Hello I am not sure if I am writing this in to the correct section but here goes.
We had an electric fence for our much loved dog who is no longer with us. She was a staffy cross. We had no fence. These invisiable fences work very effectively and without cruelty, if the training that is part of the fence program is used correctly in the beginning, before the dog is let loose in the area without being aware that there is something out there that could give it a brief sharp shock when they approach it.
I am probably going to go on quite a bit here because I think the electric fence system is largly misunderstood by the community at large.
The training involves, setting up string or some such with visible flags all around it on the line of the electric fence (which should be buried underground). The dog can then see the 'fence' line during training. (As we did this with our girl 16 years ago you will have to forgive me for not remembering the exact details but it goes something like this.
For the first day, you walk the dog around the fence line without the fence turned on. Next day you walk them around it with it turned on but just edge in close enough so that they can hear the warning beep that lets them know they are getting close to the fence/shock. Don't shock them. Next day Walk them around in around the fence line letting them hear the warning beep but then edge them a little closer and when they get the shock, pull them away, and continue walking around the area without the beep sound or any more shocks. This step is repeated for a week so that they know that when they move into the area when they hear an audible beep it is a warning to go no further. With this training they may have to only receive 7 very short shocks.
Now how bad is the shock? I have raised a son and a daughter, and I can say that boys birthday parties were dramatically different to girls parties. At no time in all the years of girls parties did I find the girls playing the game that most entertained the boys (when they were all under 12), That game was take the collar off the dog and the boys would all stand on the line and see how long they could hold on to it for before letting go. When Cossie would occassionally 'break the barrier' (usually because the battery had run out and we hadn't noticed and she had chased a bird accross the fence), she would just stand then and bark to be let back in. All we had to do is go down to her, touch her on the collar, head and she would jump back in over the invisable line.
They made this game up themselves by the way!
The trick is never turn the fence off and just let the dog walk out the 'fenced' area. Always touch or hold her so she thinks that you are the one helping her accross. That way they will not cross it if the battery runs out in the collar. If the dog is irrated by the collar, you can take the collar off for weeks at a time if the training is done correctly and only put in on intermintently to remind them of the training. NOT with a shock, but with the beeping sound.
You are correct, other dogs and people will be able to access your yard so naturally this is suitable only in certain areas where that is not an issue.
Our dog Cossie, was the happiest, healthiest most wonderful girl and I know the fence kept her safe and allowed her to access areas she would not otherwise have been able to reach. We were very lucky to have her. I am going off on a slant now but in her time, she saved our children from a Death Adder and saved my sisters poodle from drowning in a pool and protected our niece from a stranger without biting, just warning. We were blessed to have her.
This has been our personal experience and it worked brilliantly. She weighed 18kg by the way in case that is relevant.
SunshineChere
What do you mean? Am thinking of using it in conjuction with a 6ft wooden fence to stop Poppy from going up onto the retaining wall and around onto the pebbles?
Well
You didnt mention that part in the first post, so people are assuming you meant as a boundary system.
Not sure how me mentioning that in my first posts relates to my question about AdoubleJ's response. I was asking for clarification what she said about the dog "breaking the barier" and not being so keen to re-enter.
Thanks! I didn't realise it worked by electric shock! I thought it was a high frequency sound wave type thing. Will explore other ways of blockin off these areas!
