Underground Dog Fencing

[Spazz.]

Despite my numerous and best efforts, our stubborn dogs still get out of the yard. We live in the country so I have no problem letting the dogs run, under supervision. The problem rears its head because we can't supervise them when we're at work all day, so we have to keep them in a pen. I <span style="font-style: italic">hate</span> that. I really hate it, but we can't leave them in the house or there would be no house to come home to. If we left them loose in the yard... I would hate for them to make their way to the road and get hit, have them try and fight or play with something in the woods bigger or meaner than they are, or get shot because some a-hole with a gun thinks they're (big) coyotes. They shouldn't be on anyone else's property anyway, but I obviously have no control over that if they run off.

They can dig under the fences we have, they can jump over the fences we have, and they are generally just too damned smart for their own good. They're smart enough to know when we're watching them and when we're not, where we can and can't see them, and what they can get away with when we aren't looking. I've tried positive reinforcement and we've moved on to negative reinforcement when we're quick enough to catch them doing something bad; but they're faster and seemingly smarter than me. I really would like them to be able to run around the yard and play to their hearts' content while we aren't at work, because I can't give them the total exercise they need unless I don't eat or sleep. I give it a good try, but they just have more energy than I can keep up with.

So here we are, I need an underground fence that will contain a pair of dogs 60 and 80 lbs, around a little over 1/2 acre of yard. They're fast and smart, so I need something that will make them STOP when they hit the boundary. I also need something that won't break the bank, but I know realistically I'll be spending at least $200 if not more than $300. Anyone have good luck with a particular brand and/or type of underground fence for their stubborn dog?

The offenders, Aiden and Kenzie:

 

[Rhys]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Looks like a couple of aussie/ blue healer crosses. I've had a few that looked just like them. Only thing I found to keep them from digging under short of a concrete foundation for the fence was what we called hog panels. They're fence panels made from 1/8th inch round stock on a grid of about 4"x4", and we put the first 2' in the ground. Chances are though the panels to close in your yard are going to be significantly more than $2-300.

 

[Tennman]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Spazz, After a lot of research, I purchased the Innotek underground fence system just a few months ago for our dogs. Same problems you have. Country, work all day, can't leave em in house situation. The key, and this is the most important thing, is training before going live. I studied the video training series they have online and agin when I got the system. I used to train my dogs, just cause I liked dogs that mind, and realize that they must be taught basics. The trainers on the DVD show you step by step how to do it. I followed their program to the letter and matter of fact, took a little more time training than suggested, just because it worked out that way. But consistent training, NOT confusing the dog is the key. I have a brother in law that tried it a few years ago and failed, a friend that did the same thing and failed, but they did not take the time to train properly, they took the fast track and if failed. I have had my dogs on the system now for about 3 months and I can't do anything to coax them near the boundry, and I mean anything!!!!! Other dogs, food, begging, pushing, strangers walking by, females in heat, anything!!!! It's in the training. Smart dogs are easy, but read my lips, it's in the training. OK, now that I've said that, it will take you a good two weeks to train them. I took three weeks, but believe me, it has been worth every penny. Hope this helps,
Jim

 

[Spazz.]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Rhys, their mother is a Husky mix and the guy we got them from thinks the dad is a sneaky non-child-support paying neighboring Aussie. I've seen enough Heelers to agree.

Tenn, I've been looking at PetSafe and Innotek both. They look pretty similar. Training these dogs is very easy and very difficult. They're extremely smart and it doesn't take much for them to pick up on what you're wanting of them. They also have the Husky stubbornness gene. That means if they don't feel like doing whatever you're wanting, they will refuse. Hence, they'll stay in the yard when they feel like it and when we aren't looking they bolt. They have literally been unsupervised for less than 90 seconds and not come back for 7 hours. Getting out of our sight in a minute and a half is not a small chore and requires precision timing which the little buggers have worked out to a science.

Anyway, thank you for the recommendations and I'm still looking into those fences. Any other suggestions are strongly encouraged, since I've never had experience with underground fencing. Thanks again!

 

[Tennman]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

I know what you are saying, we have had those type dogs as well. I chose innotek over pet safe, looked at both of them hard. Training, training, trraining, good luck with them.

 

[Spazz.]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Looking really hard at the Sport Dog SDF-100... It seems to have better reviews than either the Innotek or the PetSafe. Training is definitely at the top of the list - I know that they will be able to understand what they are supposed to do. I just really need something to enforce the lesson when I can't be right there to tell them "no."

 

[BHHunter]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

I have 5 acres fenced w/ an innotek contain and train. You can use that collar w/ a remote for up to about 100 yds, and get little zone things that you can use in the house if for instance you wanted to keep them out of a room of of the couch, etc...
It works well for my female lab (about 75 lbs.)

 

[Powder_Burns]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Not trying to be silly or anything, but I was fully expecting a thread about gambling on dogs fighting with swords...

 

[Tennman]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Yeah, I looked at that one too spazz. What I didn't like was the fact that it was not rechargable battery and the coller was cheesy and bulky. My innotek is rechargable and the collar is extremely heavy duty, yet very streamlined and totally wweather proof too. Charges last 3 - 4 weeks easy, easy to charge back up too. Go to www.dogfencediy.com and they have them all with reviews videos, etc. They were very prompt to my order and so far, I am more than pleased. It has taken so much pressure off of me and the wife. We had everything from a near by neighbor that complained to worrying about cars, etc. If you cannot tell, I am sold on the system, I don't know if I mentioned it, but training sure is important for it to work as advertised,LOL......
Jim

 

[Spazz.]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Awesome, thanks Jim I'm checking it out now.

Powder Burns, why do you think I want to keep them in the yard? The things are dangerous as hell with their swords.

Thanks for the input as well, BH!

 

[tankervet]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

I have the PetSafe PIF-300 Wireless system. Although, you didn't ask about a wireless system, I love it. Below is a link to the system. If you can live with a circle zone then it's great. If you need it more tailored, probably should go with the underground system.

Here is my system
http://www.dogfencediy.com/reviews/petsafe-if300/

 

[smokshwn]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Good luck, but if they have Aussie and Heeler in them I give them a maximum of 3 days before they have rewired the underground fence to shock you on the ass when it hits the toilet seat

 

[KHOOKS]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Spazz,

I have a undergorund fence system I bought and never used it. Other than use of the collar and remote for training. If your interrested I can dig it out of storage and maybe we could make a deal on it or something.

PS this unit is for small to lagre dogs. The collar has a set of jumpers you move for how hot you want it. I used it on muy GSD to train them not to wonder off from the yard. It took a little time but my dogs want go much more than 50 yards from the house. They think something out there is going it zipp them.

Ken

 

[oldgrayone]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

One thing to keep in mind is the fence system is electronic and electronics will fail sooner or later and before they fail your dogs will find a few ways to get around it from time to time. Ues it a back up to your physical fence to keep them from digging under.

After spending loads of money over the years to keep my sporting dogs safe while I was away from home I finally went with a concrete run and heavy fence system with and a dog door that would give them access to a temperature controlled garage.

 

[KYS]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

You are going to be very limited to options if you only want to spend 2-300 dollars. An underground system for an acre will likely cost you anywhere from 500-1000 dollars depending on installation and equipment.

My dad did his entire fence line and it was stupid how much they charged him. But his backyard is also about 100 acres.

 

[Shane C.]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Spazz, another very satisfied Innotek customer here.

Mine has been in place on 4 acres for just over 5 years now. The collar broke (after 3 years), they replaced it for $30 or something. I've had 3 breaks in the wire, 2 my fault (dirt bike), and the most recent corrosion (guessing from a nick in the wire coating). Finding a break in the wire is a hassle (especially after it has been buried so long).

Next time I would put the wire inside a plastic tube of some sort (sprinkler?), before I buried it. Just for extra protection. Make all conections water tight.

Dog quickly learned and respects the boundry.

Shane

 

[Kaisersose]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Ok so my brother works for petsafe.

Sportdog is another one of Petsafe's brands.

I get to try all the new toys when available the radio system is nice because you can train the dog to react to the sound and then when hiking making the dog react.

Pm me if you have any questions.

 

[Etnie]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

I went to Home Depot and purchased the Deluxe Pet Safe kit and an extra spool of wire. The collar uses 9v batteries and lasts for 3 months before it needs replacing. Everything cost me about $250 from Home depot. My yard is 1 acre and my wife and I installed it in a little over 4 hours. I took my driveway trimmer/edger and used that to cut into the ground. I then just tucked the wire into the slot the edger made, was easy and has worked for 2 years so far. I have a Golden Retriever and Boykin Spaniel and both were trained in less than a week. My neighbor paid $1500 to have his installed by the Underground Fence Co. and they have the Pet Safe brand too.

Sportdog is also Petsafe but its a "top of the line" model and some come with training collars with remotes too.

 

[barnes12]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

I used the Innotek when I lived out on our ranch, I had a very stubborn male chocolate Lab who had a tendency to take off all the time. The underground fence worked for about a month up until the he figured out that he would only get the shock one time then he was free. I actually watched him go up to the boundary a couple of times till he figured out where it would give him the jolt then he would back up let out a few barks then hit it at full speed and off he would go. My other dog would not go near the boundary though. My lab was a little off but was an awesome hunting dog.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Underground Dog Fencing? Is this anything akin to cleaner underground fighting?

I am looking at this as well, but am also considering electric field and a collar as well to keep boundries marked and held

 

[Spazz.]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Tankervet, cool idea but we have to have hard boundaries for them. I've looked into getting one of those indoor versions to keep them out of areas we don't want them in inside, but that's for a little ways down the line I think.

Smkshwn, 3 days would be plenty enough time for these creatures. I wouldn't doubt if they have it done the next day.

Ken, thank you for the offer and I'll keep it in mind. I'm going to do a bit of looking around before we make a decision, but regardless I appreciate the offer.

Oldgrayone, our yard is completely fenced now. We spent $200 on cattle panels (16'x5' heavy 12 ga) to separate the back yard from the field behind us. Problem is, they can either dig or jump the front wooden fence and I've finally used cedar spars along the bottom of the side fence to keep them from digging. It's necessary landscaping for now...

KYshooter, I know it's going to fail eventually and hopefully I'll be able to catch it before it does. If not, it won't be the end of the world. I know they'll keep testing it (just like the damn Jurassic Park raptors) until they find the weak spot, and then they'll be gone again. Hopefully, training them will take over their "wanna run away" instincts. I'm also going to be doing it myself, saving a metric ass-ton of money on the install.

Shane, the sprinkler tube (or maybe 1/2" PVC?) idea is a good one... I don't know how practical laying down ~600' of pipe is, but it may be a better idea than trying to trace down a thin wire. I'll definitely keep that in mind, especially if we rent a trencher.

Thanks dquilli and Etnie.

Barnes, hopefully the hard boundary fence and training will be enough for ours not to do the same. I have no doubts that if they figured out they could do it, they would clear the front fence in a running jump with no problems. Hopefully they won't figure it out, but so far I'm not overly optimistic.

Switchblade, they've been taking swordsmanship classes for 3 months now. I've learned that when they're hungry, I HAVE to feed them quickly. I've also looked into getting just straight-up shock collars with remotes so that we can train them on those as well.

If they weren't so smart it wouldn't be a problem, but you can see them thinking about what you tell them to do. I've been working with positive reinforcement for the last 11 months now, and they still won't listen all the time. We've put no shortage of training time into them, either. Flat out, if they don't want to do what you tell them to, they will not. I've had to resort to punishing them for disobedience now, which I was hoping not to do. We've read books, done online research, been consistent with them; they're just... Special. Hardheaded. I guess they take after me. I keep waiting for the day when I wake up with a shock collar locked onto my neck by my wife. Now I'll have to worry if the dogs will do the same thing to me.

 

[KHOOKS]

Re: Underground Dog Fencing

Spazz,

Being that the dogs are on the smart side they will fight the shock of the collar. My GSD's after they were grown would fight the shock the collar was giving them. I felt it was abuse after I seen them fighting it. That's when I went to using my belt on there behind. Now if I see them roaming father away from the house than I like I just call them back to the house and shake the belt around and they know that a ass-whoopin will be the next step. I can just rattle the belt buckel and they start to hang there head they have learned the belt means there in trouble. I do keep them in a fenced in pen, but I do let them run some most everyday possible. As for the digging out I would let them dig until they where almost out of the pen then I'd let them out and fell the hole with a bag of quik-crete. After doing this about four or five times they gave up on the digging. You can also take some 2X4 hog wire and lay it down on the ground and take tie wire and tie it to the fence along in inside of the pen and this will help to keep them from digging out.