We are getting ready to purchase a wireless electric fence for our doberman. I would really love to have as much room as possible for him, so this is the product we’re looking at. my question is, we have trees in the back yard. Is that going to be a problem ?

ADMIN – Hi Ralph,

The occasional tree is not a problem. But, if the property has a lot of trees, particularly when they are close together, they will block the signal, and you will need to either move the boundary line before the trees or use another solution such as a wired system.

I bought the Havahart Wireless Radial Dog Fence System less than one year ago. When the system is working, it does work pretty well with very few problems (changing batteries everyday gets old quick). Within a months time I had to send the collar back because it had stopped working. We did have a real wet spring that year and from what I could see the batteries compartment is not sealed from the rest of the electronics in the unit and water and dirt had seeped in thru the battery cap and got all over the electronics. Havahart replaced the collar in a timely manner and said they were working on the problem. Great, but this year was different. This spring brought the same problem again so I again called Havahart (only owned it 11 months at this point) and I was rudely asked if I let my dog swim in it. Duh, no! Oregon in the spring time…rain, lots of rain. I then asked if they had fixed the problem with the battery compartment. They said they didn’t know of any problems. So I figure instead of creating a sealed battery compartment that would completely fix the problem, they seam to be trying to blame the customer for any problems. They said I had to send the collar back to the company and it would take up to three months to decide if it is their problem or not. I would NOT recommend this product in any kind of wet or dirty environment unless they get their problems fixed with the collar and the service people change their tone.

We have an ICF home (meaning it is made of concrete and styrofoam on the exterior walls). We do have a sunroom with lots of windows located on the second level where we could but the transmitter. Will this system work for us.

ADMIN – Hi Sandee,

While the Havahart doesn’t do well with thick solid concrete, ICF as long as it is not more than a foot thick generally works fine.

We have a black lab in the city limits who loves to run. Most of the yard is behind the house and there is a garage in the back where the system can be housed in and would make the radial system work OK I believe. Only problem is a metal garden shed that resides by the garage. there is yard beyond the shed. Can that is a problem be alleviated by placing the unit in the basement of the house – approx 20-30 ft away from metal shed? And what happens if he gets on the other side of the shed? It is a rental property so not very interested in wired system unless absolutely mandatory.

ADMIN – Hi Nikki,

A metal shed is probably going to block the signal around the area of the shed. You options are either to put the transmitter in the basement and reduce the boundary radius so it stops before the shed, or to use a wired system. If you don’t the boundary is likely to not work properly around the shed and the dog will be able to simply escape through a gap in the fence behind the shed.

I’m looking a purchasing a house that will not allow fences. I am considering a wireless fence. The backyard has train tracks and power wires. Do you see any issue with these 2 things? Other than that it is a relatively flat .2 acre lot.

ADMIN – Hi Carly,

Neither train tracks nor overhead power lines will have any effect on a wireless system.

We have a 1 yr old yellow lab and a 3 yr old black lab/setter cross. We have about 1/2 acre of a mostly heavily wooded lot, sandwiched between 2 roads that we want to keep the dogs off of. We are on a budget and I like the idea of a wireless system. It isn’t a high traffic area (quite rural) but they are considered “nuisance” dogs by some neighbors and in the interest of neighborhood cohesion, we want to contain them without restricting them in a pen or on a run. Would this system be effective for our needs?

ADMIN – Hi Kristina, the heavy woods may be a significantly limiting factor. The more obstacles the signals need to travel through the weaker the signal will be. Also, a wired fence will offer the best fence for your budget. The Havahart with an extra collar is $450, while the Dogtek with an extra collar and enough wire to cover 1/2 an acre is $375. A wired fence is much more reliable and provides much more customizing.

We have a Brick Home with a Metal Roof that is raised up 7′ above the back yard because of the Flood Plain. Our neighbor has a wired fence that runs down the length of our lot and is not buried. Will this effect the reception of a wireless fence, or can I run another wire down the length of the fence without interfering with my neighbors fence.

ADMIN – Hi Allen, the problem will not be the wire. The problem will be your metal roof. The signal is shaped liked concave dome. The wireless transmission will not be able to penetrate through it.

We are thinking of a Havahart wireless containment system for our 60lb “excitable” Lab. We live on a sloped 3/4-acre lot in a ranch style home with a walkout basement and a drive under garage. Should I locate the receiver in the lower level or main level? The lot is wider than it is deep.
Thanks
Jerry

Admin- Hi Jerry,

If the sloping part of your yard is not more than 10 percent, you signal should be fine projecting down the hill. We find that the boundary signals work better when the transmitters are installed at the higher levels. The main section of your house would be better.

I live on a farm and we are fairly close to the road. All our land is behind us but my biggest fear is the road. We have 3 metal barns close by and lots of metal equipment and vehicles. Would this effect the fence? Plus, how well does it work with uphill slopes. We have a small hill and I do not want to cut my dogs off from it.

Admin- Hi Courtney,

You do have several obstacles that would affect a wireless dog fence system. First, the metal structures will completely block the wireless signal and secondly, the system would not be able to send the signal up the hill. It seems that the best setup for your house will be to run the boundary wire around the whole yard. A great dog fence system to first look at will be the Dogtek Ef-6000.

Hi I have been on here before and did purchase a wireless fence and had great success with it. Unfortunately while we were in town our dog ran away or was stolen. Considering his previous history (before we bought the fence) of returning or just being at a neighbors house nearby we are fearing the later as a week long search has yielded no results. But my question involves the collar and unit. If we get another dog is it possible to order a replacement collar and delete the old one? Or is there no way to delete the old collar reducing the unit to a one collar unit? (We are considering getting 2 dogs to keep each other company and to hopefully remedy the running away issue.)

ADMIN – Hi Tiea, I am sorry to hear about your previous dog. You should be able to reset the system and simply order a second collar.

I have two puppies both around 6 months old, one is a Doberman and the other is a boxer. I hate to leave them in a kennel but every dog I have ever had wants to go check out the highway I live on and I have lost dogs to this highway for my entire life. My house is unusual because it sits on an Indian mound and is probably 20 ft. Higher than the majority of my yard. I have lots of trees but even at the maximum range for the havaheart radial it will keep them from reaching the highway, and a wired system is nearly impossible with all of the concrete sidewalks and stairs on the outside of my house. Would this yard be problematic for this system and is there any guarantee if it doesn’t work? It is rather expensive especially when figuring in another collar. Thanks for the help

ADMIN – Hi Brad, the grade of your yard makes it difficult to recommend a wireless fence. I fear there will be a great loss of signal at the bottom of the hill. That being said, you may just want to give it a try in order to get a definitive answer. You can take advantage of our 30 day no hassle return policy that begins the day you receive your fence.

Hi, i have newly bought a home and i have about 1/4 of a acre and i was thinking to buy a wireless system for my gsd, i also live in Minnesota with snow? What would u say?

ADMIN – Hi Jennifer, For your size lot, the Havahart sounds like a good option. The snow may be a hindrance as the snow accumulates cause the system creates the boundary as a dome shape. The ideal solution is a wired fence, but for wireless, the Havahart Radial is a great choice.

We live in a manufactured home community, so think we have metal sides and a roof, although the home has been resided & has a roof over made of shingles We’ve had to install a Microcell to get good cell phone service, but our wi-fi works great with a modem. We just moved to Florida, had a wired Petsafe system in Michigan, but don’t want to install a wired system here due to sprinklers everywhere that are owned and ran by the park. Will the wireless unit work for us? We have two cockers, one is about 35 pounds, other a about 25 pounds, and were trained fairly well with our wire system. Don’t have a large area to cover, just want to keep them on our property and away from all the other dogs. One cocker is a hyper type on Paxil due to anxiety issues.

ADMIN – Hi Dee, We haven’t had much luck with wireless systems in general in manufactured homes. The wired fences will be fine, but the wireless fences create a domed boundary. This requires the unit to transmit in every direction, which it cannot due in a manufactured home. There is just too much interference.

I live in a small town and with about 30 people in it. my yard isn’t small but isn’t huge. I have a black lab she is 100 pounds and a little jack Russell. My black lab ran through a wire fence we had in the ground and ran away. what would you recommend for her and our jack Russell? we don’t have any metal buildings in our yard, but i want to keep them in our yard so they will have room to run the whole yard. we have a metal flag pole, will that affect the connection. would i have to put the wireless transmitter in the middle of the yard so they can run the whole yard? or where should i put it?

ADMIN – Hi Katelyn, You will need to install the transmitter inside your home on an a wall facing the outside. It creates a dome shaped boundary from the center of the transmitter. You should be able to establish a circular boundary up to 200 feet in radius, which equates to about 2 acres.

Hello! I have a 35-lb dachshund/beagle and a 12-lb dachshund (he’s a newbie that should gain some weight). Both dogs are very laid-back and stay right with us. However, we want something to ensure that they won’t take off when they see a squirrel charging through the yard. We live on about an acre that has a hill going down in the back. Our house is a ranch, but the backside has a walk-out basement. If I look out the windows upstairs, I can see where the hill levels off in the back, but cannot see down the hill itself. We also travel frequently to our cabin, which is on fairly level ground on the main part, and then has hills going up around that. I have been really excited to buy a wireless system since adding the second dog to our family. However, after reading your answers, I feel that it may not work. The downward hill and the large collar both appear to be issues. Am I correct? Would I be better to go with a wired system?

ADMIN – Hi Lindsey, Yes. Unfortunately, trying the wireless fence on your property is the only sure way to know if that hill is going to be an issue or not. We do offer you the ability to exchange your fence for a wired option or simply return it without penalty within 30 days of receiving your order. The collar size is also something to consider and is only best decided by having your 12 lb dachshund give it a try. We always recommend wired over wireless but do recommend customers try whichever fence they’d like to try.

I have heard the many benefits of a wired system over the wireless versions but I have an in-ground sprinkler system covering my entire yard. Would that make it impossible for a wired system? I am only covering approximately 1/2 acre but my back yard is at the base of a 30 degree declining hill. There are relatively few trees that are very small and I have no metal walls, roof, etc. What would my best option be? thanks

ADMIN – Hi Adam, We do recommend wired over wireless in the majority of scenarios. However, we like to give our customers the opportunity to try wireless and exchange to a wired fence if they want. A wired fence is buried about 2-3 inches in the ground. Just check the depth of your sprinkler system and I’d advice using a lawn edger to keep the trench shallow. A wireless fence may work well on your property, but it’s difficult to say without giving it a try.

If a dog runs through the boundary, does the dog get a correction until it returns to the radio area or do the just gone like in the case now with my wire collar fence. Now that he figured out that if he runs fast, he can out run the correction. I need it to keep up the correctionn

Admin- Hi Rob,

If a dog crosses the boundary wire, he will only receive the signal for the same distance as the inside boundary because the signal projects off of the boundary wire 360 degrees. The wireless system do send the correction for up to 30 seconds after the dog passes the boundary; whereas, the wired in-ground system will only last 15-20 seconds if the dog stops in the signal zone.
However most issue with dogs running through the boundary is not a correction or boundary problem, it’s a training issue. The success of these systems is built on training, as correction alone will not contain any dog.

Who makes a NON circular boundary? I need to keep a lab out of the water directly across from a public park and need a straight line of boundary?? Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi Lynn, At the moment a radial boundary is your only wireless option. The Havahart Custom is currently off the market and is being re-tooled due to poor performance. No word on it’s return.

Have a few questions. I have a 14 LB Cairn terrier. Will the collar fit her properly? I saw in the reviews it does not fit on a dog’s neck that is less than 20 lbs.? My house is only on a 3/4 acre lot, but we have a walkout basement so my front and back yard are about 15 feet in height difference. Will the system handle that? And both of my neighbors across the street have wired dog fences. Will that interfere with the wireless system? Thanks for the help.

Admin- Hi Tom,

Afraid your Cairn Terrier will be too small. The Havahart collar will be really bulky around her neck. Since you have the small dog and only need 3/4 of an acre to enclose, the PetSafe wireless system will be a better option. Also, the neighboring wired systems would not cause any interference if you install a wireless.

I have a 6 month shih tzu puppy that wieghs 14 punds. Her parents are both 20 pound dogs. I believe she will grow to be about 20 pounds. Her lease size right now is 12 inches. Will this system work for her?

Next question is I have a small hill in the front yard that slopes down to the road. It drops about 10 feet in elevation over about 60 feet. Will I loose signal if the sensor is in my house on first floor?

Admin- Hi Mark,

In our experience, all the wireless systems on the market will have issues with the sloping terrain.

With your sloping terrain, a wired in ground system will be your best option. Plus, the wired in-ground system is much more durable and reliable. For a 20-pound dog, the PetSafe IUC4100 system will be your best option.

My husband purchased a Havahart wireless system. We put it up for about an acre. I tested it on my hand. I could touch 4 of the setting with no problem. We put it on our dog on the highest setting and all she did was scratch at it and kept going. We are sending it back for obvious reasons after less than a week of purchasing it, but are still being charged a restocking fee of $54.00. For some reason we are being penalized for a product that does not work for us. I am pretty sure I will not be considering this company’s products again.

I am considering the havaheart wireless radial fence for my 2 labs. I have a sloped backyard and have read your comments on line of sight. My question is can the unit be mounted on the second floor of my house? I do have a line of sight from the second floor but want to confirm that this will work. Thanks for your reply.

Admin- Hi Mike,

Installing the transmitter on the second floor will help improve the overall effectiveness of the system. However depending on the slope amount, you could still have connection issues at the bottom of the slope.
For you two labs, the most reliable and durable system will be the SportDog SDF100a system. The collars are very durable and will hold up to play fighting much better than most other collars. Plus, you will have a consistent signal at the boundary.

I have a yorkshire terrier that is give or take 20lbs. In your opinion, would he be able to handle the Havahart Wirelesss collar if he is a pound or two under that?

ADMIN – Hi Derrick,

My best guess is that the collar is going to be too big if he is under 20lbs. It is hit-and-miss around this 20 lb borderline The way to get a definitive answer is to put the collar on the dog without switchingit on, and letting them run around for a couple of days, and see if they get comfortable with it. If they don’t get comfortable, you can send it back within 30 days for a full refund.

Will the wireless system work good for a mastiff and shepherd? they are quite large dogs I’m just worried about it not working on them!

ADMIN – Hi Rachel,

The correction levels on the wireless systems are sufficient for larger dogs. The only issue you are going to face is that the wireless systems don’t work with every property and every home. They work best where there are no metal structures and tree cover is light. The Havahart Radial wireless system is the best wireless system and if you were going to try a wireless system that would be the one that is the most likely to work.

I would generally pick a wired over a wireless. The boundaries are less stable and can move several feet minute to minute. This makes training of the dogs harder plus we have found with larger stronger breed of dogs like your Mastiff and shepherd, that the wireless systems will not be consistent or strong enough. If you can do wired, it is worth the extra effort.

We have 2-1/2 acres of property we would like to let our german shepard run, but we also have a few 10′x14′ metal sheds and a 32′x40′ pole barn with metal siding and metal roof in the area, are these going to cause problems with the unit not working correctly or causing blind spots where the dog can walk out of the containment area. We were thinking of mounting the unit in one of the metal sheds as it’s in the middle of the containment area, but now thinking that this idea won’t work.

ADMIN – Hi Mike,

Afraid those metal shed are going to cause problems. You will either need to modify the containment zone, so that it does not includes those metal structures. Or use a inground system that does not have the issues with metal.

We live on a lake. Are there waterproof collars available so the dogs can swim as well as roam the property?

ADMIN – Hi Bob,

The Havahart collars are water resistant, but won’t stand up to full immersion. Among wireless systems, the PetSafe Wireless collars, and the Perimeter Wifi collars are waterpoof, although we would avoid the later. Among wired systems, most are waterproof.

We have a 6 month old puppy. He is right at 20 lbs, but his neck only measures about 11 inches around. He probably won’t get a whole lot bigger than he is now. Will this collar work for him? If not, do you have a suggestion on which wireless system we should go with?

ADMIN – Hi Stephanie,

20 lbs is right on the border line, for the larger wireless collars. The PetSafe wireless fence collars are going to be a little smaller, but we would still prefer to see you try the Havahart Radial first because it is so much better.

I have a 5 acre tract of land. The entire tract is fenced except for the the four hundred feet of frontage. I have a metal roofed barn in the middle of the property. Can I spread the wireless signal out far enough to cover most of the open frontage even with the barn roof . Will the roof distort my signal also in the front of the property? Does the signal area have to be unbroken to work properly in all areas of the radius? I am wanting to purchase the Havahart Radial Wireless Fence in this application.

ADMIN – Hi Buck,

A wireless system is going to create a circular area (with the base station in the center of the circle) that the dogs must stay inside. So, it is not well suited to blocking a long thin strip along the front of the property. To get good coverage, you would need to place the base station in the middle of the frontage, but that would allow the dogs to go beyond front entrance.

A better option would be to use a wired containment system and make a long thin loop along the frontage.

I have a husky who is a year old. He does great till he sees a deer. Will you fence help keep in the yard so he don’t run away?

ADMIN – Hi Tracey,

The fence when accompanied with the training will stop even high prey drive dogs like Huskies. It is rare, when we can’t get a dog contained. It is great if you can identify likely triggers, like deer. We want to incorporate these triggers them into the final step of the training. With the training, I would not expect any problems with the dog chasing deer (or any other critters) through the fence.

FYI. If anyone is needing to extend ths length of the collar, if can be done with what is called a “conway buckle”. Google it. They can be picked up at any farm supply store. Use it to attach another section of collar of the same width.

I live off the power grid(no AC power) on 40 acre’s. My place is solar powered running a DC 12v system but can connect to 6 or 24 if needed. I’m looking for a solar system wireless or invisible fence for 10 acre’s. I have 4 dog’s 60-100lbs. There’s no hill slope and no forest or other obstructions. Do you know of any system for my need’s. My dog’s clear 6′ chain link fence and my neighbors are not happy with them chasing their cattle.

Admin Hi Daniel,

The Havahart transmitter can operate on a power inverter that will convert the DC current of the battery to AC current for the transmitter plug. The converters are pretty common and range from $40 up.

I have two Boxers, both over 60#’s. I see the collar size fits up to 17 inches. My dogs’ necks are larger than that, do the collars come with an extender? Thank you, Stephanie

ADMIN – Hi Stephanie,

The new collars can go up to 26 inches, so should fit your boxers comfortably.

How well does the havaheart collar standup to water? We have a lake that the dogs like to swim in do you think the collar can with stand being in the water?

ADMIN – Hi Angela,

The Havahart collars are water resistant, not waterproof. I would not let the dog swim with the collars. They will hold up fine in the rain, but not total immersion in the water.

Love your website, best on the web. I have a beagle (16-18lbs) that stays outside (currently on a runner). I’ve read that the wireless systems are not recommended for dogs under 20lbs, but I’m not worried about the bulkyness of the collar. However I do need a system with a battery that will last a long time since she will be wearing it 24/7. What do you recommend?

ADMIN – Hi Janee,

The PetSafe Wireless has the best battery life, they last around a month. But, note the batteries are disposable not rechargeable.

The other good wireless option is the Havahart Radial. With that system the battery lasts only 2-3 days. But, it includes two rechargeable batteries, so you can charge one while the other is in use.

Can you use a regular battery to get a longer lasting life on the collar?

ADMIN – Hi Bud,

Afraid you cannot use a regular, by which I presume you mean disposable, battery in the Havahart wireless. You can only use the included rechargeable batteries.

My husband and I are about to move into our first house (vinyl siding and shingled roof) next month. The backyard is fenced, but the back part (furthest from the house) is not in good condition and I am concerned our dogs could easily jump over. We are considering the Havahart wireless fence to reinforce the existing fence (specifically the far end of our property- lot is .4 acres) until we are able to put in a new fence. My preference is that the system be set up before our dogs ever step into the yard. I know the wired fence would be ideal, but I don’t know if we’ll have time to instal it before we move. Do you think the wireless fence would work for our needs?

ADMIN – Hi Laura,

With an open back yard, and no sheet metal you sound like good candidates for the wireless.

You could also consider wired, and just attach the wire to the existing fence instead of burying it – that would reduce your installation time to a couple of hours.

I have a 75 lb chocolate lab. My house is a contemporary post and beam and all of the exterior walls have metal studs. The siding is wood and the interior walls are sheetrock, but the studs are metal. Will that effect the functioning of the system?

ADMIN – Hi Joan,

Metal studs don’t tend to be a problem. It is long sheets of metal that seem to cause the problems.

I live in a townhome. I have an end unit. But there is a nice common area behind and on the side of my home. Would this be a good option for me? I would love to let my dogs out when it’s cold and not have to walk them all the time. Or if I’m sick, it’s really hard. Can you help answer my question?

ADMIN – Hi Sandy,

Doing the sideyard of a town house is are really tough. Running the wire is difficult when there is no spacing between homes. The only good way to run the wire is to go up and over the house.

Wireless systems are also a challenge, because most townhouses have small yards and with the large buffer zone you need with a wireless system, they are impractical. Wireless systems really thrive in large open areas.

I am moving to my Dad’s house after the loss of my Mom…but only until the house sells and we move again out of state. I have a backyard now that my 2 dogs are used to having, and living in a very strict “leash law” city, they are not accustomed to having free roaming capabilities…except that we have spent so much time there in the past 6 months due to my Mom’s passing. I have an almost 10 year old Boston Terrier and an almost 10 month old Golden Retriever, who is also my Service Dog (in training still at this point of course!)

My Golden LOVES being outside…but I can’t allow him to wander. He spends a good portion of the day outside now – and whines at the door when we are at my Dad’s house to just go outside! Not because he has to “go”, but just wants to be out!! Their neighbors don’t “love” dogs (putting it mildly, I don’t THINK they would ever try to hurt them!?!)…and I can’t take the chance of losing them (wandering/stolen). They are my WORLD! But I am also disabled, and having to take them out on a leash everytime they “need to go” is somewhat of an issue (when I hurt, taking them out isa major obstacle!!)…and not allowing them to enjoy the outdoors until we move again and have a true backyard seems cruel!

So I am looking into an invisible fence. There is a driveway that wouldn’t allow for a buried wire – haven’t done all that much research, there might be an option for this – but know that Dad would be MUCH happier with a wireless. ESPECIALLY since we are in the process of selling the house – makes much more sense of course. With the housing market like it is, who knows how long we might be there until we move again. At the same time, we may sell the house next month – so really, a wired system is just not a good option.

However, it’s also a very “tree’d” lot. It used to be solid trees…but they cleared the property to build the house. There is a large front and back lawn…they live on .6 acres. It has trees still dotted throughout, but I can clearly see the dogs wherever they are. Same with the back area, until it gets further back into the woods, and that’s one of the main areas I want to prevent because they could end up in another neighborhood – that would then take me 2 miles to drive around to get back there!! It would be a major obstacle for a person to walk back there…but a dog following another creature (deer, squirrel, armadillo, etc, etc, etc!) would be much too easy, so if they ended up back there I would then have to drive around to go get them – and in that amount of time, WAY too much can happen!!

One other issue that is one that I am just going to have to accept and deal with is that their little Cheweenie is a wanderer…and is allowed to do so until he comes back! I can’t live like that…not knowing where my dogs are at all times! But he does get to, and it will take some time to train my dogs that they can’t go wherever he goes! And training him to stay within boundaries is not an option – due to his age and size, and the fact that my Aunt, Uncle and Grandma live next door, and he often goes to visit them.

I have some challenges as you can see, but trying to come up with the best option to deal with all of them. Can you tell me if you think this would be a good choice for me?

ADMIN – Hi Moving,

The challenge you will have with the Boston is that the wireless collars may be too big and heavy. They are bulky, and don’t fit well on dogs under 20 pounds.

As far as the system working in your area, these wireless systems are not very predictable. If you are getting a line of site to the dogs, and the trees aren’t blocking that, you have a fair shot of it working. With these wireless systems, the best way to tell if it will work is to give one a try … plug it in and go out with the collar and tester and see if you are getting nice consistent signals all around the yard. If it doesn’t work, you can send it back (within 30 days) and get a refund or a wired system.

I am considering a wireless system at our house. We have about an acre yard and I have determined if I put a Havahart on a back wall and set it to about 100 feet it would keep our two Labs contained and mainly out of the road in front. However as I read your site I see the situation about metal roofs. We have a metal roof. But if the entire containment area if below the height of the metal roof at it’s lowest point will we still run into an issue? Also on the woods deal. Does the signal just get weak and not work, or will the signal just not extend the full 100 feet into the woods? I guess what I mean is will their be “holes” in the system because parts of the 100 foot radius extend into the woods area? Or will it just not totally reach 100 feet into the woods, which would be fine? I really don’t want to deal with the hassle of a wired system, especially the burying the wire underneath a concrete drive. Thanks!

ADMIN – Hi John,

If there is a metal roof, the system will not work well, even if the area you want enclosed is lower than the roof height.

When the boundary is extended into the woods the signal becomes inconsistent. This means sometimes the dog can escape through the wooded section, and sometimes the dog will get the correction prematurely when they start wandering into the woods. In either case it is a situation you want to avoid.

I have an Akita that is 7months old and already wears a 19 in collar. She will get bigger. Will the havahart radial wireless collar fit her? Dimensions say 7-17 in. Can the transmitter be put on a normal collar?

ADMIN – Hi Pam,

The collars cannot be used with dog with a neck size greater than 17 inches. The collar band unfortunately cannot be replace with the Havahart as the antenna is integrated into the collar band.

I have about .9 acres of property. I am not sure if I should go with a wired system or wireless system. I am interested in doing the back yard. It is relative very flat with no trees. HOw do you adjust the system so that only the back yard is contained. I wouldn’t want my babies to get lose and lost. I have 2 90-lbs boxers. The garage where I would power the main unit will be in the garage which is located on the other end of the rather large house. Would you recommend the wired or wireless system. If I don’t have to dig it would be better. I can’t seem to grasp how the wireless would work. How would I know where the boundaries are? thanks. I need to order asap.

Admin- Hi Kevin,

1)For your large Boxers, I would highly recommend a wired fence over a wireless fence. A wire fence is much more effective and will be better suited to contain your Boxers. A PetSafe Stubborn or a SportDog system would be a good choice for your boxers.
2) You can configure the boundary wire for a back-yard only layout. Please see our installation guide under the installation tabs on our home page.
3) You can install the wire in-ground or above ground. If you bury the wire, you can bury it 2-4 inches deep. If you install the wire above ground, I would recommend you rake ground cover over the wire though. This will give the wire some added protection from the surrounding elements.

Will the Havahart Radial Wireless work for my 12 pound Havanese Dog and is the perimeter just a radius from the transmitter and can you adjust the perimeter so it is only 150 feet? Thanks Bill

ADMIN – Hi Bill,

The Havahart collar is going to be too big for a Havanese. I would not use it on a dog under 20lbs. Afraid with a dog of that size, you need to use a wired fence with a smaller collar. The PetSafe Little Dog would be a good choice.

The boundary perimeter is indeed a circle with the transmitter being the center. You can adjust the perimeter to less than the maximum, so 150 feet would be fine.

Buyer Beware!!!! Ordered a wireless fence with the “promise” that it could be returned with-in 30-days. This product did not work for my 8lb dog. The are charging a 15% fee (53.00) that was supposed to be waived… This is what there web-site states: “In some cases, a small re-stocking fee may be charged”. This was not supposed to be charge to me, as per customer representative!

ADMIN – Hi Cindy,

Sorry to hear about your experience. I presume you did not purchase the system from us. We absolutely never charge a restocking fee.

What happens if the power goes out??? Will the collar be deactivated or will it continue to correct the pet?

ADMIN – Hi Christina,

Actually, you’re pet will not be contained. The collar will essentially be off. The other downside to the Havahart is that the wall transmitter is digital with no power backup, so when the power goes out you will need to reset your fence for each outage.

I had a totally disappointing experience with the Havaheart Wireless radial dog fence. I could find no location for the controller that did not involve very uneven boundaries. In addition, the batteries at first lasted 3 to 4 days and then ran down after only a few hours. Although the collar was replaced once by the company, the problem was not solved. The battery charger would show the batteries charged fully, but the charge didn’t last. I finally gave up, having wasted $349.00.

I live in a home with a basement and there is about a 10′ slope down in the back yard from the ground floor. If I place the transmitter near the floor on the ground floor will this work for both the front and back yards?

ADMIN – Hi Denny,

It’s difficult to say really if that set up will have issues or not. Unfortunately, for wireless fences, the best option is to test it on your property since every property is unique.

Can the Havahart base be installed in the attic of a 3 story house?

ADMIN – Hi Bea,

The third story attic is probably going to be too high for the system to get a good signal at ground level. This is true for both the Havahart and the PetSafe systems.

We live on a 100 x 100 lot. We have a house with aluminum siding but a shingled roof. If we mounted the base unit in the attic would the aluminum siding still interfere with the signal? Can the signal be adjusted to fit the size of such a small lot?

Admin-Hi Todd,

All the wireless systems have quite a bit of trouble with metal buildings and aluminum siding. Technically mounting the transmitter in the attic above the aluminum side should work. However, you may still experience a few issues. You will be able to adjust the fence width on the transmitter down to a lower setting but you will still have a redial shape.

I see a lot about interference from steel buildings, what about brick homes?

ADMIN – Hi Stu,

Brick does not cause any particular problems. It is metal that causes most of the interference issues.