'Immediately after we moved in, things changed': HOA forbids homeowners from building a fence for their high-energy doggo, leaving them wondering if they made an expensive mistake

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Nov 16, 2025 10:00 AM EST

The dream of every dog owner is to have a huge backyard where your dogs can run free and actually act like dogs. For them to have their own space to explore, to play, and enjoy, yet also be safe. This is a luxury for most of us nowadays. So when you go to buy a house as a pawrent, yard space is a non-negotiable, and so is the ability to put up a fence. Well, that's what this couple thought they were buying… until they weren't. They bought their new house, all happy and giddy, under the impression that they could build a fence around their yard for their high-energy doggo. But shortly after moving in, they learned that their HOA forbids fences.

We can understand these pawrents' pain. Living in an apartment with our doggo makes us feel like bad dog owners. We know we're not, but we not-so-secretly wish that we could provide them with more. Don't worry, they are very well taken care of. They get 3-4 daily long walks, and we go to the beach to run free and explore at least twice a week. They are happy, but we know they would be happier if they truly had a space of their own. If we bought a house thinking we could give them that, only to find out that it was all a lie, we would be wondering if we just made the most expensive mistake of our lifetime. 

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  • 01

    Neighborhood doesn’t allow fences - What’s our best option for dog

    Man playing fetch with dog including 'Our pup is getting the short end of the stick'
    via Lora Rikky from Pexels

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    We bought the house with the understanding we could have a wrought iron fence, immediately after we moved in, things. changed.. that's a battle I'm fighting separately. Probably won't happen until we take over the HOA from builder.
    via chrisfroggy23
  • 03
    In the interim, I need something to keep our 65 lb pointer mix in our yard. He's hyper but is a good dog but really needs to be able to run free in some space asap. I'm thinking some sort of invisible fence route is our best option but wanted to get
    via chrisfroggy23
  • 04
    opinions on which is best or any options I may be overlooking. Simply training him to stay in the yard won't work. I've read many other posts but still wanted to make this one. The alternative is leashed walks and dog park on occasion which is what we're currently doing but our pup is getting the short end of the stick there.
    via chrisfroggy23
  • 05
    Contract for Homeowners Association Masterat vitae nulla elementum pretium. Aenean nec honcus diam libero, sed feugiat nisi adipiscing a id faucibus hendrerit IN
    via AndreyPopov

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 06
    Any and all advice or feedback is greatly appreciated.
    via chrisfroggy23
  • 07
    samaster11 I don't have a fence, but we use a 50 foot lead with our dog when we zoom outside.
    via samaster11
  • 08
    throwwwwwwalk Invisible fences are not safe. They don't keep loose dogs out, don't keep predators out, the collar battery can die, your dog can leave and will be shocked trying to come back in. The list goes on. Rent sniffspots.
    via throwwwwwwalk

  • We did have an invisible fence around our house when we were kids, and our family had four dogs. It wasn't perfect by any means. If they really wanted to chase something, they would run right past the border. It didn't happen often, but it did happen.

  • 09
    Admirable-Reward9415 Invisible fences are not really reliable. If a dog is determined to chase something, they'll just run through it. They are a particularly poor choice for hunting breeds. I really think that your best option is to continue leashed walking and park trips Maybe add a day or two at a good daycare if your pup is dog friendly.
    via Admirable-Reward9415
  • 10
    rosesforthemonsters We have a 75 foot tether attached to a stake in our yard. Our dog can run freely around our yard, but is still secured on a leash. Just make sure you get the right kind of tether for the weight and strength of your dog.
    via rosesforthemonsters
  • 11
    SonomaSal Everyone here is offering great advice for the dog aspect, but I am more curious on the fence aspect. This is going to sound a bit silly, but what does it define as 'a fence'? There are many things that could function as a fence without actually being 'a fence'.
    via SonomaSal
  • 12
    For example, if they mention something like 'continuous', you may be able to have small sections decorative wrought iron 'trellises' around with bushes in between (works for some dogs). You could then fill in the gaps once you have control of the HOA.
    via SonomaSal
  • 13
    Alternatively, since almost all of these have to do with permanence, might I suggest a series of buckets with poles in the middle, weighted down by either dirt, rocks, or concrete (idk how big the dog is EDIT: completely missed where you mentioned
    via SonomaSal
  • 14
    Dog outside
    via Jelena Safronova

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 15
    65lbs pointer mix, haha. Definitely gonna want some concrete in the bucket); heavy, but still objectively mobile. Then, go to your local hardware store of choice and buy some trellis panels (they are quite large, if you have never seen them before). Strap
    via SonomaSal
  • 16
    them to the poles and add a couple pots of tomatoes, green beans, or what have you and you now have a lovely, completely non-permanent, and vertical garden...that may or may not happen to function like a fence. After all, you need the panels to
    via SonomaSal
  • 17
    be that tall because you want the plants to have as much room to grow as possible! And of course the buckets need to be that heavy. These things are practically sails! You can't have the wind take them! And it just makes sense to put them near the
    via SonomaSal
  • 18
    edge of your property. They need the sun and space and you need to actually be able to mow properly and, while they are mobile, why wouldn't you just put them somewhere you don't HAVE to move them every other week to mow?
    via SonomaSal
  • 19
    Point is, read the rules carefully, and plausible deniability is your friend. You would be surprised what it technically allowed. This doesn't mean you won't have push back, but as a person who has also had to parse out some rather obtuse ordinances, figured I might as well present a more creative approach.
    via SonomaSal
  • 20
    Shmooperdoodle Leash walks and leashed runs are just fine. People use fenced yards as a substitute for those things and they aren't. Your dog will get more exercise from long leash walks than they will from just being let out in the yard by themselves.
    via Shmooperdoodle
  • 21
    LetOtherwise3531 I'd second sniff spot to allow your dog to run off leash until this can be resolved. Ruffwear also sells a knot-a- hitch system. It's designed for when you take your dog camping and you'd need two trees. Wouldn't work as a let
    via LetOtherwise3531

  • We had never heard of Sniffspots before reading this, and now that we have, we're actually quite jealous we didn't come up with this idea first. It's genius! For people with puppies who can't socialize them with other dogs yet and for people with reactive dogs who want to let their dogs free but can't go with them to dog parks, it's literally perfect.

  • 22
    your dog just run the line all afternoon without supervision but could allow some outdoor time if you needed to run inside for a quick minute.
    via LetOtherwise3531
  • 23
    Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam Hook a line from your house out to a tree or post. With a carabiner you can attach his leash. He could run or walk along the line. And it would be convenient in the winter.
    via Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam
  • 24
    NoPerformance6534 My sister went through this exactly. She had all her emails discussing a fence during negotiation for her home, so she could prove in a lawsuit that she had that understanding from the beginning. She proved her case and ected her fence. Always get the details in writing any way you can.
    via NoPerformance6534
  • 25
    myexstalksmeonreddit I lived in a neighborhood that didn't allow fences out front, and our house was srt back almost to the back easement, so just pitting a dog fence in the back wasn't going to be much of a yard. We opted to
    via myexstalksmeonreddit
  • 26
    fence in the back and do invisible fence out front. Because any random animal can cross the invisible fence line, my dog could not be out front without supervision, but at least he could run and play out front, and use the back for occasional urgent bathroom needs.
    via myexstalksmeonreddit
  • 27
    RazzySpaz162 Until you get the fence issue worked out with the HOA, I'd just use a tie out in the back yard. I wouldn't leave him out there for hours unattended, but might be a good option while you're home.
    via RazzySpaz162

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refuse hoa dogs fence new homeowners neighborhood-drama doggo expensive animals homeowners
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