underground fencing is it ok...

[canadianmandy]

I am contemplating buying some underground fencing. my main concern is that it may be inhumane ... but here at our new land (our farm) it is something I have to consider. My dogs listen and they used to stick around till our neighbors dog came and wanted then to follow and you know the end results.. now all they want to do is find that cool dog that goes everywhere. I dont want my dogs to die b/c they get nailed by a car or shot by a neighbor . I have been tying them but its so unfair.
so what is your veiw points who has a underground fence and does it really work... is it a safe way to "train" them? no fire please.
Mandy

 

[MomOf7]

opcorn:
I dont mind them. You get what you pay for though. Also read the directions as you need to teach the dog your boundariesopcorn:

 

[Gempress]

I've never had one, but I've heard some negative things about their effectiveness. Some dogs figure out, "Hey, if I just withstand a bit of a jolt for a second or two, I can get a whole day of freedom!" So they just run right over the wire and go on their merry way.

I've also heard that certain breeds have a high pain tolerence, so an invisible fence is not very effective.

But either way, it seems to be something that depends on the individual dog. It's certainly a much cheaper option than putting up a fence!

 

[oc_spirit]

I don''t like them, never recommend them as a sole way of containing a dog. Here''s why:

-many dogs can withstand high amounts of pain especially if they have a lot of muscle or fur around the neck
-MIGHT keep your dog in but won''t keep anything else out
-when in high prey mode or smething really snags their attention the jolt from the fence may not be enough to phase them where it used to when they are calmer
-If your dog crosses the line he continually gets punished for trying to return to your yard
-electronics go on the blitz and your dog could get shocked for no reason
-he could associate getting chocked with other things and not fully understand the boundary thing making him scared
-Electricity dies and batteries run out when this happens where does it leave your dog? Free to go wherever he wishes.

 

[2BlackDogs]

That is a really good question Mandy. I'm curious to see what everyone else here on chaz thinks about it too. I've also looked into the underground fence. I have 3+ acres and I was considering the underground fence too. I've looked at other fencing options but they are soooo expensive. I know that you can train your dogs to stay within boundaries you set for them too but with the neighbors' animals it's really hard for me. They have pigs, ducks, goats, dogs & horses. ALL their animals stay outside as well. So for now to take Bear out he's on a leash which gives him no chance for running and playing.

 

[lakotasong]

Oceano's mom just said everything I was going to say (husky owners think alike!). The points I would like to emphasize are that it DOES NOT protect your dog from roaming, dangerous animals, and can in fact trap your dog in a bad situation. The other point is that if your dog gets out, it might not understand how to get back in.

I like them as secondary fences, but not as primary. My Siberians wouldn't even blink, they'd run right through it if that was all I had. However, used as a secondary fence, it can deter a dog from digging and/or fence climbing.

 

[RetrieverLove]

It in no way compares to just a normal fence however, for some dogs it is better than nothing. I personally, would save up and invest in buying a proper fence though. Electric fences are usually not too affective.

 

[PoodleMommy]

I dont have any firsthand experience with it, but from what I have heard it is not very effective. If you need a fenced in area, you may end up spending more in the long run when you have to put up fencing anyway.

I dont know how big an area you need fenced for your dogs but maybe you could have someone help you put up some enclosure and save the money. Nothing fancy just something to enclose the dogs.

Good Luck

Elissa

 

[SiNNiK]

only story i've heard about "invisible" fencing is the one about the female Golden that had just had a litter of pups, heard the trash truck out in the street, charged straight through the "fence" and got squished by the truck.

 

[Rubylove]

I saw a video of a Lab and a Border Collie and one of these fences. The Lab kept herding the BC towards the area where the fence was so the BC would get the jolt, and subsequently run down the charge in the fence. Eventually the charge gave out and the lab then bounded off to freedom! Clever little critter (and poor BC too!)

 

[2BlackDogs]

Any other suggestions for fencing ideas? The reason we were thinking about the underground fence(as long as it worked) was because of the amount of property we have. Our front yard is almost half an acre that is cleared land. In order to fence in just the front yard with a 4' chain link fence it will cost over $2000. The cheapest place was a store 3 hours away from us. The drive isn't bad though.

Since we just moved saving that kind of money will take a long time. Mostly since we have other expenses that need to be paid. I wooden fence is not any cheaper. If we fence in the back yard area that is cleared your looking at an area even bigger than the front yard.

But I wouldn't spend $1.00 on something that won't work. So if anyone has any other ideas about fencing please post. We bought a house with land so the dog would have room to play. But without some type of enclosure or fence he can't run and have fun.

 

[canadianmandy]

we to moved to the country so the dogs would not have to be confined.
I would be fencing in about 3-5 acres more or less its up to my parents. I want to be able to open my door and let my dog go piddle without worrying that I may never see her again. she gets along with my livestock in fact all my dogs get along with the livestock. It would be way to exepensive to fence our whole property in ...even to do a small area would be bad b/c it would put a barrier between us and our sheep (sheep fences dont hold dogs (my sheep are not loose they have a pen ) My dogs protect them and the chickens and quail ....how could they do that if they were fenced in else where. is their a cheep way!!!!!

 

[oc_spirit]

What about looking into chaining? Not as good as fencing but if that''s your only option it is effective

 

[2BlackDogs]

How effective is it to just teach the dog his boundaries? does anyone know a good site for that kind of training? I tried to google it but it just gave me a bunch of results that were boundary training using the underground fences.

 

[canadianmandy]

What about looking into chaining? Not as good as fencing but if that''s your only option it is effective

thats what we have been doing I hate it and so does my dog. they get tangled and lonly and it degrades my dog. she acts depressed.