DO DOG FENCES REALLY WORK?

DOG FENCE BRANDS: Invisible Fence®, PetSafe®, Pet Stop®, DogWatch®, Sport Dog®, Innotek®, Guardian®

If your dog is an escape artist, you've probably tried more than one way to keep him in your yard. The creative solutions I've seen include: chicken wire installed around the base of a traditional fence (sometimes even installed a few inches into the ground); concrete pavers around the base of a traditional fence; chain link dog kennels; constant supervision; yelling, pleading, and tears.

Not only are some of these solutions pretty unsightly, but they rarely work. A motivated dog (even a small one) can quickly destroy chicken wire or chain link. Constantly supervising your dog gets old really fast, especially when the weather is bad. And, finally, dogs just don't respond to emotional manipulation the way humans do.

Even though electronic dog fences are readily available, most dog owners don't realize how quickly and effectively they can solve the problem of a runaway dog. Some folks are biased by friends or neighbors who have tried a dog fence without success, while others assume that their dog is too stubborn to ever respect an invisible boundary.

If you're having trouble containing your dog, but aren't sure that an electronic dog fence will work for you, continue reading for answers to the following questions:

I know someone who tried an electronic dog fence and it didn't work. Why would a dog fence work for me?

Electronic dog fences do occasionally fail. Most of the time, however, they work just fine. So, what's the difference? Why do most dogs respond well to a dog fence, while a some don't?

The answer is that most electronic dog fence failures are not a result of the technology itself. Instead, most dog fence failures are caused by inadequate training or low-quality hardware.

TRAINING: An electronic dog fence is really nothing more than a training aid that teaches your dog to stay within a defined boundary. For your dog to respect the electronic fence, you must spend at least 15 minutes a day for the first 10 - 14 days training him to understand how the dog fence works. Training should be on leash for the first 4 - 7 days; then, you'll gradually transition to off leash training over the next few days. All major brands of dog fencing include training instructions that you should carefully follow.

Along these same lines, once your dog is trained to understand how the dog fence works, you must make sure that he wears the dog fence receiver EVERY TIME he is outdoors. Also, you should periodically check the receiver to ensure that the batteries are charged and the unit is working correctly.

HARDWARE: Lots of different brands of dog fencing are available online, at retail stores, and through local professional installers. Unfortunately, not every brand has the features you'll need to reliably contain your dog. When shopping for a dog fence that will reliably contain your dog, you should look for the following features:

• A transmitter that includes lightning protection
• A receiver (the device your pet wears around his neck) that includes a variety of correction levels, from very faint to relatively powerful
• Comprehensive warranty support
• Wire that is rated for outdoor use

My dog is really stubborn. Why would he respect an invisible boundary?

Most dogs -- even really stubborn ones -- can be trained to understand and respect an electronic dog fence. The key word in that last sentence is "trained". If you just install an electronic dog fence and stick your dog in the yard to figure it out for himself, you're probably not going to have a good experience. But, given some time and consistency, most dogs will learn to stay within an invisible boundary.

If your dog is particularly stubborn and you're really concerned about your ability to train him to respect an electronic dog fence, then you should probably work with a professional installer rather than going the do-it-yourself route. Professional installers are experienced at working with hard-to-train dogs and know the little tricks that help ensure a stubborn dog is quickly and effectively trained. Also, a good professional installer will offer a Containment Guarantee that promises to refund your money if your dog really can't be trained.

Are citronella and sonic dog fences as effective as those that use static correction?

The short answer to this question is, "No."

Sonic and citronella fences are generally effective only for very timid or sensitive dogs. Most dogs don't find these fences aversive enough to avoid under high levels of distraction (squirrels, neighborhood kids, etc.). If you only need the dog fence to keep your dog out of a flower bed or the trash, one of these fences may be worth a try. But don't expect a sonic or citronella dog fence to reliably keep your dog in your yard.