Electric Canine Fences - ???

[Laxie]

As some of you know, the in-laws have a Jack Russell puppy.  They take her out for walks but they'd like to be able to let the dog loose in their back yard now and then too.  With the exception of large trees and shrubs their yard isn't really closed in as such and they're worried about the puppy finding it's way out onto the road.  Their road = flat doggy.

So far all I've found during research is A) They're expensive enough pieces of kit and B) They're not to be used on dogs under 9 months of age. 

Anybody ever used this for their dog or heard anything good/bad regarding them?  Info. much appreciated.  Cheers!

[gatso]

How about manned watchtowers on each corner of the garden? Any sign of an escape and they can open fire

[TheChipPrince]

Why does it need to be electric fenidng as opposed to putting up a simple fence?

[Laxie]

Why does it need to be electric fenidng as opposed to putting up a simple fence?

Because their yard as a whole is fecking HUGE!!!  The plan was to wire up the wee half acre right out their back kitchen so the dog can get out and run around and they can keep an eye from the kitchen window. 

I'd just go out with the dog when it needs to go out.  I'm not at all a fan of this wire deal to be honest.  But we're talking about an elderly couple here and they don't live next door to me.  Also, there's steps leading down into the yard and last year himself fell and broke his arm going outside not long after a bit of snow had fallen.  The wire set-up won't help them this winter as the dog is too young, but would mean no risks (for them anyway) next winter.

[TightEnd]

Electric sounds cruel, and far too expensive



Why not fence off part of the yard/garden and put the dog in there?

Some MDF mashed together and secured would do it

[gatso]

are you talking about actual electric fencing or the underground wire type with the dog wearing a shock collar? the underground type is much cheaper, easy to fit, obv unobtrusive, harmless and the dog will soon learn it's boundaries

[gatso]

actually, forget what I just wrote. just re-read that it's a jack russel. it's not going to learn anything

[Laxie]

are you talking about actual electric fencing or the underground wire type with the dog wearing a shock collar? the underground type is much cheaper, easy to fit, obv unobtrusive, harmless and the dog will soon learn it's boundaries

The underground type with doggy wearing a special collar.  Apparently the collar lets off a warning beep when the dog gets close to the boundary and gets a wee zap of sorts if it keeps moving that direction.  They give you flags to put all around the boundaries as well.  After a couple of days the dog learns not to get to close to the flags.  Sounds abso horrid to me, but they're supposedly approved by Vets and stuff.  Costs more for a smaller dog than it does for a large one as their collar is a special micro jobbie as opposed to the standard one.

[gatso]

you might need to check if they're even legal in ireland. they've been banned in wales

[Laxie]

They are.  They're sold in all the major pet shop chains as well as most vet clinics.

Suppose I was mostly interested to know has anyone actually used one and did it work or was it a big pile of wasted money?

[kinboshi]

actually, forget what I just wrote. just re-read that it's a jack russel. it's not going to learn anything

 

So true!

[EvilPie]

They are.  They're sold in all the major pet shop chains as well as most vet clinics.

Suppose I was mostly interested to know has anyone actually used one and did it work or was it a big pile of wasted money?

Heard about them and they can very effective.

A dog instructor I know had to go to help someone deal with a dog who didn't quite "get it"

Poor dog just laid in the firing line buzzing away.

They aren't cruel at all and don't really hurt, they just give an incentive not to approach or cross the line.

If your friend uses one though you have to be very careful to set it up properly. If you get it wrong the dog won't have a clue.

Basically you bury a wire and if the dog goes near it it gets a shock. The problem is that the dog won't necessarily know what is giving it the shock. It might get close to the wire and get a shock but think it was the nearby tree that made it happen. This could make the dog scared of all trees.

You have to put something else out that the dog can actually see which acts as a marker. Even painting a line on the grass would do it. Eventually the line goes away but hopefully by them the dog has discovered that it can't cross where the line was.

These things can definitely work but as with all dog training if it's done badly it'll fuck the dog up big time.

[EvilPie]

Just read all of your posts Dawn. You mention the flags which would be equivalent to painting a line.

With flags you just put loads of them out and slowly remove a few every few days.

Eventually you get rid of all the flags and the dog knows it's boundary.

Good stuff and it'll work. Works on this blokes Rottweilers anyway now they've taught the younger one.

To be fair these people didn't read the instructions properly and forgot the flag bit. The older dogs worked it out but the young one just lay on the wire buzzing.

[RED-DOG]

I find this low-tech solution works very well.

1: 50ft of wire rope (Like thin winch cable) pulled taught between two metal stakes that have been hammered in to the ground so that the head is below the surface.

2: 10ft of lightweight chain with a D-link on one end and a collar on the other.

Method: Attach D-link to long wire cable so that it slips along it, attach collar to dog, and hey presto! a 70ft x 20ft secure run.

[Laxie]

Cheers Lads!  Have purchased and wrapped it as one of their crimbo pressies.  Got them a digital camera as well seeing as they can't use the fence thingy for another few months.

Had considered your idea Tom but was put off due to an accident that happened years ago.  I was living in New York and got a call from my mom.  The family dog 'Baby' had died.  Mom had her on a long lead out the back yard because she was an escape artist at the best of times.  One day while they were at work, something must have triggered Baby and she tried to jump the fence into the next door neighbour's yard...and hung herself.  Sigh.  She didn't leave a note so we've no clue what had her going but it's put me off tying a dog to anything since.