Dog Fence Footage & Cost
Rolls are sold in 50-foot lengths, posts go every 6–8 feet, gates eat footage out of your run. This turns a yard into the parts list, with the height you actually need for your dog.
Height rule of thumb: 3 ft for a contained small dog, 4 ft for most medium dogs, 5–6 ft for jumpers and huskies. Check your local limit first, many HOAs cap residential fence at 6 ft.
How the math works
- Perimeter: rectangle = 2 × (length + width), circle = π × diameter, custom = what you measured. Gates subtract their width from the footage you buy: a 3 ft gate removes 3 ft of panel, fabric, and rail.
- Posts = perimeter ÷ spacing, rounded up, plus one, plus your corner posts. Corners and gates each need a post, corners need the heavier 2 in line post or a tension post.
- Rolls: chain link fabric comes in 50 ft rolls at the fence height, roll count = footage ÷ 50 rounded up, ordered in full rolls, not feet.
- Rails: top rail plus bottom rail for chain link = 2 × footage. Wood privacy runs 2 rails (6 ft fences run 3), pickets are priced per footage in the style table.
- Cost: the style table is 2026 DIY material cost per installed foot, gates are added at your price. Installed quotes typically land around 2× material, which is what the last row compares against.
How many feet of fence do I need for a 60×40 yard?
200 ft of perimeter. With one 3 ft gate you buy 197 ft of panel and fabric, 4 rolls of 50 ft fabric, and 30 posts at 8 ft spacing, that's 25 line posts plus the 5 the corners and the gate add.
How far apart should fence posts be?
6 to 8 ft for chain link is the standard, 8 ft is what most fabric is built to span, 10 ft is the practical maximum before sag. Wood fences run 6 to 8 ft, corners and gates always get a post.
What height fence stops a dog?
4 ft contains most medium dogs, 5 ft stops most jumpers, 6 ft is the answer for huskies, border collies, and anything that clears 4 ft with a running start. Add a top overhang (coyote roller) before you build taller than the local limit allows.