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Electronic Dog Fence Recommendations
|In Ground Dog Fence Reviews
|Wireless Dog Fence Reviews
|Dog Fence Recommendations
#1 Overall System: PetSafe YardMax
For most installations we recommend the PetSafe YardMax. It is a tried and tested fence that has produced consistent good results for the last decade. The fence has a good mix of value and features. We use the PetSafe YardMax with most of our installation customers and it is by far the most popular system in our online store.
What sets this system apart, is that it is the only wired fence that your dog cannot run through. It is also the only system that lets you set the boundary to extend only outside your yard (instead of both inside and outside) so it leave more space for your dog.
The system has five levels of progressive correction, that self-adjust to take into account the persistence of the dog. We like the long-lasting rechargeable collar battery, and featherweight collar. The collars also have the unique feature of allowing you to tell whether they have been properly fitted. And the system is compatible with wireless indoor and outdoor pods so you can keep your dog out of certain rooms or a veggie garden.
The Ultrasmart is best for dogs over 10lbs. The weakness of the Ultrasmart is that it can only contain a maximum of 10 acres so is not appropriate for very large installations.
For a detailed review of the PetSafe YardMax, including pictures and a video review, click here.
Remote Trainer: Innotek IUC-5100
For both remote training and dog fence functionality, the Innotek IUC-5100 combines 2-in-1. The system includes an excellent dog fence, based on the PetSafe Ultrasmart. Plus, the system includes a remote control that can be used to control the correction on the collar from a range of up to 100 yards.
The collar includes a rechargeable lithium ion battery. And bundled with the system are the lighting protection module and twisted wire, both optional extras on most other system.
For this versatility there are some tradeoffs. While the Innotek 5100 is an excellent dog fence, it is only a mediocre training collar. The range on the collar is limited and for hunting or advanced training, a dedicated training collar would be a better choice. The collar is also bigger and bulkier than other leading systems.
100 Acre Capacity: SportDog SDF-100A
For very large yards (over 10 acres), the SportDog SDF-100 is our recommendation. The SDF-100 has a range of up to 100 acres, unlike most regular strength systems which have a maximum range of 5-25 acres. The SportDog is also useful for large yards in cold climates where the extra signal strength lets you power through accumulated snow.
Built by the hunting dog company, SportDog, this system is one of the toughest and most durable systems, with particularly excellent waterproofing. The system also comes with 1,000 feet of boundary wire twice as much as you get standard with most systems.
The main drawback of this system is the collar is one of the biggest and heaviest wired dog fence collars.
Small Dogs: PetSafe Little Dog
For small dogs, (under 10lbs) the Petsafe Little Dog is the way to go. The collars on regular dog fence systems are too big to be comfortable on a small dog. The PetSafe Little Dog has the smallest lightest collar, and reduced correction levels making it the best choice for very small dogs.
The PetSafe Little Dog is also compatible with PetSafe Stubborn and PetSafe Deluxe in-ground dog fence collars. So you can use a full size, full strength collar such as the PetSafe Stubborn, or PetSafe Deluxe to contain other dogs using the same system.
The main disadvantage of the PetSafe Little Dog is that it uses a proprietary PetSafe battery. The battery costs around $10 and only lasts 2-3 months. But, if your dog is less than 10 lbs this is still the only good choice.
Wireless: Havahart Radial
For wireless or portable installations, the Havahart Radial-Shape Wireless is the best of the three wireless dog fence options. Wireless systems like the Havahart Wireless, PetSafe PIF-300, and Perimeter Technologies WiFi project a circular boundary wirelessly and therefore do not require boundary wire. That makes these systems extremely convenient to set up. However, you do pay for that convenience with a relative drop in performance compared to the best in-ground wired systems. Wireless systems (particularly the PetSafe and Perimeter models) have trouble getting through physical barriers between them and the dog such as walls, trees, slopes, etc. The boundaries they create are also less precise and can move several feet second to second. They are also slow, often correcting the dog seconds too late and stopping the correction too late. This all makes them less effective than wire based systems.
However, Havahart has recently introduced the newest wireless fence with the Havahart Radial-Shape Wireless Fence and it is clearly the best of the three when considering boundary consistency, timing of correction, and barrier pass-through. Of the two other wireless units, the older PetSafe Wireless is the second best with the Perimeter WiFi fence coming in a distant third. Based on our field testing, the Havahart Wireless fence easily takes the top honors and should be your first choice when purchasing a wireless dog fence system.
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{ 303 comments… read them below or add one }
- January 13, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Hi – I'm seriously considering the Border Patrol TC1 Wireless Dog Fence. Because we rent a home I like the idea of how portable that is. Our home is on 5 acres that has an aluminum siding pole barn, and most of the property is wooded. Would the Border Patrol TC1 Wireless Dog Fence be good for us?
ADMIN – Hi Tracy, the area you want to fence is a good size for the Border Patrol. The collar is on the big and bulky size. We'd recommend this for dogs at least 30 lbs. But I think it would be a great option to try for your scenario.
- January 13, 2013 at 12:30 am
We have a 9 month old 90lbs Rottweiler that is having trouble staying home. Wondering which would be better underground fencing or wireless? Only needing to cover about 150-180 feet.
ADMIN – Hi Julie, we always recommend wired over wireless. They are much more reliable. I would go with the PetSafe Stubborn for such a big dog.
- December 28, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I have a 100 pound Greater Swiss Mountain dog. I will be getting an Old English Sheepdog puppy. I have a home on a lake. We do get up to a foot of snow during the winter as well as lightning storms during the summer. The size of my yard is 169 feet wide by 333 feet length on each side. I would only need the fencing on the three sides (the two long sides and one short side). I would like to have the remote capability. What would be your recommendations?
ADMIN – Hi Leesa, if you want remote capability for inside your home and around the yard, the Innotek IUC5100 is a great choice. The remote only has a range of about 150 feet give or take. It's great for domestic use, but if you need longer range, you'll need to go with a dedicated remote trainer. The fence will work well for your mountain dog and eventual sheepdog. It has a slimline, rechargeable collar with plenty of correction strength. You'll need to bundle in at least one additional roll of 500 feet of boundary and maybe 2 additional if you need more than 1,000 feet total. Due to the snow and such, I would highly recommend you upgrade your wire to the 14 gauge for strength against wire breaks.
- December 27, 2012 at 11:53 am
We have 2 dogs. A 60-lbs male that we think is mainly Tibbetian Terrier (maybe some lab too) who is 2 years old and a 40-lbs female that is about a year old. She definitely has either Beagle or Fox Hound in her. She is very hyper, strong-willed and is an escape artist. They have both been indoor dogs but now we need to set up a fence (especially for her … she just needs to run!!). We have a 3/4 acre lot and want to fence in the back yard only (so, guess about 1/2 acre). Our lot slopes away from the house considerably and is heavily wooded. Reading the info on your site it sounds like the wired systems are better than the wireless. What do you recommend? I have one question about the wired systems that I can't seem to find an answer to. If we do go with a wired system we want to use the back side of the house as part of the "fence", i.e. run the wire along the back side and then out into the yard from each corner to enclose the back yard. If we do this, how do the dogs get in/out of the house without getting shocked? They would have to cross the wire to come through the back door. I'd rather not have to put on/take off the collars each time they go in/out. Is there possibly a "dead section" of the wire that can be run along the side of the house that will not shock them but will still help complete the circuit in the loop? Also, given the size and temperament of our dogs, what type of collars would your recommend? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Mark, for your two dogs I'd recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart PIG00-13619 for your two dogs. The collar is rechargeable and slimline. Please refer to our Layouts page under Installation. We have three backyard layout options to choice from. Basically, you'll need to suspend the wire over the back of your home about 10 to 15 feet in the air. That way your dog will be able to travel underneath the signal out of range when you let them out of the back door.
- December 27, 2012 at 12:07 am
Hi, We live in an HOA neighborhood with no fencing allow. I have a malamute/husky mix and of course he does come with the hunting behavior with the tendency to run off. Our yard is less than an acre. I've read that a good fence to contain this type of dog is Smart Dog 2100 by Innotek. What do you recommend? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Melinda, the SD21000 is not nearly as reliable as the PetSafe Ultrasmart PIG00-13619. It has a rechargeable sleek collar and is very reliable and low maintenance. Make sure to bundle in an additional roll of wire to cover up to 1 acre.
- December 23, 2012 at 10:12 am
We just adopted a Boxer who is about 1 and a half years old. She is very active and we would like to be able to let her out to run free. We live in a neighborhood where the property is small – about 1/4 acre. We have a large back yard that is about 150feet long and would like her to be able to stay in the back and venture a bit to the front as well. What do you recommend for someone who does not need acres to fence and only feet. We don't want her to get shocked after moving only 30 or 40 feet or so. Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Jennifer, We'd recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart PIG00-13619 for your Boxer. To cover up to 1/4 of an acre the wire in the box is plenty. You may want to bundle in a roll of twisted wire. Make sure to take a peak at our Layouts page (under the Installation tab) to locate the perfect layout. We would suggest the hour glass layout for your goals.
- December 13, 2012 at 10:25 pm
I have a male great dane and female collie mix. I have approx. 2 acres to fence. What is my best choice?
ADMIN – Hi Debbie, I would recommend the PetSafe Deluxe with the PetSafe Stubborn collar bundled in. Add in 2 additional rolls of wire (500 feet) to cover 2 acres.
- December 10, 2012 at 3:01 pm
I have a cockapoo that should be about 15 pounds but currently is about 8 lbs. We have about 104 yds we want to cover. What is our best option?
ADMIN – Hi Shannon, Your best option is the PetSafe Little Dog, but we often recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart Inground Fence PIG00-13619 because the collar is rechargeable. The Little Dog collar requires a $10 battery that last 8 to 10 weeks.
- November 30, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Got a 4yo female Sheltie from a shelter this past week. Our property is 2/3 fenced in and the part that is not is near the road and driveway. This dog is a hearder and likes to chase everything that moves, even cars. Having a hard time getting her to respond to her name at times when she is "busy" with other interests. Not sure which fence to get. Thinking probably a wired one. Need advise.
ADMIN – Hi Suzi, I would recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart PIG00-13619. It has a sleek, rechargeable collar. It will have enough correction levels for a Sheltie. Good training is key as the correction will only reinforce the boundary rules.
- November 5, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I'm considering a wireless fence solution and am wondering if this system is going to interfere with my existing WiFi network?
Admin- Hi Richard,
No, non of the wireless systems that we offer will affect the wifi network at your house.
- November 4, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Hi, We have just acquired 2 large dogs, a 106lb short-hair collie mix, and a 70lb shepherd mix . We live on an acre lot with no fence around the property. We need to get a dog fence that will keep the dogs in the backyard, about 1/2 an acre. Which system sounds like the most compatible?
ADMIN – Hi Ed, for dogs over 100 lbs, we recommend the PetSafe Stubborn fence. You will need to bundle in one extra roll of boundary wire to cover your 1/2 an acre. Also, since the system only works in a closed loop, you will need to use one of our proposed backyard loop layouts. Under the Installation, choose Planning/Layouts link and scroll down to locate our 3 backyard loop layouts for a solution. The most common is to run the wire in the gutters along the back of your home so that you dogs can travel underneath the signal out of range when they go out of the back door into the yard.
- October 26, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Hi there! We have a 35 pound Boston Terrier-Boxer-Pit Bull mix who loves her new backyard! We just moved out of an apartment and are so excited to give her some space to run around. The only problem is the back fence of our backyard is chainlink, and she can run and jump over it. She's ended up in the neighbor's yard twice this week! My husband was thinking about going with the Pet Safe Stubborn Dog, but I'm unsure if this is just for larger dogs? The Boston Terrier in here dictated her size, but she is all muscle! And a handful! Any advice on which system would work best?
ADMIN – Hi Emily, she's a bit small for the Stubborn collar but it may fit. I'd recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart PIG00-13619 instead considering you also have a fenced in yard. With the fence installed, you're 35 pounder will only have one option; which is to turn around.
- October 7, 2012 at 4:58 pm
Hi, we have two 60+ lbs. dogs (lab/ shepherd mix and lab/border collie mix . Both with medium length hair.). We have 1.5 acres chain link fenced but they have dug their way out. I am looking at getting a wired system that I can just run along the bottom of the chain link fence to stop them from digging. They are also pretty playful with each other and I want to make sure that the collars are robust. What would be your recommendations? Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Keith, for a robust system for two dogs of your size, I would recommend the SportDog SDF100A. It is the toughest collars we have. Add an extra roll of wire to get enough to cover your 1.5 acres.
- October 6, 2012 at 4:25 pm
We have a 50lb boxer mix and a 40lb jack russell mix. They have been having lots of fun escaping the fence we recently installed for them, and just yesterday got our Jack Russell mix back from being lost for 5 days-so now is time for an electric fence!! Can you tell me which one would suit us best-we have half an acre on a sloping and wooded lot. Both dogs are very fast, and can jump 4′ with no problem. Thank you in advance for any suggestions!
ADMIN – Hi Christine, I would recommend the PetSafe PIG00-13619. Both dogs are close in weight. I think they will work well on the same collar and correction level. Add in one roll of wire to have enough to cover your 1/2 acre.
- October 5, 2012 at 7:47 pm
I have two Jack Russells, one is 7 and the other is 4. The 4 year old we rescued at 9 mos, so we missed the opportunity to train her very early. She is very sharp and stubborn. She uses a runner because she will go to anyone (neighbors, cars, etc) to give kisses. We tried the electric collar that went to level 10, she still went across the road after another dog (because she thinks she's bigger than him, not to fight, just to bark). She was yelping but never stopped. Will any of these fences work for her? She's 15lbs. Appreciate your time.
ADMIN – Hi Lisha, With consistent training and appropriate correction strength, you should expect 100% containment. It just requires you to be adamant and more stubborn than they are. They can only be let off leash once they are displaying the correct behavior and then ease them in by giving them on 10 minutes outside off leash at the first. I would recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart PIG00-13619 for them both.
- October 4, 2012 at 2:35 pm
hi, I have a 2yr old GSD that likes to jump the 4 ft chain linked fence on the property, I was wondering if I could string a wired system through the fence instead of burying it in the ground around the perimeter and only burying it at the gates. My dog is around 90 pounds and stands about 26″ at the shoulders my lot size is somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 an acre and was also wondering what would be the best system to go with. Thanks for your suggestion.
ADMIN – Hi Herman, yes you can definitely string the wire through the fence as long as you take care not to damage the wire's insulation. Otherwise, this is a great installation method. I would recommend the PetSafe PIG00-13619 for your dog. You'll need to add one extra roll of wire to your order to cover over 1/3 of an acre.
- September 18, 2012 at 8:41 pm
We have 3 dogs – a German Shepherd, Black Lab and a beagle – weight 100, 80 and 30 lbs. We live on 10 acres with a pond and want to let them roam on about 7 of them. I like the thought of a wireless but don't like the circular pattern since that's not conducive to our layout. What would you recommend and I'm assuming each dog would need a collar. Thanks!!
ADMIN – Hi Steve, for your mix of dogs, go with the SportDog SDF100A, with an extra collar and also bundle in the PetSafe Deluxe collar for the Beagle. For 7 acres, I recommend upgrading the wire to 14 gauge. You will need to bundle in and extra 1,500 feet of wire to cover up to 7 acres.
- September 16, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Hi, I currently have the Petsafe Stay + Play for my two Catahoulas. This is a good system but my house is stucco and hard to penetrate. (I have 3 airport extremes in a 3800 sq. ft. house). I live on 1 acre and want a longer range so I am thinking of getting the Havahart radial system. I was also interested in The Border Patrol TC1 GPS dog fence and remote trainer. I take my dogs to my parents house which is on 50+ acres and down to a ranch so the portability would be nice just so they can run around and I can keep track of them. I don't hunt with them so I don't really care about the trainer part of the system. I am mostly concerned about wobble and response time. Any information you have would be great, thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Randy, the Border Patrol is a great option for properties over 2 acres and up. It is a very reliable fence and creates a tight boundary. Response time is decent and acceptable for a wireless fence.
- September 13, 2012 at 1:16 am
Hello, I have a chain-link fenced area the dogs use but my yard is much bigger. I would like the dogs to be able to come out of their area when I am outside the fence. The area to be covered would be less than a 1/4 acre. I have a 23lb., 5 y/o Jack Russell (hunter!), and an 18 lb. older half-blind, half-deaf Pekingese (who I don't see as a problem). What fence would be best to let the dogs run around in, always supervised? I would do the installation myself and am trying to keep costs down. Thanks so much for your help-great site! Vicki
ADMIN – Hi Vicki, I would recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart because it's a great all around fence that will provide enough correction strength for your 23 lb Jack Russell. The best part is the collar is very sleek and light. The 500 feet of wire that comes with the system will be plenty. You may need a roll of twisted wire as well to connect your wall transmitter to the loop. You can do it! We believe in you Vicki!
- September 11, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Hi! I have a 1 1/2 year old Siberian Husky named Bella. We live on 5 acres in the woods and we have been thinking about getting an electric fence. We have been using a GPS tracking device by TAGG but Bella would roam too far off in the neighborhood and nearby places. As I have been looking at electric fences my concern is if they would work properly in wooded areas, we don't have much open yard area it's mostly the woods. I was hoping you could inform me of my options and what would work best in my land type. Also would wireless, above ground, or below ground be better? Thanks so much!
ADMIN – Hi Kristina, I would recommend our best reviewed fence the Ultrasmart PIG00-13619 (formerly called IUC 4100) for your Husky and wooded property. The signal will run along the boundary wire so the wooded area should be an issue. I would recommend stapling it on the ground and rake ground cover over the wire for protection. This is a best standard for wooded installations. As for Husky's you may need to contact the manufacture after install and request the thick fur probes which work much better than the long probes that come standard with the fence. You'll need the thick fur probe for your double coated Husky.
- August 2, 2012 at 10:55 am
This site is truly amazing and you offer a wealth of information regarding the pros and cons of various dog fences so I'm hoping you can help us out in making an informed decision regarding our 3 dogs – an 11yr. old Toy Fox Terrier, a 7 yr. old Puggle and a 9 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback. We recently moved from a property in which we had about a quarter of an acre fenced in so our 3 dogs could roam freely. Our new property is roughly 1.3 acres and is not enclosed. The backyard is mostly flat however there is somewhat of a steep decline at the back of the property into a wooded area. We were thinking of giving the dogs roughly 2/3 of an acre to roam and based on the information that has been provided here, it seems a wireless system may not be in our best interest since the decline at the back of the property may intersect with the radial pattern on the wireless transmitter, creating a dead-zone in coverage. Your thoughts? Our older Toy Fox Terrier would probably need minimal correction as he does not wander too much anymore. Our biggest concern is for the Puggle (who thinks she's more Beagle than Pug) and definitely our Ridgeback both of whom would need stronger degrees of correction. Is there one system that can offer excellent reliability while also offering independent correction levels for each collar, or do we need to buy multiple units? If we do need to purchase multiple units (for example the Innotek IUC-4100 and the Petsafe Little Dog) can both systems run off the same wire or would we need to bury 2 sets of wire independent of one another? Finally, the previous home owners had an in-ground fence system, however, they took the unit with them but I think they left the wiring in the ground. Since I'm not exactly sure where the wire is or the perimeter it covers, I'm assuming an inactive wire will not interfere with the transmission and/or coverage area of a new system, correct? Thank you in advance for your response.
ADMIN – Hi Shawn, Thanks for the feedback! You can buy one system and bundle in individual collars to match each dog. Any of the PetSafe in-ground units will are very reliable and should be able to enjoy a solid fence system with independent correction levels for each dog. I'd recommend going with the PetSafe Stubborn and bundling in your additional wire and collars. I'd use the Stubborn collar on the Ridgeback. For the others, any that are over 12 lbs, I'd recommend the PetSafe Deluxe collar. For any that may be under 12 lbs, I'd recommend the PetSafe Little Dog collar. You'll need to add in an additional 1,000 feet of wire to cover your 1.3 acres. Yes, unconnected, inactive wire will not interfere with the new fence.
- July 25, 2012 at 12:44 pm
We rescued 3 black lab mixes from the animal shelter. Their weights and size are, 48lb at 6 months, 45lb at 4-months, and 8lb at 2-months. We have a little under 2 acres, which fence would be best for us?
Admin- Hi Shelia,
A great system for your three black labs will be the PetSafe Stubborn/Large dog fence. The collars are designed for a larger sporty breed of dogs like you have. Plus, the collar can withstand play fighting better than most other collars we offer. The system comes with 500 feet of wire that can contain 1/3 acres. For 2 acres, you will need a total of 1500 feet.
For the 2-month old black lab, we recommend waiting until at least 6-months old or whenever the young lab can understand basic commands (come,sit,stay) before training.
- July 21, 2012 at 2:21 pm
We have two small dogs. One is a Jack Russell that is maybe close to 20 lbs and the other is a smaller Jack Russell mix. I'm interested in learning more about the wireless systems, but wondering if the size collars are an issue for smaller dogs? Will all of the wireless systems collars work OK with smaller dogs?
ADMIN – Hi Glen, if you're smaller Jack Russell is at least 15 lbs, the wireless fences would be okay for both dogs. The Havahart Radial wireless fence is the best functioning wireless fence which has the lowest boundary wobble and best collar response times than compared with other wireless fence options.
- July 17, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Your site is Wonderful! I have a 4 yr old 40 lb pointer recently adopted and a 4 yr old 10 lb chihuahua, both of them love to run the neighborhood. The chihuahua will come back on command however not so much for the pointer. Fortunately she does come home when she's had enough "play time". She is also a darter, if she sees birds, squirrels, rabbits, etc. From looking at all of the information I am ready to purchase but want to make sure I'm getting the right system. I have 3/4 acre and I'm thinking petsafe little dog with additional collar for pointer. Not so sure which collar would be appropriate and would appreciate your help in recommendation for system and amount of wire I may need. Thanks in advance for your assistance!
ADMIN – Hi Cheryl, Thanks for you feedback! Yes, I'd recommend the PetSafe Little Dog and add in the PetSafe Stubborn collar for the pointer. The Stubborn collar is suited for hunting dogs an will work well for that darting pointer. For 3/4 of an acre, you'll need to bundle in an additional 500 feet of boundary wire.
- July 11, 2012 at 3:24 pm
I have a 35lb puggle and we are moving from a small farm into town to a manufactured housing community so that I can go back to school. The rental house has a small yard but no fence. My dog loves to lay in the sun but I cannot put a fence up due to not owning the property. Are there any good options for a small yard situation? Thanks! Jillian
ADMIN – Hi Jillian, small yards can be too small. What is the dimensions of the yard in feet?
- July 7, 2012 at 6:20 pm
We have two four year old dogs. One female boxer 48 pounds and a large male mix 87 pounds. The boxer is a curious wanderer who likes to protect her property and the male mix is a trustee stead that stays on the porch even if you are gone all day, although he can be protective of his property especially with his female companion. We are renting the property, about a 1/2 acre, new to the area, about a block from the road but otherwise at the end of two dead end streets on a very quiet corner. What do you suggest. Thanks in advance.
ADMIN – Hi Iggy, We'd recommend the PetSafe Ultrasmart Dog Fence (PIG00-13619) for both your dogs. While they are greatly different in size, because the larger male is so compliant, he will be okay with whatever correction setting you will need to have the female boxer on. With half an acre, you'll need a total of 1,000 feet which means you'll bundle one additional roll of wire to your order.
- June 13, 2012 at 8:08 am
We have a Chocolate Lab/ Australian Shepard mix that we adopted as a pup. He is a wonderful dog EXCEPT we can not break him from running away if he gets off lease. We will be moving in two months back to our hometown and have approximately 2/3 acre. My question, if we use the Havahart radial system, and allow the boundary to give him access to a small stream, will this affect the collar? I know it is water "resistant" but will that cover getting dunked? At the height of rainy season, the stream may run 2 ft deep, in the dry season, 6-8 inches.
Admin- Hi Teressa,
Unfortunately the Havahart collar will malfunction if the collar is submerged in water. We would not recommend including the stream within the boundary of a Havahart system. If you do want your dog to swimming and have access to the stream. The best option will be a wire in-ground system because the collar will be fully waterproof.
- May 3, 2012 at 5:53 pm
We'd like to restrict our two Newfoundlands to around four or five of our seven mostly open acres. Our house is not situated in the middle of the property, so I'm concerned about a circular wireless system. A wired system sounds impractical given the size of our property (abuts two roads). I was all set to pony up the price for the Havahart system that can be formed to match the shape of the property until I read the reviews. What would you suggest I do? Thanks.
Admin- Hi Kari,
Unfortunately, it is hard speculate how well a wireless fence will operate on your property. It really only comes down to testing it on your property. Wireless fence technology is finicky and the results depend on each property you test it on. Plus, the wireless system tend to be unreliable for large dogs.
We always recommend a wired system over a wireless fence. There still is no comparison in reliability and functionality. A wired fence, while creating more work upfront with installation, offers a crisp boundary shaped exactly to the contours of your property and is very low maintenance.
A great system for you Newfoundlands will be the SportDog system. The collars are very durable and are intended for a large breed of dogs.
- May 1, 2012 at 12:07 pm
I am looking to purchase the Innotek IUC-5100 system, but I'd like to use a heavier gauge wire than the 18 ga. included. Will a 14 gauge wire work with this system?
Admin- Hi Jeff,
Absolutely, 14-guage boundary wire is the largest wire that the Innotek system can operate on. We do offer the heavier gauge wire under the "Extra boundary wire Kits" tab.
- April 30, 2012 at 11:27 am
I have a 3-year-old 65-pound lab mix and a 7-month-old 25-pound Australian shepherd mix. I like the specs on the Innotek 4100. Do you think this would work for both dogs or do I need to go with the PetSafe Stubborn with Deluxe extra collar for aussie?
Admin- Hi SY,
The IUC4100 systems will work great but the system does lack independent correction levels. The corrections amounts (low,medium,high) will be set on the transmitter itself and both collar will issues the correction based on the setting. If you are worried about the correction amounts for Aussie, we can send you out some resistors with your order. Once applied to the collar, the resistors will reduce the correction about my 50% to 75%.
- April 27, 2012 at 6:02 pm
We'd like to restrict our two Newfoundlands to around four or five of our seven mostly open acres. Our house is not situated in the middle of the property, so I'm concerned about a circular wireless system. A wired system sounds impractical given the size of our property (abuts two roads). I was all set to pony up the price for the Havahart system that can be formed to match the shape of the property until I read the reviews. What would you suggest I do? Thanks.
Admin- Hi Kari,
1)The best wireless option available is the Havahart wireless system; however, the Havahart system will only project a circular boundary and since your house is not in the middle of your land. You setup would cut of a portion of your property.
2)The best option that will inclose your whole property and allow your dogs full roam will be a in-ground wire system. The boundary wire can be installed below ground or above ground. For the driveway, you can either cross over the top in one of the expansion joint or cut a small gap to install the wire inside.
3)A great system for large Newfoundlands is the SportDog SDF100a system. The SportDog system is designed for larger sportier dogs like you have. The SportDog collar is very durable and offers independent correction levels. You will be able to set the correction amount for each dog on the collar itself.
- April 17, 2012 at 3:52 pm
We have a one year old lab that has taken to wandering off. Our property is wooded aside from the yard but located in city limits, we have a paved driveway and a creek that we would like to allow her access to. We would probably fence about an acre. What system would you recommend?
Admin- Hi Jen,
1) Labs tend to be easy to train. Our top choices are the Innotek IUC-4100 or IUC5100 systems. Both systems offer a nice slim fitting rechargeable collar. The system comes with 500 feet of wire, you will need 1000 total feet to cover 1 acre.
2) The easiest method to cross your driveway will be to install the wire inside the expansion joint.
3)The collar are fully waterproof and will be fine in the creek. For the wire that crosses the creek, you will want to install it in a PVC pipe to help protect it from run off.
- April 16, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Can you use an underground fence if you have an asphalt driveway
Admin- Hi Harman,
The easiest way to cross an asphalt is to cut across it with a circular saw, place the wire in the cut, and then backfill with an asphalt crack sealing compound. Please take a look at our driveway/pathways page.
- April 16, 2012 at 9:27 pm
We have a 4 month old Siberian Husky. He is starting to wander out of the yard and we need to purchase an electric fence. He is getting braver everyday, and I am worried he will dart into the road. What system would you recommend for a suburban 1 acre lot? We plan on only doing the backyard.
Admin- Hi Beckie,
The Innotek IUC-4100 is a good reliable system that will work great. It includes an extra set of long prongs, which will be useful with your dog if he has a thick undercoat. It also has a collar-fit mode where the collar beeps to let you know when the collar is sitting properly on the dog's neck.
The system comes with 500 feet of wire, which will cover 1/3 acre. You will need a total of 1000 feet to complete 1 acre.
- April 10, 2012 at 11:30 am
I have just purchased to West Highland Terriers. Ages 13 weeks. I want to purchase an electronic fence. You suggested one for 10lbs and over but these pups are still growing and we want to use it right away. They are currently 5 lbs and growing. They will eventually grow to about 10 – 15 lbs. We would need about 500 to 600 feet for the perimeter of our yard.
ADMIN – Hi Tricia,
I usually start puppies when they are 6 months or older. Unless the dogs are particularly advanced with their training, they have not usually developed the patience to benefit from the training until that age. I would wait until they are around 25 weeks before starting them on the fence, unless they can confidently do a sit/stay/come in which case I might start them a bit earlier.
If either dog is under 12lbs when you start training – then use the PetSafe Little Dog, anything else will be too big. Even if they grow bigger, that system will carry you through. If at the time of training, they are over 12lbs, get the Innotek IUC-4100 – it is a little bigger, but the rechargeable batteries make it much better value for money.
- April 6, 2012 at 9:41 am
I am curious if there is a company who makes a waterproof collar for a dog under10 pounds. We have a pool in our backyard and guess where the dog like to go?! If so what is the cost and where can we get one? Thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Brad,
The PetSafe Little Dog collar is completely waterproof and will work well with dogs as small as 5 pounds. The system costs $270.
- April 1, 2012 at 5:19 am
I live on a half-acre rectangle lot, the right side is fenced but the left side, back, and front is still open. Our lab chews on the siding of the house so how could i use one of these without her being able to touch the walls of the house?
ADMIN – Hi Harmen,
I am not sure the dog fence can help you with the chewing issue. I would be tricky setting the boundary so that the signal covers the outside of the house, but doesn't spill inside the house, and still has a gap to let the dog enter the house.
Your best bet would be a loop around the perimeter, then a second loop around the house, with the line set a few feet out from the base of the house. Where you want a door to be usable, you would have to take the wire and run it up and over the door. My feeling is that this layout will be fussy, and not at all certain to work.
- March 29, 2012 at 11:17 am
I am looking at the Innotek 5100 for our retriever. My question is what is the heaviest ga.solid wire you can use before there is a problem? I want this to last with 5 acres to cover. Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Harry,
You can use anything thicker than 20 gauge. Thicker gauge wire is like a wider road – it is easier for the transmitter to use. There is no limit to thickness. Wire thicker than 14 gauge may not fit in the transmitter socket, so you need to have a small bridging piece of thinner wire. Thicker wire is also harder to work with because it is stiff. Beyond 10 gauge the wire is so stiff that it is close to impossible to use.
- March 22, 2012 at 2:47 pm
I wanted to add onto my previous comment also after reading more comments from others. We do live in northern Wisconsin and usually get quite a bit of snow by the end of winter (this year being a wonder exception) so should we still go with an underground system?
ADMIN – Hi Pennie,
When the snow starts sticking to the ground and builds up, you turn up the boundary width dial to compensate for snow the signal needs to go through. That trick is good for a couple of feet of snow, but after you get more accumulation than that, the underground fence signal will become inconsistent.
Wireless fences don't have that limitation and will work no matter how much snow there is. The tradeoff with wireless is that they are however more temperament and don't like all properties, and have vaguer boundaries, making training harder. We generally prefer wired.
- March 22, 2012 at 2:41 pm
We have a 7 month old St. Bernard and a 2 year old Boxer. They have started wandering lately (we live in the country on an acre). They are going into the road and down the road to a dead deer. The St. Bernard is very easy going and just wanders along unaware of anything (including cars), the boxer is good to but wants that deer. My question is – are boxer's going to be a dog less likely to respond to corrections? I know you listed some breeds but I was wondering if you have any experience with Boxers. Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Pennie,
I generally find Boxers fairly responsive to the correction. They usually need a higher level to get their attention than say a Labrador, but it is not as high as your average Pitbull. As always, there is lots of variation within breeds, so you should always start low and work your way up the correction levels only as needed.
If you do the two weeks of initial training, I would not expect any problems getting them both contained even if there is a strong attraction like a dead deer on the other side of the line. If you are particularly concerned, try and incorporate these temptations into the third stage of the training, so you can be confident they will be completely contained before you let them out unsupervised.
- March 8, 2012 at 5:40 pm
We have 1 husky/malamutes and 1 husky/GSD/wolf, both 2 years old. They are sweethearts but they run off alot. Sam the wolf jumps 6 foot fences. Will any fence contain them? We think the 4100 or the Stubborn? Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Nicole,
You would have no problems training the Husky/Malamute and her contained.
The wold hybrid might be problematic. The only breed that I have had challenges training are wolf-hybrids. Some of wolves, despite our best efforts will continually run throught the dog fence line. That you have a physical fence as well will help, because that will make running through more difficult. A good clue as to whether it will work with your dog is whether the dog is generally receptive to training.
I would definately use the PetSafe Stubborn, with the wolf it is definately possible you will need some of the higher settings.
FYI – With both those dogs and their thick coats, it is really impotant that the collar probes touch the skin, So you my need to thin out the hair around the neck line a little.
- March 8, 2012 at 12:28 am
HI, I have 2 karelian bear dog x malamute dogs, 60 lbs and 100 lbs, We live on half an acre, mostly forested. These dogs love to chase cats, dogs bears etc, and have lots of hair! What would you suggest, and it rains ALOT here. Nicki
ADMIN – Hi Nicki,
With a Karelian cross, I would suggest a PetSafe Stubborn. Karileans, often need a stronger correction than the average dog, due to the way the breed was developed. For the long hair you will want the optional ($10) long prongs to go along with the PetSafe Stubborn. The collars are fully waterproof.
- March 7, 2012 at 3:08 pm
My newest friend is an 8 week male Dobie- I have about 10,000sqft yard with circular drive in front- The lot is wider than deep- what do you think would best serve my pup?
ADMIN – Hi Rob,
I would wait until your buddy is around 6 months, it will be a lot easier to train him at that stage. Until a dog has developed a longer attention span, the training is slow and the dog gets unnecessarily corrected. At six months old, training should be a breeze. When he is at that age, we will have a better idea about his temperament, but generally a stronger system like the PetSafe Stubborn is a good choice for Doberman's. The breed has been developed to have a high pain threshold, so often a stronger system is needed to redirect their attention and get them to pay attention to the fence.
- March 5, 2012 at 9:38 pm
We are in need of a way to keep our 4 and 10 year Golden Retrievers (both 85 -90 pounds) and our daughters 10 year, un-neutered German Shepherd (100 pounds) home. The vet is hesitant to neuter him because of his age.
We have 3 acres with a small wooded area in the country and have always let the Golden's roam, as they rarely went further than the houses on either side of us, and neither neighbor minded. The shepherd came to us last year after spending his whole life chained when outside.
Now whenever we let the dogs out the German goes and visits as many neighbors he can before we catch up with and bring him home. The other 2 will follow him sometimes. With 3 large dogs that won't stay home it is only a matter of time before we get a visit and a fine from the dog warden. What would you suggest we purchase? I am thinking about the SportDog SDF-100 with 2 extra collars.
ADMIN – Hi Ann,
With three big dogs like that, on 3 acres, the SportDog would be my top choice. The PetSafe Stubborn would also be a good choice, it is basically a slightly lower quality version of the SportDog (and slightly cheaper). Either of those systems and a bit of training will get the job done. Germans and Goldens are usually easy to train on the fence so I would not anticipate any problems with that setup.
- February 29, 2012 at 10:36 am
Hello – I have 2 maltese who love to run after huge dogs and visit the neighbors' yards. Is there a system that will allow only a 25′ line boundary that will go between the house and a fence and will cross our driveway? Everything else is fenced. What would you recommend?
ADMIN – Hi Kaitlyn,
To block just a small area, you can create a long thin loop along the boundary line (separating the sides of the loop by at least six feet). Instead of using a full system, since it is such a small area and since you have small dogs, the Pawz Away Outdoor Pod run in wired mode would be a good option for you. It be less expensive than a full system and would be easier to set up.
- February 22, 2012 at 12:33 am
Hi, I have a 10 month old Siberian Husky about 50lbs or so. I am looking at moving into a small house in the country that does not have a fenced yard, and the land lords would prefer not installing an above ground fence for convenience of them managing the lawn. It is a smaller yard probably around 1/4acre at most. I was looking at the wireless and inground fences as options and just wondering what you would recommend. Hougou is not prone to running off but he is a Siberian and does like to run. I am concerned that with a wireless system that he would just cross the boundary and keep going potentially, or cross the boundary and just keep running because the correction scares him. He got zapped by a hot line that is at this particular property and cried and ran like it was the end of the world. Any advice would be great! Thank you.
ADMIN – Hi Alix,
The wired fences work better, because they are able to maintain a more consistent boundary line and aren't prone to having their signal obstructed. But, the wireless is a lot more convenient. If you are able, we would always prefer to see you use a wired – but we know that is not possible for everyone.
You need to train the dog for about two weeks after putting in the fence to avoid the situation you referenced. With the training, the dog will be conditioned to think that the only way to escape the correction is to retreat back to the house.
- February 21, 2012 at 1:35 am
We have a 9 month old lab/boxer mix with lots of energy. We live in a rural area on a flat 1/2 acre lot and are looking at a containment system. The question is whether to go wireless or wired. It sounds like wired (the IUC 4100) is the preferred way to go, but we live in snow country where snows can pile up. Currently there are piles of hard compacted snow 3-5 feet deep where the buried wire would go. How much of an issue is this? Would a wireless system (Havahart radial system) be better with the deeper snow?
ADMIN – Hi Matt,
The wired systems are indeed preferable because they have a more consistent boundary that makes training the dog easier. They do however have problems once the snow accumulation reaches more than a couple of feet. If you have 3-5 feet of compacted snow, I doubt you would get a good signal at the surface. In those situations the wireless would have a definite advantage – the snow not impacting their performance. With a young lab/boxer mix, the Havahart Radial would be a good choice.
- February 18, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Hello I have a siberian husky and a redbone coonhound and I live in a town home so only parts of the yard would be considered mine. I would like to make get a dog containment system so I could just let her out the back and not have to worry about her running off or getting tangled in a tie-out. I have one power outlet in the middle of my deck and I would like to somehow make a two straight lines from my house. Any suggestions?
ADMIN 0- Hi CJ,
Generally, the easiest way to do the backyard for a townhouse, is to go around the three sides of the back yard, the go up a downspout and across the gutter line on the back of the house, before coming down the downspout on the other side and completing the loop.
- February 17, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Hello, I am wondering what system you think is best for my dogs. I live in the city and have a good sized backyard but it is a complete uphill slope from the house to the wooded area out back. My dogs are people and pet friendly. I have a 3 year old male yellow lab. He is 98lbs of pure muscle and loves to run away at any opportunity he can. My other is a female mix of lab and American hound about 50lbs. She follows him if he runs. I am very worried they will get hurt and hit by a car on our busy road. I just want something that works for both of them and is easy to install. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
ADMIN – Hi Melissa,
With that kind of variation in size and temperament, a system which lets us set the correction level for each collar seperately would be useful. The PetSafe Stubborn would be a good choice. With the system and a bit of training you shouldn't have any trouble getting them contained.
- February 9, 2012 at 12:24 pm
I have 2 dogs, one is 130 lbs and the other is only 5 lbs. I have a yard of between 1/4 and 1/2 acre. What type fencing would you recommend?
ADMIN – Hi Juli,
The PetSafe Containment Systems are a good choice where there is a lot of variation in the size of the dogs because you can use a mix and match of collars. I would use a PetSafe Stubborn Dog Fence system and use the included collar with the larger dog. For the smaller dog, I would use an extra PetSafe Little Dog Collar.
- January 29, 2012 at 11:39 pm
I have a 45 pound female Husky who is 10 months old. She only gets out of are fence on my neighbors side by pulling off the boards off the fence. I am thinking of just doing my hole yard in the in ground fence thing. What system do you think is best for a husky!
ADMIN – Hi Clay,
With Huskies, the Innotek IUC-4100 works particularly well. It can be difficult with Huskies to get the collar probes through their undercoat, so that you are getting the probe actually touching the dog's skin. The 4100 helps solve this problem with the a built in collar tester that lets you know when the probes are touching skin.
- January 26, 2012 at 7:06 pm
I have a petsafe RF-15 system on about 1/2 acre. i have a 2 year old shiba inu and a 3 month old Pomeranian. while training the Pomm we found numerous area of the fence to be inconsistent. for example most of the time the collar activates at 15 feet from the line however i have found areas in my house about 50 feet from the line that the collar activates sometime. i have 3 models of collars (little dog, stubborn dog and regular) the stubborn and regular seem to be the worse. This makes raining the dog difficult.
ADMIN – Hi Ron,
Sounds like you have the boundary width turned up too high so it is blanketing the entire area. When this happens the opposite sides start interfering with each other and you get weird patterns of coverage. Turn the boundary width dial down all the way to minimum and then turn it up slightly. Go out and test the boundary with the collar. Keep increasing the boundary until you get the field starting about 5 feet out from the line.
The other possibility is that you have the signal leaking into some other cable or metal running nearby. Check for any sheet metal or electric wire running close to and parallel to the dog fence wire.
- January 26, 2012 at 10:44 am
I have a 1.5 year old, 40 pound husky. Right now he is on a line and i take him out on a 26ft lead to run off energy. In the spring, I am moving to a 7 acre property that is almost all woods, and I would like to get a system that will allow him to have more freedom than he currently has, and yet keep him from visiting the neighbors and running after the wildlife throughout the country side. Any suggestions on a system and the best way to install it would be greatly appreciated.
ADMIN – Hi Erin,
For wooded areas, we usually just staple the wire to the ground. Burying wire with all those tree roots is not practical. And after a couple of years, as the leaves fall the wire tends to bury it self. The only sections you really need to bury are where it crosses heavily trafficked paths, and anywhere with grass that is mowed.
A good system for Huskies is the Innotek IUC-4100. It is a good all round system, and it the collar has a built in fit-tester, that lets you know when the collar is on the dog properly. That will comes in handy with getting the collar properly fitted on the thick undercoat of your Husky.
- January 16, 2012 at 3:03 pm
We are about to rescue an 8 month old beagle, we have a fenced back yard so that is not the issue. We like to keep our garage door open during most of the summer and her area is off the back of the garage with a doggy door to the backyard. I would like to continue to open the garage door without her running and exploring. Is any of the systems ok to be installed on cement or above the garage door for just a garage door opening containment? I really don't want to buy a bunch of gates to prevent this possible escape.
Admin- Hi Melanie,
Absolutely, you will be able to install a dog fence around the garage door opening. You can simply run the wire inside the expansion join that separates the driveway and garage opening. Than continue the wire all the way around the outer trim of the garage door. This way you form a small boundary loop around the garage door to create the barrier. A great system for your Beagle will be the Innotek IUC-4100.
- January 13, 2012 at 6:37 pm
I have a versatile hunting dog and am considering putting up an underground fence around my house that is located on 1 acre. I live in the middle of 40 acres and there are no other fences. I would like to be able to keep him in the 1 acre area when I let him out to run and take care of other business, but I am concerned that the stimulation caused by the fence could limit him from ranging out when hunting and the use of an e-collar when hunting may have a different affect than when he was originally trained. Please let me know if this should be a concern and if you have any others thoughts on this situation. Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Ryan,
After initial month on the dog fence, you can get the dog into a routine where we teach him it is okay to cross the boundary if given permission by you. There will be hesitancy for the first few times, you take him outside the property to hunt, dog will quickly adapt to the new rules. (If you need to take him out in the first month drive him or carry him over the boundary) Se our training sectino for more details on how this is done.
Same with the e-collar. I would wait at least a month until after the dog fence training to start e-collar training. If you have already use an e-collar with the dog, you can continue to use it – we just want to avoid starting too many new things at the same time.
- January 8, 2012 at 12:59 am
I'm planning to install a SportDOG SDF-100A to enclose around 15 acres. Since I want my dog to have access to a small creek, how do you recommend crossing the stream, keeping in mind seasonal flooding with floating debris? Also, approximately 500′ of the perimeter is with barbed wire fence. How do you recommend attaching the boundary wire to that fence without it eventually snagging the barbs? Thanks so much. Scott
ADMIN – Hi Scott,
The easiest way to cross a stream is to be opportunistic and use a fallen tree of other convenient crossing point above the water line. It that is not available, I would place the wire in a protective conduit like an old hose pipe and staple it as best you can to the creek bed. You can also just run the wire through the creek naked, but It is worth putting in the extra effort – hunting and fixing wire breaks in a creek is never fun.
I find zipties to work great for attaching the dog fence perimeter wire to barbed wire fencing in a few spots. Because there is no pressure on the dog fence wire, it simply sits next to the barbs and does not tend to get torn up. The wire does tend to get tangled in the barbs, but that does not hurt the fence.
- December 20, 2011 at 1:08 pm
I have two dogs. A 70 lb lab and a 110 lb german shepherd. We have 4 ft. chain link fence on two sides of our yard. The lab goes under and the shepherd goes over. Will that fence interfere with any of these systems signal? A friend of mine said that you can't put underground fence near chain link. I am just wondering if that is true.
ADMIN – Hi Brian,
You can mount the dog fence boundary wire right on the chain link fence (either weaving it through the links or using zip-ties to hold it in place). The chain link fence will not cause interference. (Solid sheet metal fences in some circumstance can amplify the signal – but not chain link) One little tips, if you use a weed eater – then place the wire about a foot above the ground on the fence so that it does not get hit when you are edging around the fence. (PS – Smack you friend in the head for us.)
- December 10, 2011 at 8:44 pm
I have 2 large male labs. One is about 2 years old and the other is 1 year old. The 2-year old is 100 ibs and the 1 year old is about 70 lbs. Both are extremely energetic and bolt out of the yard whenever they get a chance. They love to run. I've got a 2 acre lot that is rectangular in shape. I'd like to give them a 350′ X 100′ zone. Also, when they wrestle around, they tend to chew each other's collars off, so I'd probably need the sturdiest collar in your line up. Just curious what in ground system you would recommend. Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Dennis,
For a sturdy collar for two large labs, the SportDog SDF-100A would be your best choice. The collars are the toughest available and could handle a couple of Labradors. Another slightly cheaper, but also good choice for your situation would be the PetSafe Stubborn.
- December 10, 2011 at 3:12 pm
We have a 2-1/2 year old 20 pound miniature schnauzer that we got as stray from an animal shelter. He likes to run and dart. We need coverage on just one side of our yard…approx. 60 feet. What do you recommend? I have heard of Pet Safe? Innotek? Dog Watch? and Invisible Fence?…..totally confused. Help! Thanks Harry
ADMIN – Hi Harry,
To cover just one side of the yard, you are going to run a long thin loop along that one side. The opposite sides of the loop will need to be at least six feet apart to stop them interfering with each other. You will connect this long thin loop to the transmitter using the twisted wire.
With a mini-schnauzer, you have a lot of options. I would suggest something with a smaller collar. Either the Innotek IUC-4100 – a good system with a rechargeable collar, or the PetSafe Deluxe – a little cheaper but also good, but with a disposable collar battery.
- November 29, 2011 at 7:19 pm
I am thinking about adopting a pointer. I live on 1 acre n a rural neighborhood. I estimate his weight could reach up to 60 lbs at the most. Our yard is sloping with the majority of it being on the back side of the house. Can you recommend a system for this scenario?
ADMIN – Hi Jennifer,
We always recommend a wired dog fence over a wireless dog fence. If you go with a wired fence, the slope of your yard will not be a factor. For sporting dogs, we do typically recommend the SportDog SDF100A, but since you're fencing in around an acre, I'd recommend going with the PetSafe Stubborn dog fence. The Stubborn fence and the SportDog fence share identical collars and they function the same as well. The differences are that the SportDog is designed for large installs up to 100 acres and the collar band is a woven fiber with a stainless steel buckle. You can save a bit of money with the Stubborn fence and still get that same great collar.
- November 16, 2011 at 11:30 am
We are getting a 70lb husky mix and we live on 5.8 acres and would like to allow her to run our property. Our property sloops downward and we were thinking about getting the Havahart custom shape wireless system. I wasn't sure with the sloop if it would work or not. We could do a system with a wire but our property is pretty rocky too. Any suggustions?
ADMIN – Hi Clodie,
The best way to know on wireless fences is to simply give it a try. If you have relatively few barriers, no metal buildings and roofs, or thick cement walls, you have a good chance.
- November 8, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I am interested in purchasing The electronic dog fence. I have about 3 acres to cover. I have a dachshund and 2 puggles. One of the puggles is very energetic and will run all day. The dachshund is approx 10 lbs and The puggles are both under 25 lbs. Can you please tell me the best system to buy.
Thank you Kayla
ADMIN – Hi Kayla,
For the Dachshund, we want a smaller collar like the PetSafe Litte Dog. For the Puggles, we have a bit more flexibility and can either do a PetSafe Little Dog collar or a PetSafe Deluxe collar. The PetSafe Deluxe is the better choice, because although slightly bigger the batteries it uses are cheaper and have a longer life.
I would get the PetSafe Little Dog system and two extra PetSafe Deluxe collars for the puggles.
- October 20, 2011 at 9:27 pm
We have a 14 week old German Shepherd male and a one acre lot on a rural street. I am in the landscape business so I own the equipment needed to install an invisible dog fence. I have learned a lot from your website and wanted to know what system do you recommend. He is a registered German Shepherd and his father is 100lbs so he will be a big dog. Do you recommend the Innotek 4100 or the Petsafe Stubborn Dog? Also is he too young to train now, or what age do you recommend to train on a invisible fence? Thank you
Admin- Hi Justin,
We typically recommend waiting at least 6 months before training. It makes the dog fence training much quicker. However, if the dog can already understand basic commands like come sit and stay. Than the dog should be ready for training with the containment fence. For a German Shepherd we recommend either the PetSafe Stubborn or the SportDog SDF-100A. The collars on these systems are designed for larger/strong bread of dogs.
- October 1, 2011 at 9:17 pm
We live in a home with a metal roof as well as metal siding. We are having difficulty finding a fencing solution. Our boxer and weimaraner keep running off. Can you please help with any suggestions? Everyone we speak with tells us that their product won't work due to the metal. Thank you
ADMIN – Hi Lauren,
The wireless dog fences will not work with homes with metal siding, nor a metal rood. But, the wired dog fences will work perfectly, you just need to keep the dog fence boundaries at least six feet from the house siding – if that is possible in your property you should not have any problems.
For a Boxer and a Weimeraner, an Innotek IUC-4100 would work well, as would a PetSafe Stubborn.
- September 28, 2011 at 3:41 pm
We have a 2 month old beagle and we've been told that beagles will go wherever their nose leads them when they are outside. We've also heard both horror and success stories with beagles and invisible fences. We would like to contain her in a 3 acre perimitter around the house. What would you recommend and can a beagle truly be trained on an invisible fence?
Admin- Hi Walt,
When trained, even spirited dogs like beagle with a strong prey drive should be able to resist crossing the boundary. A properly trained dog will have no idea that it can go through the boundary, they will assume the boundary correction goes on forever, and that they can only stop the correction by turning and retreating. For your beagle I would highly recommend the Innotek IUC-4100. The IUC-4100 is a superb system and will work perfectly with your Beagle.
- September 22, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Hi. I emailed this but saw this comment section and thought the advice might help out some other folks so I'll post here too.
Our two dogs, one 90 pound Malamute and a 60 pound Shepard both love our chicken coop. I thought they would get over it but they haven't yet. They just race around it and constantly jump on the screen cage. It's strong but not going to last at this rate. Additionally they have been ruining the soil surrounding the coop by racing constantly around it.
From some online research I've gathered quite a bit of information and have determined the following options.
1) Using something similar to the PetSafe Exterior Pawz Away Instant Pet Barrier.
I thought this might work well since it will simply create a zone around the coop. My concern with this is if the correction levels will be strong enough.
2) Using the Petsafe Stubborn Dog along with a normal Petsafe Deluxe collar for the smaller dog. I'm guessing this will work but am curious if I can simply put the wire around the coop instead of in the ground. Would that work?
3) Maybe using a wireless fence.
Thanks for any help or other ideas.
ADMIN – Hi Jesse,
(1) The Pawz-Away Rocks would be your best bet, they will be much faster and cheaper to keep the dogs out of a small area. The collars are weaker, and not as good as the dog fence collars, but for keeping dogs out of an area, they should be good enough. Excluding dogs from an area is easier because, running through is less of an issue. I think this is going to be your cheapest and best option.
(2) The PetSafe Sutbborn system with an extra Deluxe collar would work. With those two dogs, you could also just use two of the cheaper Stubborn collars, just keep them both turned down – neither the Malamute nor the German Shepherd is likely to need more than the medium-low or the medium on that high powered collar. Either of these setups would work well for you.
(3) To keep the dogs out of a space, the wireless systems are not a good fit. They are only effective to keep the dogs inside a space. This would not be a good choice for your situation.
- September 14, 2011 at 12:22 am
Hi, I have a 18 month old male Siberian Husky. The neighbors have a golden retriever, and he's always trying to go next door to see the golden. I currently have a 100 foot aerial run in the backyard, but he doesn't seem to like it much…and is so strong hes pulled it out of the house twice already. I'm looking to put in an inground fence so he can run (as huskies main passion is running haha)…but so that he can't escape (i've had some close calls with almost losing him!). I'd like to get it in and have him trained and used to it before winter so that he can spend 'his season' free to play outdoors without being connected to a tie out or runner or a leash. What would you suggest as the best inground fence for an extremely stubborn male Siberian Husky…who is very strong, is an escape artist, and is ALWAYS trying to leave the yard to go chase or visit the neighbors…or anything he sees movement from for that matter..??
ADMIN – Hi Sandra,
Sounds like your typical Husky! The Innotek IUC-4100 is very good for Huskies. In particular, the collar has a feature that tells you when the collar is fitted properly, something that is tricky with the thick undercoat of a Husky. An improperly fitted collar seem to be the biggest issue with Huskies.
I would not assume that he needs a particularly strong correction, and would start him on the medium. Huskies despite stubbornness, tend to be very sensitive to the correction and usually just need a tap to redirect their considerable energy.
- September 10, 2011 at 8:15 pm
I have two dogs. Sasha, a pit(50lbs) and Tuck, an Australian Shepard(40-50lbs). I need to keep them in my back yard. Sasha doesn't leave the yard much, unless she sees a small animal she can chase. Tuck tries to sneak off any chance he gets. I need something with durable collars and batteries that don't need replaced too frequently. What would you recommend?
ADMIN – Hi Kayla,
With a Pitbull and an Aussie, I would get a system which lets you change the correction levels of the dogs individually, since the Pit is likely to require a higher correction level than the Aussie. I would use something like the PetSafe Stubborn. It has a good durable collar, and uses a regular 9V battery that lasts 2-3 months.
- September 10, 2011 at 8:17 am
I notice from your reviews, that you make some recommendations based upon breed of the dog.
Do you have any experience with electric fencing for Japanese hunting breeds? We have a Kai Ken.
Our dog is 40 pounds at 7 months of age. He is not vicious. He is strong willed and forgets everything else when he scents something or sees a deer.
We live in a community that does not allow above-ground fencing, and we would want our dog to be able to run in an area next to our house.
Hi DS,
We do use breed, while not definitive, I find breed give a good indicator of how the dog will react to the correction. I have not worked with a Kai Ken. But, generally hunting dogs have that strong prey drive and will often be insensitive to the correction when on the chase.
I would start with an Innotek IUC-4100 on the medium setting. The Innotek collar-fit mode will be useful with that thick coat, and will let you use the . You could also try a PetSafe Stubborn, but given his size I would start on the medium-low and be conservative about using the higher settings.
- August 31, 2011 at 10:37 am
I have a nine month old aussie and a two year old rescue border collie on very steep mountain propery with lots of trees and a gravel driveway. We also take the dogs to our RV which has a small flat lot, with lots of people traffic around it. I don't believe a wireless/wifi system will work with all the hills and dropoffs,and a regular fence would be impossible here, so any suggestion would help. We have 13 acres, but would probably only fence 2-4 acres.Thank you for the consideration.
ADMIN – Hi Kathy,
Agreed in that kind of mountainous/forested terrain, a wireless is not going to be a good choice. Can you run the boundary wire along the containment area? For the non-mowed sections that are just forest you could just staple the wire down instead of burying it.
With an Australian Shepherd and a Border Collie, something like the Innotek IUC-4100 or the PetSafe Stubborn would work nicely.
- August 30, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Thank you. If the dog does cross the barrier and keep going, will it keep correcting until they return back to the yard? Or, once they cross does it stop, then correct again when they come back?
ADMIN – Hi Allison,
With the wired systems the dog will stop getting the correction if they get far past the boundary and they will get the correction when they return. This is what make the training so important – a properly trained dog will immediately react to the correction by turning and retreating. They will think that is the only way to escape and will never learn that running through is an option.
- August 30, 2011 at 11:26 am
We have a 40 lb. beagle and a 55 lb. lab mix (possibly some chow). Both about 7 or 8 years old. They are both very inquisitive and like to chase. We have smaller front and side yards, but 1/2 acre in the back. It's open, but there is a line of trees behind and some other houses. Fair amount of wildlife. We were going to put up a physical fence to contain them. I'm intrigued by the electric fence but am worried they will take off if they see another dog, wildlife or food to sniff. Do you have recommendations?
ADMIN – Hi Allison,
With the training, dogs will stay faithful to the fence boundary line even if there are strong temptations on the other side, even critters that trigger their prey drive. The sensation of the correction is so immediate and unusual for a dog that it redirect their attention. If you are particularly concerned about some particular trigger, we will encourage you to work with that trigger in the third step of the training we suggest.
For a lab and a beagle, an Innotek IUC-4100 would be a good choice. The system has a small collar and is rechargeable. The PetSafe Stubborn is also a good choice, it is bigger and uses a disposable battery but is a little cheaper and also works well.
- August 20, 2011 at 6:40 pm
I own a large yorkie-poo at 15 pounds and a german shepherd at 84 pounds and it keeps jumping over our fence. What is the best system to contain two dog that differ alot in weight?
ADMIN – Hi Dillon,
I like using the PetSafe systems where there is a large disparity in sizes between the dogs. The PetSafe systems have two advantages in this situation: first they let you adjust the correction level of each collar independently, and second they allow you to mix-and-match collars so that you can use the best collar for each dog rather than having to chose a compromise collar for both dogs.
I would get a PetSafe Stubborn system and use the included collar for the German. For the Yorkie, I would get an extra PetSafe Deluxe collar.
- August 17, 2011 at 8:54 am
I have a chug that is 10 pounds, but should get to be 11-13 pounds. Do I go up to the Innotek or down to the small dog? Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Sam,
Start with the Innotek 4100, put the collar on the dog without switching it on and let the dog try it for a couple of days. If they are uncomfortable, swap it for the PetSafe, otherwise stick with the Innotek. The PetSafe proprietary battery is obnoxious and should be avoided where possible.
- August 5, 2011 at 1:37 am
I plan to get a German Shepherd puppy. I live in town with a decent sized yard, but no acreage. My yard is fenced with redwood on 2 sides. On the 3rd side is a chain link, short fence because the ground shifts. (I am on a hill) The dog would be able to easily jump over that chain link fence into the neighbor's yard, it is only about to my thighs in some spots. Neighbor doesn't want me to replace the fence as he put it in himself 33 years ago. My only electrical outlet would cross in front of the door the dog would use to come into the house. My house sits about 10 feet higher than the yard below. Any suggestions?
Admin- Hi Susan,
A great solution for your property would a single sided boundary. You will be able to run a portion of the wire on the chain link fence and bury the other half. Please view our single sided boundary diagram.
A great fence for your German Shepherd will be the PetSafe Stubborn/Large Dog fence.
- August 3, 2011 at 7:13 am
We have a one yr old st bernard lab mix who continues to run through our current innotek 3100d system. We have trained her multiple times & she knows where the border is & wont go near it if on a leash. When she is loose in the yard and sees a squirrel or another dog goes through it without hesitation. Any suggestions?
ADMIN – Hi Jennifer,
When a dog is running through the fence, we want to observe them going through the fence to see what their reaction to the correction is.
If the dog goes through and doesn't seem to have any reaction, then they are not getting the correction. We want to test the collar and system to make sure it is still correcting at the boundary. And we want to make sure the collar is properly fitted so that the probes touch the dog's skin (this is the most common cause of dogs going through – this is very common on long hair dog's like St Bernards), you may need to thin out hair around the probes.
If the dog has a reaction (which it seems yours did not) – then the deterrence is insufficient or the dog is not properly trained. We turn up the correction strength, turn up the boundary wideness, and start retraining the dog (usually starting at Step 2). If there are specific temptation issues like squirrels.
- August 1, 2011 at 11:47 pm
I have 3 dogs; 15# shitzu-bichon, 45# golden retriever; 50# chocolate lab/german shorthair. I have about 1.2 acres of land; 1/3 is bordered by a river. The dogs love to swim and I want them to. I have a long blacktop/concrete driveway. Part of the yard is near a very busy street (kids/cars/bikes etc) and my dogs love to visit and chase squirrels/cats etc. What is my best option for containment of these 3? Buzzy
ADMIN – Hi Buzzy,
With the biggest dog being more than 3 times the size of the smallest, the PetSafe systems are a good choice. The PetSafe systems let you use their collars inter-compatibly so you can use a collar appropriate for each dog. I would suggest a PetSafe Stubborn base system. Use PetSafe Stubborn collars for the larger two dogs (you won't need a collar that strong, but it is very good value for money, and fine to use with dogs like yours as long as you keep it turned down to the lower levels). And add the smaller PetSafe Deluxe collar for the Shih Tzu / Bichon.
- August 1, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Does an " in- ground" fence have to be buried? We're renting a house and don't want to dig up the yard. There's also an asphalt driveway.
ADMIN – In-ground (aka wired) dog containment systems do not need to be buried. The wire can happily sit on top of the ground or even hover in the air (attached to a fence for example).
You don't have to bury the wire across the driveway either, but most people do for aesthetics. The easiest way to do it without cutting is to run the wire through an existing expansion joint. That failing, you can run the wire over the top of the asphalt. A car will not do much damage the wire – and the wire will last a couple of years before you need to replace it even with moderate traffic over it.
- July 28, 2011 at 1:34 pm
I am impressed as I read the testimonials about your company. You seem to have the answers to many varied situations. I hope you have one for me. We have a home on the lakeshore and have a young golden retriever who loves to swim but also thinks its a fun game to bust through the garden fence we put up around the entire lake side of our home and run out to the road…several times a day. We would like a system that could contain him to the lake side yard and allow him to go 50 to 75 feet out into the water. Is there something that is waterproof? We also like a rechargeable battery. Our daughters 120 lb lab also comes on weekends but he stays around just fine so I don't think we would put a collar on him. Thanks in advance…I would like to order a system from you asap.
Admin- Hi Kelly,
We recommend the Innotek IUC-4100. The collar is a slim fit, rechargeable that is fully waterproof. You will be able to install the boundary wire in one of our pre-planned layout options for lakefront properties. Please take a look at the link below.
Lake Front: http://www.dogfencediy.com/installation/plan/#lakefront
- July 25, 2011 at 12:44 am
I have 2 visiting dogs, one 100 pound boxer and one 50 pound lab, who are used to freedom in a fenced back yard. The boxer is a strong male and can bolt when curious. The female lab is a velcro dog and not so aggressive. Since the dogs visit only a few days a month, my needs are for temporary use and therefore prefer a wireless fence if possible. My land area is 3/4 of an acre but prefer the dogs remain in the back yard (< 1/2 acre). What would be your best suggestion for my needs? Thanks!
Admin- Hi Molly,
The best wireless system is the Havahart Radial shape. The Havahart Radial shape fence is the most effect wireless system on the market and will work great for your ½ acre.
- July 9, 2011 at 11:24 am
My yard is about 3/4 fenced in. The only part that is not is across the driveway which is maybe 20-30ft long. We would not like to fence that section off. What would you recommend as the best electronic fence for that area?
ADMIN – Hi Beth,
If you wanted to block only a small section, you could run a small loop or wire that goes across the driveway and then returns 6+ feet apart. You could use either a full wired dog fence system, or one of the cheaper outdoor pods if all you need is a short run of wire.
Happy to give you a recommendation regarding a specific system. How many dogs do you have and what are the age, weight, and temperament of each?
- July 7, 2011 at 11:09 pm
I have 4 acres and german shephard that is a puppy, but it will grow. What wireless system is best for me, because it is very uneven, mountain area, almost no flat… Thanks A.
ADMIN – Hi Asim,
The Havahart Radial is the best of the wireless systems. Although, if the terrain is so uneven that you could not get a line of sight to the dog – wireless may not work very well in your situation.
If you wanted to look at wired dog containment systems for a German Shepherd pup, the Innotek IUC-4100, SportDog SDF-100A or the PetSafe Stubborn would all be good choices (in that order).
- July 7, 2011 at 9:17 am
We have two 4 mth old labrador puppies, weighing between 20-22ibs with a neck size about half that of an adult lab. When buying a fence kit, are the collars adaptable for the difference in the neck size from a puppy to an adult? Or is it necessary to buy second collars as they grow (hoping this is not a requirement considering the $$$ outlay!)? Greatly appreciate your advice on this. Thanks for your time.
ADMIN – Hi Ave,
The collars all adjust to fit a range of neck sizes and will accommodate both a puppy and a full grown lab. Usually, once the collar is fitted you cut off the excess – in your case, I would keep a little excess on the collar so you can let the collar out as they grow.
PS – we usually wait till six months old, unless the dogs can already confidently do a sit/stay/come. For most dogs, 4 months is a little early and they just don't have the attention span for the dog fence training. It becomes much easier at six months.
- June 17, 2011 at 7:18 pm
We have a small 10 pound dog who has decided that it is fun to chase our neighbor's chickens and unfortunately has injured one trying to play with it. The neighbor refuses to fix their chicken coop area so that the chicken our not roaming throughout her yard and our dog is keeps getting under our wooden fence and under the chicken wire fence we have even though we have modified both of them. Is there an electric dog fence that might help?
ADMIN – Hi Terri,
If the chickens are staying in your neighbor's yard, you could simply run a dog fence around the perimeter of your yard. Since you already have a fence in place, you could just attach the boundary wire to your existing fence instead of burying it.
A good system for a 10lb dog would be the PetSafe Little Dog.
- May 28, 2011 at 11:25 am
I must say first off, fantastic website! A lot of great information & the reviews are top notch. My wife and I are looking at putting in an electric or wireless system and a couple of questions. We are open to wired and wireless systems and very comfortable in installing them but we have 2 breeds of dogs. A 40 pound standard poodle (female) and a quite large 135lb 11 month old great dane (Male). Both listen quite well and stay in our yard 80% of the time but will run over to see our neighbors & their dogs from time to time. We have about 1.5 acres and would like to setup the fence for them to use almost all of the yard. Any thoughts on which system would work best for our setup? Property is almost a perfect square with the house pretty close to being in the middle and our dogs are overall well behaved and not stubborn. The great dane especially is easy to train (plus he's a HUGE wimp J ). Thanks again for the great site and I look forward to becoming one of your customers.
ADMIN – Hi Zack,
If you can do wired, definately go in that direction. It is a little bit more work up front, but a lot better solution because you get nice consistent boundaries that make training the dogs much easier.
With that much difference in size we would want a system with independent correction levels. The PetSafe Stubborn or the SportDog SDF-100 would work well. They are both good reliable systems that will let you set a different correction level for each dog. The base station on the SportDog is a little better, but with just 1.5 acres you would be fine with the PetSafe. Because it is slightly cheaper, I would opt for the PetSafe. One thing to watch out for – they are both strong system, which is does not sound like you will need with either of your dogs, so be sure to keep the collars turned down low.
If you wanted something rechargeable the Dogtra EF-3000 would work. Although, you coudl just get a couple of rechargeable 9 volt batteries for the PetSafe which would again be much cheaper.
- May 28, 2011 at 10:28 am
Hi, I have 3 dogs….2 full grown labs (girls) and a 6 month old pup who is the son of one of my labs, a lab/pit mix. Knew nothing of his father but seen him climb fences like a pro to mate with my 2yr old lab. Now his son seems to have the same traits.
He has only jumped/climbed it one time so far, ended up in neighbors yard, but we live on a busy road and I am very worried.
My older dogs behave very well, and the pup is actually a very calm dog, and minds very well. I am thinking he may need more attention from me and some new toys. My yard is about an acre, what fence do you recommend???
ADMIN – Hi Gana,
With a fence already in place, you can easily fence mount the wire and training will be particularly straight forward. You should have the fence climbing issue fixed very quickly. You might consider just getting a collar for the escapee and only add collars for the others if they become a problem later on.
For two labs and a lab mix, the Innotek IUC-4100 would be an excellent choice. It has a slimline rechargeable collar and is very reliable.
A second good option would be the PetSafe Stubborn. It has a larger collar and uses a disposable instead of rechargeable battery, but will be a bit cheaper.
I think more attention and new toys are always welcome!
- May 27, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I have three young dogs – a very exuberant 2-yr old Aussie, a super mellow/sensitive border collie cross (also 2) and a 7 mo old Aussie who is in between the other two in temperament. The older Aussie likes to chase cars, although I have been working with him with a remote collar and he is starting to come around. I'd like to install an underground fence that will keep the rascals contained on about an acre. Could you suggest an appropriate system? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Sarah,
Working dogs like Aussies and Border Collies train well, so you should have smooth sailing through your training.
The SportDog SDF-100A would be a good choice. It will give you independent correction levels, and enough wire to do the full 1 acre. The cons are that the collars are a little bigger, and it uses a 9 volt disposable battery.
The Innotek IUC-4100 would also work well. It is rechargeable and has a smaller collar, but is a little more expensive.
- May 23, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Hello I am writing to ask a few questions that I can't seem to find straight answers to on dogfencediy.
1. What system do you personally recommend for an 1 acre 5ft fenced lot that my 100lb lab continues to dig out of?
2. Need to for system that is water proof for swimming as I might purchase 2 units one for home and another for family lake house. This dog swims alot….
3. What system is easy to add 2nd collar as we are thinking about expanding our family.
ADMIN – Hi Jeff,
1. The Innotek IUC-4100, which is rechargeable and has a slimline collar would be our top choice. The SportDog SDF-100 would also be a good choice, it has a bigger collar and uses a disposable battery, but is also a little cheaper and has an extra 500 feet of wire included in the package.
2. Both systems above have fully waterproof collars that can be completely immersed.
3. Both the Innotek and the SportDog will let you add additional collars without any hassle. You just power on the new collar and you are ready to go.
- May 21, 2011 at 4:07 pm
I have a Golden Retriever/ Cocker Spaniel mix (about 45 lbs), he loves to run after bird and go where ever his nose takes him. We would like to fence him in so he doesn't have to be tied out any more and we live on about 1/2 acre and by two main highways. What type of fence do you recommend?
ADMIN – Hi Stephanie,
Field dogs like Spaniels and Retrievers tend to be easy to contain and leave you a lot of options. The Innotek IUC-4100 is a particulalry good choice for long hair dogs, because the collar has a "fit" detector to tell you when the collar is properly contacting the dog's skin – something a bit tricky with long hair dogs. Another good option would be the PetSafe Stubborn, it is a little bigger and uses a disposable battery unlike the rechargeable battery on the Innotek, but it is also a bit cheaper and also a good dependable system.
- May 20, 2011 at 11:50 pm
We have a 7 y/o lab and a 1 y/o weimerainer (both weigh between 55 and 70 lbs). The lab should be relatively easy to train but our weimerainer is a little bit "off". He has a very short attention span and A LOT of energy. We are looking into getting an underground fence for out 3/4 acre yard. Neither are mean to any extent, they just enjoy wandering our cul-de-sac (and visiting the neighbors) and we are looking for a better way to keep them in our unfenced yard. We were leaning toward the Petsafe IUC-4100. Do you think that this would have enough correction for the weimerainer? Do you feel this is our best option? Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Jenn,
Weimaraners like labs don't tend to need a lot of correction. They are usually sensitive to the correction. The PetSafe IUC-4100, with the correction on medium would be a good choice for those two dogs.
- May 19, 2011 at 11:13 am
We found a puppy whose owner we never found. He is a mixed brindle colored boxer/labrador dog now almost a year old and weighing about 55 lbs.We have him in our chain link fenced back yard. He is very muscular and strong and figures out how to climb over the fence and get out. We have tried numerous ways to obstruct his ability to get out mainly by propping things up higher than the fence where he loves to get out. We have had to place him on a runner until we can find a solution. We live a city neighborhood with a school close by. He loves children so if he gets out that is probably where he would head first or on a major road into town- one block from our house.
Our backyard is rectangular in shape. In this area are steps down to two patios off the back of the house, shrubbery across the back of the patios as well as shrubbery across the fence line behind the house. There are several pine and dogwood trees n this area. It is not a clear open area. What do you suggest.?
ADMIN – Hi Jill,
With a fence already in place, it would be easiest to run the dog fence wire along the current chain link fence. (Either weave the wire through the chain link or zip-tie it in place)
For a boxer lab mix, you have a lot of options for the fence system. The two top choices would be the Innotek IUC-4100 if you wanted something rechargeable or the PetSafe Stubborn if you wanted something a little cheaper (the trade-off being a larger collar and a disposable battery).
JILL – Thanks so much. That is a wonderful suggestion about weaving the wire through the fence or to zip- tie it . I never thought about that ! You have been a big help !! Sam has been quite a challenge for us baby boomers he is so strong, healthy and muscular however, we are trying to do our best to provide him a good home.
- May 11, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Thanks for the quick reply! The area they need to stay out of is a "L-shaped" area. It is the back left corner of the property. The garage sits lined in this corner as well creating a 10 foot path on the side and back (bordered by the problem fence). I was thinking that I'd have to put the rock right at the corner of the garage and it could be set to broadcast 25 ft. The total "problem" area of the fence is roughly 50 feet and the both side fences measure out at a linear feet. I think I will buy this rock. Your 30 day guarantee gives me the confidence to spend the money and try it.
- May 11, 2011 at 12:36 am
I've spent hours on this site reading and pondering. I am on overload now I think. I'm looking for help to solve a problem. I have a one year old male aussie/lab/?? mix and a 6 year old half blind, three-legged border collie. The dogs were free to roam the fenced backyard, but a few months the dogs figured out that they could push the fence (sometimes combined with digging) and get under it on the south and southwest corner of the yard.This area of my property was apparently built up to level the yard for the detached garage and is held up by retaining walls. However, erosion and so forth over the years have created large gaps under the fence that drop off to the neighboring property a few feet below. I routinely have to "plug up" holes with logs and so forth which only seem to provoke exploration to another area of fence [sigh]. It will be super expensive to build the yard back up several inches (along with a higher retaining wall) and I don't plan on living here forever. S0……..I guess my true need is to keep the dogs from even going near that area of fence. I was thinking of getting the Pawz Off Rock to broadcast from that corner and maybe even adding line along the rest of that back fence. What would you suggest? Thank you in advance for keeping some of my hair from changing colors (along with my face!)
ADMIN – Hi Frustrated,
How big is the area where we need to block the dogs from entering. If it is just a small area, (less than 50 feet), the Pawz Away Rock would work well. We could just set up a small loop of wire that ran along the bottom of the fence they are escaping, and made the return leg of the loop along the top of the fence.
If it is much larger than 50 feet, we can use a full dog fence system to make a loop around the entire property. Again we would simply attach the wire to the fence. For an Aussie and a Border Collie, the Innotek IUC-4100 would be a good choice.
- May 7, 2011 at 12:42 am
I have a 19 lb pug and a 65 lb english bulldog. I tried a petsafe wireless fence system and the extra receiver but decided the underground would work better for our boundaries. Both dogs were super sensitive to the correction and I found that this collar wasn't a great fit…but that could be because of the extra skin folds in the neck area on both of them? Which system would you recommend that would have a low correction setting and a collar that will fit well on pugs and bulldogs?
ADMIN – Hi Tera,
We would want something with independent correction, because I suspect the Bulldog will need a little more correction than the pug and so I would pick something that let you set the correction level for each dog separately. The PetSafe Deluxe would be a good choice, as would the Perimeter Technologies Ultra.
Those folds of skin that you get on wrinkly dogs are tricky. I sometimes find that using the long collar probes works better with dogs with skin folds, even though they if they are shorthair dogs.
For something with a really low correction, the PetSafe Little Dog would work, although I suspect it would be underpowered for the Bulldog.
It was interesting that your bulldog was so sensitive. Bulldogs known for requiring stronger corrections. It is a good example of why you need to be attentive to individual dogs and not get hung up on breed stereotypes.
- April 30, 2011 at 8:32 pm
I have a miniature schnauzer (18lbs) and a golden retriever (80lbs). We have a 1 acre lot in an active neighborhood. The miniature schnauzer will chase anything with fur or feathers. What type of underground system do you recommend?
ADMIN – Hi Angel,
With the miniature schnauzer, I would do a PetSafe Deluxe collar, it is small enough that is will be comfortable on the Schnauzer.
For the lab, we could use either a PetSafe Deluxe collar or a PetSafe Stubborn collar (set to the low correction settings). The Deluxe collar is a little more expensive and uses a proprietary battery. the Stubborn collar is much bigger, but is also cheaper and uses a generic 9V battery.
My recommendation would be to get the PetSafe Stubborn system, and add an extra PetSafe Deluxe collar for the Schnauzer.
- April 26, 2011 at 11:37 am
Hello, after searching the web for an underground dog fence I am now seriously confused by which one to get. We have 2 very different size dogs. An 8 year old lab and a Welsh Corgi. We want to cover 5 acres. What is the best system that we should use? thanks
Hi Kristin,
With two dogs so different in size, the PetSafe systems are a good bet because you can mix and match collars and correction levels. I would get a PetSafe Deluxe collar for the Corgi, it is small enough that it will be comfortable on her. For the lab I would get a PetSafe Stubborn collar, the collar is a little bigger but is cheaper and does not use a proprietary battery.
It will work out cheaper if you get the PetSafe Stubborn system and an extra PetSafe Deluxe collar than if you do it the other way around.
- April 20, 2011 at 9:37 am
We are moving to a lake home and are looking for an invisible fence for our 5 year old yellow lab. She is very well behaved, mild mannered, and typically has learned easily, but she has always lived in a backyard that has a fence. What do you suggest would be the best? We want her to be able to enjoy the lake, but not necessarily when we aren't there. Do you have experience or advice with how to handle a lake? Thanks for your help!
ADMIN – Hi Sadie,
Golden's do well on a number of DIY dog fence models. The fence I highly recommend is the Innotek IUC 4100. It has a rechargeable collar that is quite sleek and low profile. For your goal with the lake, I'd recommend excluding the lake from your boundary. When you decide to go on the lake with your dog, you can use the safe gate training to train your dog to be able to cross the boundary.
- April 17, 2011 at 10:31 pm
Hello. I have an 8year old Brittney, and she loves to run. We moved to a 2 acre lake property 9 months ago, and she has been used to running free all winter. Now that it is spring, lake cabin owners are around and we don't want her out of our yard anymore. It was stupid of us to let her run free in the first place. Anyway, I went to purchase an e-fence today, and the gal working there talked me out of installing anything stating that Brittneys generally just run through the fence because they are pretty intellegent and figure out that it only hurts for a second. Any opinions supporting or refuting this arguement?
Also…I want to keep the lake open if I do put in the e-fence. I figure I would have to double loop the wire back in order to keep the circuit complete. Do I have to keep the wires away from each other when I double back?
ADMIN – Hi Marc,
Our take on it is that any dog, with good persistent training has the best chances of 100% containment. A dog who runs through a boundary needs better training, a wider boundary, better fitted collar, higher correction level, or any number of these solutions combined. Running through the boundary is primarily an obedience issue, so more thorough training is recommended. I will also say that anytime someone outright guarantee's either way that it will always work or never will work shouldn't be fully trusted. The fact of the matter is that without trying it on your property, with your dog, how can anyone truly know?
I think you have as good a chance to successfully contain your Brittney as anyone with any other sort of dog breed.
- April 10, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Hello. We have an Innotek 5100 system installed already for our German Shorthair pointer. Works great. But we now have a 9 pound yorkie poo and I would like to get a collar for him to run free with us when we our out in the yard. Is there any small breed collar that would work with our Innotek 5100 system.
ADMIN – Hi Barb,
The smallest collar that will work with the Innotek IUC-5100 system is the Innotek IUC-4100 collar, but even this is not usually used for dogs under 12lbs. You can try the Innotek IUC-4100 collar, but my intuition is that it will be too big and you need to get something smaller like a PetSafe Little Dog collar. Using the PetSafe collar will require you to change your base station as well, and get another PetSafe collar for the German Shorthair (the PetSafe Deluxe collar would be a good choice)
- April 8, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Hello, I'm looking for the best in-ground system possible to contain my two dogs and keep them out of the garden, flowerbeds, neighbour's yards, busy road in front of our house and river that runs out back. As if all those temptations weren't enough, we also live in the country where there's an abundance of wildlife! I have two dogs: Penny is a high energy, fast-running, smart and stubborn goldendoodle (30lbs) and Bella is an easy-going but very curious golden retriever (60lbs). What are you recommendations? Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Penny & Bella,
With those two dogs it sounds like they will require similar correction levels, the smaller dog being the more hard headed and the bigger dog being more happy-go-lucky. My top choice would be the Innotek IUC-4100 would work well, the collar fit sensor will be particularly useful given that both your dogs are long hair. Add in a bit of training, and you should not have much trouble getting those two contained.
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