Any experience with an electric/invisible fences?

[mkymouse1928]

We've had one for over 14 years and love it! We have an acre and a third yard, so this gives our dogs the run of the entire yard. I don't know the circumstances of the others getting out, but we don't leave our dogs outside when we leave the house. Yes, it keeps the dogs in, but doesn't keep the other critters out. In fact, the squirrels taunt our dogs. They know that if they run to the neighbors yard, the dogs won't follow!

Ours is done by Invisible Fence Inc and they've been great to work with. In fact, we just had a problem of new batteries not working and they solved the problem and gave us new batteries at no cost to us.

The "shock" is like hitting your funny bone. At least that's what my DH tells me! Once the dogs know where the line is, they normally stay away from the edge, unless they are lured there by another dog or person.

I highly recommend it! (I just wish I could have used it for the kids, but I think CPS frowns on that.)

Hehe...my neighbor's cat does this to my dogs! She knows just where there boundary is and she paces back and forth just of reach. It is hysterical to watch!

We didn't have ours professionally installed, but we did follow the training guide to the "T" and it has worked beautifully. Both my dogs know their boundary and stop before getting there even if running full speed. I agree, it doesn't keep things out of the yard, it just keeps them in the yard. Which is why I bought it.

Again, they really aren't allowed out unsupervised to prevent any mishaps, but this does allow them some freedom when we are outside playing, and it prevents us from having to constantly yell at them to stay in the yard. I do let them out without being out there in the first thing in the morning and in the evenings to do their business, but I usually stand by the door and watch them.

Another note on the batteries: Our collars blink when the battery starts to get low. We keep a spare set and change them right away. I always test the collar to make sure it is working after changing the battery. Also, because we have had it for several years, we noticed the batteries last about 8 weeks, so we also keep track that way and have changed them several times before the low battery light started blinking.

And to the poster who asked about ever being shocked. Yep, I have, and it wasn't the most horrible experience in the world. No, it didn't feel good, but it was over in a second, and it only took my dogs one time of testing their boundaries to learn.

 

[DawnCt1]

Best money I ever spent! I had it installed by Invisible Fence. They stand by the product and guarantee your dog will be able to be trained. You can't just put it in and forget about it.. There is a very detailed sequence to follow with flags, rewards, safe areas, treats and that is before the collar is even active.

I have 2 hounds, one a beagle. The fence is fantastic. They can work with big dogs, small dogs, and even hardheaded ones.

When training, the initial training is when the dog is on a leash. They are not just let outside and expected to know what to do. If you go with the professional install, you get the guarantee, the support and the training help you need. It takes a couple of weeks, but then is heaven.

We have the same fence. It was wonderful for Annie, our first standard poodle. It gave her the freedom and safety she needed. We got Jude at the age of 8 and I didn't want to train him to it at that age. He is a very private dog with regard to his business and he wouldn't have been able to go into the woods to do it. He stays in the yard the vast majority of the time but this morning he ran across the street to see if "April", the lab was outside. She wasn't but he slipped on the ice that was near the curb. (he's okay). I am glad that he is feeling good enough to be disobedient.

 

[lovepurple]

We used to have one when we lived in a neighborhood that didn't allow fences. It worked great for our German Shepherd, not so much for the yellow lab. He loved to chase squirrels and nothing could stop him from doing that. Once out of the yard he would not come back in until we took off his collar. I carried his collar a few times forgetting not to touch both contact points and got the shock myself. We never left our dogs out unattended because the invisible fence not only won't stop them if they have a mind to chase something, but it also does not keep other dogs or children for that matter out of your yard. Another big issue we had was everytime we had a lightening storm it would hit the line somewhere and we'd have to call the company out for repairs.
I now live in a home with a large privacy fence and think it is much better.

 

[DrCavin]

I loved it, wouldn't want a dog without it. If getting a real fence is not an option, I would recommend invisible fence.

My dog wants to be outside a lot & if I had to be with him all the time, then i wouldn't be able to have him. Now I just open the door & let him go out. I check on him from time-2-time and usually he is just walking around or chasing birds.

 

[Green Tea]

It is interesting that other folks have noticed dogs don't stop when chasing cats or squirrels. My scent hounds are crazy chasers and runn full steam ahead to get someone to play with them, but they stop before they get to the line. The cats know just where to stop on the far side. Squirrels? Not so much.

 

[PirateSnowmen]

We used to have one when we lived in NY, and it worked most of the time. We have a golden retriever/lab mix, and every now and then he'd see something and bolt for it. Of course, once he felt the shock going out, there was no way he'd want to feel it again coming back in. Luckily, he never wandered anywhere when it happened - he'd just sit at the edge of our yard . He never did make the connection that his collar was what shocked him, because even if we would take off his collar there was still no way he would cross the line to get back into our yard. We would have to put him in the car to get him back into the yard. There was this one time where my mom was about to go to bed when she looked outside only to see our dog bolt through the invisible fence. Since it was winter, she had to bundle up, get in the car, drive around the corner, trudge out into 3ft of snow, get the dog, and put him in the car. She was NOT happy

 

[Jynohn]

I think it depends on the individual dog, but we have Great Danes and it works great for us. The biggest issue we've had is not with the fence or batteries failing, but with the dogs chewing the collars off of each other and breaking them. At $100+ a collar, it can get expensive if you have a chewer!

 

[Disnydad]

Works great for our two dogs (Yorkie & Mini Schnauzer). I think the only time they got shocked was once each during training. From then on once they heard the warning beep they'd turn around. Now a year after the install they never even get close enough for even the warning beep to go off.

 

[kayla87]

It seems like the reviews are pretty mixed. I only personally know one person who has one, but it doesn't stop their dog from darting out if it really wants to. Personally, I would never barricade my dog in an invisible fence while letting the rest of the world in. We get a lot of loose dogs around our yard, plus there are kids all over the place. Buy a tasteful fence. If you ever want to sell your home I'm sure future homeowners (who may have kids) will appreciate a real fence.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

IMO, unless they are 100% reliable, they are no good. It only takes that one single time where the dog gets through, and they could be gone forever. We used to have one we installed ourselves, and our dogs would get out. I guess they thought it was worth the one time sting to be free. Then of course they didn't want to get stung coming back in. I never relied on it again. Two sets of neighbors have had them, the ones across the street may have been owner failings, but the other one - everything was working fine, but Bubba, the golden retriever, just got too good of a running start and broke through his fence while I was walking my two dogs. He came over and started a fight with my male who was willing to give it a go even at 12 years of age. I yelled "NO BUBBA!" at him and he stopped long enough for his owner to call him over.

So I guess my answer is that if I loved my dog, which I do, I wouldn't trust it all the time. And if I can't do that, I don't want it.

 

[mickeyfan9194]

I LOVE our Invisible Fence, and we've had no problems with our golden retriever/yellow lab getting through. It was professionally installed and our dog was trained by one of their trainers. The dog knows the boundries so well that half the time he doesn't even have the collar on and still won't go near the edges. We have a pretty large yard, so he still has room to run. True, it doesn't keep other animals out, but our dog is not allowed outside without some kind of supervision. If I see other dogs running loose, I just have to bring him inside. I can't help what other idiot dog owners do.

 

[crz4mm2]

Best money I ever spent! I had it installed by Invisible Fence. They stand by the product and guarantee your dog will be able to be trained. You can't just put it in and forget about it.. There is a very detailed sequence to follow with flags, rewards, safe areas, treats and that is before the collar is even active.

I have 2 hounds, one a beagle. The fence is fantastic. They can work with big dogs, small dogs, and even hardheaded ones.

When training, the initial training is when the dog is on a leash. They are not just let outside and expected to know what to do. If you go with the professional install, you get the guarantee, the support and the training help you need. It takes a couple of weeks, but then is heaven.

Totally agree! my Boston Terrier was determined to leave the yard, chase whatever.... So I tried one, not thinking it would work. Lo and behold, she stays in the boundaries. EVEN without her collar on.
Miracle for us.

 

[kellydizfan]

We have a 4 year old Australlian Shepard and we have the invisable fence. We trained him properly and he hasn't escaped. During the summer we leave him out all day and he goes out on his own during the winter to do what he needs to do. He does chase the squirrels but knows enought to stay within the boundries. The batteries have died on us and he still remains within the property. We live on a dead end road and have 1.34 acres of land that he roams. We have a very nasty neighbor on the one side of us and she antagonizes him and he stays within the yard - he does bark alot at her and he knows that she doesn't like him. She has White German Sheppard and is a vet tech - get that one. We have recommended it to several of our friends who have gone on to purchase the fence and they love it also. They have German Sheppards and Labs. We do have a Morkie who is an indoor dog - we don't let him out like our Aussie due to the animals - hawks, coy dogs, bear, etc. He doesn't like big dogs either other than his brother.

 

[cassie]

I love ours, it's Dog Watch, and it's the best investment for us. We had it installed professionally last Sept for a 1.5yo terrier, and a boxer puppy was 3 mos. The terrier caught on quick, the pup, being rambunctious, a few zaps longer. The first couple days the trainer came, they loved her. After the system was on, they were not too happy to see her, but the training was very beneficial. Holding the collar one time, my daughter got zapped, and she said it felt like getting an electric shock during the dry winter months.

 

[Minnie]

We love ours.... it works very well even with our Aussie - strong drive herding dog that would chase anything if she could

However.... we live in the country (10 acres) and don't need to worry about anyone teasing our dogs or causing any other problems. If I lived in town I would have a traditional style fence.