Good or Bad --- You Decide!

We belong to several online lists and there is almost always a discussion (argument) or two going on. This is my humble opinion page. What is written here are my feelings about the given subject and should not be taken as proof of anything. Just common sense. If I feel it is a subject that is worth passing on, this is where it will be!

Electric underground fencing (or "invisible" or "radio" fencing)

Many would think that an underground, electric fence would be the greatest. It's much less expensive, and it can be installed in a very short amount of time. It also doesn't block the view from your house. But it is not as great of an idea as it sounds, and it can cost you the life of your dog.

If you are unfamiliar with electric underground fencing, it is an electric wire, buried along the boundaries of your yard. The dog is fitted with a collar which will administer a shock when s/he gets too close to the buried wire. Better systems emit a warning sound so the dog can learn that s/he is getting close to being shocked and should turn around. It really does work pretty good and the dog usually learns quickly how to avoid being shocked. My neighbor had one and you could not get their Lab to cross the line!

Now The Down Side

1) This type of fencing does not keep other dogs/animals out of your yard. Intruders can come and go as they please, possibly attacking your pet(s) or damaging your property.

2) What if your dog has a strong prey (chase) drive and, for example, sees a squirrel across the street? Some dogs will ignore the shock altogether in the heat of the chase. Others might accidentally be on the other side before they realize it. Now the dog cannot come back into your yard because s/he will be shocked on the way back in.

3) Do you have a very friendly dog that loves to greet other dogs or persons? There is a remote possibility that if this greeting happens to be near the boundary wire and your dog is shocked, s/he may associate the shock with that person/dog. This in turn could cause your sweet, friendly dog to become aggressive. The dog does not know where the shock came from and may assume that it came from the passers by. Now they do not want anyone to come around because they (your dog) may be shocked.

I have a friend with a sweet pit bull mix. His rural neighbors were afraid of her so he installed an electric underground fence to keep her closer to home. Whenever he put the collar on her, she would cower, shake and refuse to go outside. The shock may be too much for even the toughest of dogs!

Another friend tells of his dog who would yelp, bark and run towards the "invisible fence" and then head out of the yard. Seems the dog decided the shock was always worth the escape.

Our rating for electric underground fencing:

75% BAD As a stand alone containment system, it should not be used.

25% GOOD It would work wonders for the dog that is constantly digging under an existing wood or metal fence. Using them together for this problem could be 100% foolproof. That is, of course, as long as the dog is wearing the collar and it is turned on! They can also learn that if they don't have the collar on, it's time to run!

Remember, no one can judge for you --- they don't know what is most important for your needs.