Invisible fencing

[snarkalicious]

We are the proud owners of a very smart border collie who has made it his goal in life to escape from our fenced back yard. We also have a rat terrier who is his sidekick-I just looked up from my desk (which is on the front of the house) and they were both standing at the window grinning in at me.

Anyone have any experience with invisible fencing? I dont mind them running around in the front yard but don't want one of them to get hit by a car...

Shannon (Mom to Angus Young and Ted Nugent, Houdini dogs)

[Justin Thyme]

They are escaping, most likely, out of boredom and/or a need for human companionship. That's why they were grinning at you. Try exercising them more and allowing them more time with you rather than being left outside to their own devices. Also it sounds like boundary training is in order, which the invisible fence can help you with, but I don't think I would ever fully trust an invisible fence to contain my dog.

[Bob]

Corky learned that the collar beeps just before it shocks you.
and if you lay down while its beeping and wait for it to stop, it wont shock you.
(he would lay there all day waiting for the battery to die then go out to the end of the driveway and lay down in his favorite spot.
when I figured that out I took the collar off of him and he only left our yard to chase off cats that weren't his. (he was laying in that favorite spot when he died)

[LimitedRecourse]

They were looking for a lassie.

[snarkalicious]

The breeder told me Borders are smart enough to figure out that it's just one shock and then they are free, so invisible fencing does not work well for them.

He is "exercised" and played with constantly, and for the times we actually have to work or do things inside the house he has toys and an obstacle course in the backyard to play in. He's just too smart for his own good!

I forgot to add that while they were out, they found something that smells disgusting to roll in, so both are being bathed as we speak (thank goodness it wasn't MY turn)

[snarkalicious]

>>>They were looking for a lassie.

That ship has sailed, thanks to Wally's Friends....they are a gay married couple now

[joedog]

I have one! 100 bucks at Walmart. I am fortunate enough to have a lot of wooded area around my house that I did not have to trench and bury much. With a fence the install is very simple, just weave it in and out around the bottom. Just buy new batteries for the collar right off the bat set it on high and let them learn. about a week later put new ones in they should have gotten the hint by then. Now my system can be off for days and my doggies cant be drug out of the yard.

[Bob]

I knew a rottie that would tense up and walk stiff legged through one. (to go eat a yippy dog) The owner bought another collar and the rottie was less inclined to walk through the barrier.

My boss at the gas company told me of his neighbor who had one. The dog snagged it on something and tore the collar so it didn't shock him. The man found the dog and carried him home. Not wanting to loose the expensive collar he put it in his pocket.. Bill said that was the funniest dance he had ever seen..

[ohwell]

Don't you just love rat terriers?? My smallest is 3.2 pounds and the biggest is 4.5. Love 'em. But, let me tell you a real horror story. Yorkie ran outside to chase the great dane, hawk swooped down. Yeah, I watched my little 4 pound Yorkie be carried off. I cried for years. I have heard good things about the invisible fencing. The really good thing is, once they are mildly shocked, they don't go near it.

[goomba]

you can always get an electric fence. had an uncle that had boxers. dont get the doggie fence, its not strong enough, you have to get the one for cattle.

[Warkitty]

I installed one back in the way back for Howler and Romeo. I showed them both the boundary, let them hear the beep warning, let them get the shock...

Left to their own, Ms. Howler would walk right over the top of the freshly installed invisible fence, sometimes laying just inside the shock zone. Apparently she thought the shock on its highest setting was a massage. I noticed she moved better generally afterwards, so maybe for her old bones, it was.

Romeo avoided the border until he saw someone or something outside it. THEN he'd ignore the, for him, painful shocks and run up and down the fence line (mine was installed inside a regular fence) barking like the Hound of the Baskervilles.

In short, I did not find them in the least effective unless as a theraputic tool for an old dog with bone spurs.

[Babs]

We have a coon hound, and the vet told us that the invisible fence was useless with them. They just don't care. Felix walks her a few times a day, and we have a nice deck in the back that is two floors up and two levels. The dog park downtown is a nice fenced area where they can run to their hearts desire.

[frayne]

Not worthless but pretty damn close to it.

[ohwell]

We had a 125 pound mixed breed, Dobie and Great Dane. We didn't use the invisible fence but a regular electric fence at the top. Sammy just loved to jump. The bottom was filled with concrete block. Yeah, Sammy lived to be 13 years old. I love that dog. He was all heart.