Electronic Dog Fence Types

Dog owners want their pooches to have a place to run free, while still being safe in the yard. Fences are not always the best option, whether it is because of the size of the yard, homeowner's association regulations, or the dog's jumping ability. Electric fences provide an invisible barrier that will keep a dog safely confined to a specific area of the home.

  1. Underground Electric Fence

    • With this type of electric fence, a wire or cable must be buried around the perimeter of the yard in which the pet would be contained. Underground electric fences are an option for yards that have an uncommon shape. The wire can be buried in the shape that is needed around the edge of the yard. The dog will wear a shock collar; if it gets near the wire perimeter, the wire will send a signal to the shock collar. This will send a mild and harmless shock to the dog, which will deter it from going near the edge in the future. This type of electric fence takes some work to install and comes with a set amount of wire. Additional collars can also be purchased.

    Outdoor Radio Fence

    • This type of electric fence uses a transmitter that is placed in a central location. The transmitter then sends a signal around the circumference of the area that it is placed. A shock collar is used for this fence, but there is no wire that needs to be buried to specify the containment area. The signal transmits through walls, so for a small location, this could potentially secure both a front and back yard. The signal is uniform all the way around, however, so this would not be the ideal choice for an unusually shaped yard.

    Indoor Radio Fence

    • An indoor radio fence works similarly to the outdoor fences, but is used to keep a pet out of an area, rather than in. This can be programmed to keep the pet out of a specific room or an area, such as near the garbage can. It provides a smaller range of signal than the outdoor radio fences, but is more affordable. Because the signals will cancel each other out, only an outdoor fence or an indoor fence can be used at one time.