Electric fence for dogs - tell me about it!

[Sam_2.0]

Yay? Nay?

We just got a 1yr old lab. The way our house sits on the lot, and with HOA rules about fences, it's nearly impossible for us to actually fence the yard. But I would like to get an option for letting Kyla out without needing to take her on a leash. The immediate option is a tie out/run but I am thinking about an electric fence for a more permanent solution. She is pretty timid and probably could be trained to go out without it but I would like the extra boundary for her.

Is it worth it? How much are they? Are there options that don't require burying cable? Any you have that you would recommend? The way our yard is we would really just need it for one side of the yard as the neighbors have fences on the other sides.

[Gardening Grandma]

It depends.
There are two kinds. One you bury wire & the other is electronic. The electronic one has a circular coverage; the buried wire you can have any shape you want (ie, you want the dog to have the yard, but stay out if the flower beds)

DONT use this on a puppy!! PLEASE, JUST DONT. Adult dogs only. And DONT keave them unattended inside one. Too many things can happen. Imo, there is no substitute for a good physical fence.

We had one for a previous dog. You do have to invest the time training them to recognize the safe area and recognize the audible warning. It worked well for her.
But when we got a 2nd dog, he had a high pain threshhold and figured out that he could jump it and it only hurt a few seconds.

So we ended up putting up a physical fence anyway.

Knowing what we know now, we are undecided whether or not to get one for the new pup (she is a year old now)

[bean29]

Well I bought the electronic one without the in ground cable, and every year I procrastinate setting it up and training my dog how it works until winter is actually here (The only time when we mind being outside with the dog).

My dog is two, and does not really want to go outside without us. I think having the in-ground fence would be nice when we are outside working on the yard so the dog would have more freedom...but just because he won't leave the yard does not mean no other dogs or animals like coyotes or thieves won't come in to your yard when you are not looking. 

If you have fencing on a few sides that will establish the "border" the above ground one might work for you. My problem is the above ground one establishes a circle perimeter, and my lot is a rectangle. It is very difficult to get it set up so that part of the perimeter is not in the street (I live on the corner), the neighbors yard, or the wetlands (which we own part of, but I don't want my dog in there).  Your neighbors fence will establish the rear border, and you can have a semi circle to establish the "unfenced border" with part of the circle falling behind the fence (hopefully you can picture that).

On the radio they are advertising the in-ground version averages about $2,000.  I know I had a quote once and it was very pricey.  I am sure I figured I could have a regular fence for what they quoted.  DH does not want a fence though.

You need two people to set up the circle perimeter...you take the collar and use two cell phones and someone walks the border and puts little white flags up to show where the perimeter circle is (collar beeps out a warning within so many feet of the outer edge) then if things don't work the person in the house readjusts the circle and you start over.  DS and I started doing this a few years ago in October and we never followed through on it. 

The in-ground version they trench the corners of your lot, install cable and then you are done.  I have know a few people that had one and somehow a line got a short in it or the line was cut for some reason like street work, or digging a tree and then sometimes it is not a problem b/c the dogs already are used to staying in the yard, or sometimes they will go on an adventure.

[Tiny]

There's a corner house on a double lot with an 'electric fence' and a large Labra-doodle? It's weird to see the big dog lounging in the front yard without any around... The homeowners have put up signs indicating the electric fence is there - and that the Dog isn't homeless, lost, wandering, etc. And that the passerby's should NOT antagonize the dog.

There is lots of foot traffic - people walking dogs, people walking, kids on bikes, parents walking their small kids - the dog just lays on the front lawn near the house and watches the people pass by. I've witness parents explaining to their kids WHY the dog can't come to them and WHY the kids shouldn't go to the dog...   The dog just watches everyone pass by without much notice - even when a dog being walked is yapping it's head off practically ripping it's walkers arm out of the socket trying to get to (kill) the labra-doodle....

For this family and dog the electric fence seems to work well. I think it will depend on your dog and your neighborhood/where your house/yard is located.

I have heard of people who had dogs who would just take the shock and escape the yard (usually a sight hound or working breed or a dog with a strong instinct to chase (terriers): so Aussies, Beagels,greyhound,terrier.... ) I've also heard of Goldens and Labs blundering thru the electric fence as well and seemingly forgetting about the unpleasant experience and so being surprised when it keeps happening...

[shanendoah]

I think it really depends on the dog.
An electric fence would have worked perfectly for my Pit/Lab mix (unless I was outside the fence - dog once jumped out a 2nd story window to get to me). It would have not even phased my Aussie. 
With my current two, I expect it would work intermittently. For my Beagle - if she was just wandering, it would work, but if she were going after a particular prey - rabbit or squirrel, especially if she could see as well as smell, it would do no good. I expect it wouldn't work with my Terrier against something high value, either.

That said, traditional methods didn't always work with the Aussie or the Beagle either. Six months after we moved into our first house, our Aussie decided he was ready to explore more of the neighborhood and began digging his way out. The Beagle, once when left outside on a tie out (with two other dogs, while we were getting work done in the house that involved doors being open, people coming in and out - which is why they were left out back on the tie out) chewed through her inch thick nylon leash and walked up to the back door and waited to be let in.

If you have a determined dog, they'll find a way. I've watched dogs jump fences, climb fences, create ramps over fences, dig under, squeeze through, etc. My parents had a fence and a tie out. Their dog would jump the fence while on the tie out, hang himself, and use gravity to help slip his collar (he did this more than once).
Heck, I had a horse that would crawl through a wire fence. But the German Shepherd we had at the time wouldn't leave our property unless he was with one of us - no fence, tie out, or even leash needed.

And what all that means is - you know your dog. Do you think your dog can/will be like the Labradoodle in Tiny's story? Are you willing to put in the time and effort it would take to train your dog to be like the one in tiny's story? If the answer to both of those is no, then don't get an electric fence. Find another option.

For the record, I had a house with no fence for 10+ years. Sometimes the Pit/Lab went out without a leash because he'd stay with me. But none of the other dogs did. We used the extendable leashes, which, as long as we kept the near part of the yard fairly cleaned up, meant we could stand inside the sliding class door, with it open just enough for the leash, and the dogs could go out and do their business.

[tractor]

Don't forget to take the collar off before you give your dog a ride in the car, I heard it doesn't end well.

[rob base]

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You can't see it, it's electric

[alabamagal]

We had 2 different ones several years ago.  It worked pretty well.  We did the DIY one for maybe a couple hundred dollars.  We didn't bury it very deep, just used an edger to go down 1/2" or so, just enough to stay under the lawnmower.

A lot depends on the dog.  We had lab mutts and they did well with it.  We had one dog (chow mix) who was more determined to get out.  We had beagles and those dogs would do just about anything to get food, so likely not good for them.

[Sam_2.0]

I'm not looking to leave her outside for long periods of time. Just long enough to do what she needs to She's pretty timid and always very eager to get right back inside when she's done. But I am finding myself sometimes in a spot with leaving the kids unsupervised to take the dog out, and it would make things a bit easier on the sitters as well (they come to our house in the day and will be taking the dog out).

Thanks for all the feedback!

[dannylion]

Just remember that the electric fence doesn't keep anything or anyone out of the yard.  Your dog would still be vulnerable to being attacked by an animal unaffected by the fence or stolen by a human (who would also be unaffected by the fence).  I know many people swear by them and find them useful and safe for their pets.  My personal opinion is that they are cruel, but I don't have to cope with your circumstances, so I'm not gonna judge.  Also, I am a hopeless softy when it comes to animals, so I'm probably not really objective.