Invisible Electric Fence for Dogs - Would you?

[DD4MSpock]

I was showing a friend my back yard and the fact that it's not yet "fenced in." This is the main issue with my not getting my dobie. I could only get a picket fence 4ft. high. And I think any dobie worth their salt should be able to clear that without a problem.

She then suggested an "Invisible Electric Fence." One where I think the dog wears a colar and if they cross the fence line, it "lets them know they shouldn't." Apparently, you could even make it a complete perimeter if you wanted.




What I might be able to do with this is set up my back yard but also use a 100 ft. lead on which to train the dog until they're trained enough to not go beyond the electric fence. Then I'd take him off the lead whenever I'm in the back yard with him. I would never leave him unattended in the back yard, though.

Would y'all think this a good thing? I was never a huge fan of "shock/incentive" collars as I'd not want to hurt the dog, any. But if I can't fence in my back yard, this might work. But is it ethical for the dog?


Thoughts?

 

[JanS]

I personally wouldn't do it since it leaves your dogs vulnerable to other dogs and critters without collars.

I could only get a picket fence 4ft. high. And I think any dobie worth their salt should be able to clear that without a problem.

Is that a city ordinance or something? Our fence is only 5' and our dogs don't even think about it. When Phoebe went down to our trainers she had a 4' fence and she totally respected it. It might be an idea to use an e-collar to teach your dogs to respect the 4' fence, if they don't to start with.

 

[CRDobe]

Nope.

 

[Ravenbird]

It's fine for the dog, The problem with these "fences" is that they don't keep anything else out. So neighbor dogs can come in and harass your dog or pee on your stuff etc etc. IF your dog was highly motivated to run through it after a squirrel, and you called him back, he'd get dinged coming back to you through the fence. I personally don't have a thing against electronic corrections, but I don't see any advantages to this kind of fence at all. Way too many fails associated with it, especially larger, higher-drive dogs.

 

[Ddski5]

You can do it…I had a yellow lab and a cur that I trained with an electric fence. It worked- served its purpose well for 8+ years.

Pros:
1. It lets them know there is a barrier not to be crossed
2. Provides a beep first to let them know they are close- then a zap. The zap increases as they get to or beyond boundary.
3. Very mobile- can shape to the boundary of the yard.
4. Can use on multiple animals
5. Easy and quick for dogs to learn esp if you initiate with the white flags.
6. Works well for fence diggers always getting out under fence.

Cons:
1. Was difficult to make a full circle to complete the circuit. My receiver plugged into an electrical socket.
2. Must stay consistent with the dogs. Can’t put it up, teach, and zap dogs making the boundary and then turn it off and ask them to cross the line (kind of like okaying them to walk through a door).
3. Once they- if they learn they can run through the zap….nothing can physically stop them and then they will get zapped coming back in.
4. Doesn’t keep animals out of yard.
5. Collars have batteries that need to be replaced/recharged.
6. Not for sure if I could fully trust an invisible object to stop a high drive dog.

I would truly expect this to work better with Dobermans. I used this on pound dogs that stayed outside 24/7 in the 3/4 acre back yard.

 

[Gpcoguy]

No. I had that system for a while with my previous dog. It wrked at first but eventually she figured if she breeched the perimeter and kept going she got out of its range. 4 ft should be enough along with training

 

[DD4MSpock]

I personally wouldn't do it since it leaves your dogs vulnerable to other dogs and critters without collars.

Is that a city ordinance or something? Our fence is only 5' and our dogs don't even think about it. When Phoebe went down to our trainers she had a 4' fence and she totally respected it. It might be an idea to use an e-collar to teach your dogs to respect the 4' fence, if they don't to start with.

It's an HOA regulation. My back yard butts up against HOA property that has been declared a WCE (Wetlands Conservation Easement). As such, I cannot block what little view my two next door neighbors have of it. I have no idea why, because it's only truly viewable from my back yard. It's not all that worth looking at anyway as the HOA really doesn't maintain it all that much. But the regulation is still there. The WCE itself is, basically a clearing in the middle of two wooded areas that goes back by about 100 ft. to a dry river bed... Well.. mostly dry... until the rainy season comes in the April time frame. The overflow has approached as close as 30ft, but usually recedes as the storms dry up.

So I have to figure out what to do, then. More than likely, I would never leave my dobie out in the back yard unattended. I'd not be as worried about the "crittters" as I'd be about my "neighbors...." (ie. the ones that hate dobies and thinks none should be in the development).

 

[EricA]

Then I'd take him off the lead whenever I'm in the back yard with him. I would never leave him unattended in the back yard, though.

With the right training you should not need an invisible fence. Or a fence at all -

I definitely advocate for using long leads until you have all of the boundary lines spelled out clearly for the dog.

Notice how the fence separating my neighbors yard and mine stops where it does here?

Here at home - That sidewalk is their 'line' that they better not cross. If a single paw touches that sidewalk for any reason they are in big trouble and they both know it.

Different rules apply and different boundary lines at work for my girls. Their boundary line there is the actual curb separating the street from our property next to it. If a paw touches the actual street for any reason they are in big trouble and they both know it.

You actually using a lead and not leaving him unattended are the most important first steps you could possibly take towards boundary training your dog in your particular environment.

 

[Rits]

You wouldn't leave your dogs outside unattended for any period of time anyways so I'd go with the 4ft picket fence over the invisible fence. It is more about keeping animals out of your yard and giving them a safe place to go potty, especially as a puppy. I have a little under 3 acres, a lot to fence in all at once. The plan to is to do such, eventually. But with everything new with a new build, one thing at a time. I knew we were getting a puppy so we prioritized and fenced in a smaller but sizeable portion for the dogs to do their business. They are only out that long. Exercising purposes and outside the fence, the ecollars are on and we are out there 100%. Our fence is 4.5 ft and sturdy but I know Ripley would clear that if she wanted.

My SIL had a beagle that was so smart it would close enough to the invisible fence boundary to make the collar give off the warning beep/buzz. The dog would then lay down there and wait for the collar to drain itself of battery from giving the warning. Once the collar stopped beeping, through the fence it went!

 

[EricA]

The dog would then lay down there and wait for the collar to drain itself of battery from giving the warning. Once the collar stopped beeping, through the fence it went!

The flip side of that would be a customers home I visited one time where their Rottie had particular lines inside the home that it would not cross. (the invisible line near their front door was the one I noticed in particular - that dog would not step past a certain point that only he could 'see')

Homeowner lady told me the batteries had been dead for years in the collar but the dog still respected the boundary line that was set there.

From what I saw, it did.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

We used an invisible (buried wire) fence with our last Dobe, and it worked very well. I trained him consistently to it and he respected it very much. He was a tough dog, but he sure didn't like the thought of getting zapped by that fence. We had the backyard enclosed in it, and some of the front yard. It went across just outside of our driveway. That was the only place I ever brought him in or out of the yard – the driveway. The fence installer, who was also a self-proclaimed dog training expert who had some sort of doctorate in the field and planned to write a book, said that when I was to first train the dog to cross with me over that driveway spot, I should lay down a towel or small rug over where the wire was buried, and clearly tell the dog it is okay to cross. Every, but every, time I took the dog out of or into the yard, I followed the protocol •of course, the towel was only used for the first several days* and we never had an incident with him leaving the yard.

On the other hand, my wife did not very strictly at all train or enforce the fence with her Husky and that dog would leave the yard at one certain spot at will. She didn't have the collar on tightly enough on the dog's profusely adorned neck, and my wife also just walked the dog through the fenceline whenever it suited her.

I agree, however, that a dog contained it its invisible fence could face intrusion from other dogs or wildlife. We did deal with this in the early days of owning the property, as a neighbor's two GSDs would come into our yard, defecate and do whatever. I managed to get the woman to stop letting that happen.

 

[Doberman Gang]

I would go with the 4 ft fence as well. As said above it is more about keeping others out. Our dogs can clear a 6 ft fence but don’t, it’s still all training. We had an invisible fence 20-25 years ago, it worked pretty well with lots of training and continued reinforcement training. Most of the pet invisible fended are cheap and will not have enough shock for a stronger willed higher drive dog, so it would go back to training and your dogs respect for boundaries.

 

[Kswoodssue]

We have one and it works well. That said, we have 7 acres outside of town and confine her area to behind the house using the back door. We also only leave her out for short periods. When we want to use another area of the yard for play, we take her out of the front door and avoid her “fenced” area. Using this in town would probably not be considered truly maintaining control over your dog in the event she get across the line and knock someone over. Also, if you have a female in heat, you have to monitor them so a potential suitor doesn’t come to visit. A funny note, the neighborhood Tom cat knows where her boundaries are also, and likes to sashay past, just out of reach!

 

[Oh Little Oji]

A funny note, the neighborhood Tom cat knows where her boundaries are also, and likes to sashay past, just out of reach!

Which reminds me that we have a friend here in the neighborhood who keeps her cats contained in her backyard with an invisible fence! (They're house cats, but have reign of the backyard this way when let out).

 

[JanS]

This leads me to ask, do you have another Doberman in your near future?

 

[DD4MSpock]

I would go with the 4 ft fence as well. As said above it is more about keeping others out. Our dogs can clear a 6 ft fence but don’t, it’s still all training. We had an invisible fence 20-25 years ago, it worked pretty well with lots of training and continued reinforcement training. Most of the pet invisible fended are cheap and will not have enough shock for a stronger willed higher drive dog, so it would go back to training and your dogs respect for boundaries.

Funny you mention that, as our privacy fencing (in places where it doesn't have to be 4ft) is, actually 6ft! But those are opaque PVC panels.

Looks like the 4ft picket fencing and the long lead is going to be the way to go. Hopefully, they'll be able to go "off lead" shortly after training.\

I'll have to see if I can find some Youtube "boundary training" videos. If y'all know of any, I'd truly appreciate them.

 

[Ravenbird]

Looks like the 4ft picket fencing and the long lead is going to be the way to go. Hopefully, they'll be able to go "off lead" shortly after training.\

I'll have to see if I can find some Youtube "boundary training" videos. If y'all know of any, I'd truly appreciate them.

What's already been said: A Doberman really doesn't want to leave home. They are absolute home-bodies. If you have a 4 foot fence and you are in the yard with them I absolutely can't imagine one bailing out. I certainly wouldn't leave one out without being home, but for hanging out I think it would be fine.

 

[EricA]

This leads me to ask, do you have another Doberman in your near future?

If I understood correctly - Then this right here for the WIN, all day and every day!

If you have 2 of of them - One can used as a semi-autonomous, hands free, leash retaining assistant while the other does their business.

Once the one dog gets finished you just switch up who is going to be the leash 'holder'.

Until such a time comes with respect to the training that the leash (and the semi autonomous leash retaining assistant) is no longer needed.

 

[Doberman Gang]

What's already been said: A Doberman really doesn't want to leave home. They are absolute home-bodies. If you have a 4 foot fence and you are in the yard with them I absolutely can't imagine one bailing out. I certainly wouldn't leave one out without being home, but for hanging out I think it would be fine.

This is so true. Most of the time our Do remand go out long enough to potty, maybe check the perimeter of the fence then are right back at the door to come inside. They are definitely dogs that want to be with their humans vs. just hang outside.

 

[LifeofRubie]

We have neighbors who have two GSPs and an invisible fence. Honestly, the first few times we walked by (from the opposite side of the street), it scared me! You never really know if a dog is going to respect the boundaries. I will say they are well trained dogs and have never breeched it (in the 5 years we've been walking by) but sometimes they don't have their collars on and I KNOW they're smart dogs...

And I understand your fence woes, as well... Because we live on a corner lot, we were not allowed to put up a 6ft privacy fence. 4 feet tall could be solid but anything taller had to be 66% open. They've since changed the requirement (so was it really for safety...???) but the cost to put in a whole new fence is outrageous when there is nothing 'wrong' with ours. In our situation, most of our backyard is along a pretty traveled sidewalk. I can only picture one of our dogs putting their front feet up on the fence to try and see what's going on but never attempting to jump it. If yours is open, any way, seems like puppers would just peer through it.

I also know we have opossums, rabbits, skunks, racoons, cats, and foxes in our backyard (again, 66% open fence). I'm sure a coyote could get in if they really wanted to but at least all those critters can exit quickly and the dogs can't follow them. We also have gotten into the habit of doing a flashlight sweep of the yard at night looking for eyes before releasing the hounds