Electric Fence for Dogs

I moved into my home in 2004. It is a beautiful 3-bedroom ranch set on almost a full acre lot. There were a lot of landscaping trees, and landscaping bushes throughout the property, but there was no fence.

Privacy wasn’t the issue for me, as the landscaping that had been done in the yard, afforded us a great deal of privacy. My issue was my disobedient pooch, and her tendency to “head for the hills” at the site of a squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, or any other living creature. I knew I couldn’t let her outside without some type of barrier to protect her, and I also knew that I wasn’t going to take her outside on a leash every time she wanted to go.

I also new that because we had just moved in, we didn’t have a lot of extra money lying around to put towards building a wood fence, like a Cedar wood fence which is what I really wanted, so I started looking at the cheaper alternatives. The cheapest I could find was for chain link fence installation.

I have to say that I really hated the idea of putting a chain link fence in my backyard. There are many situations in which a chain link fence can really look nice, but I knew that this would deter from my beautiful, green landscape, and I didn’t have the heart. Or the money for that matter! Even though it was the cheapest alternative, the estimate was still over $3,000!

Finally, someone told me about an electric fence for dogs. I had someone from the company come out to the house and tell me about it, give me a quote, etc. I have to say that I was skeptical at best! I ended up deciding to go with it merely for financial reasons and basic need. In total, the fence cost less than $1,000, it encompassed both the front and back yards, and it came with an additional 2 training sessions by the installation company. Can’t beat that, right?

An electric fence for dogs is buried about 6 inches in the soil, and is connected to an obscure transmission box in your garage. The transmission box is always on low power when the fence is in operation. Your dog wears a collar that gives a “shock” to the dog if it crosses the boundary. As a warning signal, when the dog gets within 3 feet of the underground line, the collar gives off a “beep.” If the dog keeps walking to the line, they get a shock.

Not everyone likes the idea of an electric fence for dogs, and I have to say I was one of them initially. I had a neighbor who was a dog trainer, who believed that it was cruel to the dogs, and told me that if you train a dog correctly, they won’t wander. What a bunch of crap!!!

I might not be able to tell you that’s crap unless I had proof, so here’s my proof. My neighbor, the dog trainer, who claimed this fence was unnecessary, had 2 dogs. One was very old, and never wandered anywhere. The other one, who the neighbor stated he had raised since he was a puppy with strict dog training techniques, wandered over to our house on too many occasions for me to count. One time when I first moved in, that dog followed me and Abby (my dog) across a busy street as we went for a walk. So much for following the rules, right?

I here it all the time...ALL the time...from people that their dog follows commands. Personally, I’m not that secure to gamble my dogs life on it.

So, the electric fence for dogs….is it cruel? I don’t think so. My dog has only been shocked twice in her 5 years of living with this fence. Why is that? Because she learned almost instantly that if she went past a certain point in the yard, she would get it! She also learned that the sound of the beep meant she was getting too close to the line. She literally jumps back when she hears the sound of the beep. But with the rest of the yard she is able to roam freely and happily within her very large boundary.

I am also able to say that the shock doesn’t feel good, but it doesn’t really hurt like an electric shock would. It surprises you, but doesn’t really “hurt” per se. How do I know this? Well, I was testing the batteries in the collar one day, and stupidly I had my hands placed on the collar where the shock emanates from. So I indeed, do know what it feels like.

In case you’re wondering, it’s like a pager on vibrate, very, very, very intensely!

Depending on the neighborhood you live in, you may notice that many people have an electric fence for dogs. Here are the telltale signs that someone has it:

a dog is sitting in the front yard, about 10-20 feet from the front of the house watching you creepily as you walk by, but they never move!

Or, a dog is running back and forth along the same line as you walk past the house, but they never make a move to charge at you.

The electric fence for dogs is a great item! It also makes for great neighbors! I know you love your dog, but believe me when I tell you that other people don’t want your pooch wandering in your yard.

Remember the neighbor I talked about? Well, my dog doesn’t get along with other dogs well. Fortunately his dog was easy going, but when he did come over, it was sometimes an issue for me. And for the record….Abby never, ever, ever, ever, ever went into the neighbor’s yard!

If you have a dog and don’t like the look of a fence, check out the electric fence for dogs. It really is a wonderful product!

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