phobias, this will make it even more afraid and make the problem worse.
When the dog comes back responding to our call or our tricks, it should be rewarded with caresses, a loving tone of voice, or some edible prize. Reinforcing these positive attitudes teaches it that every time it obeys it will be rewarded for its friendly behavior and for being at home. The dog will know that this is what is expected of it.
Final Thoughts
As discussed, a German shepherd can jump between 4-6 feet in the air. Its athletic skills give it an edge over other breeds of dogs when clearing up high heights. However, if your dog keeps on jumping over the fence severally, then it’s time to explore what’s driving your dog to do so. After knowing the reasons, it will be much easier to put this German shepherd’s jumping behavior to a stop.
It is recommended to use collars with tags that identify the name of the pet and the telephone contacts to find its owners.
Related Questions
Can A German Shepherd Jump A Five-Foot Fence?
As earlier discussed, a German shepherd has an athletic body enabling it to jump high between 4-6 feet. With that, a five-foot fence may not be that too high to bar your dog from jumping over it.
Is Jumping Bad For German Shepherds?
Sometimes jumping can be a sign of excitement, and such is not a destructive behavior if done once in a while. However, suppose your German shepherd jumps on people, jumping over the fence, thus causing a tussle between you and your neighbor. In that case, this bad behavior should be put to a stop immediately.
Which Dog Can Jump The Highest?
The dog that holds the record of jumping highest is a Greyhound named Feather. In 2017 this dog jumped 6.29 feet.
