# Chew through a chain link fence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031 "2009-05-01T21:28:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/21 "2011-12-12T03:31:08Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > There are all kinds of varieties of fence that people call “chain-link”, ranging from what we called on the farm ‘chicken wire’ up to very heavy #6 gauge wire fabric. So I expect that some of these stories people are about fences that are toward the weaker end of ‘chain-link’. > > Personally, I doubt that any canine could chew through a strong chain-link (9 gauge or stronger) fence. They could probably tear it loose from the frame, or pull it enough to get underneath it. But biting through that steel wire seems beyond belief. > > My parents operated a dog boarding kennel where the runs were made of 8-foot high galvanized chain-link fence. It was built in 1954, and that fence fabric is still strong & solid, despite years of use to separate stranger dogs of many breeds from each other. Many dogs have chewed & pulled at this over the years; none has been able to ‘chew through it’. I was also going to mention this. Most fences I’ve seen are made of hog wire, not chain link. Hog wire is of a smaller gauge than chain link and the openings are larger and rectangular, providing easier purchase for pointy dog noses. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/22 "2011-12-12T08:32:47Z")
I’ve met a few pit bulls, and most of them were knock-you-down-slobber-in-your-face friendly. ETA: And even the ones that weren’t aggressively friendly were still friendly. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/23 "2011-12-12T15:08:34Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’ve met a few pit bulls, and most of them were knock-you-down-slobber-in-your-face friendly. > > ETA: And even the ones that weren’t aggressively friendly were still friendly. So friendly, in fact, that they would chew through a 9 gauge chain link fence just to slobber in your face. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/24 "2011-12-15T16:14:19Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > I need to be clear on what we’re saying here. You, and others, mean that dog is biting through a piece of steel wire. Many times. I mean that I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that dog is biting through a piece of steel wire. Many times. Which, coincidentally, is exactly what I said. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/25 "2011-12-15T16:47:52Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I mean that I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that dog is biting through a piece of steel wire. Many times. > > Which, coincidentally, is exactly what I said. Thanks, that’s exactly what I wanted to know. Another clarification; When I say or hear “chain link fence” [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_link_fence), what we used to call “cyclone” fence, is what comes to mind. This is [chicken](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_wire) wire. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/26 "2011-12-15T17:28:06Z")
Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe that stuff is tougher than I’m imagining, but it just doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch to me. I feel like I could chew through it if I was locked up behind it all day for long enough. ---
**Author:** ![jeepgal31](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@jeepgal31](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeepgal31)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/27 "2012-04-08T23:34:21Z")
I am the owner of a new pitbull puppy that is 8 months old.she as so far chewed through 16 inch galvanized wire fence and chewed through a chain link gate.The chain link was chewed through in the chain link gate.She does not want to be penned in and she goes right to town on the wire.Guage is bigger than 12 and I can’t bend it.Not sure what else to use to keep her in except electric fence.But it is possible,they can chew through chain link! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031/28 "2012-04-09T00:42:04Z")
> [@jeepgal31](#): > > I am the owner of a new pitbull puppy that is 8 months old.she as so far chewed through 16 inch galvanized wire fence and chewed through a chain link gate.The chain link was chewed through in the chain link gate.She does not want to be penned in and she goes right to town on the wire.Guage is bigger than 12 and I can’t bend it.Not sure what else to use to keep her in except electric fence.But it is possible,they can chew through chain link! Pics would be nice. Just sayin’. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-through-a-chain-link-fence/495031.md?page=1)