How High Can a Pit Bull Jump? 6 Tips to Prevent Pitties from Jumping

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The American Pit Bull is considered to be one of the most athletic breeds in the world. Their ability to jump high is one of their many talents. However, it might be inconvenient if you have a fenced yard.

If you tend to exercise your dog outdoors, you might want to consider how high an American Pit Bull can jump and how likely it is that it might jump over the backyard fence.

A Pit Bull can jump up 4-5 foot fences with ease. With professional training, some Pit Bulls might be able to jump 10 to 13 feet. However, jumping to such heights is unsafe for non-trained Pit Bulls because they might seriously hurt themselves on landing.

Continue reading to find out more about how high can a Pit Bull jump and how to prevent it from jumping over the fence.

How High Can a Pit Bull jump?

Pit Bulls are incredible jumpers as they can jump rather high for their size. You might assume they wouldn’t be able to reach a significant height due to their large build; however, there are several reports of these dogs easily jumping up 4 to 5 feet high.  

Also, Pit Bulls are believed to hold the world record for the highest vertical wall climb, having climbed 13 feet high. So, with some professional training, Pit Bulls might be able to jump up to 10 to 13 feet.

At What Age Do Pit Bulls Start Jumping?

Pit Bulls start jumping at the age of 12 to 15 months. They will start jumping once their bodies are developed enough. Yet, you should not interpret this as a sign of maturity or begin training them for competitive jumping. On the contrary, it may be harmful to the Pit Bull puppy.

Can Pit Bulls Jump fences?

Since Pit Bulls are incredibly athletic and heavily muscled, the majority of them can jump fences. They enjoy pouncing at the fence and even attempting to jump over the top. They can jump up fences that are 4 to 5 feet or higher. 

However, not every Pit Bull will want to jump the fence. Some Pit Bulls are courageous by nature, so they won’t be afraid to jump over the fence if they are curious.

This might just be due to their desire to engage in whatever is going over on the other end. Maybe they’re buddies with the neighbor’s dog or the neighbors in general. They may see or hear them playing and wish to join in. 

A bored Pit Bull may even drive into a solid vertical leap onto the fence with a good running start. Even if they don’t pass the fence in one jump, their powerful body and weight will drive them past it.

Jumping over fences can be very dangerous for any dog breed, and as a Pit Bull owner, it’s important that you understand why your dog might jump over a fence so you can effectively prevent it from happening.

6 Reasons Why Pit Bulls Jump Fences

As mentioned before, not every Pit Bull jumps over fences. However, the Pit Bulls that do jump over fences usually have a reason.

So, let’s take a look at the common reasons why your Pit Bull might jump over a fence:

Their Strong Build and High Energy

Pit Bulls are bred to be strong and athletic. They have large muscular builds that allow them to be excellent jumpers. They also have high levels of energy, so they usually try to release that energy by running around and jumping.

If you’re used to exercising your Pit Bull outdoors in your yard, you need to keep in mind that your Pit Bull is fully capable of jumping over the fence at any time.

A Background of Running away

Many of American Pit Bull Terriers come from rescues and shelters. These dogs usually have experiences with violence and abuse that cause them to attempt to run away.

Some Pit Bulls may have had a history of dog fighting. Others were perhaps kept confined to a yard with hardly any social interaction. 

So, they may have discovered that they can escape by jumping over the fence, either because they are malnourished and want food, they need interaction with people, or they are fleeing violence in their home environment.

In any case, once the clever Pit Bull has found out that it can just jump over a fence to run away, it will be difficult for it to forget how to do so. Even if your Pit Bull is content at home with you, it may still feel the urge to jump over the fence when left alone in the backyard.

Boredom

Boredom is a common cause of hyper or undesirable behaviors in Pit Bulls. They need to be stimulated most of the time so they wouldn’t feel bored and act out.

There are various activities you can do with your Pit Bull, such as going on a daily walk, playing catch, spending more quality time, engaging them with a fascinating and exciting toy, or working on certain training skills.

Such activities can make a big difference in your dog’s behavior and will help prevent various undesirable behaviors.

New friendships And Mating

Pit Bulls sometimes desire company from other dogs, so they might try to jump over the fence to meet the neighbor’s dog or even stray dogs.

Going through heat and having a high mating drive, particularly in unneutered and unspayed dogs, is also a powerful motivator to jump the fence.

You can usually deal with this problem by getting a second dog to keep your Pit Bull company. If that is not possible, bring them out more frequently to interact with other dogs. You can take them to parks, go on a stroll with the neighbor’s dog, or plan backyard playdates.

Concerning unneutered males and reproducing overall, the easiest way to stop the problem is to take them to the vet to undergo the procedure. Not only will this solve your issue of jumping the fence, but it will also help prevent several health benefits.

Hunting

The hunting instinct is innate in most dogs, including the American Pit Bull Terrier.

You Pit Bull may see a rodent run across the top of your fence and start chasing it with no backing down, even if it means jumping over the fence to get to its prey. Nothing will prevent the dog from its main goal of capturing the rodent.

Anxiety or Fear

Surprising and unexpected events can generate fear or uneasiness in Pit Bulls, causing them to jump over fences.

Possible causes for your Pit Bull to become afraid include strangers entering the room, fireworks, environmental disasters, and children’s screaming.

How High Should a Fence Be for a Pit Bull?

The basic recommendation for a Pit Bull fence is that it should be at least 6 feet tall, so they won’t be able to jump to the top and then struggle down. If you have a Pit Bull who is very athletic or a keen jumper, you should also consider the type of fence and the space around it.

There are various types of fences for dogs made from different materials, including:

• Invisible fence (electric fence or wireless fence)
• Chain-link fence
• Plastic fence
• Wooden fence (solid panel fence, picket fence, or split-rail fence)
• Metal Fence or chain-link fence
• Stone fence or brick fence

Here are some of the things you need to keep in mind when installing any type of fence:

• Is the fence simple to climb?
• Could the dog see or smell anything through the gaps?
• Is it simple to breach the fence?
• Is there enough space for a quick running start?

By tilting the top part of the fence walls toward the yard, you might make it tough for the dog to go over the top. You can also make it harder for them to approach the fence and climb up by placing some plants and spiky trees. 

Unfortunately, there will be times when installing a large, strong fence is not a possible option, especially if it’s a solid panel fence. Your neighbors may object to the structure, or there might be restrictions in your neighborhood against a certain type of fence. 

This is when an invisible fence might come in handy. You can install an electric fence (wired) or establish a wireless boundary with a collar that will emit noise if the dog approaches too closely.

Dogs can also be taught some boundary training so they will not wander too far away from their owners through the use of warning collars and flags until they eventually stop approaching the fence at all.

How to Prevent Your Pit Bull From Jumping Over the Fence?

In some cases training your Pit Bull or attempting to solve the primary causes listed above is not enough to keep your dog from jumping over the fence. So, you might need to consider alternative methods and make adjustments in the dog’s environment to solve this issue.

Here are some suggestions you could attempt to prevent your Pit Bull from jumping over the fence:

Offer Plenty of Entertainment

Your Pit Bull is considerably less likely to attempt to jump the fence if it has much to do within the fence.

Offering plenty of entertainment increases the likelihood that your Pit Bull will stay in the backyard and enjoy their activity rather than exploring what is on the other end of the fence.

You could provide him with a simple KONG rubber toy that will help keep the dog entertained for hours, or you can place some treats in the backyard, and your Pit Bull will spend a lot of time trying to find them.

As there’s nothing more a dog enjoys than treats, another approach is to utilize an automatic dog food dispenser with a timer. It gives out small amounts of food or rewards at regular time intervals. This will also keep the dog entertained for hours as they wait for the next treat to appear.

Discourage Aggressive Behavior Along the Fence Line

A Pit Bull who is permitted to bark, leap, and sprint up and down the fence line is more inclined to jump the fence.

If you see or hear your Pit Bull reacting to anything on the opposite side of the fence, make sure to discourage this behavior immediately and distract the dog with anything else inside the house. This will train him to always return to you when called rather than trying to jump over the fence to go to what’s on the opposite end.

Install a Tall Fence With No Gaps

A Pit Bull is more inclined to jump over 4-foot chain link fences than 6-foot privacy fences, even though it can. 

Your Pit Bull can climb chain link fencing of any height since it is relatively easy for them to grip and climb. Meanwhile, a tall fence without any gaos that your Pit Bull cannot grab is less likely to allow them to climb.

Also, a fence that your Pit Bull can’t see through makes it less likely that they’ll be fascinated enough by what’s on the opposite end to jump.

Install an L-Footer

If installed correctly, an L-footer is a fantastic way to keep your Pit Bull from jumping over the fence. It is preferable to utilize it upturned and at the top of the fence.

Construct the L-form and securely attach the short side to the top of the fence, bringing the rest of the hardware pointing towards the backyard so your puppy can see the fencing as he looks up.

It is an extremely effective method of keeping them trapped in the backyard where they belong, and because they are aware that there is a restriction in their path, they will not try to jump.

Grow a Few Trees

Planting trees or plants next to any type of fence is a great solution to prevent your dog from jumping over it.

Since American Pit Bulls can usually jump over the fence because they get an early start run, putting in some plants will not allow them to get a decent enough running start to jump over.

The disadvantage is that planting trees takes time, and if they are not given sufficient time to grow, your dog will most likely destroy them. Hence, if you’re searching for a quick fix, this isn’t it.

Put a Jump Harness on Your Dog

The anti-jump harness is an innovation that will undoubtedly solve this problem. It works by reducing the movement of your Pit Bull’s rear legs, preventing it from jumping over fences. 

It should be utilized effectively throughout obedience training. This teaches your Pit Bull about its purpose and what you expect from them. Furthermore, this device intends to prevent them from not only jumping chains but also from jumping on people and furniture.

This Anti-jump harness from amazon should work fine to prevent your Pit Bull from jumping over the fence.

Helpful Resources

How to Install an Electronic Dog Fence?

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