How to Put a Hot Wire on a Chain Link Fence for a Dog That Climbs Out

For a dog, escaping from a fenced yard is a self-rewarding behavior. The escapee feels a sense of freedom and may find a person or another dog to play with him. The experience of running and romping is enjoyable from the dog's point of view, but he could get lost or hurt. It is your responsibility not to give him that opportunity. Electric fences, in combination with physical barriers, are often useful, according to Paw - Rescue.org. Installing a hot wire on a chain-link fence will help keep your dog at home where he belongs

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Chain-link electric fence insulators
  • 17-gauge aluminum electric fencing wire
  • Light-duty fence charger
  • Masonry or wood screws
  • 2-foot rebar
  • Sledge hammer
  • Grounding clamp
  • 12-gauge solid THHN (Thermoplastic High Heat-resistant Nylon-coated) wire
  • Wire cutter stripper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the total length of your chain-link fence, front, back and sides.

    • 2

      Install the insulators on the chain-link fence, two about every 10 to 12 feet, at the chest and nose level of your dog. The electric fence wires should end up 4 1/2 inches to the inside of the physical barrier. Place the metal clip, attached to each plastic insulator, over a square in the chain-link. Use the accompanying split pin, which puts tension on the metal clip, to hold the insulator in place.

    • 3

      Thread the 17-gauge aluminum electric fencing wire through each insulator. Start at one end of the fence and thread through all of the insulators until you reach the end of the fence. Repeat the process for the second level of insulators. If you need to splice the wires together, simply twist the two wires together by wrapping them onto each other.

    • 4

      Install the light-duty fence charger in a dry area, underneath the eve of your structure or covered porch and close to an electrical outlet. Attach the charger to the wall using masonry or wood screws.

    • 5

      Install the ground bar and ground wire. Drive a piece of 2-foot rebar into the ground with a sledgehammer leaving at least 4-inches exposed above the ground. Choose a location for your rebar as close to your structure as possible to avoid a tripping hazard. Attach a grounding clamp onto your rebar. Strip a length of 12-gauge solid THHN green wire using a wire cutter/stripper and remove 1/2 inch of insulation off each end of the wire. Slide one end of the wire under the set screw on the grounding clamp and tighten the screw. Wrap the other end of the ground wire onto the ground lug located on the light-duty fence charger. Tighten the wing nut to hold the wire into place.

    • 6

      Attach one aluminum wire from the fence onto the hot lug located on the charger. Wrap the wire around the lug and tighten the wing nut.

    • 7

      Install a jumper wire to the fence. Cut a length of aluminum wire to create a jumper. Tightly wrap one end of the jumper wire around the top wire and the other end around the bottom wire. This allows the electricity to feed through the jumper from one wire to the other. Plug your fence charger into the electrical outlet.