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A Dog FenceGive your dog freedom
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If you want your dog to be safe and happy playing outdoors, a good dog fence is one of the most important factors to your peace of mind. A good barrier will keep your dog IN - away from traffic, safe from getting lost, untempted by children, cats, squirrels or other distractions!
In general, there are two primary ways to keep your dog contained in your yard.
The first system to consider is an "Invisible" dog fence that works in conjunction with an electric collar your dog wears. It's composed of an underground cable that you bury along your property line (or whatever section of the yard you want to keep your dog in or out of.
When your dog approaches the buried cable, the collar makes warning "beeping" noise and if he crosses the barrier, he will receive a shock!
An invisible fence system will come complete with a training manual that will teach you how to train your dog to recognize and respect the new boundary line, as well as train him to STOP when he hears the warning noise.
This type of electric dog fence can work very well in areas where you would prefer not to have an unsightly fence to shade your yard or block your view. They can also work well indoors to keep your dogs out of certain rooms, or to block your dog from certain parts of your yard - keeping a problem-digger out of your flower garden, for example.
The Invisible Fence System is good, but not perfect.
The downsides of the invisible fences is that some dogs can grow "accustomed" to the shock delivered by the fence. I have seen dogs so eager to get out of their yard that they will "charge the fence" taking their shock on the way, knowing that they will be "safe" once they pass through to glorious freedom on the other side.
It is also possible that if your dog "spooked" or started chasing an animal, he could forget about the boundary and run past the fence in his excitement. Underground electric dog fences also have the disadvantage of not keeping stray dogs out of your yard. Your dog will not be protected from other dogs wandering the neighborhood.
What about a physical barrier type of dog fence?
Clearly, in order to address these problems, a physical barrier of some kind is necessary. A fence built to restrain a dog does not have to be unsightly, very attractive fences can be highly functional, too. If fencing your entire back yard doesn't appeal to you, consider fencing off a small area where your dog can be outside and have access to water, shade and shelter from the rain. He will be very happy there, but also look forward to coming outside his enclosure and spending time with you when he is back home.
The most important characteristics of a good dog fence is that it does not allow your dog to escape it! That means it should be tall enough so your dog can't jump over it and sturdy enough that your dog can't squeeze through the rails. Pay special attention to gates which - when they sag - can create openings large enough for your canine Houdini to wiggle through!
The third thing to look out for, when planning a dog fence, is the distance of the fence off the ground.
Dogs who like to dig can turn a two-inch opening into a sizeable rabbit hole in a short afternoon, if you're not careful. Burying part of the fence (if it's a chain-link fence, this is not recommended for a wood fence) 6-inches underground is a good installation practice if you have a dog that likes to dig!
Dog fences are a great way to keep your dog safe and make sure he gets his exercise. However, make sure you supervise your dog when he is out in the yard as much as possible, make sure he hasn't caught himself up by the collar, gotten stuck or escaped somehow. Seasoned dogs who have lived fenced in a back yard for a long time will be more comfortable with a new fence than dogs who have not been left outside on their own before. Watch your dog through the window to help him adjust to his outdoor surroundings and reassure him that you will be back from time to time and that you still love him and want to take care of him!
