Invisible Fence

[Taylor]

We need to install a fence this year to allow Brutus more time outside. I really don't like the look of most fences, plus our property isn't real well suited for this without spending thousands upon thousands of dollars.

We are currently considering an invisible fence. Our trainer is against them but we don't always agree with everything they say (too much pyschology).

Anyone have any experience with invisible fencing?

 

[Lyn5]

I didn't want to use an invisible fence on my dog, but in the end we had to. She had a very large pen to play in (over 4,000 sf) but would still get out and roam (mostly chasing small rodents and other wild animals). We tried so many things to keep her in there and spent a lot of money, but she was very smart and would do amazing things to get out. Last month DH installed the fence. He had it on a low setting and she got zapped twice...and then was smart enough to learn where not to go. She has been close to home ever since. Now, I wish we had done it long ago instead of wasting so much money on upgrading our pens several times.

 

[Feralpeg]

Just remember, it may keep your dog in, but it won't keep other dogs, children, etc. out. I would be afraid to have my large dog out where a child might see him and decide to play. Although my dog is as gentle as a lamb, you just never know what a child will do and how a dog will react. Since my dog is a beautiful golden retriever, I'd also be afraid of someone stealing him.

I have a friend who had an invisible fence. It didn't keep her dog in. The dog would see other dogs and kids and take off running. Yes, she would feel the zap, but by that time she was through the fence. The fence people told my friend that some dogs just aren't bothered by the electric charge as much as others.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I'm opposed to anything that would administer an electric shock to a dog (why would somebody want to administer a shock to their beloved pet?). But even if this is not a consideration for you, shock collars work for some dogs and don't work for others. Some dogs don't care about the shocks and are not stopped by them (neighbors of ours have a boxer who repeatedly wanders into the street despite the shock collar); some dogs are devastated by the shocks and have personality changes (my brother stopped using a shcok collar on his dog because of this)..

 

[disneynutt1225]

We have one for our beagle and he's been doing really well with it over the last month. He's been shocked a few times and has since learned where NOT to go, and he's completely fine with it. We mainly had it installed because we moved in with my parents and my mother is disabled so she wouldn't be able to walk him during the day if he had to go out. Now, all she has to do is open the sliding glass door and he goes in the backyard. It's working out for us so far.

 

[nealymouse]

We have the IF system. Had it installed by the company vs neighbors who installed a genic brand them selves.

I LOVE THE SYSTEM. It went down once about 2 years after we had it installed and the company came right out and fixed it. no charge. Our neighbors system goes down alot and they have of fix it them selves.

I worried sick about our 3 dogs. We have a very large piece of land and could not afford to fence even a 1/4 of it. So the IF system was the right choice for us.

Our dogs have not worn their collars for the last 2 years because they will not cross the IF line.

It does take some getting used to. And Yes I really did cry seeing my beloved pet shocked. But not nearly as hard or long as the day my DD beloved cat was hit and killed. This is what convinced us to buy the system.

I hated tying the dogs out on a chain when we could not be out there with them.

I also think its the type of dog you have for this system. We have Newfoundlands who are layed back and not at all hyper so they are not the dog to chase a cat or squirl. My sister who also has the system has a Great Dane who never stayed in the IF line (that is what Brutis is?) But then they had the system installed when their dog was older.

We love it but have gotten flamed all along for having it so be sure to wear the flame suit.

 

[Jynohn]

We have our Great Dane, Cricket, on an Invisible Fence and it's one of the best purchases we ever made. She loves being able to have the run of the yard instead of being confined to a pen or a chain. Great Danes do not have a high prey/chase drive so I wouldn't worry too much about Brutus going through the fence (as long as he's neutered!)

Cricket only received one "shock" and has never gone near the line since. I don't think they're cruel at all. I felt the shock myself, and while definitely not pleasant, it was just enough to make you go "ouch" and pull your hand away. Because of the IF, Cricket's a happier dog because she can run free whenever she wants, and I don't have to worry about someone accidentally leaving a gate open and her getting hit by a car.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Jynohn

 

[Crankyshank]

my parents are looking to install one for their yard to allow their pug more free reign outside. Their neighbors have one for their lab and it works out extremely well for them.
It really depends on not only the breed but the personality of the individual dog and how much of a chase/prey drive they have.
For example, I have 2 beagles. There's no way I would have one installed because they have such a high prey/chase drive. Mine are champion escape artists as it is - my male can leap a 4.5 ft retaining wall. I do know someone with a beagle that is such a roly poly bask in the sun girl with no interest in chasing scents and the IF works fine with her.

 

[DawnCt1]

We have had our IF for at least 9 years. We absolutely love it. It gives Annie the room she needs to exercize, other dogs come in and she wears them out but she can't leave with them. Of course she is a standard poodle and when we put it in she was still a puppy and couldn't read then. I think now I could just install the signs.

 

[mickman1962]

I love it for our beagle, here's another post about it
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1043526

 

[padams]

We have an IF and are very happy with it. Our dog loves to be outside, and he is much happier with the IF than being tied to a leash.

When the IF is installed, flags are placed around the fence line every few feet and the system is not turned on. For several weeks, we trained our dog not to go near the flags. Once he knew not to go near the flags, the system was turned on. At that point, he wore the IF collar with a guard so he only heard a beep if he approached the IF- no shock. Finally, after about a month from the time of installation, we took the guard off the collar. We had to drag him to the IF so he could feel the shock. He only felt it once.

 

[tworkit]

I'm opposed to anything that would administer an electric shock to a dog (why would somebody want to administer a shock to their beloved pet?). But even if this is not a consideration for you, shock collars work for some dogs and don't work for others. Some dogs don't care about the shocks and are not stopped by them (neighbors of ours have a boxer who repeatedly wanders into the street despite the shock collar); some dogs are devastated by the shocks and have personality changes (my brother stopped using a shcok collar on his dog because of this)..

I'm opposed to scraping dogs off the wheels of my cars when they run out in the road. I'd rather shock my dog then bury it.

 

[minkydog]

It probably works for some dogs. It didn't work for mine. I have a Standard Poodle, very smart dog. It didn't take him long at all to figure out he could just take the hit and then have free reign of the neighborhood all day long. In fact, it taught him not to come back--because he would get shocked. We ended up fencing a portion of our yard under teh shade trees, about 25' x30'. He goes there for his potty. we have since then fenced in the rest of the yard which is pretty large, so the dog can run & play without having to be on a leash. Good luck with the invisible fence, though. i hope it works better for you than it did for me

 

[Jpgirl]

We had an IF for our 2 dogs in Ohio. It worked pretty good but we did end up putting in a picket fence b/c as someone else said-it does not keep other dogs or kids out of the yard. Plus, one of our dogs was extremely smart. We kept going through batteries-like one a month. We kept a close eye on her and figured out her game. Her collar gave an audible warning and she would spend her time outside walking close enough to the line to get the warning but not the shock. When she no longer heard the signal she knew it was safe to go over the fence to rid the world of squirrels. Sadly she ended up with cancer and passed on-smartest dog I ever had. In order to get the most out of your fence and not freak your dog you have to train the dog to the fence. Both dogs received one shock each and never crossed the live wire again. Oh yeah this too-we had one of the dogs get shocked during a nasty thunderstorm (lightning hit in the yard-the dogs were inside). The IF people said this couldn't happen but dh minored in electrical engineering and said it could. So we always removed the collars during bad weather. Good luck

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I'm opposed to scraping dogs off the wheels of my cars when they run out in the road. I'd rather shock my dog then bury it.

Are those really the only two choices? I've had 3 dogs total over the last 26 years and never had to contain them by administering shocks.

 

[Lyn5]

I am not sure what brand of fence we have (DH purchased it) but the shocks are not painful...at least not to me...and DH zapped me on the highest setting It is more a discomfort I thought. And before anyone comments, yes, I understand that a person is different from a dog...but I am barely over a 100 pounds and he had it on the highest setting...my doggie has her collar on the lowest setting. She is just too smart in getting out of her pen and I personally think she is much happier having a couple acres to roam in that to be tied up. Again, she got a couple zaps and learned where not to go...she is not being electricuted all day long.

 

[poohlover]

We have had the IF for over 15 years now! I've never had a problem with it...we've had Rotties, Mastiffs (the BIGGEST babies!!), & now Newfoundlands!

Most of our dogs once trained, won't have a battery in...or a working one at least! As long as the collar is on they respect the fence line. Wasn't hard work, just a busy 2 weeks or so. Pretty easy to "walk the line" & teach them.

I do agree that this WON'T keep out other animals & people. So if you have roaming dogs this may NOT work well. We are set off the street...can't see the house from the St, & have LOTS of woods around, so this works great! You do have to be careful if the dog gets OUT & won't come back IN because he is getting shocked.

I did have a friend whose golden CHEWED thru the wire after digging it up several times!! A very SMART & persistant dog!

Good luck! and Brutus is beautiful!!

 

[Miller1412]

We have an IF for our yellow lab and it's wonderful. Our beagle barely goes off the back porch, but the yellow lab was starting to wander and we live near a busy road, so we invested in one.

Not only does it keep her in (she's only been shocked 2x that I know of...she gets a warning beep before that will happen, and she's learned the limits quickly) but it gives her a chance to be outside and get lots of run time. We've also taught her to ring a bell inside, so if she wants to go out, she rings the bell on the door and she can go out and play. She's become the playmate of the neighborhood kids. It was well worth it IMO.

 

[nucpharm29]

We love ours! Our little "angel" would climb over fences so we had to come up with another option. The invisible fence keeps her well contained. We have a wireless model; it emits a signal from a box in our house at a radius we set. We got the wireless model so that we could take it with us when we eventually move. The only prob. we have is that her radio collar seems to suck batteries dry really quickly, so we have to be on the ball changing them frequently.