Why DIY a Dog Fence?
Companies like Invisible Fence, Dog Watch, Pet Stop or Dog Guard all install dog fences and do a good job. So why would you want to DIY? Here are some pros and cons of the DIY options.
Cost
Installing an electric dog fence system will costs around $300 for a good system and a bit more if you need to rent a trencher for installation. A big national company like Invisible Fence will probably cost you around $1,500 for installation in an average sized yard with one dog. So you could easily save $800 by looking at DIY Invisible Fence substitute.
Also worth noting, the big national dog fence franchises like Invisible Fence will make you pay for special batteries for their system. The Invisible Fence batteries cost around $70 per dog per year, an amount that quickly adds up. The DIY systems we recommend have rechargeable batteries so you can avoid this annoying expense.
Ease
Call in the professionals and you don’t have to worry about a thing. Most installers do a competent job. They know what they are doing, have the right tools and will be in and out in a day. They have trained hundreds of dogs and if you do the homework they assign you, in two weeks you are almost guaranteed a contained dog.
Do it yourself and you will need to put in a bit of time for the installation. DIYing will probably take a full day. For an average size yard you should budget ten hours, about two hours for reading the guide, planning and buying the necessary supplies, and the rest of the time for the actual installation. You will also need to take on the responsibility of training your own dog.
Satisfaction
For us the main reason to take up any do-it-yourself project is the sense of satisfaction. Installing a dog fence is a nice project to do over a weekend. And once you are finished and your dog trained it is something you will appreciate every day. Best of all the whole thing seems more complicated than it actually is, so everyone will think you are a DIY genius!!
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I only need to contain a straight line, the other 3 sides of my property already have a fence. The area is 175 ‘ across. can this be done? Or do iI have to contain more of an area? How much twisted wire can I use?
ADMIN – Hi Peter
The boundary line can only be laid in complete loops, so unfortunately you cannot do just a straight line. What most people do if they have a fence, is staple or ziptie the wire to the three fenced sides to complete the loop.
The twisted wire is used to connect the control box to the boundary loop. You cannot use it as part of the boundary loop (although this would be very convenient!). So the most you would use in an installation is the distance from the control box out ot the nearest boundary.
We are frustrated with buying expensive batteries, the installer often takes a week or so to return our call and then we wait another week for new batteries and they are expensive and the dog whose collar has a dead battery gets loose! This frustration led me to the internet and finding your informative site, thank you. Our question is about compatibility between the various systems, in other words can we mix and match. We bought a Petsafe collar from Lowe’s which turns out to not be compatible with the transmitter which is a Pet Stop unit, I liked the idea that the collar uses an ordinary 9 volt battery available everywhere for reasonable cost. The collar for our large dog is a Dog Guard and it works with Pet Stop transmitter. Are you able to compile and publish a list of compatible systems? I think many who visit your site would appreciate this.
ADMIN – Hi Kimm,
Unfortunately there is no intercompatibility between brands and for the most part between systems. You can use a current inground fence petsafe collar with any petsafe inground system. You can also use an Innotek IUC-4100 collar with a IUC-5100 system and vice versa. That is the extent of intercompatibility.
The only option if you have a petstop and want something with a regular 9v battery or a rechargable battery is to switch out the contorl box (leaving the existing wire in place.
Unfortunately there is no
I have a complete Invisible fence setup at my old house . If I just took the unit and the collars , what kind of wire do I buy to install it at our new house ?
ADMIN – Hi Steve,
You want to try and get a wire that says that it is “rated for direct burial.” This kind of wire tends to hold up better in the soil. The wire should be a single insulated wire. The guage is not particularly important, but get something 20 gauge or thicker. It does not matter if the wire is solid core or stranded. And remember, when you splice wires together always use a waterproof splice.
We have three malamutes. We live in the mountains and our dogs love running around the neighborhood. We would love to contain them to ensure their safety. In the winter months we have huge piles of snow around the perimeter of our one acre lot. Will the piles of snow impact the effectiveness of an electronic fence?
ADMIN – Hi Michelle,
When it snows you will need to turn up the boundary width dial so the signal can penetrate the accumulated snow. You can usually get through around three feet of snow before it becomes ineffective. When it thaws out in the spring you will need to turn that boundary width dial down again.
I currently have an Invisible Fence system, with one collar, but it is 16 years old. I have had to repair quite a few breaks over the years, and my neighbor is about to re-lanscape their property ( my fence is under their ground along the property line!). I will basically have to redo the system (according to invisible fence) since it is so old. I am about to train my six month old beagle on this system, but am expecting a second dog any time now. I have 2 questions…If I break free from I.F. and get a new system now, could I hook it up to the existing ground wire (at least until I have to replace the wire)? It is just the collar that needs to pick up the signal from the system…the wire has nothing to do with it right? Also, are these DIY collars just as small and durable as the I.F. collars? One more thing…Since I still have 3 batteries from the I.F. battery plan, do you think I will confuse the dog if I start with this system (and it’s warning sound) and switch when I get the second dog and need the second collar? Thanks, Heidi
Hi Heidi,
Yes, you can hook up a new system to the old Invisible Fence system wiring and as long as that wire is still intact it will work perfectly.
If your dog is already trained, then switching won’t be a big deal for him. The sounds are all pretty similar, and he will quickly learn that the new sounds apply just the same as the old sounds. If you already have a system, and it works, I would wait until you are ready to start training the young beagle to replace it.
I’m so glad I came across your site! My husband and I are planning on purchasing a system this spring, however, I have a bit of a concern with our dog. We have a Xolo (Mexican Hairless) and because the collar will be directly on her skin, I was wondering if you have had any experience with hairless dogs using your collars and if it is safe for the dog?
Thanks for your time.
Deb
Boston, MA
ADMIN – Hi Deb,
Hairless dogs are fine using the collars (you want it to touch the skin directly irrespective of whether the dog is hairless or not). But, you always want to be especially careful, particularly in the initial weeks that the dog fence collar is not irritating the skin.
For an Xolo, you may want to consider the PetSafe Little Dog. It is going to be a lighter and more comfortable fit for a smaller dog like a Mexican Hairless. It also has the comfort fit probes which are a little gentler on the skin.
Hi, My problem is similar to Peter who commented earlier. We’ve recently moved and we have a 3 sided stucco fence/wall. The only open area is across the driveway with a little lawn on one side. The fence starts on the other side of the house opposite the driveway, are there any other options to contain our boxer without running the wire along the stucco wall?
We had a invisible fence at our old house and yes we did get a 1200 bid. We are thinking there has to be other inexpensive options considering the area we need covered is just across the driveway. Thanks, Barbara
ADMIN – Hi Barbara,
If you are just trying to block a small area like a driveway, the Pawz-Away Rock is a good option, that is cheaper and a lot easier to set up than a regular system. The rock can be used with up to 150 feet of wire, so you can create a long thin loop (with six feet between the opposite sides) to cover the driveway area. If that passage is more than about 70 feet, you will probably need two rocks. But still much more inexpensive than a full system.
My fiance brought home a blue tick coon dog, as a housepet. As you probably know, they love to run free and they are kind of hard headed. We already have a 4 foot chainlink fence around our property, and recently he has figured out how to get under it. Which would be fine, if there wasnt a railroad track and a parkway within a quarter of a mile of the house. As well as the 45 mph road in front of the house. Now our fence is around an acre, and I am ready to purchase either an Innotek IUC 4100, or a 5100, or a Petsafe Stubborn Dog system. I am just wondering if the correction level is high enough on the Innotek systems for my dog. His last vet visit he weighed in at around 65 pounds. I plan on placing the boundary wire as close to the chainlink fence as possible to keep him as much room as possible. I would rather do the Innotek system because of the pros that it has, Im just wondering if it will have enough correction for my dog. Thanks
Hi… I am considering getting a Dog Guard system. How does this compare with other brands? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Nathan,
Dog Guard is one of the smaller full service installation companies that popped up to compete with Invisible Fence. With all these franchised companies, quality varies a lot from franchisee to franchisee. I would speak to your local representative, asking to speak with the trainer that will be helping you train your dog, in addition to the sales rep. The trainer is always the most important piece in the puzzle when putting in a containment system. Then they inspire confidence and get rapport with your dog that is a good sign. If not, consider talking to the trainer from a couple of the other local franchisees. Equipment wise, I haven’t heard much and would love to hear from other readers who have.
TWIMC,
I live on a farm and want to contain 5 dog to approx 5 acres. My concern is that I have a Great Pyr (140 lbs) 2 Chihuhuas (7 lbs each) and 2 Shih Tsu’s (will be approx 15 lbs) Could you explain how I would go about having different levels for each dog and which would be best to use and cost effective. Inground vs. Wireless. Also, is it a shock system? I keep hearing corrections…..so I just wondered.
ADMIN – Hi Angela,
With such a broad variety of dogs, I’d suggest going with the PetSafe Stubborn Dog system (for the Great Pyrenees), add in 2 PetSafe Little Dog collars for the Chihuahua’s and add 2 PetSafe Deluxe collars for the 2 Shih Tsu’s. This is the most cost effective solution. The system comes with 500 feet of wire, so you’ll need to add an additional 1,500 feet to cover 5 acres.
On each of these collars, there’s a button that you can press to set the level of correction. It is a mild static shock, but it does not harm your dog. That’s why we say correction cause shock sounds as if it’s harmful.
The above recommendation is an in ground system and we always recommend those over the wireless systems. Wired systems are much more stable and reliable.