Dog Fence in Lubbock, TX: What Keeps Dogs In
What Lubbock's animal code expects from a fence, how to stop diggers, jumpers and fence-line barkers, and what each option costs.
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In Lubbock, a dog behind a fence too short or too broken to hold it counts as "at large," so the fence has to work.
Lubbock Fence Install is a referral website, not a fence company. We send your request to one independent local fence company. You never pay us; companies we refer you to may pay us for referrals. When you know what kind of dog fence you need, send a request with the form.
This guide starts with what the city expects, then matches fence features to what dogs actually do: dig, jump, squeeze, push and bark.
What Lubbock's animal code says about fences
The City of Lubbock's animal ordinance (Article 4.01 of the city code) defines an animal "at large" on its owner's property as one "not confined to the premises of the owner by some physical means of sufficient height, strength, length, and/or manner of construction to preclude the animal from leaving." It then adds the sentence that matters for fence owners:
"Any animal being contained by a fence that, because of the fence's lack of height or general disrepair, cannot properly restrict the animal shall be considered at large."
The same article lists "failure to secure and maintain proper fencing which has or may allow the animal(s) to be at large" as a public nuisance. Excessive barking near another person's home is on that list too.
Two more definitions in the article are worth knowing:
- Restraint means keeping an animal on the owner's premises by physical means, or on a leash, cage or rope when off them.
- Secure enclosure means a fenced area or structure that is locked, keeps out the general public including children, and keeps the animal from escaping.
Dogs declared dangerous. State law sets a stricter bar. Texas Health and Safety Code §822.042 requires the owner of a dog declared dangerous to keep it on a leash or in a secure enclosure, register it, and carry at least $100,000 in liability coverage or financial responsibility. §822.041 defines that secure enclosure as locked, able to keep out the public including children, able to prevent the dog's escape, clearly marked as containing a dangerous dog, and built to the local animal control authority's requirements.
Match the fence to the dog
| What the dog does | What stops it | Ask the company about |
|---|---|---|
| Digs under | No gap at the base | A bottom tension wire on chain link, buried wire mesh along the line, or a concrete curb under a wood fence |
| Jumps or climbs | Height, and fewer toeholds | A taller fence (within the city limit) and a solid or vertical-picket face instead of mesh it can climb |
| Squeezes through | Small openings | Picket spacing on iron fences and the gap under gates |
| Pushes or rams | Strong posts and tight panels | Post size, depth and rail fastening |
| Barks at passers-by | Blocking the view | A solid privacy fence along the street or alley side |
Concrete curbs. The Lubbock fence company FAQ hosted on KCBD's website describes curbs some homeowners pour under a fence, usually 12 inches wide and 3½ inches thick, to keep picket bottoms from rotting and from the string trimmer. A curb also leaves no soil at the fence line to dig through.
Height. The same FAQ says 6 feet is the most common fence height in West Texas, with 7 feet the usual taller choice. Lubbock's development code allows up to 10 feet outside a required front setback but only 48 inches inside one, which limits what a front-yard dog fence can be. Wolfforth allows 8 feet behind the front yard and 4 feet in it.
Fence types for dogs, with national prices
HomeGuide's installed prices, per foot, checked October 2026:
| Fence | National price | For dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Chain link | $10 to $40 | Low cost and see-through; a dog that climbs may use the mesh as footholds. Not allowed for ordinary residential fences in Wolfforth |
| Wood | $20 to $50 | Solid face cuts barking at passers-by; watch for gaps as boards shrink |
| Vinyl | $30 to $60 | Solid face with no staining; a hard hit can crack a panel |
| Aluminum | $25 to $75 | Open pickets; check spacing for small dogs |
| Wrought iron | $50 to $85 | Strong; check picket spacing |
| Underground invisible fence | $2 to $7 ($800 to $2,800 installed) | No physical barrier; see below |
More on each: chain link, wood, vinyl, wrought iron and aluminum, or the privacy fence comparison if blocking the view is the goal. For lengths and totals, see the Lubbock fence cost guide.
Invisible fences: what they cost and what they don't do
HomeGuide puts an underground dog fence at $800 to $2,800 installed, a GPS system at $450 to $1,300, and a wireless kit at $100 to $325. It also says these systems may not effectively contain every dog, can cause behavioral issues, and that a dog can still ignore the warning and run through. HomeGuide advises checking with your vet and local ordinances before installing one.
Locally, two cautions:
- Lubbock's development code lists "electrified components" among prohibited materials for residential fences not used for livestock. We didn't find wording that addresses buried pet-containment wire, so ask Building Safety before you rely on one.
- An invisible boundary doesn't change the animal code. If the dog leaves the yard, it's at large.
Dog runs inside the yard
A fenced run behind the house gives a dog its own space while the rest of the yard stays open. Chain link panels are the usual material; in Wolfforth, ask the city whether a run counts as a residential fence under its chain link ban.
Plan for weather. Lubbock's record high is 114°F (National Weather Service), and the city's animal code defines abandonment to include leaving an animal without adequate shelter from sun, excessive heat or cold, rain, hail, ice or snow. Put a run where shade and shelter are possible, and keep water reachable.
Gates are where most dogs get out
Kids, guests and meter readers open gates. Self-closing hinges and a latch that catches on its own make a forgotten gate less of a risk. HomeGuide prices magnetic self-closing, self-locking gate hardware, sold for pool fences, at $200 to $800. In Lubbock wind, test that a gate actually swings shut and latches in a gust. The gates page covers sagging gates and hinge posts.
Before you call
Have these ready: your dog's size and habits (digger, jumper, chewer), the length of fence needed, whether an old fence comes out, any HOA rules, and whether you're on a corner lot, where Lubbock limits fences in the 25-foot visibility triangle to 3 feet. The fence rules comparison has the details by town. Start from the Lubbock fence company home page for everything else.
Common questions
What is the cheapest way to fence a yard for dogs?
Of physical fences, chain link is the usual low-cost choice: HomeGuide lists it at about $10 to $40 per foot installed nationally. An underground invisible fence costs less per foot ($2 to $7, or $800 to $2,800 installed), but HomeGuide warns it may not contain every dog. Chain link isn't allowed for ordinary residential fences in Wolfforth.
How tall should a fence be for a dog in Lubbock?
The city doesn't set a dog-specific height. Its animal code says a fence must be of sufficient height and strength to keep the animal on the property, and zoning caps residential fences at 48 inches in a required front setback and 10 feet elsewhere. Size the fence to your dog's jump, not to a number.
Are invisible dog fences allowed in Lubbock?
We didn't find a rule that addresses buried pet-containment wire directly. Lubbock's development code does prohibit electrified components in residential fences not used for livestock. Ask Building Safety before relying on one, and remember the animal code still treats an escaped dog as at large.
How do I stop my dog from digging under the fence?
Close the gap at the bottom. Options include a bottom tension wire on chain link, wire mesh buried along the fence line, or a concrete curb under a wood fence. Fill holes as soon as they start, since a gap that lets a dog out makes the fence inadequate under the city's definition.
Sources (10)
- City of Lubbock Code Art. 4.01: animal definitions (at large, public nuisance, restraint, secure enclosure) (ecode360)
- Texas Health and Safety Code §822.041: definitions (secure enclosure)
- Texas Health and Safety Code §822.042: requirements for owner of dangerous dog
- HomeGuide: invisible fence cost, with other fence types (Dec 22, 2025)
- Lubbock UDC §39.02.020: residential fence materials and heights (ecode360)
- Lubbock UDC §39.02.023: visibility triangle (ecode360)
- Wolfforth Code §14.05.009: fences (ecode360)
- KCBD: fence FAQ from a Lubbock fence company (common heights, concrete curbs)
- National Weather Service Lubbock: all-time climate records
- HomeGuide: pool fence cost (self-closing gate hardware)
Last updated 2026-10-24