I am thinking of getting an invisible electric fence for my dogs. (I have four lab/bull terrier mixes and a beagle). I would like any tips or advice on what kind to get, what to do and not to do, etc.
Our neighbors down the road just installed an invisible fence for three dogs thinking that it would be wonderful if they could be out in the yard with their dogs off leash as we do with our (naturally clingy and very well behaved) dog. They were realistic about being able to train their dogs to drop pursuit as ours does and didn't want to mar their yard with a fence.
The training was intensive, but worked well....until the children from a few houses down started to wander into the yard every time they see the "puppies!" outside. Unfortunately, invisible fences don't keep unsupervised children and crazy neighbors out. The dogs as a result are rarely outside off the lead, we live in a high foot traffic part of town and you never know who will decide to wander into the backyard.
If you have some space in your yard and know the neighbors well I think an invisible fence can be a great thing (especially with five dogs that LOVE to play)... just keep in mind that it won't keep people (or stray animals) out.
The Invisible fence did not work for our two dogs. Our 60-70lbs dogs learned quickly to walk with their necks down low (like they were sniffing the ground). Because of this the contacts on collar would not touch their skin as they walked right over the invisible fence. Tightening of the collar did not fix this problem.
Hi, we have an invisible fence and we love it. It does not keep other dogs/animals out though! We had one with the wire that runs around the perimeter. DON'T get one of those. Get the wireless system. It is very effective! You can set it high for stubborn dogs and low for layed back ones. It will correct them for 30 seconds or until they come back in the yard. It only takes a couple of times of hearing the warning beep and getting a corrective zap.
Any of the 'invisible' fences MAY keep your dogs contained, but they WON'T keep other dogs, coyotes, wolves, etc out!
I've had an invisible fence for our two lab dogs for over a year. I would only recommend it as a back up to an actual physical fence. Our dogs were digging out under the wooden fence. That's why we put in the invisible fence. It works great this way. We have the PetSafe brand. We have a neighbor who only has the invisible fence and no physical fence. Her dog chases people and other dogs without giving a thought to the correction from the invisible fence. In our area these fences are not recognized as legal confinement. You should check your city's local ordinances first. These fences are not 100% confinement.
I'm a dog trainer and can offer you some advice that seems missing from the previous posts.
If you choose this punishment-based approach, then you should factor in animal behaviourist fees as well as any lawsuits. Dogs learn by association and problems can arise easily if the dogs connect the pain with something else, such as children. Dog sees children. Dog loves children and wants to play. Dog gets zapped. Dog learns to dislike or fear children. One day dog bites children in anticipation of the pain.
Oh, and turning up the pain to high isn't a logical solution. If the dog doesn't respond to a physical correction, then doing more of the same doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. They'll just learn to tolerate more to get what they want. Ever see dogs pulling hard with choke collars on? To the point where they gag themselves? They are willing to put up with a lot to get what they want (i.e. a walk outside).
Also consider the malfunctioning of these collars. There are cases where the collars have burned holes into dog's necks, haven't shut off, zap for no reason, etc.
My advice: get a real fence.
My dog learned to sit down and scratch her collar until it turned to the side, so that no correction was delivered (this was a bark collar). One other thing the electric fence won't do is: prevent theft of the dog.
I don't like them at all. They won't protect you pet from animals coming in and attacking them. Remember your dogs is the only one that can't get out.....others can come in. Also, if they see a rabbit, squirrel, another dog, they are out of there. Some dogs don't care about how badly they get shocked. They take that risk. I saw a dog get hurt becasue other animals could get in. Just my opinion.
We used invisible fencing for our two dogs, one was 25 lbs. and the other was 120 lbs. We never had a problem. Of course, it won't keep other animals out but you are not supposed to leave your dogs out when you are not home when you are using the invisible fencing. The most important thing to remember if you are considering this fencing is that your dogs are obedient. If your dogs do not know basic commands, don't bother using it. They must be able to understand and they do if they are taught.
Our dogs never left our property unless they were leashed. That's how we taught them. Our neighbors appreciated that they weren't allowed to roam. I know some people who have purchased the fencing and expected the dogs to understand how it worked. You must have the time and patience to teach them. Some dogs learn faster than others. Dogs want to please their owners. You must give them a lot of praise when they do well. If done right, the invisible fencing will work. I feel that it is the best if planned properly.
Thank you for the feedback. I am still investigating. I will look into the wireless from PetSafe.
If you could - I would suggest a real fence. These electric fences do not work for every dog so there is no guarantee anyway. They don't sound like the ideal choice - good luck in finding a solution.
Please remember also that if a dog does go through the invisible fence, that it may not be willing to get shocked again to get back in. Therefore your dog is running lose and my be in harms way. Cars, theft, being shot etc.
I do not recommend installing Invisible Fencing! I have a wonderful lab, that is trained, However, She justs runs through to take the shock. The fencing cost us, along with 2 recievers around 2200.00. I have noticed that she is seeming agggresive towards other dogs. We now are building a real fence. Don't make my mistake..invest in a real fence.
We have a fenced in yard and got the invisible fencing to run around the inside of the yard because our lab kept jumping the fence. It says it takes two weeks to train your dog. It took twice for Patrick to get shocked and he was trained in less then 15 minutes.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How do German Shepherd/Husky mixes do on wireless fences?
By Chrissy B
You would have to try it. Each individual dog will respond to it differently. Some will learn the first time, some it takes longer and some may not at all.
