Purpose of Electric Fences: What to Look For When Buying One

If you’re tired of worrying every time you let your dog out in the yard and don’t want the expense and hassle of building a traditional fence, you’ll find that electric fences are the ideal solution to your problem. Electric fences give you peace of mind knowing your dog is safely contained inside the yard, without breaking your bank and spending thousands of dollars on a traditional fence. In-ground models won’t obstruct your view, can’t be dug under or jumped over. If you’re a renter, you can get a wireless electric fence that is portable, allowing you to take it to your next home if you decide to move.

With easy layout instructions, electric fences are effective and safe training devices that can quickly be set up to work for you and your furry friend. Not only can these fences be used to contain your dog within your yard, but they can also be used to prevent him from getting inside specific areas, such as your garden, pool or even rooms inside your home. The first thing you need to consider before you buy electric fence is how large is the area you’ll need the fence to cover. Then, you’ll need to decide whether you want a wired or a wireless setup.

dog running

Source: dogwatch.com

Wired setups are best suited for containing larger areas. Basic wired electric fences can cover about half an acre, whereas larger units can cover hundreds of acres. A wireless fence, on the other hand, has a more limited capacity, but it doesn’t require burying a wire around the perimeter of the area you want to contain and train your dog in. Both types of fences are reliable and easy ways to teach your pet to stay within a set space.

If you’ve decided to install a wired electric dog fence, you’ll have to install a small 2.5 – 5 cm wire around the chosen perimeter. Installing these fences is relatively easy, especially if you get a trencher to dig the trenches and cover the wire. You’ll then just have to put the training collar on your dog and start teaching him his new boundaries. The buried wire will broadcast a weak radio field, resulting in a sound that will help in the training process. If your dog gets closer to the fence, a mild electric shock will occur. The shock from the collar won’t harm your pet, and you can use flags to give your dog some visual association for the new boundaries.

man installing a wired electric dog fence

Source: qrznow.com

A wireless dog fence, on the other hand, comes with a multi-stage system that gets your dogs attention with a warning tone first, then a mild static correction, and lastly a higher intensity correction, which is still safe and won’t harm your dog. The last level of the escalating correction system can be set to up to three levels, so you can match the needs to teach your dog not to dig, run away, jump and do other unwanted behaviours. The perimeters that you can contain your dog in with this type of fence can be predetermined between 5 metres and 30 metres. If your dog goes through the barrier, you can increase the vibration level to one that will work. As aforementioned, the biggest benefit when you buy electric fence that’s wireless is its portability.

Then, you’ll have to consider the type of battery required for the dog collar. Most basic models use disposable batteries, while higher-end models may use rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries provide more value in the long term, but they do take a few hours to recharge. So, if your dog spends a fair amount of time outdoors, you may want to keep an extra pack charging while the first one is in use.

rechargeable batteries

Source: 100peakpower.com

If you’re looking for a fence to restrict your dog’s movement inside your home, you can get an electronic indoor radio fence. All you have to do is put a collar on your dog and a transmitter in the area you want to contain him in. This area is can be adjusted from a half metre tp a 7-metre radius. This can prevent your dog from accessing a select part of your home or a larger area. If the dog goes near the restricted area, the collar will emit a mild correction until he leaves. If you have several dogs, you can just buy extra collars and use the same transmitter.

At the end of the day, no matter what type of electric fence you end up choosing, you’re going to get an affordable, easy and effective way to keep your dog safe and train him to stay within a certain area. As soon as you train your dog, he’ll be able to run free and play within the designated area without you having to worry if he’s digging, chasing, jumping or being a hazard to himself.