How to Install Underground Pet Fencing

Training your pets, including dogs, can be tedious. You want your dog to be able to run around your yard freely, but you also want to make sure he or she doesn't run away or stray into the neighbor's yard. The solution is to install an underground pet fencing system, which keeps your dog confined to the area set by the fencing once you've trained your dog to recognize the boundary lines.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Underground pet fencing kit
  • Power drill
  • Screwdriver bits
  • Power edger
  • Flagged stakes or markers
  • Garden soil (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the perimeter of the area where you want to install the underground fence, using measuring tape. Make sure you start and end where the transmitter box will be located.

    • 2

      Mount the transmitter box using the supplied mounting screws, power drill and screwdriver bits. The transmitter box is the control unit for the underground fence line. It should be mounted near a power source, preferably indoors. Some transmitter boxes can be mounted outside.

    • 3

      Lay out your underground wiring, on top of the ground, to cover the desired area of your yard. The simplest technique is to place an end of your wire at the connector, where your transmitter box is mounted. Then continue along the yard, laying the wire. When you reach the place where you started, loop around the connector and lay a second line next to the first, creating parallel lines.

    • 4

      Connect your fence wire ends to the transmitter box, as described in the manufacturer's directions. This is the test run to make sure that any lengthening connections/splices are correct and that the transmitter functions properly. Use one of the dog collars to test the wiring; the collar should beep when you hit the boundary line.

    • 5

      Turn off the power and remove the fence wiring from the transmitter.

    • 6

      Select the deepest setting on a power edger. Dig a shallow trench along the line where you want to install the fence wiring.

    • 7

      Place the fence wiring into the trench, pushing it down to the bottom. Use a stick to help, if necessary. The wiring must be at the bottom to keep it from floating up. Make sure you allow enough length on the ends to hook up to the transmitter.

    • 8

      Fill in the trench with the dirt removed by the power edger, covering the fence wiring completely. Stomp the dirt down tightly. Add garden soil, if necessary, to top off the trench, then stomp it down again.

    • 9

      Reattach the fence wire ends to the transmitter. Place the collar on your dog. Restore power to the transmitter to activate the boundary lines and make the collar effective.