How To Choose The Right Invisible Dog Fence

It's easy to almost freak out a bit when you see the prices of these invisible dog fence systems - or containment systems as the manufacturers call them. After all, it's just a wire you bury around the perimeter of your yard plus an electronic collar isn't it? I wish it was that simple.

Look, an invisible dog fence is an excellent piece of technology that you'll wonder why it took you so long to get one after you see how well and fast they work. I think the real benefit is your peace of mind knowing your pet won't escape, become lost or worse still get run over by a car! The pain in forking out the cash to invest in one is far better than loosing your dog.

The best electric dog fences are made by either Innotek, Petsafe or Sportdog. If you choose one made by one of these manufacturers then you can't go wrong. But the first thing you need to do is take some time to think about what you need from one of these invisible fencing systems. You see, there is a large range of models to choose from and understanding what it is you need will certainly help you narrow down your search.

How big is your yard?
Dog fences can accommodate yards from 5 Acres up to 100 Acres. If you only have a small area to cover, then there is no need to get a more powerful unit. Each Dog containment system comes with 150m of wire. You need to be aware that on average it takes about 300 metres of wire for each acre of land. Although this is a rough guide, you could also draw out a diagram and pre-determine the amount of wire you need. This way you can make sure you get enough wire to start with. Have a look at the comparison chart to match the right invisible fence model that will suit your needs.

Correction method
All of these dog fences use static pulse correction to teach your dog not to cross your perimeter. Some will only offer one level of static - and you need to be aware that that level could be either too high or perhaps too low to produce the desired effect. However most of the others offer 3-5 levels of static correction. I prefer those models because your dog will only receive the correction he needs - no more and no less.
On top of the static impulse correction, some models offer an audible tone correction as well. For me personally, I wouldn't get one without a tone feature. You see, as your dog gets closer to the perimeter, you can set it so the dog collar emits an audible tone before it reverts to a static impulse. This becomes like a warning sound for your dog that he is getting too close and should back away. This way, your dog can learn to avoid the shock by obeying the audible tone. Fortunately most of the dog containment systems offer both static and tone correction. For dogs that have a hearing impairment or don't respond to the audible tone, there are some models that also have a vibration feature. For these ones you can set it so it would set off a tone, then a vibration and lastly a static pulse to keep your dog fenced.

Other things to consider is whether or not you need a waterproof collar or not. If there is a chance your dog would take a swim in your yard, then you'll need to make sure the invisible fence collar is waterproof. Also the size of your dog is important. Most of the invisible fences are designed for medium to large dogs. So if you have a smaller dog, you'll need to select the right model to suit.

Your Budget
Setting up an invisible dog fence could end up saving you a lot more than you realise. Keeping your dog safe is the number one reason why these dog fences are so important. You can allow your dog the freedom to roam free all around your pre-defined area. Oh yeh, don't forget you can use this to also keep your dog away from certain areas in your yard - like the new garden bed for example! The recommended retail prices vary across all models. But you can expect them to range from about $400 up to $800

Use the invisible fence comparison chart to review all their features and select the one that best suits your needs. And don't forget to calculate how much wire you need - because there is nothing worse than not having enough wire to complete the fence.