Just about all dog owners have to consider the issue of containment for their dogs. Allowing a dog to run loose is a sure way to invite trouble. Your dog could be killed, injured, picked up by animal control, or cause damage or harm to property or other animals or people. That makes it imperative for every dog owner to find a good way to keep their dog safely contained at home.
One way to keep your dog at home is by using an invisible fence. If you’re not familiar with how an invisible fence works, a wire is buried along with perimeter of the property you wish to use for your dog. A transmitter is installed in a quiet location near the boundaries. This transmitter emits a radio signal along the wire. When your dog wears a special lightweight collar, the collar emits a gives a warning signal when the dog gets too close to the boundaries. If the dog ignores the warning signal and tries to cross the boundaries of the invisible fence line, then the collar puts out a slight shock, similar to what you would receive if you your feet across carpeting and touched a metal doorknob. The feeling isn’t enough to hurt the dog but it does get his attention. Dogs are trained for 2-3 weeks so that they learn where the invisible fence boundaries are with the use of flags in the yard.
There are many positive things about using invisible fences. They work very well for keeping most dogs, of all breeds, contained in their yard. Dogs are trained to respect the boundaries and the warning signal, so once they learn where the boundaries are they don’t usually try to leave the yard. By contrast, some dogs contained inside fences don’t really respect the fence. They may keep trying to find ways to get out.
Invisible fences also work for multiple dogs as long as each dog is wearing the special collar. You can also use an invisible fence to contain cats. You can even take your invisible fence with you if you decide to move. You simply take the transmitter and dog’s collar with you and have new wire installed at the new location.
Invisible fencing claims an extremely high success rate when it comes to containing pets — as high as 99.5 percent.
Invisible fencing can even be used indoors to keep pets from going into certain areas of someone’s home.
There are, however, concerns about using invisible fences. Some people don’t like the idea of using a collar that emits a shock to the dog, even for training purposes, and even if it’s very mild and brief.
One of the biggest criticisms of the invisible fence is the fact that it keeps an owner’s animals inside the fence but it does nothing to keep stray animals or people out of your yard. Your dog could be kept at home but your neighbor’s dog could come and go freely into and out of your yard, which could upset your dog.
Although most dogs trained to stay inside an invisible fence do obey it and remain inside, there are always exceptions. Some dogs may be hard to train and insist on going through the boundary line. If the transmitter or collar stops working your dog might be tempted to go for a run.
Many veterinarians and dog professionals recommend invisible fences to dog owners. Ultimately it’s up to a dog owner to decide whether or not they feel comfortable trusting their dog’s safety to an invisible fence.
Why not let us know your thoughts and experiences with invisible fences by leaving a comment below!
Until next time…..
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Electronic dog fences get good reveiws and bad depending on the brand you choose. If you choose a cheap discount house brand you get what you pay for. Going on the cheap with your pet is usually not in your pets best interest. If you go with a professional brand your will generally see good results. Professionals do this for a living and have to be successful. Most Professionals have a dog training background and got into the fencing as a way to help their customers. The latest generation of pet fencing has more features and settings than you can imagine. Consult with a professional in your area and you will find they are very reasonably priced compared to conventional fencing.
I personally am not a big fan of the invisible fence as I’ve seen dogs run across the wire and panic trying to find there way back in. This may have been caused by bad training methods. But in any case I prefer to use an e-collar and manually train the dog not to cross certain boundries. It is a little more time consuming but in the end I’ll have a better trained dog. That being said I know many people that have invisible fences and they love them.
I tried the invisible fence with my dogs when I got them at 3 months old. They just ran across the line and kept going. Maybe if they got shocked more as they left it would have helped. I took them out and attemped to teach them thier boundries but it did not help. I have at last measure put up a 7 foot fence that they attempt to climb to run free, I call them my escape artists as they can and will open dead bolt doors. Thankfully we have 6 acres and live out in the middle of no-where because when they get the chance to run they will for 3-4 hours. “They” are 2 great pyreness and lab mixes that are the size of great danes.
I have only used an e-collar with my Weimaraner. This has worked for me, but with my dog’s stubborness, I have to stay on top of him. He does like to push the envelope at times. However, when I let my dog out, I am almost always out there with him and he knows the drill. In general, my dog has done well and will not go outside of the boundaries. One thing I will admit, my dog’s wondering spells are usually do to boredom. That is my fault. Weimaraners are very energetic dogs.
I have trained 4 dogs to respect boundaries of invisible fence, one being a rather hard-headed lab with a high tolerance to pain. I heartedly recommend this means of containment. We live on a road that has become quite busy, and lost a dog some years back.
I will say that invisible fences can and do work for a lot of dogs. However, I must disagree with the 99.5% rate of success. This also comes with the short 2-3 week training period. For your average pet owner, how many can actually say that you personally can teach your dog a new command and they will comply with a 99.5% success factor every time you ask them to do it. It’s no different when boundary training.
Prey drive plays a HUGE part in the success factor. If you have a dog that will chase a critter no matter what then you might as well flush you money down the toilet. I am a dog trainer myself and will honestly say that it can take years to confidently train the ability to call your dog off of prey and that’s counting on the fact that you are outside with them to do so. Plus if the dog is in prey mode and barrels through the fence, they have usually calmed down IF they find their way back home, and then won’t face the shock to get back inside the yard. If you have a small dog and live somewhere where other dogs are roaming then invisible fencing can be a death sentence. Again, mentioned in the article, this type of containment is only meant to keep the dog in and doesn’t prevent any other animals from strolling into your yard.
Also, e-collars are a very similar tool but are mis-used about 90% of the time unless someone seeks professional help in how to train it. The word “NO” and the shock button combination are never to be used together in proper e-collar training. Hey Wayne…great opportunity for a new blog post. Proper e-collar usage.
Thanks for all the comments. It looks like there are some strong feelings when it comes to invisible fences.
I have a client who adopted/rescued a dog and within the first week of ownership installed the “Petsafe” fence! When he introduced his dog to this training with sound/mild static shock the dog bolted back to the house and is now afraid of his owner inside and outside his home and will only come to his son! The trust/bond between had been broken and several weeks later his dog still continues to avoid him completely even when offerd treats!
I have been giving him positive exercises to repair the relationship and slowly the dog is returning to normal! Realize when it comes to shelter or rescued dogs we don’t know their past!In addition relationships and trust are not achieved overnight! The structured leash walk is an excellent way for your dog gain confidence in you and himself! Take the time to make the relationship with positive training first before you introduce an electronic fence! Remember a dog can have different positive and negative reactions to corrective training,be positive for a couple of months to make sure the dog adjusts to their new and handler!
Take your time to build the relationship! Trust is something that is earned and should not be confused with love and attention!
We’ve had an Invisible Fence brand invisible fence for about 1.5 years now and it’s worked well. However, we let the battery get too old and dead and after a couple of weeks, the dog (1.5 year old Goldendoodle) discovered that she was no longer getting the sound/correction so she started crossing the fence … at all locations. We’ve replaced the battery but now, she escapes and won’t come back because she’ll get shocked coming back in the yard! So I’m at a loss what to do. It’s a lose/lose situation. I know we will get her trained again but it’s going to take more time.
So if you’re considering an Invisible Fence, do know about this limitation.
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