Alternative to an Underground Invisible Fence for Dogs

There are other ways to keep your dog confined that do not involve the expense of purchase and installation required by underground fencing. While effective at keeping most dogs in, even underground fencing is not suitable for every dog. Some dogs' desires to be outside the fence is worth the discomfort of the electric shock they get when they breech the perimeter. These dogs need other methods of fencing to contain them.

  1. Mesh

    • Likely the most affordable of dog-run fencing, mesh is woven fence wire with spaces small enough to contain even small dogs. Mesh fences may be constructed and attached using either aluminum or steel T-posts or wooden posts. A gate may also be built by stretching a mesh fence panel over a wooden frame, or you may purchase a ready-made gate and build your run to accommodate its size.

    Chain Link

    • Because of its strength and durability, chain link is often an appropriate choice for building runs or enclosing the whole yard. It usually comes in kits in which posts, ties, gates and panels are included, making them worry-free to set up.

    Electric Wire

    • Some dogs can be contained by enclosing your yard with a strand or two of hot wire. Sometimes this can even be used as a temporary training method, and once you have taught the dog what its boundaries are, you can remove it. This depends entirely on the dog and its temperament. You can set up the wire using step-in posts and insulators. Run the first strand of wire at nose height, and a second strand, if needed, so that the dog cannot pass through without contacting the wire.

    Warning

    • Even fenced enclosures are not impenetrable to all dogs. Many dogs must be subsequently trained to stop digging under, jumping over, climbing or even ripping apart the fence. Fencing is not meant to be a substitute for spending time with and properly training your pet. It is meant to keep them out of harm's way, for instance, off busy streets, or protected from people who might steal them. Wooden rail or picket fences are not usually adequate for dog containment because small dogs might wiggle through and large dogs might leap over them. A well-constructed wood privacy fence may be a viable option for some dogs and their owners.