Underground dog fence?

[L35]

Looking for a good electric dog fence for the DIY’er. I figure the loop will need to be around 800’. How did it work out, install difficulties, length of time installed etc any other comments welcomed.

 

[coachgeo]

Take time to properly train the dog to the fence. Otherwise a complete waste of money.

My big ol Lab...... was just to stubborn . He would take the punishment of running thru it to go exploring but not come back (to the fenced area) cause getting back in was not worth the pain.

You can semi install it to train and see how it goes. AKA.... don't bury it yet. Just string it up right next to ground on little post. If it does not work you can then sell it. That is if you don't have other things that walk thru the same area and break the thin fragile wire you strung up. Repairable though.

 

[Daren Todd]

We installed one around our yard to keep a stubborn dog inside the fence. In conjunction with the fence it worked great. The only issue we had with it was lightning till we got a surge suppressor for the loop.

Another issue we had was when dog sitting for our kids. The dogs ended up digging up the wire

After a while the wire does go bad though, and then hunting for the break becomes a real pain. I finally gave up maintaining ours, and pulled most the loop up. The small dogs friendly and just visits the neighbors. The big one I work on keeping contained.

 

[Ike]

We have had one for the past 20 years or so. I had 5 acres fenced in and only problem was I did not bury the wire in the woods. The deer stepping on it would cut it. Another thing is the deer would not cross it even covered in leaves until the snow got on. For a stubborn dog make sure you get one that you can adjust the boundry field and one that you can control the shock. The one I had downstate I could shut it off ot change the shock length time. Our lab figure out if he sat in the boundry and took the shock it would shut off and he was free. He would sit there and jerk everytime he got shocked So I increase the shock strengh and made it so it did not shut off. One time of that and he never got out again. The last few years we did not have it on at all. Lightening was a problem. I had one here where I live now and lightning hit in the woods followed the wire in to the barn, blew the tranmiter off the wall. All I ever found of that was some plastic and the transformer. It melted the copper out ofthe coating on the wire in the woods and never melted the plastic. It took me a while to find that one

 

[William1]

My parents had a buried wire. Every year, it needed a repair. The tool to find the break was not expensive. But, it was a pain to discover it was broken because a dog had wandered off. Also, if a dog was 'fired up' and running full bore, the 'correction' only lasts as long as the dog is close to the wire. Once past, the wire also keeps the dog out!
The better system, though it does not have the potential range, are the radio transmitter once. As long as the collar gets a signal, no correction. So if the beast ventures too far, they get the 'clue' and continue to get it until they return to the 'safe zone'.
My neighbors have tried both. But they let the batteries die regularly so it does not do a lot of good.
My own method was that when they went out, I went with them and I used a training collar with a 3/4 mile range. They could run free until I decided enough was enough. I'd call a few times, if nothing I'd hit them with the tone, then increasing levels of correction if stubborn (Irish Setters) until they were back at my side.

 

[torch]

I bought the Petsafe "Deluxe" PRF-304W from an eBay vendor with enough wire to enclose 3 acres. Works well, even with my stubborn lab/beagle cross BUT I did go through the entire 2 week training program. It is important not to let the dog learn that there are limitations to the system.

The system can be somewhat protected from lightning, but even so, I have had it die a couple of times. Fortunately, it's usually just a cheap resistor that can be replaced by anyone with a modicum of soldering skills. I buried the wire under high-traffic areas like the driveway but just laid it on the ground around most of the perimeter. Have had a few breaks over the years, all easily fixed once found.

All in all, a great investment. The dog can run free within the boundary, I don't have to deal with leashes or fences or chasing an escapee.

 

[al m]

I have two large golden mountain dogs,and about a acre and a half fenced off with the invisible fence.Mine is a sport dog I got off amazon.ca. Personally think it's great,the dogs love the freedom,caught on very quick,and never go beyond the bondries. I have a mini tiller attachment for the wiper snipper. Removed all but one tine,used that do dig the trench,worked slick. I also worried about deer hoves cutting the wire,so far it's been a non issue.

 

[100 td]

Mine is 2000 ft, I run it above ground on electric fence insulators, gal medium tensile wire. If you go in-ground I would recommend using U/G UV stabilized polypropylene irrigation cable. It's tough insulation will also add to it's resistance to breaking from digging. Using a petrol or electric blade style edger you can cut a slot in the ground to drop the wire. Mine also has a broken wire alarm so if it was in-ground and dug up you would quickly know about it. It's an older Innotek one.

 

[L35]

I have been researching petsafe, dogtra, and sportdog so far.we have 1 dog that’s great 1 thats a knucklehead. Dogtra training collars have worked good in the past (the kind you manually operate) so their e-fence has my interest. Some sites that sell products have options to upgrade from the 20ga to 14ga for a upcharge. From my reading so far it seems like a worthy investment.

 

[imnukensc]

My two acres have an underground fence. My dogs don't leave the yard. Get the heaviest gauge wire you can and bury it about 6 inches deep. Too many deer tripping over/stepping on it and limbs falling here for unburied wire. Would also recommend getting collars with 9 volt batteries in them. The other batteries in collars don't last long. I get at least 6 months with the 9 volt batteries.

 

[100 td]

One other thing to note, if you have a wire or tin panel fence, I expect you can use that for the wire, as long as you have an electrical/non-contact point at a gate which breaks the circuit to hook up to. Years ago when I installed mine, all the research I could find said you had to run insulated COPPER wire, must be insulated from fence, I took a punt on gal medium tensile wire and it worked. Then I shorted it to the fence and it still worked as I have a break in the fence, but it's in the wrong place for me to connect to. Remembering this is a radio signal being transmitted by the wire, so a fence can work. Worth a consideration or trial if you don't want to run cable and already have a wire fence. Your fence is now the antenna.

 

[Mike.O]

I have also been considering getting one for our two dogs. One has discovered its possible to dig under the fence, now there's no stopping her.

I had been looking at the Sport Dog one because of the good reviews. A guy at work recommended me the Petsafe. I think the main thing is training the dog.

I see you're also in CT. Where about?

 

[L35]

I’m in Bethany, a few towns north of new haven. Sport dog reviews seemed like the collars are fragile, where the electrodes mount. Uses a 9v battery which seems to last a while. The meat and potatoes seems to be the loop, which any system could run. I suppose if the electronics turn to crap, move on to another brand using the same loop.

 

[Daren Todd]

We had good luck with the pet safe collars. Only issue with them was my German shepherd chewing through the other dogs collar and freeing him Battery lasts between 6 months and a year. Just depends on if the dog keeps trying the fence.

Some of the kits come with a surge protector for power and line loops. Just need to check the kit before buying. Surge protector can also be purchased through pet safes web site.

A surge protector is a must if your area/ region is prone to thunder storms. I had 2 units get smoked in 3 years. The second time the transformer for the unit exploded as well as the unit. Found the cover for the unit on the floor below where it was plugged in and mounted with a large black spot on the circuit board. Part of the transformer was by the entry door to the house 20 ft away I happened to be home when it happened and heard a buzz and pop when it went

 

[L35]

That has been what I have read elsewhere. I do get decent storms a few times a a year will look for the surge protector.

 

[Buckcop]

Who keeps their dogs underground?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Who keeps their dogs underground?

Really???

Do I need to change the title for you, to read, "Underground fence used for on the ground dogs"?

 

[L35]

Anyway, lol. I went all in and ordered the new sport dog contain and train. Its a underground fence with a remote control option you can use the same collar in areas other then your own yard. Upgraded to the 14ga wire. Its in shipping we will see how it goes

 

[jimmyj321]

I bought one of the electronic collars for a large border collie. It has a control unit that can be set to control the distance that the dog can get away from it. It has a training set up that uses white flags to mark the boundary. The flags distance causes the collar to buzz and if he goes any further it shocks him. After a week he learns that the buzzer is his limit and he will not go past it. You can then remove the white flags. The collar has a battery that lasts about three months. I know when the battery needs changing because the dog comes to the house. He has been on it for about seven years. I keep him out at my shop and have water and feed for him. He has a shed and igloo dog house to get into. At one time I could look at Google earth and see the semi-circle he had worn in the grass.

 

[Jimc3165]

I bought the Petsafe "Deluxe" PRF-304W from an eBay vendor with enough wire to enclose 3 acres. Works well, even with my stubborn lab/beagle cross BUT I did go through the entire 2 week training program. It is important not to let the dog learn that there are limitations to the system.

The system can be somewhat protected from lightning, but even so, I have had it die a couple of times. Fortunately, it's usually just a cheap resistor that can be replaced by anyone with a modicum of soldering skills. I buried the wire under high-traffic areas like the driveway but just laid it on the ground around most of the perimeter. Have had a few breaks over the years, all easily fixed once found.

All in all, a great investment. The dog can run free within the boundary, I don't have to deal with leashes or fences or chasing an escapee.

This is the system I had and it worked great. I had a husky who was a master escape artist but that petsafe system kept him in check, he would not cross the boundary even if the system was turned off. I had the boundry on the widest setting with the juice turned up and he only tried it one time that I know of and that was enough for him.