Wireless pet containment system

[Bullfrog]

Our huskies kept digging out under the fence and we had to look for the shock collars that we bought last year. It is a wireless system that works on a radio frequency, you can set the range or distance from the transmitter that you want to allow them to roam. You can also set the level of correction that you want the dog to receive from a mild tingle for a small dog to humane but effective shock for a large dog. About 8 feet before they reach their limit they hear a beeping sound and then it gets faster. If they keep going, they do get the message. They soon learn when they hear the beeping to turn around. It is kind of harsh but it is much more humane than them being hit by a car.

My neighbor was sued by a man riding a motorcycle who claims that "Foxy" their pomeranian ran out at him making him fall and break his leg. Foxy looks like a fat squirrel and would probably fit in a shoebox if you shaved off her hair. They sued for $250,000 in lost wages, pain and suffering and mental trauma. This got really crazy as my wife and our neighbor took pictures of Foxy around the neighborhood asking people to sign a simple form letter stating that this small dog was not a threat and was not a "danger to the community"

The man bought a new Corvette, Gold Wing and a Chevy Avalanche in anticipation of this law suit. They settled with the insurance company for around $170,000. I ride a motorcycle and squirrels, dogs and a lot of other things are just common hazards that you should expect. Dogs chase motorcycles. Sure, it is the owners responsibility to keep your pets contained and under control so they don't cause harm to others, but I think a quarter million dollars was a little extreme.

[jw]

Bullfrog I have the same setup from a company called "Petstop" for my cats and we've been using it for 2 yrs now and it works beautifully. We have our whole acre covered so they can go wherever they want and no more visiting the neighbor across the road. He said if my cats come over and catch his birds one more time he will capture them in a cage and take them to the dog pound  . So we spent $1800. on the 2 queens and they are worth every penny  . When they come in in the evening we take off the collars for sleep comfort  . They know their boundaries and stay away from the beeping  .   

[Bullfrog]

It is nice to find something that works. You can even take this system camping where they have an electricity hookup and set the perimeter.

[jw]

The one I have is the wire buried underground type so we can't take it w/ us but then cats don't really like to go camping too much anyway............at least mine don't. I suppose if ya got them used to it when they were young you could but we didn't so they stay home and get babysat  .

[mondotomhead]

JW,

I was very interested in your post and went right away to Petstop.  It sounds great.  I have 3 cats which go outside everyday and I so worry about them and the road out front plus the coyotes I hear at night (they are NEVER out at night though).  I would love to keep them in the yard.  I need to discuss this with DH.  Thanks for the info

Jeannie

[Bullfrog]

If you don't want to have to bury a wire all the way around your property, check out the Petsafe wireless containment system. I(t is a radio transmitter and a collar. You set the range.

[Esther]

I have a problem with our cat wearing a collar. I used to have one on her that would break away if it became entangled. She kept coming home without the collar.

We put in a doggie door for Smokey to get into the back yard inside the chain link fence. I never dreamed Mittens would figure out the door. She did. So the next spring, we took the frame apart  that holds the doggie door and measured up Smokey's chest and then raised the door up 9", figuring the cat again wouldn't figure it out now that it was so high. WRONG!!! She figured it out quicker that Smokey did. GRRR!! So again I can't keep her in the house. I have heard though of a doggie door that only opens to a signal from a collar and that would do the trick. Smokey is used to a collar so we could do it that way.

[jw]

JW,

I was very interested in your post and went right away to Petstop.  It sounds great.  I have 3 cats which go outside everyday and I so worry about them and the road out front plus the coyotes I hear at night (they are NEVER out at night though).  I would love to keep them in the yard.  I need to discuss this with DH.  Thanks for the info

Jeannie

Jeannie, if you decide to have this done w/ whomever you decide on make sure that you watch when they dig to make sure they dig deep enough so that the wire stays down and isn't disrupted by aerating or thatching or whatever kind of yard equipment you use. There are a few different companies that do this........one is called Invisible Fence and they are good also I have heard. I heard Invisible Fence has a new collar for cats that is much lighter for cats now than the kind I have for mine. Maybe Petstop does now too as it's been 2 yrs since we've installed ours.

[fishlipsmcgee]

Please Don't Let This Happen To Your Dog

http://www.woofology.com/invis_fence.html


My dog's veterinarian has said that he has seen too many good dogs go bad with the use of these devices.  You can train your dog to stay within certain boundries using positive reinforcement.  Yes, it takes more time and is not as easy but the easy way is not always the best way.

No Shock Colars - Train with your brain, not pain by Don Hanson, BFRP, CDBC, CPDT
http://www.greenacreskennel.com/pages/Articles/ART_No_Shock_Collars_Train_with_Your_Brain_Not_Pain.html

Do Shock Collars Cause Damage by Karen Overall, DVM
http://www.joelwalton.com/shockcollars.html

Training dogs with help of the shock collar: short and long term behavioural effects by Matthijs B.H. Shilder and Joanne A.M. van der Borg

http://www.ust.is/media/ljosmyndir/dyralif/Trainingdogswithshockcollar.pdf

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior weighs in on the use of Punishment in training animals
http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/punishment%20guidelines-aversives%20effects-definitions.pdf

[jw]

I don't have a dog and my 2 cats don't have any problems w/ the use of the collars at all. If it wasn't for the collars they would be captured in a cage and hauled off to the dog pound by a neighbor. They can't be confined to the house as if they are they go crazy and pee on the walls as they are used to being outside. We do live in the country and have over an acre of property and thought it would be great to let them outdoors until the thing w/ the birds and the neighbor. We have no busy streets as we live on a private dead end road. I take the collars off each night and there is no damage to their necks. They don't get zapped cause they learned not to go over the boundary where the beeping starts. They just hang around our yard, laying in the sun, chasing bugs and each other having fun all day long. Maybe w/ dogs it's different............don't know .

[Bullfrog]

I read the links and have to say that in the picture of the burned dog that this collar either malfunctioned or this was an extremely stupid dog. It only took my dogs once to relate the beeping to the shock. Yes, they got a little depressed that they could no longer dig under the fence chase motorcycles, golf carts, kids on bikes and cars but they are a lot safer with this system.

Our dogs are now trained and know where their boundaries are now and they do not have holes burned in their neck neither are they psychotic. We love our pets and do protect them but huskies do love to run.

A lot of American farmers in California and the people who pick their crops are now out of work and on welfare because the government shut off the water that they need to water their crops because one small minnow gets sucked up into the pumps. Why not relocate the minnows? There will always be radical animal rights advocates like Obama's new Czar who says that your cat should be able to sue you with a court appointed attourney because you did not clean her litter box that day.

So, we now have a lot of productive farmers out of work and standing in line for welfare because of a minnow. No work, no crops for the American people. Do you not think that at times things are just slightly distorted by radical animal rights people? One shock was all it took to keep our dogs safe, they hear the beep and turn around. They were lethargic and depressed for a day or so? So are your kids when you discipline them.

Sheesh, I'd rather my dogs got one zap than become a road frizzbee. "It traumatizes your dog!"  It is a lot less truama than being crushed by a car. They learned the first time, they hear that beep and they turn around. Positive and negative reinforcement works. Better a small shock than a 3,000 pound vehicle grounding them into the pavement.

[jw]

You need to check the collar everyday to be safe and so I believe that first dog was not properly attended to. That collar could have been way too tight and that could be what caused those holes in his neck. My cats have never in 2 years had a mark on their necks from the collars and are not traumatized in the least bit. They are fun loving rambunctious little honey bears as I call them and they love being outdoors even if they have to stay at home where I want them . I don't want to tie them up or cage them out in a pen and this is what works best for them and me  . No dog pound for my kitties  .

[PondmaninAL]

My dog is on an invisible fence like Janice has with the wire and she does not have holes in her neck nor is she psychotic. The instructions tell you to lead the dog to the fence and when they get zapped, comfort them with love. My dog knows her boundaries now and still stays in the yard even though the wire is broke (you can't trust women with riding mowers ) and hasn't been fixed yet.

[jw]

My dog is on an invisible fence like Janice has with the wire and she does not have holes in her neck nor is she psychotic. The instructions tell you to lead the dog to the fence and when they get zapped, comfort them with love. My dog knows her boundaries now and still stays in the yard even though the wire is broke (you can't trust women with riding mowers ) and hasn't been fixed yet.

That is why I told Jeannie to make sure that the wire was buried deep enough to avoid breakage (women aren't the problem pondman) so na, na, na, na, nanny goat  but yes it is true once they learn they don't always need to wear the collars 

[karen J]

We tried to get a dog from Save A Pet, and they declined us. Why? Because we said we'd use the underground electronic fence thingie. They said that the device is inhumane! If the dog runs through the fence, the dog would not return home (because of said fence), and proceed to get lost. They gave us all kinds of articles that insinuated that the devices are not acceptable to them if we want to adopt a dog, even though we have a wonderful property for a dog.

The thing is, my neighbor has one of these things and her dogs have NEVER gone through. Yes, she trained them very well with the flags (every day, 2X/day for two weeks minimum). But she has been using this device for at least 12 years and has never lost either of her two dogs. Not the same two dogs, either. Her original dogs died from old age, and now she has two newer dogs that are completely trained to avoid the lines.

I wonder if Save A Pet is getting their information from people who don't bother training their dogs?

[Desertponder]

Its not uncommon for rescue groups to deny adoptions if you use the electronic fences. Many in animal rescue and welfare do not consider them an appropriate form of containment. Anything that delivers a buzz or shock is frowned upon for many reasons. Some dogs can tolerate these systems fine but others don't and can lead to stress related behavior problems.
Dogs can also learn to outsmart these invisible fences. Several years back our neighbors had a yellow lab that would not stay home. These were new build houses so no fences and they couldn't afford to put up a privacy fence right then so they got the invisible fence. It was the buried type. The dog would work and work and work until he could find a gap and he would be out. It never did completely work to keep him in. So don't get too comfortable with it. Be aware that they may be able to get out. They systems are not always fail safe

[jw]

It was the buried type. The dog would work and work and work until he could find a gap and he would be out. It never did completely work to keep him in. So don't get too comfortable with it. Be aware that they may be able to get out. They systems are not always fail safe

I don't understand what you mean by gap? How could he get that close to the buried wire w/o getting shocked? I know that one guy up the road has a chow dog and they have the really thick hair and the shock doesn't faze him at all and they told him on some dogs like that he would have to shave the neck area some to remove excess hair in order to make a contact. He didn't want to do that so the dog roams free  . And I do agree nothing is fail safe. The animals must be monitored  . 

[barb]

Our vet advised us to get an invisible fence for our pets, and I put a couple of our cats on it.  Our dogs I was able to train to stay home without the fence.  The fence works very well for one of our cats, he has used it for 13 years now.  He's so well trained to stay at home that I haven't even put the collar on him for a few years.  Another cat though, he never did get the "message".  He would just run right through the fence, coming and going. 

We got our fencing system from "Invisible Fence Company".  It has an automatic shut off, so that if a pet stops and stays over the fence while being shocked, it will shut off after a few seconds.  So the animal isn't going to be shocked to death if it panics and drops to the ground over the wire.  And I don't keep the collar on too tight, either.  I do know someone whose dog has the collar, and it bothers me that they keep it on so tight.  They insist it's necessary. (it really isn't)  Thankfully, they do take the collar off their dog at night.  But I think that used properly, and if using a good quality fencing system, they are wonderful containment systems for cats and dogs.  (there is no "gap", I don't understand how there could be a gap in an invisible fence??)

[Bullfrog]

There wireless containment system also has a fail safe safety built into it so it stops shocking after so many seconds if the dog is stupid enough to keep running past the boundary. I can't imagine that because ours heard the beeping and got a puzzled look on their face and immdiately jumped back at the first shock. They know where to stop now. After hurricane Ike hit and before I got the generator running it felt like the movie "Jurrasic Park" when the power was killed and the dinosaurs were able to escape.

[jw]

After hurricane Ike hit and before I got the generator running it felt like the movie "Jurrasic Park" when the power was killed and the dinosaurs were able to escape.

  So true Bullfrog............so true     they are smart little buggers 

[Desertponder]

I don't know what to tell you.  ::)The dog would keep testing the boundaries and he would find places he could get out.

[jw]

He just must not have been affected by the static shock that he got from the collar...........some dogs need more than others to keep them in. It is a static shock like when you touch something metal and get a little zap. It is not like amps which give you a jolt like when you touch hot wires. If the collar isn't tight enough so the prongs don't touch his neck when he goes through he will never actually get shocked. I know as I had the collar in my hand one day and I was touching the prongs and walked across the line and got zapped myself..........it was more startling than anything but it did get my attention. When they learn you can loosen the collar and then they will hear the beep before they actually enter the line where they are shocked. Must have been some kind of problem w/ the setup either w/ the collar not on right, the underground wiring or the thickness of hair on the dogs neck........I don't know. I just know it works for my cats simply wonderfully and before I bought it I talked to several customers to find out how their animals did on it .

[Mikey]

Has anyone tried ultra sound repellers to keep cats or racoons away from their pond or yard?  Have they worked?  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page851.html

[jw]

Never tried or heard of anyone I know using one but I'd like to know if they do as I have a raccoon that comes to our back deck every once in awhile and he used to get the cats food but I take it in at night now and he can't get that but instead he washes his grimy little paws in the water dish now..............I think just to spite me He can't get into my pond cause the sides are too deep and too much of an obstacle course to fight through  . But then wait that thing would prolly scare the feral  cat away too  . Won't work for me  .