Pet question: wireless fences

[Winter Wolf]

Ingoring for the moment that intentionally shocking your dog is a form of animal cruetly, a wireless fence won't work on a dog that big. Especially since dogs that big either fall into 'working breed' or 'herding breed' or hound types, or a a mixture of any of the above. All of these dog types will ignore that kind of fence with sufficient motivation. For example, a husky will barge right through one of those if it is even chasing a *mouse*. Then the happy hunter will try to return home and be shocked on trying to cross the barrier. Most dogs will try at most a few times to come home, then be incredibly sad and try to find a different place to live.

Just out of curiosity, what breed is your puppy?

[Cloudbringer]

Originally posted by Thoran: I can think of two other problems with invisible fences... if the dog DOES go through it (chasing a rabbit for instance) it then can't get back in. The other is that invisible fencing doesn't keep other dogs out, which can be a problem if an agressive dog decides to go after yours... or if you have an agressive dog.

YES! That first one is a problem I've seen people have with it. Keeping other people's dogs OUT is an issue I'd have if it were my yard. Our neighbors have three that frequently get loose and end up in my front yard but luckily the wood fence keeps them out of my back yard.(hey Bungleau, we don't paint ours...just let the cedar age- I prefer it stained or painted but hey, I'm too lazy to do THAT much fence, LOL so we let it go). I remember we used to chain our dog out when I was a kid and I will never forget the day a pack of dogs gone 'wild' attacked him... We got to him in time but it scared the daylights out of us!

As for the other reason you noted, Thoran, I remember reading once that the Hemmingway estate had that happen and several large dogs ran through the perimeter (chasing forest critters or other dogs) and couldn't get back in because by then they'd calmed down and the shocking/noise that they'd been trained to avoid kept them OUT of their own yard!

[ 06-28-2005, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

[Cloudbringer]

Just a note about the issue of cruelty or assuming it won't work on large dogs...it isn't a heavy 'shock' so much as a tingle as Bungleau describes and there IS an audible warning LONG before the shock/tingle. And I know it does work for all sizes of dog.

As for training...well that IS what the 'invisible fencing' is all about! You use VISUAL cues to train the dog to recognize where the boundaries are first. He is walked to and around the boundary area frequently, on a leash, before being left off leash with the system on!

I dont' think there's anything cruel about it if you aren't using high voltage or other pain markers. I have friends who DO use the system with two very excitable dogs that bark at anything that goes on within 3 houses of their own, LOL! And those friends are dog NUTS... they LOVE their pets and take incredibly good care of them. But again, it's entirely a matter of your dog's personality and your home/yard/neighborhood situation. If you have tons of irresponsible neighbors who leave their pets out or let them loose, yes, you'll have trouble with them in your yard. If your dog isn't sociable or theirs isn't there'll be fights but if they ARE agreeable no harm done. Hard to figure out all the things that might happen, so I guess Bungleau, it's all a matter of trying what you think is best after all the reasearch you're doing! Then if it doesn't work, you try something else, if it does, then GOOD!

All that said, I personally prefer the physical fence. You can never be sure if your dog will run off with or without any invisible fencing but if you have a physical one the chances are greatly reduced that you will ever have to worry about it unless you tend to leave gates unlatched or your dog is one heck of a good digger! LOL

[ 06-28-2005, 10:15 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

[Ladyzekke]

Either way, fence or invisible fence, is better than having a dog on a leash all the day long (like my neighbors!).

[Lucern]

Or your catfish. Poor little guys.

[Ladyzekke]

My catfish isn't on a leash LOL.