Thirty-nine percent of households in the U.S. own at least one dog, according to the American Human Society. This equates to 74.8 million dogs owned in the United States. These numbers have prompted pet supply makers to market items to responsible owners who want to keep their pooch safe and happy. Underground electronic dog fences provide pets with freedom to run while still giving owners peace of mind their pets are secure. Professionally installed units can be costly, but the average homeowner can complete an inexpensive do-it-yourself install in less than a weekend.
Things You'll Need
- Electronic dog fence kit
- Shovel
- Lawn edger
Instructions
Measure and mark the perimeter of the area the dog will be permitted to run and the areas he will be contained from. Proper planning can keep dogs from landscaping, flower beds and gardens. Most units provide 100 to 500 feet of electronic wire. Larger yards may require the purchase of supplementary spools of wire and special connectors.
Unroll and position the wire on the open ground along the planned area. Make wide sweeping corners instead of sharp bends in the wire, which can create interference in the signal and cause premature breakdown of the protective plastic coating.
Splice or connect lengths of wire using approved waterproof connectors. These are available at pet supply and some home improvement stores and are necessary to keep a fence working properly. Draw a detailed diagram of the fence layout and mark the location of all junctions. This will prove invaluable when troubleshooting issues that may arise.
Use a shovel to make a narrow 1- to 3-inch-deep trench in the ground along the perimeter of the fence. To make the job easier, a lawn edger can be set to the appropriate depth and run along the boundary. Borrowing, renting or purchasing one of these units will save time and effort. Several brands of weed trimmers offer detachable heads with the option of an inexpensive edger attachment that provides an excellent result.
Push the electronic dog fence wire into the pre-dug trench and cover with loose sod. Press firmly by walking along the fence once it is covered. Inspect that no areas of the wire are visible above the ground.
Mount the electronic unit and attach the wires as directed for the specific model. Plug into an approved power supply and use the designated tool or pronged electronic collar to check the unit is working properly. Follow the directions for placing the flags and get ready to begin teaching Fido his new boundaries.