Hugel on fenceline

I have a large chain link dog yard.  I have a couple of dogs who dig out.  I end up having to keep dogs in different places, which is difficult.  I thought maybe if I created hugel type beds along the outside perimeter... any thoughts on this?  I am new to hugel. And don't know all the ins and outs, yet.  Thank you

I believe that Paul has recommended large berms--i think they are hugels--for bordering and for privacy. It would most definitely keep your dogs from digging out, but if you fence line is the border of your property, you would have to put the beds on the wrong side and thus on your neighbors land. Another plus is that it might give you a nice trellis for any climbers. I say go for it.

My dogs are diggers too.  

I have three hugel mounds and my dogs dug one up.  Rabbits and other little critters love to nest on the edges.  If you stack big enough logs in the mound it may be effective but if you use brush they can dig right through it.  That's a lot of work for a dog toy.

My dogs also dig under the perimeter fence to get out, almost an acre and they still dig.  I think the only thing that would work is a low volt wire or a shock collar.

Thank you, Daniel and Scott.  It is about 1/4 acre.  Only dolng the two sides that are the major problem areas.  One is on property border, but only an empty field next to it, which they don't use.  And the previous owners had put in shrubs and this will stick out no further than shrubs.  Most of the criiters live in the field, thankfully.  So hopefully they will continue to live where they all ready have habitat away from the dogs.  Hopefully.  I have a huge pile of rotting and semi rotting logs.  And plenty of apple wood and soon to be more applewood.  I am thinking after the frost, when the pollinators are gone, and I can harvest about a quarter acre of wild plants that I leave for the insects.  Dig in along the borders, put in the largest least rotted first which should prevent digging, and then the rotted and then the brush and soil.  Then, I will just leave it alone til early spring.  Watching what happens, with dogs, critters, and if it lasts the fall and winter rains without falling apart.  Luckily, I have a 12 year old who is smarter than me with design, to help and the other kids have their gitfts to contribute.  Myself alone no way.  Thanks again for the thoughts and ideas.  Most grateful.

It's easy to keep dogs from digging out usually.  Take fence that is four feet tall and bend it down the middle lengthwise into an L shape.  Put two feet against the existing fence and two feet on the ground on the side the dogs are on. You can use metal coat hangers to pin the side to the ground.  If it's a grass area, even better.  The grass will grow up thru the fence and it won't hurt anything.  I haven't had a dog yet that would start two feet inside the fence and tunnel all the way out.  They will just try to dig at the regular fence and find out they can't because of the fence on the ground.  They will still dig holes to lie in, but not to escape.

The hugel idea will work fine as long as you put them on the outside of the fence as Daniel said.  If they are on the dog-side of the fence, they will just climb on top of them and jump over.

I get you on the fence idea, Todd.  And it would work.  Yet, as we only have an acre, we want every bit of space utilized for growing something.  And yes, the hugels on the outside definitely.  Thank you, for the input.  I feel good about this, now!

I have doing something similar as I've been clearing my little acreage.  I've just been creating fairly big piles of old blackberry canes, piles of greenbriar I've been yanking from trees, tree branches, trees I've cut down to clear my fence line...and crummy, non-native trees (pines in my locale).  I've also been clearing sumacs and adding them to the piles.  The piles have decreased in volume some, but I keep adding to them yearly.  So far, blackberry and elderberry have colonized the fringes, along with white germander, sumac and maypops.  I have been doing all of this by hand, but my extemporaneous "hugel" pile is several hundred feet long, and averages about 4-ft in height.   I have no plans for plantings on or near this, but I like that blackberry has colonized it.

That is me.  Piles everywhere.  Black raspberry, scads of honeysuckle.  Trumpet creeper.  Lucky on trees.  Most are native.  I do have some rose of Sharon trees but they are useful.  I just keep telling myself that I will use it, one day.  Glad that day is finally coming!

If the fence line you mention is the fence line separating your property from your neighbors, I would be careful you do not change the drainage of your neighbor's property (or other surrounding properties). That could cause neighbor disputes that could also easily escalate up through various levels of government.

Jim, I can't see any possibilities of problems in that regard.  I am going to go to neighbor and let him know I want to put in "raised beds".  I need to thank him for not mowing that field, this year.  Cut down on my critter problems tremendously.  Thank you.