Fix the fence or build a kennel?

[Squealin_Shoat]

Hey folks. Looks like I'm about to get a house and finally some dogs, so I have a question or two:

How would you keep your dogs from digging underneath a regular chain-link fence? I want to let them run loose on the property since it's completely fenced, but am concerned about them digging out. Is there something I can rig up on the bottom of the fence? Or would it be best just to build a kennel?

I ask this 'cause I'd strongly prefer them be able to be loose. I'm stuck at work during the week and would only be able to hunt them on weekends. I don't want them to get stir crazy with just a walk and an hour or so of exercise each day, especially if they are stuck in a kennel while I'm gone. Besides, they are better crime deterrents if they aren't confined to a cage. 

Thanks

[Gangly]

run a shock wire along the base of the fence.  if they get close enough to the fence, and try to dig out, they will make contact with the wire and get shocked.

[craig]

electric wire and fence charger from your local tractor supply

one single wire along the ground.

[matt_aggie04]

I agree with the above.  When I first got started I cut hog panels in half and a 2' dig guard right at the fence but that just creates a mess.  When I built my kennels I ran a hot wire along the bottom of the fence and the thing that helps the most is raising puppies in the puppy pen with the hot wire.  By the time they get 10-12 weeks old they won't touch the fence at all.  Then when they make it to the kennel they are use to never touching the fence and never test the hot wire.  Seems to work really well.
Matt

[mankinb]

And on a hunt do they get up to a fence.

[Eric]

They also have those deals you burry in the ground and it makes an invisable fence. Don't have to worry about a dog being afraid of a fence, kids hitting it, neighbors sueing, or any thing like that.

I don't know the details because I don't have one, but just thought I would throw it out there.

[matt_aggie04]

Nope my dogs stop at every fence, but with the new garmin I just drive up to them pick em up and set em down on the other side.......   j/k

Yes they cross fences but they do not mess with the fence they are kenneled in.  The fece around my property doesn't bother them and they will run up to it without hesitation but when in their kennel they leave the fence alone and wont dig at the fence.  I hammer in small rebar a few inches away from the fence and attach my insulators close to the ground and it will stop just about any dog that wants to dig out.

[Eric]

Ya, I should be clear... I don't think a dog will be scared of all fences either like Matt is saying.

[NT-HOGGIN]

The Hot wire worked for me when I lived in the city.  Now that I live outside of the city limits I don't have electric anywhere near my dogs, so I just went around and collected used telephone poles.  I used a pick/ax to dig a small trench around my dog corrals and layed the telephone poles in the trench.  Works great, they don't even try digging.  It is a little more work but it has worked for me.