Your dog is a member of your family, and you wouldn’t want a member of your family to wander off and get lost, so you need to keep your dog safe at home. But installing a fence isn’t the best solution for every dog owner. Your homeowners association might have rules about fences, or you might simply want a solution that keeps your dog safe and preserves the beautiful views of your neighborhood.

An electric dog fence could be the answer. An electric fence will give your dog a small shock, similar to a static electric shock when he crosses the boundary. It doesn’t hurt; it’s simply a training aid that helps you teach your dog to stay within the boundaries of your yard.

Find out what you need to know about the advantages of installing an electric dog fence in your yard.

Give Your Dog Freedom

Installing an electric dog fence can give your dog the freedom to enjoy your whole yard, and it can help you cut down on pet damage indoors. You’re not limited by the traditional constraints of fence installation — you can put an electric fence for dogs anywhere. Got trees, sharp corners, or a neighbor’s pre-existing fence along one portion of your property lines? No problem. Electric dog fences are flexible enough to enclose your entire yard, no matter the obstacles. 

Traditional fences generally need to be installed at or just inside the property line. With an electric fence, you can create a yard-within-a-yard to give your dog room to run and play without confusing neighbors or potential buyers about the dimensions of your property. You can run an electric fence around flower beds and garden patches to keep your dogs out of them. 

Whether you choose a wired fence, which works through a wire buried a few inches deep around the perimeter of your yard area, or a wireless fence, which broadcasts a signal from a transmitter at the center of your fenced area, electric dog fences offer almost endless flexibility.

Enjoy an Unobstructed View

Traditional fences can be a real eyesore. If you bought your home for beautiful views, you’ll understandably want to avoid installing a fence that can obstruct those views. Because invisible fences are, well, invisible, you and your dog can enjoy the security benefits of a fence without lowering the aesthetic appeal of your property.

Save Money Over Traditional Fencing

Invisible fence costs are typically much lower than those of traditional fencing. Installing an electric dog fence is much less labor intensive, too. A wired fence needs to be buried around the perimeter of your yard, while installing a wireless fence is as easy as positioning and turning on the transmitter. 

Installation costs aren’t the only savings you’ll enjoy with an invisible fence. These fences never need to be refinished, stained, painted or painstakingly rebuilt. The most maintenance you’ll ever have to do to your electric dog fence is replacing the batteries in your dog’s collar.

Electric Dog Fences Are Easy to Install

You can probably install an electric dog fence yourself, if you’re at all handy. Simply install the transmitter as recommended by the manufacturer, then lay the wires out along your proposed boundary (you can use graphing paper to sketch out the boundaries of your property in advance). Twist the wires together if you need to cancel the signal, such as when you’re running wires from the transmitter out to the proposed boundary. 

Connect the boundary wires to the transmitter, turn the system on, then check that everything, including the collar, is working. Next, dig a trench two to three inches deep along your proposed boundary and bury the invisible fence wires. If you need to run the wire across pavement or concrete, use a circular saw with a masonry blade to continue the trench through the masonry surface. Test everything again before burying the wire, and make sure that your system is properly grounded according to the manufacturer’s instructions before you bury it. 

Place the included flags around the perimeter so that you and your dog know where the fence is during the training process. Once your dog is accustomed to the fence and you both know where it is, you can remove the flags. 

An invisible dog fence is the perfect solution to keep your dog safe in your yard without the need for an expensive traditional fence. Your dog will love having the run of your yard, and you’ll love the flexibility and ease of installing and using your new fence.