Underground dog fence - looking for advice & tips

[Sigarms]

As mentioned, we thought about an underground fence, but the way the property is laid out around the house, the issue was "where to put the fence".

Keep in mind, we still spent some pretty good money and time on that fenced area, but we do work with the humane society as well, and the fence has proved more valuable for the foster dogs we take in to "train" than for our dogs.

Another issue that we were not sure about was the cattle in the back. Have about 30 head grazing the pasture out back, about 70 yards down from the house that is seperated by barbed wire. Our dogs can get through that fence. Every once in a while they do get curious.

Wife works out of the house all day, so she is always around.

One problem that we got into though was that over time, we let the dogs out and "forget about them (usually early in the morning or late at night). At first they always stayed around the house, but every once in a while, they go for a "good walk" and can't find them. Hit them with a "beep", sometimes they come, sometimes not. Then go to the "shock" mode and give them 5 minutes. If they don't come back by then, then turn the unit "all the way up", hit the "shock" mode and you will usually hear one "yelp" and then they come running back.

One of the dogs is a beagle mix, and boy, when she gets the scent of something, she can take off like a bat out of you know where.

Nice thing with the collars is that you can almost take them anywhere for a walk off lead (if allowed by law of course) and somehow "they know" they better stay around you with the collar on.

No regrets getting the collars.

Keep in mind, various prices with various ranges.

 

[MadDog]

I don't question at all the considerations that favor using regular fencing for others; electronic just works for us.

..'Course, I haven't met a dog that wants to scrap with our Newfie, nor any dog that could hurt the Lab and that she can't get away from --she runs circles around the Newfie. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BTW, the underground fence led to something pretty funny last summer; there was a family of rabbits that figured out that, for whatever reason, the dogs just wouldn't go past a certain point..... So the rabbits used to like to munch on clover about 5' the other side of the "line" driving both dogs nuts while they stood there and barked their heads off. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Had I turned the fence off (and if the dogs figured it out in time) we'd have had "hossenfeffer" for sure! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> 1* My only problem with the underground fencing is that it will keep your dogs in but it won't keep others out. Our dogs are small, and it would work to keep them home, but if a big neighbor dog came to do them harm, they'd be in trouble. I think a fence is our only option........Jag man dave </font>
**********
1* It won't keep people out either and if somebody strays into your yard and gets bitten by your dog you could be in for a law suit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MY FIRST CAR http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/chev5003.htm
OUR FIRST CAR http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/chev6003.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Surgeon]

Several little things I learned the hardway...or my pups did.
1) Buy a fence that beeps at "x" range briefly and then shocks. One of my G. Shepherds would get within "beep only" range, run the collar down and then waltz across unscathed. The newer fence gives five seconds of beep at range "x" and then a lower power shock. If she gets closer the zap goes up. (For the record I shocked myself on every setting before I shocked her the first time)
(2) Beware crossing any wire or plumbing connections to the house. My pups are indoor/outdoor dogs. When we forgot to take of their collars we has some surprises. The front walkway lapost light circuit carried the signal into the house where the dogs "answering the doorbell" would inadvertantly get shocked. Chasing a ball behind the toilet also cause a yelp. The cold water pipes had signal.
(3) Crossing the driveway was accomplished with a masonary blade in a circular saw followed by expansion joint tar to seal and fixate the wire.
(4) Buddy of mine used his pressure washer and some jury rigged contraption to bury his cable.
(5) Finally as a plastic surgeon I deal with many dogbite wounds...some horrific... yet I have two large G. Shepherds and always will. I worry more what would happen to my dogs that what would happen to someone tresspassing on my property. I fence to protect them. From what I can tell legally "real" not virtual fences are the only fences that matter. (If anyone is a lawyer I would love a comment) I compromised somewhat and use a combination. I have wood fences to keep tresspassers, idiots and children out. These also serve as visual barriers so the dogs know their boundaries.

 

[MadDog]

It is an interesting question. If the electronic fence is effective at keeping your dogs in, that ought to be sufficient for folks old enough to know that they have no right to be going on your property. Probably not so for kids who don't know any better.

From a liability point of view, you're probably right; an electronic fence is probably not good enough to rely on. But I am a lawyer, and my wife and I have relied on it to keep the dogs in, and our neighbors to teach their kids to stay out unless they are prepared to deal with the dogs, both of whom are pretty friendly anyways.

We have used the electronic fence for well over ten years, now and have yet to have a problem. But creates no certainty that we won't have on some day.

 

[Joe1]

The one possible down side of the underground fence is if the dog gets excited enough to cross the fence and gets a jolt while doing so, he/she will probably stay outside the fence to avoid another jolt which defeats the whole purpose of the fence. Should not be a problem once the dog is trained unless the dog is a dingbat and gets so excited it doesn't remember the jolt.

 

[ejtaylor822]

Hey guys,
Been away for a while and the last time I checked this thread was gone, thanks to MossRoad for getting it restored; there's a lot of great information here.

I have a training collar - a Dogtra that I would recommend. Has held up well over the last 4 years. Funny to hear how others have shocked themselves - my wife and I wondered if there were others crazy enough to do this as we did. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

He's great on the collar, we just want to be able to let him roam. In the past he's been great about just hanging around our property, but, he's started visiting the neighbors and got into a trash can. Neighbors don't mind him, one was leaving out scraps for him, but I do not want him to be a pest.

Still do not have the fence installed. Was going to do past several weekends, but other things keep coming up. Hope to get in shortly. Have an idea to bury the cable (yes, with the tractor) - a little crazy - but think it will work. Will share once get underway with this.

Once again, apprecaite everyone's input, thoughts, ideas and stories. Has been a good read. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[JimR]

I put in my fence using an edger. Now I wish I never bothered to install it at all. We have two dogs. A Lab/Golden and a Pitbull/Golden. The lab mix has no problem staying in the yard and obeying the fence. The pit mix is a totally different story. She can stand right at the wire and not give two hoots about being shocked. I actually think she likes and enjoys it. Her neck will be fluttering from the shock and she will just stand there and not care at all. She will walk over the fence an back, looks around to see if anything is going on out back or across the street. So now she is confined to being let out on a leash or run only. Once in a blue moon she escapes but always sticks to our side of the road. Has anyone else had this problem with a dog so stubborn that the fence doesn't phase them?

 

[MadDog]

No, Jim; My black lab is always testing it, and if the battery has run down in her collar she generally knows about it the day it dies, but as long as it is working, she won't challenge it. My Newfie is so laid back (or maybe dumb /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) that his battery could be dead for 3 months and he probably wouldn't notice it.

 

[Sigarms]

One thing that I've noticed at times with our yellow lab is that you have to tighten the collar around her neck at times when she doesn't respond at a certain setting that she normally would. Like to keep it comfortable on her (we leave them on the dogs all day).

Just an observation.