Invisible Fence Products for Pets

If you’re looking for solutions to contain your pets on your property, chances are you’ve heard about various so-called invisible fence products. These include brand names such as Invisible Fence® and DogWatch®. Such systems typically work via underground electrical wires installed around the perimeter of your property. They transmit radio signals to a special collar worn by your pet. If the pet approaches the designated barrier, the collar emits a warning sound, followed by a very mild electric shock to the animal, training it to stay away from the specified area.

These pet fencing systems may seem to have a lot of benefits. They allow you to keep the view around your property clear, while letting your pet spend time outdoors. From an aesthetic standpoint, this sounds like a great idea, but these invisible fence products do have some downsides compared to traditional fencing.

Your dogs and cats may respond very well to the training these electronic collars provide, and learn to stay within your property lines as a result. But there’s absolutely nothing stopping somebody ELSE’s dog from wandering into your yard — and picking a fight with your critters. Even worse, local wildlife could stroll by and see their next meal in your pet, with nothing to stop them.

The radio-frequency collars used in these systems need to have their batteries changed frequently, or they stop emitting the warnings and shocks — which makes the whole system pretty much useless.

This is Florida. We’re in the heart of hurricane country, and hurricane season lasts six months! If your neighborhood gets hit with a strong enough storm to knock your electricity out, your pets could be off and running if there’s no physical barrier keeping them home.

Other people can’t see your invisible fence — that’s kind of the point. But that means if they walk past and see your dog charging towards them, they may be frightened and feel the need to defend themselves. This could be bad news if, say, the UPS guy has an important package for you, or a little old lady happens to be carrying pepper spray.

The electric shock delivered to pets through the collar is very, very mild — like static electricity from touching your TV screen. It’s not enough to hurt the animal, just enough to startle it and warn it to stay away from that spot. But if your pet is frightened, upset, or just super-excited, they could bounce right past the barrier without a second thought, depending on how agitated they are. To make matters worse, when that happens, they may not be able to get back inside the barrier once they’ve calmed down.

Fence Dynamics encourages pet owners to do your research before choosing to install invisible fence systems to contain your dogs and cats. While the prospect of a “fenceless” yard may be appealing, we feel the cons outweigh the pros on this issue. Your pets will be safer with a traditional, physical fence on their side. Contact us today at 941-697-4448 or request a FREE quote online.