Keeping your pet in your yard is important. However, there are a variety of reasons why you may not be permitted or willing to have a traditional fence built around your yard. One option is to set up a looped, ̶0;invisible̶1; wire fence around the perimeter. These systems use radio waves to send a static shock to your pet if he crosses the boundary you have set up. The wires can be buried or clamped very close to the ground so that mowing will not sever them. Your dog will easily learn the boundary of your loop and most dogs seldom need more than a couple corrections from their collar before they learn the perimeter.
Things You'll Need
- Invisible Fencing System (wire, transmitter and receiver collar)
- Wirestrippers
- Boundary flags
- Collar receiver testing bulb (optional)
- Spade or lawn edger
- Screwdriver
- Sod staples (for above ground wire)
Instructions
How to Install an Invisible Dog Fence Inside a Loop
Purchase an invisible fence system. They can be purchased at pet stores like Petsmart, Walmart, Target or online from sites like invisiblefence.com, radiofence.com and amazon.com. Radiofence, Invisible Fence, PetSafe and Innotek are all excellent brands of invisible fencing that provide a variety of products. Your system will usually contain wire, a transmitter, boundary training flags, battery/signal tester and a receiver collar.
Place and mount your transmitter. This will typically require an electrical outlet and should be protected from the elements. The transmitter has two plugs where each end of your wired loop will connect.
Strip the plastic to expose the wire. Plug this end of the wire into the transmitter terminal.
Pull enough wire along the perimeter of your yard or containment area for your pet so that you create a loop back to the transmitter. Leave a little slack in your wire. Do not lay wire in front of exits or entrances that your dog will need to cross to enter or exit the perimeter. Do not cross the wire with itself, as that may defeat the signal.
Cut the wire and insert this end into the other plug in the transmitter. You now have established a loop.
Plug in the transmitter and adjust the sensitivity level of the boundary. Most systems will let you determine how close to the perimeter your dog will be permitted to approach before getting an auditory signal and then a startling static-charge from the collar.
Ensure your loop is secure and the transmitter is active.
Insert the battery into the receiver collar.
Test the collar in your loop to ensure your system is active. Your system may include a bulb testing device which looks like a Christmas light bulb with two thin wires attached. Away from the loop and transmitter area, attach one wire to each prong on the collar. Approach the boundary wire. The light bulb should light up indicating the signal is active. Do not touch the prongs on the collar within the active loop area. If you don't have a tester, simply hold the collar close to the wire boundary without touching the prongs and listen for the auditory beep and/or lights on the collar to signal.
Bury your wire loop in a 1- to 3-inch trench dug into the soil or use metal sod staples to press the wire as close as possible to the soil so that mowing will not cut the wire.
Put flags around the perimeter of your loop to train your dog regarding the boundary of the wire. Keep the flags up for a few weeks until your dog learns the location of the boundary.
Put the receiver collar on your dog. Set your receiver/transmitter on the lowest correction level.
Observe your dog to see if the level of correction is strong enough to deter her from crossing the boundary of the perimeter. If your dog leaves the perimeter, increase the correction to the next level. Continue this process until your dog refrains from crossing the perimeter. Some stubborn, muscular breeds of dogs may require a stronger receiver collar if you find that the strongest level of correction is not effective.
Do not plug in the transmitter yet. Mount the transmitter securely using the hardware provided.