Invisible fences for pets

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Sheryl
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by Sheryl »

We have moved to the country and now live on 5 acres of land. We are looking into an invisible fence to help train the dogs to stay off the highway. Is one brand better than another? I did some research on them last night, and they are expensive. So I want to make sure I get one that works as advertised before spending that much money.
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RedGlitter
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by RedGlitter »

Well, I bought one years ago that was endorsed by the American Humane Society, for my Dalmatian. We set it up and before we let Sparky loose near it, tested it out on ourselves. It darn near dropped me and I'm no small woman. It got my dad too, six feet and 190 pounds. We returned it. That's been my only experience with them. Ordinarily I would have recommended it because of the Humane Society endorsement but not now. Maybe you should ask some veterinarians what they recommend and what setting they recommend for your dog. That's what I would do if I were going to use one.
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Sheryl
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by Sheryl »

Thanks RG. Someone pm'd me with their opinion too. I don't think I'll be getting one. I will just have to look at other measures to keep the dogs safe.
"Girls are crazy! I'm not ever getting married, I can make my own sandwiches!"

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spot
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by spot »

I just looked this up, never having heard of it. "Invisible fencing" is a euphemism for automatically tasering your pet to condition its self-perceived range?
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RedGlitter
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by RedGlitter »

Yes Spot, pretty much. It works similar to an electric fence for livestock. Once they get zapped they stay within safe range but the things are so darn strong even on mild setting that dogs have been known to have heart attacks and die from them.

Sheryl, you're welcome. I'm kind of glad to hear you say that because I personally hate the things. I live on an acre and a half and I have my dogs enclosed in big chain link runs. Actually it's more than just a run but it's far bigger than a kennel.
southern yankee
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by southern yankee »

RedGlitter;911098 wrote: Well, I bought one years ago that was endorsed by the American Humane Society, for my Dalmatian. We set it up and before we let Sparky loose near it, tested it out on ourselves. It darn near dropped me and I'm no small woman. It got my dad too, six feet and 190 pounds. We returned it. That's been my only experience with them. Ordinarily I would have recommended it because of the Humane Society endorsement but not now. Maybe you should ask some veterinarians what they recommend and what setting they recommend for your dog. That's what I would do if I were going to use one.


i would like to hear more of this fence. where to buy and $$$$. but i have more of a problem keeping every Tom , Dick, and Harry out. both my girls are fixed. but we still get many sooters.
RedGlitter
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by RedGlitter »

southern yankee;911371 wrote: i would like to hear more of this fence. where to buy and $$$$. but i have more of a problem keeping every Tom , Dick, and Harry out. both my girls are fixed. but we still get many sooters.


Well it's basically an electric wire you bury under ground. You map off the area where you dog is allowed to be and everything past that area is a no-no. Your dog wears a transmitter on her collar and every time she comes too close to the wire it shocks her. I'm not going to lie and tell you it just startles the dog, it plainly hurts and as I said some have died from the fences. This fence will do nothing to keep neighborhood dogs away from your dog because they will not be wearing transmitters. It won't shock them. But if they get into the "safe" area and start chasing your dog, she will be stuck there unless she wants to get shocked trying to get away from them.

There are kinder methods.
southern yankee
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by southern yankee »

RedGlitter;911433 wrote: Well it's basically an electric wire you bury under ground. You map off the area where you dog is allowed to be and everything past that area is a no-no. Your dog wears a transmitter on her collar and every time she comes too close to the wire it shocks her. I'm not going to lie and tell you it just startles the dog, it plainly hurts and as I said some have died from the fences. This fence will do nothing to keep neighborhood dogs away from your dog because they will not be wearing transmitters. It won't shock them. But if they get into the "safe" area and start chasing your dog, she will be stuck there unless she wants to get shocked trying to get away from them.

There are kinder methods.


Thank you. Because this evening. I heard my neighbor shooting off his shot gun. People are tired of all the stray dogs here. i live so far out. it is the perfect dumping ground. this dog who i think he shot was attacting the smaller dogs in our area. :(
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Sheryl
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by Sheryl »

The strays problay do need to be gotten rid of. We have a pack of 8 wild dogs running, and a female in the bunch has had a litter of pups where one tested positive for rabies.

Here's a link for what I found on them southern,

http://www.pet-super-store.com/pet-supp ... dio-fence/
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RedGlitter
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by RedGlitter »

That's pretty hick to just be shooting dogs. Do you not have any kind of animal control facility where you live?
southern yankee
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by southern yankee »

RedGlitter;911479 wrote: That's pretty hick to just be shooting dogs. Do you not have any kind of animal control facility where you live?


no, they just call our neighborhood cop. he then shoots them. To far out.
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spot
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by spot »

RedGlitter;911433 wrote: Your dog wears a transmitter on her collar and every time she comes too close to the wire it shocks her.Isn't it a receiver? Or does the system monitor where the dog is as well?
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
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RedGlitter
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by RedGlitter »

spot;911569 wrote: Isn't it a receiver? Or does the system monitor where the dog is as well?


I might be using the wrong electrical lingo, I'm not sure. What the dog wears picks up the electrical shock from the underground wire, which is what the invisible "fence" actually is; just an electric hot wire. All the receiver(?) does is shock the dog, it doesn't monitor where the dog goes.
Trunk Monkey
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by Trunk Monkey »

IMO this is cruel and should be banned. Can you imagine your poor dog(s) getting shocked? I have two very small Miniature Pinschers and I bought them an AKC approved outdoor exercise kennel (with sunroof). They can play in their kennel without fear of being "shocked". Sorry, I just hate this whole invisible fence thing :-5
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valerie
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by valerie »

Trunk Monkey;922769 wrote: IMO this is cruel and should be banned. Can you imagine your poor dog(s) getting shocked? I have two very small Miniature Pinschers and I bought them an AKC approved outdoor exercise kennel (with sunroof). They can play in their kennel without fear of being "shocked". Sorry, I just hate this whole invisible fence thing :-5


TM I understand what you are saying... and I don't know what model

it was Red had experience with, but the fences I know of, the "stim"

is VERY minor, like if you were to walk across the carpet in a low

humidity room and then touch a metal door knob.

Mini-Pins, no, probably not for them in any case and it sounds like

you have the best set-up possible for them.

The reasons not to use an invisi fence are like RG said, the other

animals can come IN, no problem. Add in the fact that a dog with

very high incentive or prey drive will run right through the "stim" no

problem if they say, see a deer running through the woods or

something. I just wouldn't count on them as the best protection for

any dog.

:-6
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RedGlitter
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Invisible fences for pets

Post by RedGlitter »

and I don't know what model

it was Red had experience with


I was just reading this thread wondering what setting red had hers on...


I can't remember the name but it came in a box with an endorsement on the front by either the HSUS or the ASPCA. I remember choosing that one thinking if a well respected humane organization said it was safe to use then it must be. (I'm naive like that)

We started it on the mildest setting, like 1 or 2 because the directions said to start small.

The thinking is that shocking one's dog doesn't hurt as much as him getting run over. But really, I could have put the money spent toward a large kennel and incorporated training. Which is what I ended up doing. $350 and I had a nice roomy chain link enclosure to protect Sparky when I wasn't around and also with training we did well.

I tried Googling that endorsed fence and all I got was an invisible fence endorsed by the ASPCA. That was probably the one I'm guessing. I bought it in 1999.
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