Exercise Is Critical To Your Dogs Health
But, how much daily exercise does your dog actually need? Try 6-8 long, leisurely walks a day. Yes the resounding, “Impossible” collectively mouthed by all pet parents could be heard far and wide. Relax, you are certainly not the only pet owner who has neither the time nor the inclination for this routine. But, the best dog fence can help you solve this problem.
However, the right amount of physical activity can leave you with a healthy, happy pooch and it can add nearly 2 years to your pet’s lifespan. So, what can you do to work around this conundrum? Read on to find out.
Most Dog Fencing Has Multiple Failure Points
Keeping Your Dog On A Chain
Chaining the dog in the yard is not even an option. For one, he won’t get any exercise but he will get aggressive. Two, when on the chain, your pooch cannot seek shelter from weather conditions or predators unless you have a shelter built, which costs more money.
Dog Doors Absent A Safe Fence System Is Dangerous
A pet door is also not a feasible choice because “dog’s day out” adventures often end in tragedy. Almost 60,000 dogs are stolen or get lost each year while 100,000 are hit by cars. Out on his own, your pet may become one of those who never make it back home.
Keeping The Dog Indoors Continuously Is Not Healthy
Of course, you could keep the dog indoors but even if the lack of exercise is ignored, pet owners are all too familiar with the disaster that an overly anxious or energetic pooch can create when left all alone at home. Considering all of this, a dog fence does seem like a worthy investment and one that most pet owners are only too happy to make.
How And Why All Other Dog Fences Fail
Make no mistake; there are a staggering number of choices available for dog containment. Despite this, almost none of the top of the line products deliver on the promise of reliability and safety.
Chain Link Fencing Is Not No Dig, No Climb Or Jump Proof Fencing
Any form of pet containment is supposed to keep the dog inside the restricted area no matter what the temperament of the pooch. This is the first fail because most of these products are no match for the Houdini hound who can dig or bite his way through the barricade. Of course, champion jumpers also don’t heed to these fences, making a play of jumping right over them.
The Truth About Invisible Fences: They’ve Improved Over The Years
While invisible fences are often considered the answer to these issues, the fact is that they have a success rate of 70%. What’s more is that the constant fear and pain usually have long standing ramifications on the animal. While some begin to shudder at the thought of leaving the safety of the house even when they are being beckoned by their owner, others respond by developing an aggressive streak which is unleashed on family members as well as strangers.
Expensive, Hard To Install, and Designed To Be Permanent
Most pet containment products are expensive and have to be installed professionally. Also, once they are installed, you have to leave them there. This means that they can be a huge problem for families living in rental homes, not to mention that most landlords are uncomfortable with the idea of outdoor changes needed to install these fences. In fact, some communities have “no fence” rules, which only make things harder for pet owners.
Are Chain Link Fences Safe For Dogs?
The ubiquitous chain link fences simply cannot hold their own against invisible fencing because the very factor that offers them strength is also their undoing.
The metallic structure is so strong and unyielding that most dogs conveniently learn to climb over it by using the gaps as foot holds.
And no, the dog does not have to be large to accomplish this feat. With a bit of practice, even a small or medium sized pooch can learn to climb over. Also, chain link fences are fixed structures, so you cannot move them.
Another thing to consider is that chain link fences do rust over time, which can compromise structural integrity.
If you have this form of fencing covering a large property, you may not even know when the barrier develops a gap wide enough to facilitate your canine’s escape.
Wood and Vinyl Fencing Pros and Cons:
Wood is great except that it cannot usually stand the onslaught of canine jaws. Also, it is vulnerable to rotting, particularly the section of the fencing that is underground.
You could use vinyl to beat degradation but that would add several hundred dollars to the cost. Plus, like with chain link fences, these cannot be moved around once installed and both options obstruct outside view and may not be allowed in certain communities.
Brick Walls And Masonry Fencing For Dogs?
Masonry may work on a small property but if you have a sizeable area to cover, you are looking at a mammoth project that can burn a hole in your pocket. Assuming that this form of fencing is allowed in your neighborhood, a 6 feet wall would obstruct the flow of air and even sunlight depending on where it is placed.
Wireless invisible fences:
Made of a transmitter and a collar that delivers a strong electric jolt when the dog crosses the covered area, these kinds of systems vary in level of quality. Because of this, we’ve picked out the best ones (as seen below)
Typically, these fences only cover about a few acres and circular boundaries. Also, the transmitter will sometimes fail if there are metallic sheds or topographical features that interfere with the straight line contact between the transmitter and the collar, so you have to make sure you don’t have these structures when you set them up.
If you do get a quality wireless fence from one of the companies we cover, such as PetSafe, they will work with you on solving whatever problems you might have with your setup. You can actually read the reviews on Amazon and see about some of the issues people have had in the past and every customer has been helped to the point that they’re satisfied with a wireless system as long as they deal with a quality company such as PetSafe.
In-ground invisible fence:
The core principle is the same; the dog is jolted every time he tries to cross the invisible barrier. However, instead of a lone transmitter, this system uses an underground wire.
As soon as the pooch gets close to the wire, it sounds an alarm followed by static correction. The coverage area available with these is much larger than wireless fencing.
Rodents can chew the wire, but while that is true most transmitters are now able to let you know when the signal is broken immediately. Most animals have to be trained to stay within the invisible boundary, however, and this can only be done with pups that are no younger than 5-6 months.
Mesh fencing:
It is cheap and can be used to cover a large area but it does not have the strength to withstand the attack of a large and bored dog. If you add several posts and top rail to fortify the structure, the cost goes up and the fencing quickly turns into an eye sore.
All things considered, invisible fencing does emerge as the only viable solution. Now, some pet parents may be inclined to believe that they hardly need a specialty fence system for their well behaved pooch.
In your presence, Milo is the cutest thing on four legs, who would not harm a fly. But behind your back, he dons Loki’s mask and you never know when the pangs of separation may cause him to go overboard. So, why not be safe than sorry? In fact, it is easy to choose invisible fencing when you think of all the benefits that this fencing brings to the table.
Picking the best dog fence for your yard can be a challenge, because there are so many things to consider. Everything from the size of the yard to the size of your dog to how many dogs you have to price is a big factor in which one you choose.
Fortunately, we’re here to help you sort out the mess of different kits that are available to make your yard dog safe and family friendly.
The Top 10 Best Electronic, Underground, & Wireless Dog Fences of 2018
PetSafe Wireless Fence Pet Containment Systems
This fence is unique in that it doesn’t require wires to work. It creates a wireless boundary in a circular area around the receiver that covers approximately 90 feet or up to 1/2 an acre. It can be setup within an hour to two hours. It can be used with dogs that are 8lbs or more.
The collars are waterproof, as are most collars for this purpose, and the collars have 5 different levels of correction, plus a warning tone-only mode for training.
This system is the cheapest, most effective dog fence for people on a budget with relatively small yards, or you can expand your fence area by adding a second unit since their signals overlap. This effectively doubles the area your dog has at a fraction of the cost of the buried wire system.
It’s remains the lowest cost dog fence system on the market today.
Score:
Pros
- No wires involved
- Lowest cost dog fence available
- Fast setup
- Waterproof collars
- 5 levels of correction
- Collars are adjustable from 6 to 28 inches
- Portable, great for traveling
- Automatic shut-off so your pet isn’t continuously shocked if they leave the boundary
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 8lbs
- 90 ft in diameter of coverage is all you get (but you can buy a second power unit and double the area).
- Not good for homes close to roadways or hazards due to the inflexible 90 ft range
PetSafe YardMax Pet Fence
The PetSafe Yardmax system is designed to deter the most stubborn dogs from attempting to escape their boundary area.
In YardMax mode, the correction area extends infinitely outside the enclosed area’s boundary. This makes the correction area take up no area inside your enclosure, but the dog cannot just sprint through the boundary and make it to the other side where they will no longer be corrected.
In other words, the “allowed” area is the only area the dog won’t be corrected in and corrections will continue up to 15 seconds after they are outside of that space. Also compatible with Pawz Away Wireless Boundaries to create spaces around forbidden areas within the boundary, such as garbage cans.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 10 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- Add unlimited number of pets
- 5 levels of correction
- Option to correct before attempt to cross barrier or only after
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
- Rechargeable battery (built-in; not replaceable)
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 5lbs
- Yardmax collar and transmitter not compatible with other PetSafe products
- Battery isn’t replaceable; you have to buy a new collar when it eventually stops charging
PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence for Dogs and Cats
This is PetSafe’s standard in-ground invisible fencing kits for dogs. With this kit, you can have up to 1/3 of an acre of coverage, but it’s expandable up to 5 acres when you purchase additional wiring and boundary flags (optional).
It features 4 levels of static correction plus an audio warning only mode that you can use for training. It’s also easy to create “keep out” areas with this, so if you have a swimming pool or a garden that you don’t want your pet getting into, you can keep them out of it, as well.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 5 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- 4 levels of correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 8lbs
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
SportDOG Brand In-Ground Fence System
The SportDOG brand in-ground fencing system is a little more expensive than the PetSafe Basic system, but covers up to 1 1/3 acres of land right out of the box. If you purchase additional wiring, it can cover up to 100 acres!
The collars are waterproof and will fit any dog that weighs over 10lbs. They also feature an anti-linger function, so your dog won’t be allowed to wear the battery on the collar down by standing too close to the boundary line.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 5 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- 4 levels of correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Collars use standard 9 volt batteries
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 8lbs
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
Sit Boo-Boo Advanced In-Ground Electric Dog Fence System
The Hidden Fence System from Sit Boo Boo is one of the best invisible fence systems out there. It It has a couple of unique features that we think makes it the best choice on this list.
The system auto-adjusts to your pet’s personality with tone, vibration and static, so it will figure out on its own what level of correction that your pet needs.Something else that makes this fencing system unique is that while you can bury it in the ground, you really don’t have to. You can hang it on existing fencing to deter escapes or use yard staples to hold it in place. As long as it’s secured in place, it works!
Lastly, you can purchase an addon wireless remote so you can keep track of up to 3 dogs and control them remotely without having to use a different collar.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 5 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- 4 levels of correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 8lbs
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
Extreme Dog Fence In-Ground Electric Dog Fence 2018
This system by Extreme Dog Fence comes with more 20 gauge, solid copper core wire so it can cover up to 2 acres of area. It comes with a few additional features that other fencing kits don’t have.
For example, it includes 2 different sets of contact points that go onto the collar receiver. A medium set with comfort tips and a retractable set for dogs that have longer hair to get through. The collars also have 7 different correction levels. They also carry a guarantee that the fence will contain your dog.
Score:
Pros
- Covers 2 acres right out of the box and up to 25 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- 7 levels of correction
- 2 sets of contact points
- Transmitter runs on 7k or 4k frequency to avoid interference
- Lightweight collar at 1.1oz
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Expensive
- Batteries for this product are custom made
SportDOG 100-Acre In-Ground Pet Fence System
This kit by SportDOG comes with 1000 ft of upgrade eXtreme dog fence wire that’s rated to last 20 years without degrading. The cool thing about this kit is that it’s also compatible with many PetSafe brand collars, so while this kit is capable of handling medium to large size dogs, it’s also capable of handling dogs as small as 5lbs.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 100 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar runs on standard 9 volt batteries
- 5 levels of correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
- System runs on 7k or 10k to prevent interference with other systems
Cons
- Expensive
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
NeoPaw Wireless Dog Fence Containment System
This kit by NeoPaw is similar to the one by PetSafe above. It’s a wireless system, so you don’t have to bury or hang any wire around your yard. It covers up to 2 acres of property and can work with dogs over 5lbs. The range is adjustable, so you can change how far you want your dogs to be able to get away from the transmitter.
The transmitter is also compatible with up to 3 receiver collars; the system only includes one collar, however.
Score:
Pros
- No wires involved
- Covers up to 2 acres
- Waterproof collar
- 10 levels of correction
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- Not expandable, 2 acres is all you get
- Range is circular, it cannot be converted into a square or rectangular area of effect
- Not good for use in homes close to roadways
PetSafe Stay And Play Wireless Fence
This is another portable wireless system that you can set up within an hour or two and works for dogs that are over 5lbs. It covers an area of up to 3/4 of an acre (or 210 feet in diameter). It covers about double the area that the PetSafe Wireless Containment System listed above does. You can also expand the amount of area that the system covers by purchasing another transmitter for it.
This system is compatible with PetSafe’s original Wireless Pet Containment System (PIF-300) and the receiver collar (PIF-275).
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 5 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- 4 levels of correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 8lbs
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
PetSafe Stubborn Dog In-Ground Fence
Whether your dog is just persistent or hard of hearing, this system will help keep them in the yard better than most others. It has 4 different levels of static correction, which are higher intensity than PetSafe’s other fencing kit systems and it includes a vibration mode for pets who have a hard time hearing anything, if they can hear at all. If they attempt to run through the boundary, the correction intensifies .
You can add an unlimited number of pets to this system with the addition of more receiver collars. It also works at up to 1/3 of an acre out of the box, but is expandable up to 25 acres.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 25 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar
- 4 levels of higher intensity correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Collars use standard 9-volt batteries
- Low battery indicator
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 8lbs
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
PetSafe Elite Little Dog In-Ground Fence
The PetSafe Little Dog In-Ground fence is designed to be able to handle dogs as small as 5lbs. It includes their smallest waterproof receiver that’s designed with a reflective strip on the collar so even if it’s after dark, you can find your pup. This is the only PetSafe kit that works with dogs under 8lbs.
Score:
Pros
- Covers up to 25 acres when expanded
- Waterproof collar with reflective strip for night time play
- 4 levels of correction
- Create keep-out areas
- Surge protector
- Low battery indicator
- Run through prevention – correction increases if your dog tries to run through the boundary
Cons
- Does not work with dogs under 5lbs (no system does, so this isn’t really a con)
- Must purchase additional wire to get more than 1/3 acre of coverage
- Uses specialty RFA-188 batteries
