Dog Fence Reviews

Hi I have a pet safe system installed for my 3 Aussies but my friend has a guardian system at her house. We are wondering if our collars will work at each others house? Thanks

ADMIN – Hi Krista,

Many of the PetSafe system systems are indeed compatible with the Guardian systems. This is because some of the Gaurdian systems are re-badged PetSafe systems. If you send the model number, we could give you better information. But, the easiest way to test would be to take you collars over to her house and see if they work.

We have a 110 lb great dane and a 14 pound jack russell. They are thick as thieves and just as mischievous. They are fairly well trained, until they decide to sneak off to the stream/bog/pond behind our house to terrorize the geese. We have a shock collar for the gd, but once out of range, she is off and running. We would like to install an a wire fence, but we are not sure which one would work best – and is economically priced. We would prefer rechargeable. We would like to fence in 2 of the 4 acres. Also, would the shock collar (Pet Safe) be compatible with an in-ground wire system? Thanks.

ADMIN – Hi Sherry,

They sound like quite the odd couple. I bet they are a sight! With that kind of difference in size, the PetSafe systems are a good bet because you can use different collars with different dogs. The PetSafe Stubborn is a good economical choice, it uses a disposable battery 9V battery, but you can easily get a rechargeable 9V battery at a Radio Shack for under $10 (an extra $10 if you need a charger too).

For the Jack Russell, get an extra PetSafe Deluxe collar. Unfortunately, the small PetSafe collars require a proprietary battery. The battery on the PetSafe Deluxe is cheaper ($4 vs $10) and lasts longer (3 months vs 2 montsh) than the battery on the PetSafe Little Dog and is the one to get if your dog is over 12lbs (which your is).

You existing shock collar will not work with a dog containment system. We would avoid using the shock collar for containment, it usually just ends up teaching the dog not to escape while you are looking, and when they do escape to keep running till they get out of range. Until the dog fence is put in, keep them on a leash or some other line. We don’t want them getting in the habit of escaping, it makes the training a little harder.

I have a King Charles that loves to dash out in the street a have had 2 close encounters. I would prefer wireless just in case if I move from the house that I’m currently renting. what wireless units can you recommend? I need a unit that can work for the front and garage door.

ADMIN – Hi,

If you are just trying to block the front door and the garage door, instead of a full system, consider using either a pair of the indoor wireless pods or the outdoor wireless pods to block just those two spots.

Great site. I have a Corgi that is just over 1 year old. He is quite mild but loves to explore. He becomes quite submissive when wearing any type of training collar. I am looking for a system to keep out of our garden areas but give him most of the back yard in which to play. The back yard in which he would have access is about 2800 sq feet. It is level with not much sculpturing. What would you recommend.?

ADMIN – Hi Martin,

What is weight of the Corgi?

If she is on the small side, and under 12lbs, then a PetSafe Little Dog System would be our top choice. The collar on that system is very small. However, it does have a proprietary battery that costs around $10 and lasts about 2-3 months. So where possible we try to use other systems that don’t impose that kind of ongoing cost.

If she is over 12lbs, the Innotek IUC-4100 would be a good choice. The collar on that system is a little bigger, but it is also rechargeable. The collar also has a nice fit-detection mode that is very useful for getting the collar properly situated on long-hair dogs.

I wasn’t sure if you are trying to keep the dog contained, or just keep her out of the garden. If you just need a bit of help, keeping her off a few spots, a full containment system would be overkill. Instead you could use one or more of these outdoor pods (cleverly disguised as a rock). They would let you block off a few areas either wirelessy or using a small amount of wire. Installation would be a lot cheaper and easier than a full system. The included collar on this system is not the greatest, but whould be fine for keeping a small dog out of the garden.

Does anyone make a wireless fence for dogs that is much less expensive than a $280?

ADMIN – Hi Natalia,

Afraid even the least expensive wireless fence is $280. There are some good choices in wired dog fences that are cheaper. For example the PetSafe Stubborn, and the SportDog SDF-100A.

I have a 48 inch tall wooden fence around my back yard and my black lab keeps jumping up and over it. I need to stop him. There is a power line that runs above and parallel to it. The wireless fences seem to work in a circle which wouldn’t work with the square shape of my fenced yard. Would the power lines above interfere with an electric fence? They’re as tall as the 2nd story of my house. And could i hang it from the fence itself? Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Lynn,

With the power lines so high overhead they will not be an issue. You can indeed hang the wire from the fence.

I am looking into getting an electric fence for my two dogs. Here is the issue, our girl is a Cairn Terrier, she is about 18lbs and our boy is a German Shepard Shar pai mix, he is about 80lbs (he has a very thick neck with a lot of thick fur. They both need to be contained for their safety and other obvious reasons. What would be the best system for us to buy to keep both of our dogs happy and safe. We have a little over 1/2 an acre of property and we would like to do it ourselves to save on costs. Thank you!! Look forward to hearing from you.

ADMIN – Hi Alicia,

Where we have so much variation in the size of the dogs, it is preferable to use a system that lets us use different collars with each dog. The PetSafe Stubborn system would work well with the German Shepherd mix. For the Terrier you can add an extra PetSafe Deluxe collar.

As to the thick coat on the German, you can use the optional long-prongs with the PetSafe Stubborn ($15 through PetSafe 800-732-2677). You will also want to thin the fur out a little with some scissors in the neck region. It is essential that the prongs are actually touching skin and not insulated by a layer of fur. Particularly in the first few weeks, you will want to move errant fur out of the way when you put the collar on – and tighten the buckle on the collar so that you can only insert two fingers.

what would you recommend for a 130 pound Rottweiler with a real stubborn streak. He is gentle and sweet until he wants to get somewhere and then it’s look out. He was on an arial run and just finished pulling down a full sized basketball pole that was buried in concrete. I am concerned that a shocking system will just not work. Suggestions are welcome.

ADMIN – Hi Mitch,

With a stronger willed dog, I would suggest one of the more high strength systems like the PetSafe Stubborn Dog Fence. I would however start him on the medium setting and only go up if you get no response. Often even very hard headed dogs respond to comparatively mild corrections. The sensation is a very unusual one to a dog and so we don’t need to overpower them, just create a discomfort. If you do the training, I would fully expect that he is completely contained within 2-3 weeks.

My neighbor and I have been talking about putting an underground dog fence in. Our situation is as follows! We live in neighboring townhomes that are connected. There are four units per building and we occupy the two middle units. We want to run wire from each side of our townhome border to a privacy fence that sits directly in front of us 35 feet away. Would we have to run wire around the perimeter to make this work properly or could we just run one strip of wire on each side of our townhome to the fence? One of the dogs is 14lbs and the other is 17lbs, any ideas on a fence that would work well for us? Our biggest concern is the size of the collars! Some of them seem huge!

ADMIN – Hi Robert,

For two separate loops in your scenario, it appears you’ll need two systems: one for the front and one for the back. The fence requires the wire to be in a complete loop meaning that the wire must go out and back to the wall transmitter. The layout you will need to use for both front and back will be the gutter layout under the backyard only layouts illustrated here: http://www.dogfencediy.com/installation/plan/#backyard.

I’d recommend the Innotek 4100 for both the 14 and 17 lb dogs. They are big enough to wear the collar. The collar is one of the sleeker, smaller collars we sell and the great thing is that it’s rechargeable.

We have a number of other family members with pet containment systems and would like to take our German Shepherd to their yards. Which collars work with other systems or do they have to be from the same manufacturer? They use Pet Stop fencing and we’d like to have something compatible.

ADMIN – Hi Leif,

Collars are not usually compatible between manufacturers. If they have a Pet Stop system, you will need to get a new collar through Pet Stop.

The Innotek IUC-4100, IUC-5100 & SD-2100 collars are intercompatible.

The PetSafe wired system and SportDog wired system collars are intercompatible.

Our Maltese wears a Pet Safe bark collar. If this collar were on at the same time as the collar for the Little Dog underground fence system, will these two conflict with each other. Could we be so lucky that the collar would work for both barking and containment? Thanks JHK

ADMIN – Hi Jay,

Unfortunately there are no combination bark and dog fence collars. The two collars do not cause interference. But, try and keep some separation between the two collar, because sometimes the dog fence collar and bark collar knocking into each other can cause the bark sensor to trigger. If the bark sensor is on one side of the collar, try and put the dog fence collar on the other side of the dog’s neck.

My neighbor and I have fencing around our lots but we decided to not fence off the back yard in between us. We both have kids and this allows the kids more yard in the back to play as they play with each other. However, our dogs are problems with their business. They have a bigger dog that is always in our yard on on our deck and our smaller dog goes over into their back yard. My question…is it possible for us to run one underground fence and use 2 different collars. Their dog use a collar that keeps them in their boundaries, and our dog wear one that keeps her in our boundaries? Do you have any suggestions on how we can make that work? Thanks

ADMIN – Hi Garret,

If I understand you correctly, we want to keep each dog in their own yard.

If you only need to stop them crossing the center line and the other fencing kept the dogs from wandering out into the street then you could make do with one system. You could install one common system that just made a long thin loop that went down the center of the property. Each dog would have their own collar and would be prevented from crossing the center line.

If you also need the other boundaries to be active, you would need two separate systems. You should look at a dual frequency system like the Perimeter Ultra that would allow you to run your systems close together without them interfering with each other.

Does the Innotek 4100 come with a spare battery? Does the the Innotek 4100 system come with lightening protection?

Admin- Hi Sue,

The Innotek systems do not come a replacement battery. The battery are built into the collars and will not require a replacement. Also, the Innotek IUC-4100 does not come with a lightning protector.

We have a Dog Watch system installed at our home in PA. We have been living away for three years, so my daughter took the transmitter and collars to use at here cabin in the mountains. We are now moving back and we cannot find the collars. I have checked with dog watch and then checked on line for DIY systems and they are much cheaper. My question is, can a DIY system (transmitter/monitor) and collars be used with the wire that is in place on our property? It is cheaper for me to buy a top of the line DIY and extra collars, than to replace 3 Dogwatch collars. I also need to get the fence repaired in a few spots due to lawn aeration. Need as answer ASAP thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Mary Anne,

You can indeed use the wire with any type of dog fence system with any other dog fence system. There is nothing special about the wire that locks it to one brand.

We have a St Bernard and a cockapoo. We live on 5 acres and need something for both dogs being they are opposite ends of the weight scale. Any suggestions??

ADMIN – Hi Julie,

For dogs that are very different in size, the PetSafe systems are a good bet. I would get a PetSafe Stubborn system and use the included collar for the St Bernard.

How big is your cockapoo? If they are over 12lbs, add an extra PetSafe Deluxe collar. If they are under 12lbs, get an extra PetSafe Little Dog collar. Both the aforementioned collars will work with your PetSafe Stubborn system.

We currently have an innotek ultra smart system. Collars are iuc-4225. I know the wall mount transmitter is not the iuc-5100 that comes with lightning protection. We have replaced many collars due to them coming off and the dog eatting it. We have 3 acres. A 100 lb lab/rottweiler. He has a very thick coat . We recently bought the longer prongs . He tests the fence often . If collar has moved or has died or low, he gets out . Lightning blew up the transmitter Monday and parts of the wiring. We have had it for six yrs, same dog. We are replacing it. Should we replace all the outside wires? do you suggest a better system than what we have ? I don’t mind buying new collars if I need to. Help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Wire is on ground with staples if that matters.

ADMIN – Hi Tonya

If the wires are still intact and working I would continue to use them. Sometimes the lightning burns out the wire and insulation – if there is damage all along the wire, you would be better off replacing it all.

The Innotek IUC-4100 system you currently have is very good. I would just replace the transmitter, and keep you existing collars. The transmitter and wall adapter plug costs around $100 which woudl be a lot more economical than replacing the entire system.

PS – you can buy the lightning protection module for use with any system (the smae one that is bundles in teh Innotek IUC-5100). It is $39.95 and is worth getting if you live in an area that gets lots of lightning strikes.

How many collars can I charge on the charger that comes in the 4100 kit? I need two collars and was buying an extra one and if the charger only chargers one, then does the extra collar come with a charger or is that going to be a separate purchase?

Admin- Hi Josh,

The chargers can only charge one collar at a time. Additional collars do not come with a charger. Additional chargers are available for $29.95. It takes 1-2 hours to charge a collar, and you will only do it once a month so most people don’t need a second charger.

Hi Stewart and gang,

I must say that this site is awsome…so much useful information in one place. I have a Daschund/Collie mix ((I think, anyway…she is a rescue dog so I’m not 100% sure – she may be Aussie Shephard instead of Collie – (long hair)) and she is about 28 lbs. I have a 1 acre lot that I think I will fully enclose so she can run as much as possible (loves to run).

I’m reading all the reviews and like the 4100/5100, but noticed that the SportDog 100A is considerably cheaper and also comes with 1000′ of wire. Reliability is the most important factor and both units get 4.5 paws. Do you think the 4100/5100 is worth the extra money? If so, why?
Thanks,
Eric

Admin- Hi Eric,

Thanks for the feedback. You cannot go wrong with any of these systems. However, we feel that the SportDog collar is a bit too bulky for a 28-pound dog. We feel that the Innotek system is worth the extra money because the slim line rechargeable collar and the design of the transmitter. The recharge time on the collar takes about 2-hours and will last a month. Also, the battery back up is great feature. The system can operate on battery power for 40-hours if your house were to lose power.

We have a 50 lb Lab mix and an 15-week-old 8 lb Chihuahua mix puppy and want to buy a diy underground fence system for our 5 acre lot. Based on the reviews we’ve read on your site we’d like to get the Innotek IUC 4100 if possible. Our puppy will likely be over 12 lbs when she’s grown, but will the size difference between the two dogs still be too great for that system? What would you recommend? Thank you.

Admin-Hi Melissa,

The Innotek is a great system. However, the IUC-4100 does not offer independent correction levels. Therefore, both of your dogs would be on the same correction level. For dogs with a weight difference of 40% or more, we recommend the PetSafe Stubborn/Large Dog Fence. You can use the included Stubborn Dog Collar for the Lab mix and bundle in an additional PetSafe Little Dog Collar for your Chihuahua.

Hello, I have a lab with a fenced property covering a little over an acre with a pond. My question is are there any collars that will work well with a lab and are waterproof in case he decides to go for a swim in the pond? Thank You

Admin- Hi Mark,

A great system for your lab will be the Innotek IUC-4100. The collars are slim fit and rechargeable. They are also our best waterproof collars.

We have a stream that runs through the front yard and need to run the underground fence either through it or over it. Any suggestions. Also, this is for my German Shepherd puppy. I’ve read that they could go right through the underground fence, what are your thoughts on that and which fence would you recommend for him. Thanks

ADMIN – Hi Rachel,

To run the wire across a stream, I will usually go along the stream bed – running the wire through a protective sheath like hose pipe, then stapling it to the stream bed. If there is a fallen tree or some other convenient crossing – you can also run the wire over the water.

A dog that has done the initial dog fence training will not run through the fence, indeed they probably will not realize that this is even possible and will just assume the correction continues on out indefinitely. German Shepherd train nicely – sometimes they require a little stronger stimulation, because as guardian dogs many have been bred to be insensitive to pain.

Two good systems for a German Shepherd would be the Innotek IUC-4100 and the PetSafe Stubborn. The Innotek is smaller, rechargeable and has more features like the collar fit check which is useful on long-hair dogs like Germans. The PetSafe is bigger, and uses a disposable battery and a little cheaper. Both would do a good job for you.

(I am presuming you are doing under 10 acres? If not let me know and I will make some other recommendations)

Hello, we bought the Inotek 4100 for our new 10-mo. puppy a couple months ago. Finally we finished installing it and are in the beginning stages of the training. We haven’t even gotten to the point of removing the plastic covers on the shock probes. The problem is that the reliability so far has been extremely poor, and I’m afraid that it’s going to start to confuse our puppy because of the inconsistencies – and she hasn’t even experienced the shock yet.

This is what I have observed so far:
1. The field width is consistent the majority of the time but there are flagrant inconsistencies – for example, I just walked out to the driveway with her and the collar beeped literally 8 feet from where it always had before. And just yesterday the field width along a length of fence moved about 3 feet from where it had consistently beeped on a previous day (where I had placed the flags). Frequently there is a discrepancy of a couple feet. Is that supposed to be normal? I’m finding it really confusing.

2. There is an area in our side yard that seems to be completely dead. The collar wouldn’t even beep green to tell me that it was charged – but when I stepped out of that area, it returned to normal. Nothing particularly strange about the area – just lucky that it’s full of berry brambles and the neighbors have a fence on that side. But it should still function.

3. The collar beeps between 3 and 6 times before going to the shock/higher beep. Is that normal for the warning period to be so short? It is also necessary to back up about 3 feet during that one second in order to prevent the shock. Is that normal?

4. And perhaps the most disturbing: Many times now I have walked with the collar past the flagged area (where it had warning beeped before) and heard no beep at all, and then all of a sudden two feet past the flags the collar goes straight to the shock (skipping the warning phase). Why is this happening??

Please note that the collar continues to flash green to show that it has a charge and the transmitter light shows that it is supposed to be functioning correctly. The correction level is set at medium.

I bought the Innotek 4100 because of its high reliability ratings, but I’m beginning to think that either the collar or the central unit is a lemon. Help!!!

(And I purchased from this website because I saw this terrific forum with the prompt and thorough replies to customer questions………………..)

thanks for your help!!!

ADMIN – Hi Rachel,

Hi Rachel,

What you are describing should not happen, you are right to hold off from training the pup until the issue is sorted out. You will get a little inconsistency, but anything more that 20% on a wired system means something is going wrong.

What is your layout like and how large is the containment area? Do you have a neighbor with a dog fence?

Without knowing more, the symptoms you describe sound a lot like the boundary width dial turned up too high. When this happens, the sides of the fence start interfering with each other. Turn it down to the minimum and then turn it up 1/20th turn at a time until the collar starts triggering 3-5 feet out from the wire.

It is also possible there is something wrong with your system. Give us a call and we can help you troubleshoot it on the phone.

I just adopted a Lakeland Terrier and a Wheaten Terrier this week. My whole backyard is fenced in. I do, however, have a concern when my landscaper comes. What is the best way to contain the dogs if they do happen to get outside of the gate? I would want to put something about 5 feet outside of the gate. I’m talking less than 12′ wide span. There are cement pavers and lots of bushes, so it would be difficult digging underneath. Is there a system that would best suit my purposes. Thanks.

ADMIN – Hi Yolanda,

Try one of the wireless outdoor dog containment pods. You put one of these near the gate, and it would give you a quick and easy way to block that small area.

Hi it looks like a lot of great info. What do you recommend for 2 Shiba Inu’s? The yard isn’t that big..but they do not allow fencing in the housing area and I am trying to find another alternative.

ADMIN – Hi Crystal,

With Shiba Inu’s the Innotek IUC-4100 would be a good choice. With long hair dogs, getting the collar properly situated so it is touching the skin can be tricky, the Innotek collar-fit mode helps a lot with that task, letting you know when you have the collar on correctly.

HI – I have a German Shepherd and confused with choosing a correct solution. i have 1.5-2 acres and doing small gardening in one side about 0.75 acres. My property is surrounded by neighbors houses from 2 sides and other two sides margin with road. i don’t want my dog to run across neighbors properties and also on my gardening. So what is the best solution can i have to overcome this problems. Thank you

ADMIN – Hi Fence NJ,

You can create a custom layout for your dog fence by laying out the boundary wire in a configuration that contains the dog within your property but also blocks the dog from going into your garden.

Take a look at our Installation–> Layouts pages (http://www.dogfencediy.com/installation/plan/) for some ideas. If you email us a diagram of your layout we would be happy to give you some more specific ideas.

Hello- Love the video product reviews! I’m training my dog (Australian Cattle Dog/Jack Russell Terrier ) with the Micro-iDT PLUS system from DT Systems. Do you know of any in ground fence system that would be compatiable with the collar used on the DT System?

ADMIN – Hi Keith,

Afraid that none of the dog fence systems are going to be compatible with the DT systems training collar (or any other dedicated training collar). The only dual purpose collars are the Innotek IUC-5100 collars.

HI I have 2 dogs that i would like to put in an invisible fence. I had a cheap one from Walmart but it just does not do the job. The wire is about 5 acres. What does an extra collar cost for the pet safe stubborn and would that be a good choice? How hi does the shock go because the dogs tend to just run across the cheap one.Thanks For the help

ADMIN – Hi Shawn,

Happy to make a recommendation, tell me a little more about the dogs (age, size, breed, temperament).

The extra collars on the PetSafe Stubborn cost $74.95.

It is not usually the case that we just need to turn up the correction. It is usually a problem with the system, training, or the collar not being properly fitted. Lets start with some diagnostics. What kind of system do you have now? How wide is the boundary currently set? If you test the boundary with the collar, does it work reliably? What is the dog’s reaction when they cross the boundary – do they look like they are getting the correction?

We have two 9 month old pups, that I want to keep out of the flower beds. Is there something that will work for us? I would also like to keep them from the patio furniture and cushions but I think I am dreaming now. They are both mixed breeds weighing between 45 and 55 lbs. Full of energy and still destructive and diggers. thanks

ADMIN – Hi Diane,

To keep the dogs out of flower beds, the Pawz-Away Outdoor Pods will do the trick and should be much easier and cheaper than a full dog fence system. You can operate the pod either wirelessly or with a short wire loop to keep the dogs out of small area like flower beds and outdoor furniture.

Hi, I have a squirrel obsessed pointer in a 3000sq ft yard. which product would you recommend? thanks! Lisa

ADMIN – Hi Lisa,

With a pointer, the Innotek IUC-4100 would be a good choice. As to the squirrel obsession, work with that in Step 3 of the training by trying to do the training when the squirrels are most active. Leaving some food out for them should also help.

I have a 2 yrs lab/chow mix and a 4 yrs lab/rottweiler mix they are 75 and 65 lbs. I already have a 6 ft vinyl fence, but they have been digging under it for quite some time. I had the innotek basic system but it did good only for a couple of months. Battery kept running out and one of the receivers stopped working. Also, one of my dogs (lab/chow) keep running through it. My yard is very small about .20 acres what’s the best system to contain these two very active dogs without taking away too much of their already limited space. My fence is up to the property line, so how can i separate the wires from one another on whichever system you recommend? Can i separate the wires by running one along the bottom of the fence and one along the top of the fence? Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Joe,

With the Chow and the Rottweiler in there, you may want something with a stronger correction than the Innotek basic. The PetSafe Stubborn would be a good choice. But, as always on such a strong system, start on the lower settings (medium, or medium-low seems about right) and only move up if necessary.

With a six foot high fence, you can indeed get sufficient separation to make a big U-shaped loop by running the wires along the top and bottom of the fence.

I have three dogs at the moment, and am planning on getting my fourth next summer. I have about 1 acre of land that I am considering putting underground fencing on so that my dogs have plenty of room to run and play. I have a chihuahua mix (about 7 lbs), a Pit (about 85-90 lbs), and a Doberman (about 65lbs). The chihuahua usually runs free, no problem and is very easy to train. The Pit never leaves my side and will wait by my door for me. The problem with him is that EVERYONE is afraid of him, and if I leave in a car, he wants to follow. He is also very easy to train. The Doberman, she is very hyper, and very hard to train. When she runs, she is so fast and so skiddish, she is very hard to catch. Her previous owners had the underground fencing, and they said as soon as she would be corrected, she would cower and not move like someone beat her. So I know she is very afraid of the correction, but pays no attention to the warning. I need a system that can handle all three, plus the fourth that I will be getting next summer (which is a male doberman). What do you recommend?

ADMIN – Hi Kathy,

With that menagerie, the PetSafe systems are good, because you can use a variety of collars suitable for each dog with the same system.

I would suggest a PetSafe Stubborn Dog Fence system. Use PetSafe Stubborn collars for the Pit, Doberman, and future Doberman. Use a PetSafe Little Dog collar for the Chihuahua.

You can reduce a lot of the skittishness by doing the preliminary training where the dog is learning how to respond to the beep (turn and retreat) without the pressure of the correction. This makes the correction much easier on the dog because the dog knows why it happened and how to turn it off.

Which system do you suggest for a 8 mo. old 75lb german shepherd, an adult 20lb schnauzer, 1 yr old 35lb mixed pittbull, 2 malteese weighing 10-12 lbs each? The house sits on top of a hill (.25 acres flat on top) with about 3 acres sloping downhill. The dogs will not be outside at the same time, but need to have a fence/collars system that adapts to all. Thanks

ADMIN – Hi BO,

PetSafe has a good multi-dog system. What makes it particularly neat is that you can use the collars incompatibly, so you can pick the best collar for each dog instead of going with a one-size fits-all collar.

I would get a PetSafe Stubborn system, and use the included PetSafe Stubborn collar with the German Shepherd. With the Pitbull, I would use another PetSafe Stubborn Collar. With the Schnauzer, a PetSafe Deluxe collar. And with the two Maltese, PetSafe Little Dog collars.

I have a pet safe wireless system. If I install a inotek underground wired fence will it interfere with our wireless fence system? We want to keep one of our dogs contained to the back yard and cannot do it with the wireless fence system.

ADMIN – Hi Torrey,

You should not receive any interference problems with that setup.

Hi. I was wondering when/if you will be doing a review on the newest version of the “Smart Dog”, also known as W-227.

our dog keeps climbing our chain link fence and getting out and we are looking for an invisible fence that we can simply attach to our chain link fence to keep the dog from climbing. we dont want a bunch of features or anything, just the bare minimum since we already have a real fence and we cant afford to spend more than about $100. Will you do a review of the new version of this fence that got such a bad review before? or should we just buy it and hope for the best? thank you.

ADMIN – Hi Donald,

We don’t currently plan to review the new Smart Dog at this time. The continuing problem with the Smart Dog is that there is no support from the manufacture. If at some point you need replacement parts, you’re best option is to buy the system all over again. For 20 dollars more, I’d highly recommend the Innotek 2000. It is much more reliable and should be sufficient for what you need:

I recently had an outlet installed near the outlet that my Petsafe transmitter is plugged into. Ever since I plugged my freezer into this new outlet, the transmitter has been beeping. If I unplug the freezer, the transmitter is fine. Do I need to have the electric redone and moved further away, or will it still be disfunctional with my freezer anywhere in the garage? The transmitter only quits as soon as the motor starts running on the freezer…not just when it is plugged in. Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Audra,

Yes, it’s a proximity issue. I recommend you relocate your transmitter at least 10 feet away from any appliances or electrical panels.

I live in the flood zone of the Red River and where I am wanting to put my invisible fence could be completely underwater for 2-3 weeks at a time. I am wondering if the wire and the splices can be underwater for this length of time and still be operational after the water recedes.

On a different note, I read on some comments above that some of the collars that are not rechargeable can be switched to become rechargeable? I am wanting to purchase the petsafe stubborn dog fence. Can this battery become rechargeable? Thanks

ADMIN – Hi Stefan,

The wire can go happily underwater for a couple of weeks. The splices can also go underwater, but it is better if you can place the splice points in sections out of the water. If the splices have to go in the water, no big deal, just be sure to get a good seal with the waterproof gel when you make the splice.

The PetSafe Stubborn collar uses a regular 9V battery. To make the collar rechargeable, just get a couple of rechargeable 9V batteries and a recharger.

We have the IUC 4100 for our two Boxers and love it. Most of the time they don’t have their collars on but they still respect the boundaries.

I am interested in the indoor zone for my kitchen and also the outdoor zone/rock for a wet spot we have in the front yard.

Can the indoor zone be plugged in or does it only run on batteries. If it is only batteries, any idea how long the batteries last, or is it determined by the amount of times the zone is challenged?

On the outdoor rock, how long do the batteries last on it? Is it determined by the amount of times the zone is challenged? What about moisture? Is it adversely affected by moisture? Will it work in freezing temperatures?

THANKS for your help!!!

Admin-Hi Denise,

The indoor zone operates on (3) AA batteries only. It has a running life of about 6 months. The outdoor Pawz away rock under normal conditions can operate on D batteries up to one year. Test the system every few months to ensure it is working properly. The system will operate in cold weather; however, the battery life will die much quick in colder weather.

I have used the Innotek IUC-4100 with 2 collars on about 1.5 wooded acres. It was working fine for a while, but started to get “ghost” triggers. The system would go off on the dogs while in the house etc. Since it is a wooded lot, we also had some problems putting the lines in-ground and had some breakage. Since the dogs have been without for a while, they have discovered that there is no fence anymore and are running away. My wife is begging me to put in another system (I still have the main unit), but I am not sure what to do with the interference. Is the Innotek IUC-4100 the best option here? Is there is an easy way to find a breakage, if not immediately evident. Also are there any recommendations on how to put the lines underground in a wooded area (special tools etc)? Thank you, Ronald

ADMIN – Hi Ronald,
The Innotek IUC 4100 is very good fence. The random interference could be caused by several possibilities: the location of the transmitter and wire from electrical appliances, circuit breakers, and any other cables in and around your home. Switching to a different brand of fence may or may not make a difference. The 4100 operates around 8K while the PetSafe fence operate on 10K. This frequency change may make a difference. For your installation needs, I’d recommend upgrading to #14 wire if possible. #14 rarely breaks at all and would hold up well against roots and such. Try and locate a mini-cable installer. A good brand is the EZ Trench which has several models you may be able to rent at a local tool rental shop. They do a great job and can often cut through those pesky roots. The process for locating a clean break in the wire is the same for both Innotek and PetSafe brands. The difference is the application. We provide a wire break kit to assist in locating breaks on a Innotek system. PetSafe has their own break locator to accomplish the same thing. Basically, after setting up the test, you walk the boundary with an AM radio. The radio picks up the signal and broadcasts a unique beating sound. You’re listening for the beat to fade to radio static, which means your in an area that lacks the fence frequency. The break should be within several feet of this. If you have partially broken boundary wire, this test most likely will not work. You’d be left with walking the line and locating sections that seem at the highest risk and physically inspecting the wire.

We adopted a 1yr old coonhound. We have approximately 1/2 acre with some of it wooded. Can an electric fence contain such a prey driven breed? We would also like to cross the electric boundary to walk her along a trail behind the property. How is that achieved? Thank you!

ADMIN – Hi Craig,

A dog fence will work fine with a coonhound. As always the key is to make sure you are consistent with the training over the two-week training period. If there are any particular temptation, such as prey drive, make sure you test them in Stage 3 of the training. (For example working with the dog in the morning and evening when critters are most likely to be around – of leaving out some food to encourage their presence).

Hi, We just got a 1 year-old Norwegian Elkhound rescue. This is our 3rd Elkhound and we thought we really knew the breed. However, this one might be mixed with German Shepherd (my wife’s guess), Husky or Deer. She leaps like a gazelle and easily clears our 36″ fence. We need to keep her in our backyard – no difficulties or barriers – and I’d prefer to not bury the cable but instead attach it to our fence, maybe even cover it with small pvc. What do you recommend for a sensitive, but extremely active/agile Elkhound? Thanks.

ADMIN – Hi Ron,

Running the wire along the fence would work fine. Covering the wire with PVC before attaching the wire to the fence would work, but is not necessary.

For an Elkhound, something like the Innotek IUC-4100 would work well. One of the challenges for breeds with that thick hair is getting the collar on correctly, the collar fit function on the Innotek is a very handy when it comes to getting the collar correctly fitted.

Hello there, great website! I’ve got two golden retrievers and a shih tzu. On three sides of the house were surrounded by woods that the dogs love to play in but they’ve run into the road out front a few times. Is there a type of fence that would only limit them from going by the road- that way we could still go hiking and swim in the creek.

ADMIN – Hi Ashley,

You can create a long thin loop along the road (with opposite sides of the loop 6+ feet apart). (See the Single Sided Layout in the Layouts Page in our Installation Section) The risk however with this type of non-enclosed layout is that the dogs can go around the area you have blocked out.

I have two French Bulldogs that weigh around 20 lbs. I know the collars on the PetSafe Little Dog are to small to fit around their necks, what wireless and in ground system would you recommend of these types of dogs? Thanks in advance!

ADMIN – Hi Michael,

If possible, use a wired system – the field it creates is much more reliable which makes training the dogs much easier.

For French Bulldogs, something with a small collar like the Innotek IUC-4100 system would be a good choice. For wireless, the Havahart Radial would be your best option, although the collar is going to be bigger than optimal.

I have just built a home where we had a fence installed 6 foot high as I have a Boston Terrier that is registered as a dangerous dog (he killed a neighbors cat at our old home). We have got to keep him confined to our yard. Within days of moving in he dug UNDER the fence and introduced himself to out new neighbors cat. We had a chain link fence at our old home that we also had to put a electric fence as he was jumping it. However, he spent everyday testing it. This yard is much larger and I would like to install it about 3 acres behind our house and around the front (he is a door bolter too!) I also have a 120lb Saint Bernard who runs the fence line and is already tearing it up and may want to fit her with something as well. Do you have any advice?

ADMIN – Hi Shannon,

The PetSafe systems work well in situation where there are two dogs of very different size, because you can mix their collars with their systems to get each dog on a collar that works well for them. I would use a PetSafe Stubborn system, and use the included collar with the Saint Bernard. With the Boston Terrier – if he is over 12 pounds use a PetSafe Deluxe collar. If he is under 12 pounds use a PetSafe Little Dog collar.

Note that since you already have a fence in place, attaching the dog fence wire to the existing fence would be an easy way to install the fence without doing any digging.

I have a 5 year old Akita who has defeated every attempt I have made to contain her. I live on 1/2 acre and would like to restrict her to the back yard, which is about 2/3 of the property. She weighs about 90 lbs, is very obedient when contained, but ignores me when she is gets loose. What is the best system for me to use?

ADMIN – Hi Gwendolyn,

The Innotek IUC-4100 woudl be a good choice with an Akita. The collar-fit feature on the Innotek lets you know when the collar is properly fitted. It comes in handy with Akita’s, because their fur is so thick getting the collar properly fitted can be a challenge. You could also use a PetSafe Stubborn system, it is a little cheaper, just be sure to keep it turned down to the lower correction levels.

I just had an electrical engineer for a prestigious computer chip manufacturer call for a wired fence. He had spent a thousand dollars on the Havahart system, (configurable system) and had two dogs. He spent a good portion of a weekend trying to get the Havahart system to configure to his yard. His best effort, and we are talking about a highly intelligent man with multiple patents in the electrical engineering field yielded a weak arch into his backyard covering maybe 50% of the available space the dogs should have had available. In addition the field fluctuation was over 6 feet difference from hour to hour in his estimation as he was trying to set flags for the dogs. We wired up a fence in 3 hours for two dogs for just under $500. Wireless systems are not as advertised… read the troubleshooting brochure on the manufacturers website before purchasing and see how different it is compared to their homepage!

ADMIN – Hi Dwayne,

We agree with you that the wired fences are much superior to the wireless fences. If a customer is at all able to use a wired fence, it is by far the better choice. As you mention the field fluctuations on the wireless systems make setting the boundaries and training the dogs a challenge. Wired more than makes up for the inconvenience with the superior performance (and lower cost).

We recently adopted a 3 month old Pointer/Border Collie mix. He is currently 15 lbs and growing most likely to 65. The Pointer Heritage may actually be Dalmatian but not sure. He has been trained to sit on command and wait for his meals to be placed in his feed bowl. He will then eat when given the verbal ok command. We are starting to train him to come. We are looking at purchasing the IUC-4100 for our 1/2 acre lot. Two questions:
1. Is 3 months too soon for this dog? He is currently living inside until we get the fence up and operational.
2. Is the IUC-4100 a good fit? Will it provide enough energy to protect the dog?

ADMIN – Hi James,

We ask our clients to try and wait till six months, because before that age most dogs don’t have sufficient attention span to do the training. Some dogs will be advanced and can be trained earlier. A good rule of thumb is when they can confidently do a sit/stay/come they are ready for the training. Your dog sounds advanced for his age, and should be ready in a month or two.

With those three breeds you mention, I don’t think you will have any problems with training. I find Border Collie mixes to be particularly easy to train because they are wicked smart and so eager to please their master. The 4100 would be good choice.

We have a 7 lb. Pomeranian who keeps slipping through rabbit holes (dug under one poorly-designed fence) and onto a busy street. We are considering an electric fence option with only about 50 feet in length required. Best Suggestion?

Another thought is that ideally (in my fantasy dream world), if we could get a portable unit of some sort, the dog would have more freedom as we take him camping on the weekends (possibly 100 ft. perimeter). Do you know if: A: there is a portable unit that could be transported between home and camp? And B: suitable for small areas and small dogs. Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I really can’t seem to find the ideal product:/ Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Sue,

For a small area like that and a small dog, you can try the Pawz Away Outdoor Pod. The system can use up to 150 feet of wire. To run it along the fence, you are going to want to create a long thin loop with a few feet of separation between the opposite sides of the loop. If the fence is over 4 feet tall (ideally 6 feet), you can run one length of the wire along the top of the fence and the return run along the bottom of the fence. The Pawz Away is not design for this purpose, but since you have such a small area to block off and a small dog it should do the trick. It will be much cheaper and easier to install than a full fence, and it is battery powered so you can take it camping with you.

The other option would be to get a PetSafe Little Dog Containment System. That will work much better having a superior collar and transmitter, but is not portable and is going to be about double the cost.

I am looking for a system that I can use for three dogs. A Great Pyrenees, Australian Blue Heeler and a shitz tzu. Which system would work best for this situation? Thanks for your help!

ADMIN – Hi Jamie,

The PetSafe Stubborn, Petsafe Deluxe and PetSafe Little Dog systems are inter-compatible, which is useful for dogs of very different sizes and temperaments. I would get a PetSafe Stubborn system and use the included collar with the Great Pyrenees. I would add an additional PetSafe deluxe collar for the Blue Heeler. And a PetSafe Little Dog collar for the Shih Tzu. I am presuming the small Shih Tzu is under 12 lbs, if they are over 12lbs, you should use a PetSafe Deluxe collar instead.

Hi, We have 20 acres, that gets flooded in the spring, on rock (maybe 1 to 2 inches of earth ) and 1/3 of it is wooded. We get up to 1 to 2 feet of snow in the winter in some areas. It is mostly covered with wild grass and weeds. We also have severe thunder storms, lightning protection is a must. Our dogs are both mixed with poodle and will be over 60lbs. From what I have read the wireless seems not to work in our situation.
What would you recommend? I would like the option of using a vibrate mode if possible. Thanks

ADMIN – Hi Dee,

With larger dogs like yours, on a big property, the SportDog SDF-100A Dog Fence would be a good choice. The system can power 100 acres, so you have plenty of power in reserve which is useful when you get snow accumulation. The collar also has a vibrate function for warning the dogs prior to the correction.

We are moving and looking to get a DIY fence for our two dogs. We have an 11pd shih poo and a 28 pd cocker spaniel. The cocker spaniel is about 6 years old and we rescued her a year and half ago. She is very skittish as she is still very traumatized. Our shih poo has lots of energy and loves to run. What would be your recommendation for a wired system? Thanks so much in advance!!

Admin- Hi Courtney,

A great system for your Shih Poo and Cocker spaniel will be the PetSafe little dog system. You will use the Little dog collar for the small Shih and bundle in a deluxe collar for the Cocker spaniel. A great feature about the PetSafe Little dog system is that you will have independent correction levels for each dog. Since the cocker is really skittish, you might be able to only trainer her on level 1 which is a warning tone only and no correction will be given.