Electric "fenceless" dog fence

Anybody have or use these? We have a large dog that stays in the house and let him out on a runner aside from walking him on a leash. Can't afford to fence the back yard. He is hyper as he needs to be able to run free.

I've always thought these shock collar things were cruel but I'm starting to think we need to try this. It's just scary to think there is nothing holding him in the yard. He is a sweet dog and loves everybody so I know he wouldn't hurt anyone if he did get free.

Anyway it's hard to argue a couple hundred bucks vs a couple thousand for a fence. Our subdivision requires decorative front facing fence, vinyl coated chain link, and then has to be aproved by the homeowners association. I've priced it out and figured even if I installed it myself was over 2 grand.

So anyone with experience with these can you share your opinions? Good or bad.

 

what happens if he goes past the electric?

e/ by this i mean from my understanding, its a plus/minus x feet from the wire in the ground, so when he is past it, there is not much telling him to go back.

 

I don't know? I'm just starting to learn about these. My thought was I would have to keep him on a leash until he learns the shock part. Also I understand that it beeps before he gets too close and shocked so he is supposed to learn when he hears that to stop before the shock. And that the shock will get stronger as he gets closer. But this is why I'm looking for more input.

 

These systems work by planting a wire into the ground that sends a signal to the collar that the dog wears when the dog get's to close it'll beep first if they don't back away from the wire it'll shock them. The only problem with this system is that the collars work on both sides of the wire. Say the wire shocks when you get 2 yards from the wire, well it'll shock the dog when you're 2 yards on either side and once you're out of rage of the wire it stops shocking the dog. I got attacked by 2 full grown boxers and while I blame the owners for lack of proper supervision/improper training and not the dog's as they were just doing what their instincts told them to, the wire fence did jack shit to keep them from running after and biting me. Just something to think about as I was sitting on a gold mine when those dogs bit me and could have sued the owners for all they were worth. Homeowners Association's and having to spend all that extra money sucks ball's but if you have a dog I'd tell you to get a real fence especially in today's sue happy world.

 

My parents use it for their dog. Only problem is he passed through it once and was afraid to come back into the yard because he got shocked everytime he got close to the perimeter.

 

Years ago I was building a house & the neighbor's had one of these and their dog didn't give a shit & walked right through it every day

 

I was thinking of getting on of those fences, but my dog trainer said that they are no good, told me any type of shock collar training is no good for dogs, so he trained my dog where the boundary lines are in the yard and now the dog never passes it unless I'm there and call him.

 

I will say though that they would probably be good for a properly raised and obedient dog. If they other wise wouldn't run out the collar would probably make them stay in if he just got fixated on chasing a squirrel or something.

 

we thought about doing something similar when we were planting a patch of grass one year; (we didn't want the dogs messing up the soil).
decided not to, but we tried wooden stakes and caution tape around the perimeter instead and it worked like a charm. not sure i would do this if it could risk him leaving the yard though.

 

I've bought and used one. The thing with these is you don't just set it up and put the collar on and hope it works. You actually have to incorporate some boarder/perimeter training with them. The kit I bought also came with small white flags you stick in the ground to give them a visual of where the perimeter is along the shock line. You have drills to do with them. Be patient and put in some time (as we all know with dogs) and I think I did 15 minutes of training a day for a week and it was all good. However, if they see something that triggers their genetic instincts they'll take off.

 

My buddy has one for his two Golden Retrievers. There was a learning curve for them, but they figured out fairly quickly where to stop to avoid being shocked. After awhile he took the collars off unless he was going to be away for a significant period of time. It's really a training aid, you're teaching the dog to stay in the yard.

His male Golden does occasionally get extra excited chasing something and run through it, then can't get back "in" the yard.

 

I've got the wireless verson. It works great. Work with the dog and all will be good. Here's a link to the kind I have.
http://www.petsafe.net/products/fencing-and-containment/wireless-fences/wireless-containment-system

FWIW, I've heard that the wire in the ground type can allow a close-by lightning strike to follow that wire into your home.

 

This ^ is the kind I used to have, no dog now. They work awesome. Beats the burying a wire in the ground method. You can get them at whatever size you want I think, mount the box on your house, and it makes a big circle the dog can't leave. You put flags around the yard to show them where the boundary is (only for training) and the collar starts to beep when they get to the boundary. The closer they get the faster it beeps. Then when they pass it, it starts shocking. Its the best way to do it, in my opinion.

 

That's what we have as well and it works so well that the batteries in the collar have been dead for 3 years and the dog still won't leave the yard with the collar on.

 

Hahaha well at least the dog got trained well with it!

 

I've spoken to several dog trainers and all of them were opposed to using the elctronic fencelss fence. They said it can cause a dog to become socially anxious and possibly afraid of going into the back-yard. The main thing is most people don't use it appropriately as a training tool. Rather than work with your dog to become aware of their boundaries, too many owners will leave the dog alone to it's own devices unattended in a yard with the fence. The dog not knowing or seeing what it's boundary is receives a shock and does not equate A with B. My recommendation would be to pony up the money for a fence which would also secure off your property, or use a lanyard and tether.

 

^^^^^ This,,,,,,, a pal from N. Fla had the E- fence for there vizsla.. The dog ran after a cat from next door and out in the street, Was hit by a car so after 3 k in vet bills and a lost leg they now have a 6 ft green coated link fence....If Im selling a pup and the peeps have no fence,, no pup for you get out,,, Long story short no fn e fence!!!! Jim

 

this is the one we use works great and the best part you can unplug it and bring it with you when you go to a friends house and plug it in over there. no wire. you can adjust it on the box you plug in how far the dog can go.

 

take the collar and walk out to a foot before where you want the dog to stop and have someone else turn the dial on the box you plug in until the collar starts to beep. done.

 

We have one at my parents' house, since the area is too big (3.5 acres) for a traditional fence. We have a lab and a beagle, and it has literally saved the life of the beagle. I'm a big believer in them. It has not in the least caused either of them to have any kind of anxiety about going outside. Included in the price of the fence were training sessions with the guy who runs the company...he would bring his dog out and teach our dogs not to go past the boundary, etc. Was it perfect at first? No. Does the beagle sometimes escape? Yes, but that's been about 4 times total and it was because my parents got lazy and stopped putting the collars on when they went outside, and he figured out pretty quickly to associate 'no collar' with 'free rein'. Putting the collars on all the time has fixed that, and he hasn't shown any interest in leaving the past 2 years.

Had it 5 years now and don't think I'd ever do anything different. We have the "Invisible Fence" brand.