Susong Pet Fencing | Best Fence Builders in Johnson City, TN

Our area has heavy clay soil that expands when wet and shrinks during dry spells. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles can pop shallow posts out of alignment. The gap that opens underneath is exactly where a determined dog will squeeze through. We solve this by setting posts at least 30 inches deep with concrete collars that reach below the frost line, and we add gravel drainage at the base to reduce soil movement.

If the ground under a gate is soft or the gate has a wide clearance, digging becomes an invitation. We install gates with a heavy-duty tension bar across the bottom and a steel plate or wire apron that extends a few inches into the ground. For Johnson City properties with loose, loamy topsoil, we also recommend a buried L-footer—a piece of extra mesh bent outward underground—so if your dog digs down, they hit wire instead of open space.

Absolutely. Slopes in floodplain areas shift over time, pulling fence sections out of level. Our solution is to replace standard welded wire with heavy-gauge fencing attached to adjustable tension wires. We add extra line posts at the mid-slope point and use continuous top rails that flex with the ground movement. This keeps the fence taut all the way down the grade without leaving a gap at the bottom.