In need of fencing? Debating between installing a wireless dog fence or a traditional containment fence? Have you thought about the pros and cons of each fencing option? This article is meant to shed some light on dog fences so you can choose which one will best suit your needs.
The most noticeable difference between an electric fence for dogs and a traditional fence is......... the fence. A regular fence can alter your property's appearance, limits a dog's roaming area due to city codes and/or costs involved, and requires some basic maintenance and upkeep over time. Whether your traditional fence is made of wood, vinyl, chain link, or wrought iron, it will eventually be in need of painting or repair.
On the other hand, a wireless dog fence does not alter the physical characteristics of your property, allows your dog a larger area to roam freely, and usually cost significantly less.
Calculating Fencing Costs
Depending on the size of your property, the cost of a traditional fence can sky-rocket quickly. Fence costs are calculated per linear feet and they aren't cheap. For instance:
Wood Fence installation prices vary from $15 to $29 per linear foot.
Chain Link prices run $8 to $17 per linear foot.
So let's say the average price is $23 per linear foot. Now let's take a backyard area that is 100 feet wide and 50 feet deep. (100x2) + (50x2) = 300 linear feet. Next subtract the width of the home. Let's say the home is 45 feet wide... 300-45 = 255. So you will need 255 feet of fence at an average cost of $23 per linear foot 255 x 23 = $5865. Plus you will need to install gates at an average cost of $200 each, for a grand total of $6265. Compare that to the average cost of an electric dog fence (usually under $1000) and you can see the savings is significant.
Other Pros and Cons
Another thing that factors into installing a traditional fence is you have to check with local building codes to be sure you adhere to all their regulations. Some cities dictate how tall your fence can be, the set-back lines, allowable fencing materials, and so on. And don't forget to call the utility companies and have them come out and clearly mark the lines before digging. Plus, most installers want you to have a survey on-hand to verify your property's exact boundaries.
With a wireless dog fence, like the one from Havahart, not only does it cost considerably less than traditional fencing but there's no digging involved. Instead, it uses radio signals to control the boundaries you determine. It is an easy, economical, do-it-yourself system that can expand a fence radius from 40 feet up to 400 feet (that's up to 11.5 acres). It is easy to install with no need for trench digging. So in less than 1 hour you can have a wireless pet fence up and running and begin training your dog.
The biggest con for wireless pet fencing is although it keeps your dog in.... it does nothing to keep other animals out. So if you live in an area that has high amounts of predatory animals like coyotes, wolves, bobcats, and such... an electric dog fence may not be a good choice for you.
Havahart Wireless Dog Fence
Product Features
Creates a circular boundary extending from 40 feet to 400 feet in all directions from the controller.
Quick and easy to install with no need for trench digging
Easy-to-read LCD screen on controller that lets you set the exact distance of your fence boundary and customize correction levels.
Up to two collars can be used with the system (1 collar included).
Designed for any breed dog older than 6 months and weighing more than 8 pounds.
Training Your Dog
The most crucial element to ensure successful operation of your wireless pet fence and the safety of your dog is proper training. Training sessions with your dog should be done several times throughout the day for approximately 15 to 20 minutes each time. It is important to be consistent and patient with your dog during the training process, which takes about 2 weeks.
Dog becomes familiar with flags & comfortable with collar
Introduce dog to trigger zone with tone correction warning
Introduce a low static trigger correction
Teach dog to ignore distractions outside the boundaries
Begin training off leash
Monitor your dog in the roaming area
Havahart Wireless Containment System
Havahart Radial-Shape Wireless Electric Dog Fence Get 20 times the roaming area provided by other brands - a 400 foot radius!
"Knowledge Share"... If you found this page on the pros and cons of a wireless dog fence helpful and informative, please share it with your dog-loving friends by clicking on one of the share links (like facebook, twitter, and google +1) located at the top right or bottom of this page.