Anyone have an invisible fence?

[foszoe]

We had three german shepards when we started (one got old and died). 2.5 acres. Invisible Fence brand. Laci, the mom learned very quickly and had never been am issue. Remington, her son is my constant companion and shadow if I am home. He needed the installers to set it to the highest setting. He is usally very good about the line. Biggest issue is if I go to a neighbors and he thinks he has been away form me too long he powers throught the hit just to be next to me. We did look at the GPS/GEO/Sattelite style but we have a pond and were told those recievers were not waterproof not not an option for us.

you can set no go zones inside the GPS fences now. That is a relatively new feature.

 

[Flingarrows]

Had one in the 90s. Small 300’x75’ yard. Didn’t take long for inbred dog that my wife got to figure out that if he ran fast enough, it only hurts for a few seconds
To run through it. He was good for a few weeks until he started experimenting

 

[edporch]

Do they work well?
How far can they be run?
Are there dogs that will take the shock to get past the fence?

I am contemplating an invisible fence, but don't want to waste my money.
Are they worth the price?

Thanks for any insight.

I have a friend who had one some years back.
He had a lab that learned he could take a running start and run through the electronic barrier.
After that, the electronic fence was useless.

Then they'd have to chase him down to catch him.
Luckily he was a REALLY friendly great dog who loved everybody, so he wasn't a danger to anybody.
But my friend used to get annoyed with the dog.

 

[JayPea]

We had one at our last two houses in Indiana. Black Lab and Golden Retriever respected it immediately and it was no issue. After they went to the dog park in the sky our American Staffordshire Terrier tested it a few times and yes we had to chase him down. As a puppy he jumped a small 5’ fence with the invisible fence under it a few times. We adjusted the sensitivity / shock level on it and he chilled to the point where we could turn the shock off and just left the warning beep on. Now we live on a property where when we moved in we just put up the invisible fence flags for a few months (without the invisible fence) and he won‘t even chase squirrels past a certain point in the yard. I think it really depends on the dog and the training.

 

[foszoe]

all these run through the fence posts point out one of the greatest advantages of a GPS fence system. If my dog passes the fence barrier, I get an alert on my phone along with real time GPS tracking info. My wife gets an alert on her phone along with real time GPS tracking info.

 

[ditcherman]

all these run through the fence posts point out one of the greatest advantages of a GPS fence system. If my dog passes the fence barrier, I get an alert on my phone along with real time GPS tracking info. My wife gets an alert on her phone along with real time GPS tracking info.

And, at least with Halo, they’re motivated to come back through voice commands.
And and, they’re not punished for jumping the fence back in like on a wire.

Had both Invisible, and Pet Stop. The invisible finally broke after many many years. Went to Pet Stop but that guy really made me mad when he sold me a collar that couldn’t be left on the charger for more than three hours, but didn’t really stress that point. I mean, welcome to the 80’s, dude.
Anyway, collar fried and replacement was $400+, no breaks.

Got a dog that goes everywhere with me now, on Halo, and I can build a fence anywhere we go (jobsite, camping, etc).

Expensive but good.

I have a working Pet Stop control unit I should sell cheap…no collar though.

 

[bobzilla]

our wireless shocks/beeps longer than any of the buried lines and why I would always recommend it to owners of a runner. But if you haven't trained the dog in the basics so that they follow your commands, it's not foolproof. The tool is only as good as the training employed to use it. Take the time, train your damn dogs.

 

[BJHay]

Training is key. It makes all the difference between success and failure.

Today we have three large rowdy dogs on GPS collars from Invisible Fence covering about 10 acres. They work well.
They have a feature that allows a dog that leaves the parameter to return without a shock although that hasn't happened in years. We change the batteries every day at feeding time. The fence is worth the money in my opinion.

We had buried wire coverage before this. It had some problems but overall it was a good experience. If you can afford it, GPS is the way to go.

My wife has extensive experience with dogs and containment. She claims the cheap brands aren't worth the savings or the time.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

We change the batteries every day at feeding time.

Change, or charge? Changing would get expensive!

 

[Hardscrable]

Have used Invisible Fence brand since Sept. 2000, at 2 homes, 2 acres contained at first home, 5 dogs during that time. Has worked great. Training is the key.

 

[ghuns]

We have a PetSafe YardMax with about 3 acres inside the wire.

I rented a machine, looks like a single tine tiller you pull backwards, and installed it myself. Super easy, only took about an hour.

The YardMax is nice because it shocks well beyond the wire. I think it times out after 30 seconds, but range is no issue. Also liked the rechargeable collars. They last a long time, unless your dog constantly tests it.

We had them on two Jack Russells with what you might call extreme prey drive and a 110 pound lab/mastiff. The big dog never need the shock setting turned up above the lowest setting to keep him contained. The two Jacks required the setting to be MUCH higher. Like wide open.

My only complaint was that collars aren't super durable and are pretty spendy to replace. But my dogs excelled at breaking things.

 

[bobzilla]

We have a PetSafe YardMax with about 3 acres inside the wire.

I rented a machine, looks like a single tine tiller you pull backwards, and installed it myself. Super easy, only took about an hour.

The YardMax is nice because it shocks well beyond the wire. I think it times out after 30 seconds, but range is no issue. Also liked the rechargeable collars. They last a long time, unless your dog constantly tests it.

We had them on two Jack Russells with what you might call extreme prey drive and a 110 pound lab/mastiff. The big dog never need the shock setting turned up above the lowest setting to keep him contained. The two Jacks required the setting to be MUCH higher. Like wide open.

My only complaint was that collars aren't super durable and are pretty spendy to replace. But my dogs excelled at breaking things.

Our Border Collie was the one that tested it the most and hardest. But once she learned that those areas are no-go she was fine.

 

[Gabriel]

I put in about 3000 feet of invisible fence a few years ago. I go a break in the fence once not long afterward and was lucky enough to find it close to the house. There is another break in it somewhere out farther on the property and I'm not going to waste my time trying to find it.

That sums up my experience with invisible fences. I want to go with a GPS type fence mounted to a collar, but the reviews on them the last time I researched it were not good. It would have to be waterproof and basically bomb proof for my dog to keep from destroying it ( he ruined two Whistle GPS collars already ).

 

[Creedmoor]

I put in about 3000 feet of invisible fence a few years ago. I go a break in the fence once not long afterward and was lucky enough to find it close to the house. There is another break in it somewhere out farther on the property and I'm not going to waste my time trying to find it.

That sums up my experience with invisible fences. I want to go with a GPS type fence mounted to a collar, but the reviews on them the last time I researched it were not good. It would have to be waterproof and basically bomb proof for my dog to keep from destroying it ( he ruined two Whistle GPS collars already ).

If they are still the same as 25 yrs ago you can track out the wire with an AM radio. You will loose the static when you are at the break.
You can also use the dogs collar, walk around the perimeter while it is buzzing, it will stop when your next to the open wire.
Generally the break will be where a human just was or has already been.

 

[ghuns]

If they are still the same as 25 yrs ago you can track out the wire with an AM radio. You will loose the static when you are at the break.
You can also use the dogs collar, walk around the perimeter while it is buzzing, it will stop when your next to the open wire.
Generally the break will be where a human just was or has already been.

Every break I have ever had, it was very clear where the break was. Ground was always torn up by something or another. Usually by the Jack Russells in hot pursuit of ground moles.

 

[Gabriel]

Every break I have ever had, it was very clear where the break was. Ground was always torn up by something or another. Usually by the Jack Russells in hot pursuit of ground moles.

The first break I had didn’t have any indication. The wire itself was broken inside the sheathing. I was just lucky that it was a short loop up by my house I could test with a continuity tester. The best majority of the wire runs through a forest. I’m pretty certain a tree or limb came down and split it somewhere.

 

[CB1911]

Have a wireless system. Trained with the flags, etc. Generally speaking it is worth the money and does what is needed about 90 percent of the time. But when motivated my dog will break through and do his thing. He is half husky so he is will test our limits to see what he can get away with without having to go to school again!

 

[HHollow]

I have had the wired (not wireless) style of invisible fence on two properties each enclosing 1 or 2 acres. The first was the name brand and the second was a knock off. I learned:
1. Try to run the wire along some other natural feature, such as an existing fenceline, ditch, etc.
2. Use the optional gizmo that protects the transmitter from lightning.
3. Do not buy expensive batteries. Notice that they are merely a few cheap watch batteries in series.

 

[Gabriel]

Neighbor had a BIGGER than usual chocolate Lab. He would "escape" when motivated and then sit in our yard and cry because he did not want to get shocked going back into his yard.

Gonna depending on dog's personality.

My dog has a crazy prey drive and the shock on the highest setting didn't deter him from both running through the fence or coming back when he was done running around. I'd find it funnier if I didn't spend an entire week burying five acres worth of line.

 

[BJHay]

Change, or charge? Changing would get expensive!

Well, both. We have three livestock guardian dogs that live outdoors. Because they're outdoors all of the time there isn't downtime for charging. We have six batteries with one set on the dogs and one set on the charger at any time. I think of it as changing but it's changing between rechargeable batteries.
I think a battery might run for 30ish hours before completely dying.