A determined dog does not test your whole boundary equally — he has a route, or two, that he works on: the loose panel behind the shed, the soft soil under the side gate, the woodpile that turns a fence into a staircase. Escape-proofing works when you stop thinking like an owner admiring the fence from the patio and start thinking like the dog, at his height, following his habits.
Diagnose the escape before buying anything
Watch where he loiters. A dog who paces one fence line is watching something through it; a dog who returns muddy-pawed to the same corner is digging there; a dog found on the roof of the shed has shown you his climbing route. Check for the evidence after each attempt — scuffed soil, bent wire, scratched gate paint, a gap worn under a panel — and fix causes, not just holes. Many escapes are driven, not random: an unneutered male who smells a female nearby, a bored young dog with nothing to do in the garden, a dog who can see other dogs passing the front fence. The physical fix holds better when the reason is addressed too, with exercise, company and things to do out there.
Close the four classic routes
For diggers, extend the barrier underground: bury mesh along the fence line, lay paving slabs tight against the base, or dig a shallow trench and fill it with concrete along the run he favours — loose soil right at the fence is an invitation. For climbers and jumpers, remove the launch pads first: bins, compost heaps, stacked logs and garden furniture near the fence effectively lower it, and an inward-leaning extension or a smooth panel he cannot grip beats simply adding height he can still scale. For squeezers, walk the line at his shoulder height and block every gap wider than his head, including the space under gates and the corner where panels meet posts. For gate-chargers, fit a self-closing hinge and a latch that needs a thumb, and make 'gate stays shut' a house rule for everyone, including visitors and older children.
Check the boundary the way weather checks it
Fences fail gradually: a panel rots at the base, storm winds work a post loose, roots lift a slab, a neighbour's building work opens a temporary gap on their side. Walk the whole boundary monthly and after every storm, pushing panels, checking the gate closes flush, and looking from the outside in where you can — the view your escaping dog gets. After any successful escape, repair that day rather than at the weekend, because a route that worked once will be retried within hours, and each success teaches him the boundary is negotiable. Keep his collar on in the garden during this work, with your current number on the tag.
Give the garden a reason to stay
The gardens dogs stop trying to leave are the ones where good things happen: shade, water, a digging pit of his own if he loves to dig, toys rotated so they stay interesting, and people who come out and play rather than only letting him out alone. A dog left in a bare garden for hours will entertain himself, and his entertainment may be your fence. Even with every route closed, keep a backstop for the day a delivery leaves the gate wide: KinsLe's Lost Pet Alert System alerts nearby members for free when you raise it, so a dog who does get out is looked for by local people straight away.