We are considering invisible fence. Any opinions?

Question

We live out in the country but still have neighbors. I have a 70 lb lab and a 6 month old golden retriever mix that is just as big as the lab. I have tried about everything to keep my lab from leaving the yard. She jumps chain link fence and what she can't jump she'll climb. Has snapped both chains and collars. We got a heavy collar and chain and she'll jump and spin until the collar spins off her neck. This is really our last option. We are not wanting to spend thousands of dollars putting up a six foot privacy fence for a house we are not going to stay in. I am just wanting to find out how these fences work and how well they work. Some ppl say shock, some say vibration.

Answer 1

If you get a electric fence,, don't get the cheap version that can be purchased from a Department Store, or wherever,,,, if your dog is hardheaded,, then trust me,, those won't work either!! We had a 80 pound Akita and a 140 pound Rottweiller and we had a company that we found in the yellow pages come install one for us in the backyard and it worked great!! But your going to pay big bucks for it!! We paid $1500 for ours and it covered about 1/2 acre,, BUT that was about 6 years ago!! So imagine how much it is now!! My Rottie learned right away now to get near the "line", my Akita was alittle more hardheaded. WE had to shave the hair around her neck where the prongs were because her hair was so thick. but trust me,, she learned real quick too!! You can change the level on them from 1 to 10,,, I'm not saying that the store bought ones wouldn't work for you,, because I guess it depends on the dog and how hard headed they are.. BUT the problem is also that it doesn't stop other dogs from coming on your property. Oh yea,, and when the electric goes out,, so does the fence.. but the dog doesn't know that! BUT we had a real bad snow storm one year and the electric was out for 6 days and on day 2 the Akita discovered that she could cross the line, and she was gone!!
So thats the cons of it too. If you live where you have alot of snow,, and the electtic goes out alot,, I wouldn't do it! Dogs are slick!! When the guy came and installed ours he put a outline of red flags all around where it was dug and thats what helped us the most in the snow.. The dogs knew what the flags meant and wouldn't go near them.. At first I thought it was cruel to get it,, but trust me, it only took them a couple times to learn not to cross it.. BUT like I said, theres alot of Pros and Cons when it comes to a electric fence. All I can say is if you do,,, make sure you have a backup for emergencies,, (no electric). WE had a runner we tied them up too when they we outside in bad weather. In the long run,, I found that a cable runner ran between 2 trees was the best way of keeping our Akita from escaping. Regular chains don't work! WE use cable wire. Honestly I can't say whether you should go with the electric fence because I don't know how hardheaded your dog is,, but from what you said,, I wouldn't get one unless you get it done professionally, and thats gonna cost you big bucks! I wish I had more positive things to say, but I'm just being honest! I hope my info helps you out with your decision!! Good luck~~!!

Answer 2

Many dogs will just plow through an invisible fence and if your lab is as determined as you describe, she'll probably be one of them. There is no guarantee it will work and it is not particularly humane. Also, invisible fences may keep your dog in, but it won't keep other dogs and animals out, which can be a big problem. They have also been attributed to aggression in some dogs, especially people friendly ones like goldens - they get shocked when people come close to the fence and it conditions them to think that people near the invisible fence are bad.

My suggestion is to add no-climb wire to your existing chain link fence. This is the type of fencing that angles inward so the dog can't climb over it. Our humane society uses it in their dog runs to stop climbers and it is very effective. It would probably cheaper to install than the invisible fence and will do a better job.

Also, is your dog spayed? That may help prevent wandering.

Answer 3

Well, I don't know scientifically how the invisible fences work, but in theory every time your dogs step over the underground wire, the collar shocks them. Apparently it works very well for some dogs. However, my neighbors tried it, and it really didn't go well. First, they put the wire too near to the sidewalk, so the dogs still could get close to people walking by. Then the bigger dog slipped her collar, walked right over the boundary and went out to chase cars as usual. If your dog is really good at pulling her collar off, then an invisible fence might not work well for you.

Answer 4

We have an Invisible Fence installed. It is great and not at all cruel b/c we had our puppy trained a few times after we got the fence. It's more of a correction than something that hurts them. He runs thru when he knows we forgot his special collar and it doesn't hurt him. He doesn't even go near the perimeter when he has the collar on. It's a good investment. I value my dogs life and with this fence we can be assured he is safe and contained. It comes with a lifetime guarantee so if the dog breaks thru it they will come out and adjust the collar so it's a stronger signal. We have a golden who's 6 mos and not a lot phases him so we need something that can keep him in. This works!

Answer 5

It depends on the dog's personality and the type of fence you get. Some fences will shock the dogs and send high pitched "bleep beep bleep"s to their ears untill they come back. I personally look at invisible fences as a last resort and it sounds like you have tried everything else so this is definitely not cruel of you to consider doing this. my friend's dog just walked through it and endured the beeping and shocking because he thoguht escaping to play with the neighbor's dog was worth it. my neighbor's dog got lost and had to hear the beeping for a long time because - try as it might - the poor thing couldn't find the way back home. By the time my neighbors found him he was not looking good and the poor thing was still dealing with the beeping - they immediately took the fence down. Good luck!

Answer 6

I am against shock collars and fences. Would you put your child in a shocked fence or collar? It is cruel and inhumane.

If you spent more time with your dogs training them they would not jump the fence or run away. They are bored. You do not tie up dogs at any time. TRAIN YOUR DOGS! It is not that difficult to do. If you don't want to train them, find them a good owner that will spend the time with them.

You say you have a "heavy collar and chain" for her. That is just not right. That is not necessary.

Answer 7

Firstly I would like to say that any type of Shock correction is cruel, whether its an electric fence, invisible fence, or just a normal shock collar. If your dog keeps escaping, make the fence higher, or add an inward facing fence top to your fence making it unclimbable for the dog.

The only expense their would be some chainlink, and a few pieces of steel bar to bolt to your existing fence with an inward slope. If your only option is to resort in using shock collars, and invisible fences then you should not own a dog. Dogs are animals, just like we are. would you like it if someone put a collar on you and said if you walk past that line your gonna get a shock....no you wouldn't and neither do the dogs. Its cruel and inhumane.

Simple solution: make the fence unclimbable, and this is the cheapest safest, most humane option.

Shock collars would not be banned in most places in the world if they were safe would they? you decide.

Answer 8

I have an invisible fence brand fence for my 2 Golden's. The sensation they fell is like that of a electric razor on very high speed.
Most of the time it keeps my dogs right in the yard, but if your dog is of the mind to run through the fence and doesn't mind the correction then it's going to do it. I have one Golden that if he sees a squirrel and in intent on chasing it he's off. The other doesn't even go far enough to set his collar off to beep.
The times the other one has escaped I can count on one hand but it does happen. Personally I'd rather have the fence than not but I do still keep a look out for the one escape artist.

The key to this type of fence is the training. Get it done by the professionals. I know I couldn't have done it my self.
I've had the fence for 4 years now and even with the once in a blue moon break out I love it.

Answer 9

No. Your first option was not to get the dogs if you can't take care of them properly.

"Shock" collars are illegal in some areas and in many countries because of their cruelness.

Also, they don't protect your dogs from predators or people.

And, if a dog sees something that they want, they will often run through the fence to get it.

Either build a fenced yard or bring your dogs inside. Dogs should not be allowed outside without supervision anyway.

Answer 10

Many a dog has bolted through the fence and sustains the shock and b/c of that shock , will not cross back into the yard; a neighbor's dog would always take the shock and bolt and then not come back ; if something is interesting on the other side, good bye dog