Invisible Dog Fences: Ultimate Freedom Within Safe Boundaries

Most electronic pet fence systems (including a DogWatch ® Hidden Fence, Invisible Fence ® and other brand names) include a buried wire, generally two-to-six inches underground. The wire is connected to a transmitter mounted in your home or garage that sends a safe, coded radio signal through this wire. Your pet wears a collar configured to spot the radio signal (called a receiver collar.).

If your pet gets too close to the underground wire, the radio signal sets off a ‘beeping’ sound from the receiver collar that notifies the dog (or cat) to pull back away from the buried wire. Through a simple training program using flags to mark the area where it is safe to play, your pet learns to recognize where it is safe and where the alert is triggered. To reinforce the training, if your pet gets too near to the buried wire, the receiver collar provides a short static impulse (correction). The pet rapidly learns that the correction is uneasy and prevents the buried border wire. After training, most pets stay away from the buried wire and stay within the designated safe location.

Wireless GPS pet fences, by contrast, use satellites to map a particular border (geo-fence) for the pet instead of utilizing a buried wire and a repaired radio signal. Mapping the fence limit is frequently done by utilizing cellular technology. The receiver collar is linked to the GPS program that sends out an alert to the receiver collar if the pet approaches the border and remedies the pet if it does not pull back from the boundary.

While the objectives of the two systems are similar, making use of GPS technology for pet containment raises several issues:

Issue # 1– Irregular Limit.

Hidden Fences with underground wires provide a consistent boundary that does not change unless the wire is moved. GPS dog fences, however, do not supply that same consistency. GPS can shift and are prone to interference and changes in signal strength.

Why is a constant limit so crucial to an electronic dog fence? In a word, training. For an electronic pet fence to work correctly, the pet needs to understand and acknowledge the containment location borders. A border that is not consistent can make and confuse the pet training and containment less effective, safe, and secure.

Real– you can set it up anywhere. However, in addition to the disparity concern (and perhaps the absence of power and satellite service), how will the dog know the boundary? Training (including flags, repeating, and a constant border) are key to effective training and a delighted pet.

Issue # 2– Much Shorter Battery Life.

Battery life matters when it comes to electronic dog fences. As a result, the pet is much more likely to run through the limit.

Most traditional underground electronic pet fences utilize a changeable receiver battery, with a lifecycle varying from 3 months to two years. GPS pet fences typically use a rechargeable battery to power their receiver collars.

Issue # 3– Restricted Usages.

GPS dog fences are not advised for smaller properties because the GPS borderline can vary unpredictably (as much as 10 feet). To keep the pet far from hazards like roadways and woody locations, the limit line will need to be moved even farther from the risk, thus reducing the total size of the fenced-in location.

GPS signals can also go through disturbance from various sources, including nearby tall structures. These further limit the use of these items. Thus, GPS fences are typically not recommended for homes less than 5 acres or properties with potential blockages.

Issue # 4– Expense.

Lastly, GPS pet fences are costly. They can cost hundreds or thousands more than a standard underground electronic fence. Moreover, some GPS pet fence systems need an ongoing month-to-month charge for the use of GPS and cellular networks.