Comments on: Driveways and Pathways

By: molly

molly — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:13:50 +0000

I have the same question about the drainage pipe under the driveway– it’s metal. Does that matter? Can we just run it through with a hose or PVC pipe?

ADMIN – Hi Molly,

You can run the wire under the driveway through a metal drainage pipe as long as it is not more than 1 foot below the surface assuming you set the boundary width to be at least 5 feet wide. When you go much deeper you get an inconsistent signal at ground level. You can also use a hose or a PVC pipe.

By: kevin

kevin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 02:03:58 +0000

I had a question about tunneling the wire under my driveway. There is a drainage ditch that runs under my driveway. Can I fish the wire through this drain or does the wire need to be protected from the water that might go through it? Thanks.

Admin- Hi Kevin,

You can install the wire inside the drainage ditch. I recommend running the wire inside of a water hose or PVC pipe for added protection before installing the wire inside the ditch.

By: Ray Kidder

Ray Kidder — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:53:19 +0000

I have a gravel driveway and the wire is in a 3/4″ pvc, it works going through this but it seems that the signal is weak. The PVs is buried about 2-4″. Is there anything I can do to boost the signal. The system is already set at it’s highest setting.

ADMIN – Hi Ray,

What type of system are you using. For most systems, operating within their capacity that should not be a problem. If the system has a large/small field size switch, turn it to large and turn up the boundary dial. You can also move the wire nearer the surface, or use a thicker wire although both those solutions will involve relaying the boundary in that area.

By: Darlene

Darlene — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:21:37 +0000

Hello, I am going to do a figure 8 around the house so my 2 german shepards can remain out back or out front. My question is I have a metal pole barn that I am not including inside the boundry but I want to plug in the reciever inside the metal pole barn. The boundry will be approximately 15 feet away from the barn. Will i have problems with it being plugged inside the metal barn?

ADMIN – Hi Darlene,

Hello, I am going to do a figure 8 around the house so my 2 German Shepherds can remain out back or out front. My question is I have a metal pole barn that I am not including inside the boundary but I want to plug in the receiver inside the metal pole barn. The boundary will be approximately 15 feet away from the barn. Will I have problems with it being plugged inside the metal barn?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:26:51 +0000

I am planning to use an expansion joint in my driveway and caulk it into place. I live in South Dakota and we frequently have harsh winters with lots of Snow blower use. My two questions are:
1) WIll the caulking hold up to the snow blower?
2) What brand of caulk should I use? It’s a regular concrete drive way. My concern is that with the drastic temperature changes we get in South Dakota (sometimes 10 F degress in the morning and 50 F by 3 PM) the expansion joint will probably actually get bigger/smaller throughout the year. I want to ensure the wire will last as long as possible without being to solid of a caulk that the concrete can’t adjust during tempurature changes. Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Jeff,

1. Caulk is fine with the snow blower. A couple of tips to get a really good bond: (a) Make sure to really clean out all the debris in the expansion joint, (b) if the surface is too smooth – rough it up a little to give the caulk a bitter grip, (c) do it in the warmer months so the caulk can set and cure – it will not set below 50F.

2. Pretty much any outdoor caulk will do. We use the DAP brand and the Liquid Nails brand. The caulk is a really flexible putty like material and can take the expansion/contraction cycles.

By: robert

robert — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:24:09 +0000

I have a gravel driveway what would be the procedure used to bury the wire

Admin- Hi Robert,

We recommend burying the wire 4-6 inches below the gravel drive inside of a PVC pipe for extra protection from the gravel.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:58:23 +0000

I have a small koi pond that my 2 dogs love to cool off in. I am ready to order the IUC4100 system and am wondering if the collars are waterproof?

ADMIN – Hi Dawn,

The collars on the Innotek IUC-4100 are fully waterproof. The dogs can swim with the collars on without any issues.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 03:32:30 +0000

Your site is terrific! Perhaps it’s here but I didn’t find it….I’m planning on a layout which allows our dog to access both the front and back yards individually (the sides of the house have narrow property lines, so not enough room to allow passage). Once the system is in place, how do we take our dog for a walk (ie walk off the property w/out the dog getting confused about the risk of a correction)?

ADMIN – Hi Jerry,

For the first couple of weeks you will avoid walking the dog through the fence because you want to have a consistent experience for the dog. During that training period when you walk the dog you can either carry them over or put them in the car and drive them over.

Once the dog is trained on the fence basics we can teach them that they can walk through when you give them permission. You will create a routine for them, like taking the collar off the dog, putting them on a leash, and walking them through the same spot every time. The first time you do it, the dog will resist and you will have to pull them through. But, after a few times the dog will get the hang of it.

There is more information on the training section of the website.

By: Gene

Gene — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:00:51 +0000

I just bought a house that already has a pvc tube going under my driveway. My concern is how to thread the wire through the tube so that it comes out the other side. If the wire is too flimsy, trying to push it through won’t work. If it’s too stiff, it won’t follow the bends in the tube. Just curious about how this is usually done.

Love your sight. Will definitely put you at the top of my list for a purchase decision. Thanks! Gene

ADMIN – Hi Gene,

To run wire through a conduit, we usually use fish tape. Fish tape is stiff steel tape (similar to a measuring tape) that you push through the conduit. Once you get the fish tape through, you tie the dog fence wire to the fish tape and pull it back through the conduit. Fish tape costs around $20 and is available at most hardware stores.

If it is just a small distance, you can use a metal measuring tape.

By: Frank Carraro

Frank Carraro — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:37:30 +0000

When the wire breaks is there an alarm to alert the user? Also, can the receiver function as a locator if carried close to the wire?

ADMIN – Hi Frank,

All of the systems let you know there is a wire break break by either an indicator light or an alarm (or both).

The collar receiver can be used to locate the wire, because it will start beeping when you get close to the wire. Note, this will only work if there is no break in the wire – if there is a break the collar will not trigger anywhere at all.