# Invisible Fence good or bad?



## xopaow (Apr 26, 2009)

Okay I must ask, is invisible fence good or not? because we have been hearing many different opinions. One that its horrible because once the dog sees something and leaves it will not come back because its going to get shocked. Also we have heard that it is excellent and perfect for a dog. My family and I are planning on getting a gsd. So we were curious as to if invisible fence is the right way to go or just get a regular fence.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you could teach your dog borders.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I personally prefer visual containment which I know isn't perfect but IMO better than an invisible fence for the reason the OP listed.


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## Kayla's Dad (Jul 2, 2007)

One of the things I've heard that you may want to consider depending on where you live is that while it may contain your dogs, it won't prevent other animals from coming into your yard.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Pros:
- May be the only fence available if home owner's association or terrain etc. will not allow a conventional fence. Some fence is better than no fence. 
- Useful for dogs that will scale or dig under conventional fences. 

Cons: 
- Requires careful training that takes many weeks to be used correctly.
- If the dog breeches the barrier, you are correct - they are unlikely to return because they'll be shocked again.
- Some dogs become collar smart and know if they're not wearing the collar or if it loses power. If this happens, you have no fence.
- Does not provide a physical barrier to other dogs, animals, people etc, so while your dog hopefully won't leave, anyone could come in and potentially hurt or steal the dog. Roaming stray dogs are not that rare and could attack your dog or transmit disease.
- Similarly, random people or children can easily wanter into your yard and be injured by your dog (Shepherds can be quite territorial), which, unfortunately you will probably be help liable for even if they were tresspassing.
- Other people cannot tell your dog is contained and which can be an issue with things like mail and package delivery

So... in general I think they're a poor alternative to conventional fencing but have their uses in places where no other fence is available or for dogs who can escape other fence types. Although in the latter case, I recommend the IF as a supplement to the regular fence rather than an alternative.


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## weber1b (Nov 30, 2008)

We tried one with our last mix and it (and perhaps we) were a failure. the biggest problem is this dog loved to run and she quickly figured out she could handle that moment of pain for the great rush of freedom.

We eventually built a fence and it was the best thing we ever did.

Based on our Clover, I think you would be just as successful teaching borders to a GSD and then keep the dog supervised when it is outside. I take Clover out in the front yard when I do yard work and she ignores everyone passing by (except for the little boy from around the corner who gets off his little bike and runs over and gives Clover a big hug).


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## lauramichelle (Mar 11, 2009)

We used one with our chain link fence. We had an Alaskan Malamute that would dig out or climb over the 5ft chain link fence. He was determined to get out. We strung the wire through the fence and then buried it at the gates in tubing. It was no good for him. He'd just keep digging or climbing out despite being shocked and it made him begin to get aggressive. If you so much as moved your hands toward his neck he'd growl...and he had never growled before in his life.

Then my beagle decided she'd try to get out and went under the fence one day....using a hole dug by the malamute. We put the electric collar on her, she got shocked once and never tried to get out again once we took the collar off.

My mother-in-law has one. It worked great for her GSD. She rarely turns it on anymore...the dogs know their boundaries. But it did not work for her Rottweilier. That dog will run right through it like my malamute did.

It really depends on the dog. I like them as re-enforcement of a boundary...but not as a boundary itself. THey also require training...you cant just put the collar on the dog and let it loose. You have to use the flags and teach it the boundaries. Ours gave a warning beep as the dog got closer to the boundary...if they kept getting closer it's give a small shock, and increase as they got closer to the boundary. You have to go around the perimeter with your dog with collar on on a leash and when it beeps you gently pull them back and tell them "no" or whatever command you want to use to signal to them that they dont cross that line. That way they know the beep means stop...and they wont get a shock.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I have one and love it!!
my dogs know there borders and DON'T cross them
We have over 2 acres it was the cheapest solution for us.

The only think I don't like is that other animals can still
come in the property like nasty coyotes
but my dogs are only outside when someone is home


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

It depends on what you want it for. 

I used a visual cattle fence wire with a little solar element around the base of a regular five foot fence. My dogs would not dig under or climb over. Now they leave it alone and it is only used for the gate. But then I am out there with them when they are free in the yard. 

Once your dogs are properly trained, an e-fence is fine if you do not mind their collars giving them a shock, so long as you are out there with them. It will probably keep them from getting run over from a car when you are playing ball with them or taking them to the car. 

I have no fence in my front yard. My dogs run to the explorer and wait for the back to open to get up in their crates. My house is back off the road, and I feel pretty safe doing this. I would not let them run around my front yard when I am not out there electric fence or not. 

Taking Jenna to the vet's while my car was getting an oil change. I passed a couple of huge dogs that charged at me and I had no idea whether they had a fence or not. There was an e-fence, their owner who was in the house shouted. Frankly, I do not trust them to hold back a determined dog. If you are out there, your leadership will do the trick.


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

We have an Inv Fence we had for our Dal. We haven't had to use it with Anna yet. 

With our Dal, she would figure out anything and get out, to the point we had warning notices posted on our home. We invested in the Inv Fence and through the proper training, it worked wonderfully.

We used it to help contain her in the back yard, we never used it as a babysitter or as one of those people who left their dogs unattended in the front yard. I think the key is the training. If done properly, it can work. 

Maggie was smart and would occasionally test the fence, seeing if the battery in her collar was working. So we had to keep that in check, but the light begins to flash red on the collar when you need to replace it.

I think it does depend on the dog and the training. I know the level of "juice" and the distance the dog has to go through can be adjusted to different levels. 

I hope we don't have to use it with Anna, but we still have everything if we need it.


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## Sheppy (Nov 13, 2004)

Check your city's restrictions on their use. 

For example, Overland Park, KA bans their use in the front yard or less than 10' from a public sidewak.
http://www.opkansas.org/_Assets/police/electronic_fence_letter.pdf

http://www.opkansas.org/_Res/Pets/elecfence.cfm


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

visual containment, is that watching your dog when they're out?
my yard is fenced in and i never leave the dogs in the 
yard unattended.



> Originally Posted By: AmaruqI personally prefer visual containment which I know isn't perfect but IMO better than an invisible fence for the reason the OP listed.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I prefer a fence that can be seen, an actual barrier. And if you want to make it more secure adding an electric fence that can also be seen by the dog. 

My dogs used to run up toward the fence, slow and look at the wire, and then go forward so as not to hit the wire. I prefer that to just having a collar shock them on the neck when they reach a point in the yard.


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## DnP (Jul 10, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: laura929It really depends on the dog. I like them as re-enforcement of a boundary...but not as a boundary itself. THey also require training...you cant just put the collar on the dog and let it loose. You have to use the flags and teach it the boundaries. Ours gave a warning beep as the dog got closer to the boundary...if they kept getting closer it's give a small shock, and increase as they got closer to the boundary. You have to go around the perimeter with your dog with collar on on a leash and when it beeps you gently pull them back and tell them "no" or whatever command you want to use to signal to them that they dont cross that line. That way they know the beep means stop...and they wont get a shock.


Defnitely! The invisible/radio fence is not for every dog. Dogs that have every desire to get out will not be deterred by an invisible fence. Dogs who respect boundries will have no problems respecting the invisible fence boundry. But like Laura929 said, you have to "train" the dog on the fence boundries. I have three of my acres contained by an invisible fence and Phoenix respects it. It's to the point where it doesn't matter if he has his fence collar on or not. HOWEVER, I do not use the invisible fence to be my babysitter. I'm outside w/ him when I let him out. The only time I don't have an eye on him is when I'm mowing...however, he usually sticks somewhere in the yard so he can keep an eye on me.

The fence will not keep out other dogs/animals/people.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I formed my negative opinion of the Invisible Fence because a friend in MD had one. Her dogs (GSDs) did everything already mentioned - they'd see something, run after it, then refuse to return to the back yard. She also had problems with neighbor's dogs breeching the area including an Akita who killed more than one dog in her neighborhood. Once she left her bitch in heat out unsupervised which was dumb and ended up with a litter of mixed GSD/Dalmatian's - fortunately she found good homes for the babies.

I had an interior electric pulse fence installed when I first moved here - Ringer was going over the regular fence to visit the GSD girl dog next door. This worked well to keep all the Hooligans back from the main fence EXCEPT for Ringer who would breech the electric fence by going thru after the third pulse (you could see him listening for the click the controller made when emitting current) - but he was so close to the other fence he couldn't climb/jump over it. A couple years later the control unit got hit by lightening and I didn't get it fixed, because by that time he had learned not to go over the fence.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Yeah, mine isn't working anymore or hasn't been. I left it up just for show. Maybe in the winter there was just not enough sun (solar panel). I don't know. The dogs do not generally go up to the wire, but they are becoming careless. 

Rushie lifted his leg yesterday near there, and then let out a yelp, ran into the house and would NOT come back out.









Today I notice it is merrily clicking away again. Hmmmm. 

Poor guy.









Does anyone know what shock treatments do to sperm counts???


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Everett54One of the things I've heard that you may want to consider depending on where you live is that while it may contain your dogs, it won't prevent other animals from coming into your yard.


I was about to say this...
Someone two houses down had a toy poodle and GSD with an invisible fence, and a bunch of freaking idiots (forgive the term...)walking two ugly pit mutts (I love pits, but these are nearly deformed looking), and a aussie shep mix thought it'd be funny to let theirs off since the GS couldn't go out to fight.
They also told their pits mutt and puppy "Good job" because it raised it's hackles at my 7 year old niece. The aussie's (they have another) are vicious, snarling at me in my own yard, at least 15' from them...

I'd say NO, unless you combine it with a visual fence that cannot be leapt over, there are too many cons to a invisible.


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## john bono (May 17, 2008)

You should check out best friend fence(http://www.bestfriendfence.com/) or a deer fence as well. I started fencing in our yard before we got our dog. I had looked at the cost of the invisible fence, and between installation and training, I'd be looking at a bill somewhere around $1500+ Installing a deer fence myself, including gates and hardware probably cost me well under $700, and is for all intents invisible from over 20' away. If you have a lot of hedges/trees to thred the fencing through it is a great alternative.


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