Has anyone ever used the Invisible Fence pet fence?

Question

If so, how effective is it, and how much? My little Yorkie and Springer Spaniel are escape artists, and they love to run down the street. I'm afraid that one day they're going to run away and never come back. I thought about a real fence, but I'm afraid they'll dig underneath it, and my community won't let me put sand bags underneath the fence. The invisible fence sseems like a good solution, but is it cost-effective, and most importantly, pet-effective?

Answer 1

I wouldn't recommend it. Yes, it will keep them from going out (most of the time, there are some dogs that prove there are exceptions) but they do not keep any predators out of your yard...including people wanting to steal your pets!

Answer 2

I have had this type of fence for almost 10 years. Huskies are escape artists. We have 14 of them. The only thing that I have found that they can't go over or under is invisible type fencing. Some folks say that it doesn't work on Huskies. They don't know what they are talking about. You can't buy the cheap stuff, like what they sell at Lowe's or Home Depot or PetSmart etc. I doubt that a IF dealer will sell you a system for DIY installation. The best system that I have found is the Smart Dog 2100 by Innotek. You can find it on line at several sites, discounted for less than $300.00 with 2 collars. Extra collars are about $80.00. The kit has everything needed. The collars are rechargeable (unlike the "Invisible Fence" and most others where you have to buy the proprietary (one place to get it = expensive) batteries every 3 or so months), has battery backup for the transmitter, run through prevention, waterproof, etc. Innotek now owns Invisible Fence brand. My best friend is a IF dealer. He installed mine prior to Innotek buying IF though I have added areas and done repairs myself. Installation is fairly easy. Use a gas or electric edger to dig the "trench" for the wire. The wire only has to be buried 1 or 2 inches down. If you have to cross areas of concrete use a circular saw with a masonry blade. If you have to cross a gravel driveway make the trench a little wider and put the wire in a old piece of garden hose to protect it. The wire can even be installed under water using a hose. Be sure to use heat shrink type splices in the wire if needed for longer stretches. They are available at marine supply stores. Do not use the "weatherproof wire nuts" from Lowe's etc. They will not work for this application. The key is taking the time to train your pet. I have known of people to pay big money to install a fence, strap the collar on their dog and then complain that the fence is junk when the dog blows right through it. Also, you do not mention the breed of dog. Longhaired breeds require a longer contact probe on the collar (these are included with the system above). Training may take awhile, one of ours took 18 months (she was a bit stubborn) before we trusted her, most were pretty good in a month or so and we have one that it only took 3 days! The amazing thing is that we can take the collar off, put them on a leash and when we head towards the perimeter their brakes come on immediately! You can also block off areas of the yard that you don't want them in. When hurricane Isabelle came through we had no power for 3 weeks, the terrain was changed with all the fallen trees, and the underground wire for the fence was damaged and NONE of the kids even tried the fence. As I said earlier, the people who say that it doesn't work don't know what they are talking about. We have 14 Huskies (15 until we lost one over the summer due to medical reasons), all free to run around, contained in our 6 acre yard. And no I am not a dealer ..... just a satisfied customer with 14 hardheaded Huskies most of them rescued as adults. We can leave them outside unsupervised for hours with no problems though we do bring them in when we leave. It will not keep other animals out including the neighbor’s brats. Neither will a 6 foot stockade fence ... this I learned when I lived elsewhere and was attacked by a neighbors dog in my back yard. As far as people being scared of dogs, well if a 15 to 20 foot barrier field isn't enough, neither would a chain link fence be. Besides, if the pet stays on your property who cares if they are unreasonably scared. As far as a dog running through ... well yes, that could happen, however, with proper training it is unlikely. Huskies have an extremely high prey drive. Where we live we have a lot of wildlife, large and small. The kids will line up along the edge of the field and watch the rabbits, geese, deer etc. They won't challenge the fence. The deer and geese have learned where the kids can and cannot go and will stay just outside "Husky country". Sometimes within 5 feet of the kids. As I said it does work. The key is training. That is the most important part of the installation of the fence 25 years of being owned by Siberian Huskies. I currently have 14 Huskies most of whom were rescued by us from people who didn’t know what they were getting into..

Answer 3

An invisible fence is good and it works. Just be careful, my neighbor down the street has one and their dog figured out that if the collar doesn't beep they can escape. The dog would sit by the fence for days and days until the collar stopped beeping (the battery died) and then would take off. Also, make sure the fence goes around the perimeter of the property. The only had the fence on the street side and the little smart a$$ figured it out and would escape from the back yard.

Answer 4

We love being able to let our dog out and know she's going to stay in the yard. Even when a rabbit or another dog goes by she'll go to the edge and stop. The Invisible Fence Co. will guarantee that they can train your dog to not "break" thru the fence too. The "shock" that is delivered is not really even a shock. It feels like a static electricity shock. It scares the dog more than it hurts them. The fence is recommended by the humane society. The only problem is that its not cheap. We have about a 1/3 of an acre fenced in and it cost us almost $1700.

Answer 5

I had an instant fence by the same company a little while back I loved it it gave me a 90 foot circular area for the dog to run .Cost about $150.00 at Tractor Supply .But read up on any thing you are going to get . Then you can make the right decision for you and your dog.

Answer 6

many dogs that I have known (my friend's) go through the fence

alll the time

there is nothing like the real thing.

Answer 7

My brother uses one on his ranch with his Three manic doggies !! I believe it cost about $300 total with the three collars.

It works GREAT, but requires some training with the dogs.

GOOD LUCK.