Innotek/PetSafe UltraSmart IUC 4100 Review
Pros
- Rechargeable Lithium Ion Collar Battery
- Slimline Collar with Collar Fit feature
- Compatible with wireless indoor and outdoor pods
- ReadyTest feature to ensure collar contact
Cons
- No independent correction level for different size dogs
Rating
Retail Price
$349.95
Our Price
$279.95
Availability: In Stock
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UPDATE: On 5/4/2010 the Innotek IUC-4100 was rebranded the "PetSafe IUC-4100". Please note that the system components are exactly the same as the Innotek IUC-4100. The only change other than the name is a modification of the product packaging.
Innotek’s middle offering is the UltraSmart IUC-4100. (Innotek is a division of the Radio Fence company which also makes the gear for Invisible Fence and PetSafe). We use this system for our own customers, and highly recommend it as the best mix of value and features.
The IUC-4100 is a rechargeable system similar to the SD-2100. The IUC 4100 uses a thinner collar with a lithium ion battery (Li-ion). (The SD-2100 uses a Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery). Lithium ion collars charge faster (approximately one hour vs. twelve hours) and last longer. The collar comes with it’s own charger that plugs into your wall socket and does not have the annoying hum of the SD-2100.
The IUC-4100 Innotek also fixes the problem of the soft warning beep on the collar. The beep on the IUC-4100 is strong enough for the trainer to hear, although we would like it to be louder still. Some of our older customers still have trouble hearing it.
The IUC-4100 also adds the ability to use the Innotek indoor wireless pods, which is a useful feature to keep your dogs out of select parts of your house.
Although this is our favorite system, there are a few things we don’t like about the UltraSmart IUC-4100. First, the correction level for each collar cannot be set independently. (see the resistor hack workaround here) This is not an issue for most households with dogs of similar sizes, but if there is more than a 20-pound difference in size between your dogs (e.g. a Golden Retreiver and a Chihuahua), then you don’t want them to both be getting the same correction level. In this case you should try one of the PetSafe systems where you can adjust the correction level on each collar independently. The second thing we don’t like is the control panel (similar to the SD-2100 panel). The panel is off-white, strangely shaped and less attractive than it could be. Seen an ipod lately guys?
Innotek offers a lifetime warranty on the IUC-4100. This is a little misleading. This really means that they will replace the unit for free in the first year and offer you a discounted repair in subsequent years. We have installed many IUC-4100 containment systems and find them to be quite reliable.
Summary: Our overall favorite. Has all the essentials like a rechargeable battery and indoor zone compatibility. Slimline collar gives it a cleaner look on your dog.
If you found this site useful, please consider purchasing your system through our online store. Our price on the Innotek IUC-4100 is the lowest price that Innotek allows anyone to sell the unit and includes free shipping.
Collar
The collar is the strong point of the IUC-4100. It is a modern slim line collar with a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The collar is really well designed. It is contoured to fit the dog comfortably. It is nicely waterproofed and really solid, with no controls or other fiddly bits on the collar, so it can really take a beating. The collar is small enough to be comfortable on any dog over 15 lbs.
ReadyTest A unique feature on the Innotek Ultrasmart collars is the ReadyTest feature that helps you get the collar on correctly. When you take the collar off the charger, it goes into the ReadyTest mode, as you fit it around the dog’s neck it makes a clicking sound when you have the collar fitted properly with the prongs contacting the dog’s skin. This is really useful, because if the dog doesn’t have the collar fitted properly the dog does not get the correction, and fitting the collar properly is a bit of an art, particularly on long-hair dogs like golden retrievers.
Rechargeable The collar is rechargeable, and sits in a little cradle that you plug into your wall socket. A full charge takes about two hours and lasts about a month. The lithium ion battery seems to last a long time, we have customers reporting collars working fine after five years. We have collars on our own dogs that have done four years of hard service and the charge seems to be nearly as long as when it was new. That said, the collar battery is not replaceable so if the battery does fail you will need to send the whole collar back to Innotek for repair. It would be better if the battery was removable. Still this is the best collar battery we have used.
Battery Indicator The collar has an indicator light that blinks green to tell you everything is fine. The collar blinks red when the battery is low. You have two or three days to recharge the collar before the battery is completely drained.
The two drawbacks on the collar are both related to the collar’s streamline design:
- No controls – while we do like that there are no controls on the collar, the lack of controls means that you cannot adjust the correction level of each dog independently. (there is an independent workaround, the resistor hack here, but it is not elegant). So if you do have two dogs that are more than 30% different in size, you may want to take a look at the older Dogtra EF-3000 or the non-rechargeable PetSafe PRF-304W.
- Quiet Speakers – to make the collar durable and waterproof, Innotek tightly sealed the speaker inside the collar. While this is great for waterproofing, this makes the collar beep hard to hear for adults (children and dogs seem to be able to hear just fine!).
Long/Short/Training Prongs The collar prongs can be unscrewed with the included tool and replaced with either the “no shock prongs” which are used for training, the “long prongs” for long hair dogs, or the “regular prongs” for short hair dogs. All three are included with the system.
Collar Band The collar has an integrated plastic collar. It is a high quality plastic, and some of our team thinks it looks modern and sleek, but most of us would prefer a cloth band. The collar is waterproof and wears really well. Our oldest collars look near new except for a few scrapes. The collar closes using a belt buckle style closure which is not as easy to use as quick-snap closures used on other systems.
Transmitter
The transmitter box is the brains of the system and connects to the boundary wire loop to create the virtual boundary. Inside the box are a series of controls that you use to set up the system.
- Correction Level Switch - sets the correction levels, there are three levels, plus the correction is progressive so it gets stronger the longer the dog wanders past their boundary. The low correction level is good for small dogs, the medium correction level is good for most dogs in the 30-80 pound range, and the highest correction level is good for all but the most stubborn dogs. One thing to note is that you adjust the correction level for all the collars at the same time.
- Field Size Switch – the field size switch lets you boost the signal for large yards. Select small for anything under an acre (1,000 feet of boundary wire); select large for any installation over an acre. The system can power up to 25 acres (5000 feet of boundary wire)
- Field Width Dial - sets the width of the boundary. This control sets how far out from the wire the boundary starts. You can set it anywhere from a few inches to about 10 feet. In practice most people are going to want to set it about 3-5 feet. Smaller than that and the dogs can be hard to train because they can too easily run through. Larger than that and you start taking away too much of the dog’s space which can be a problem in smaller yards.
- Collar Recharge Reminder Switch - reminds you to charge the collar by squawking about once a month. This is a completely useless feature and you should switch it off. The collar will flash red when it need recharging. This thing is just going to wake you up in the middle of the night with it’s infernal beeping.
- Alarm Volume Dial - this sets the volume of the alarm at the control box. So if you get a break in the wire this determines how loud it will beep. Set it at the maximum when you first do the installation then forget it.
- Power Switch – turns the whole unit it on and off. This is the kind of expert advice, that you can only get at the Dog Fence DIY website!
- Battery Backup Switch - this activates the battery backup. The control box can survive on battery backup for 2-3 days on the backup batteries (8 AA batteries) if the power fails, you will still get about three days of your fence still working. A pretty useful feature for people that often lose power during lightning storm, since these can spook some dogs and cause them to bolt. Not that useful in other power loss situations, since the dogs are usually so conditioned to obey the fence boundaries that they are unlikely to even notice that the fence is off.
- Power Adaptor Plug – where you plug in the included power adaptor, that connects up to a regular wall socket.
- Boundary Wire Terminal – this little terminal block is where the boundary wire connects to the system. It works like the speaker hookup in the back a stereo, you just pull back the latch, insert the wire and let go of the latch to secure the boundary wire in place.
- Status Light - tells you if everything is working according. Green indicates that everything is fine, the light flashes red when you have a break in the wire.
The IUC-4100 transmitter box is a wall mountable unit. The rear panel is removable and can be fasten using the supplied mounting screws. To get the longest life from the unit, mount it indoors in a place that stays above freezing. It must absolutely be kept out of the rain.
Boundary Kit
The system comes standard with:
- 500 feet of boundary wire (20 gauge), enough for about 1/3 of an acre
- 50 boundary flags – used to mark the boundary line during the initial training phase
- 2 Waterproof wire splice - used to join sections of the boundary wire
If you need additional boundary kits to create a larger boundary you can purchase it in our online store ($30 per 500 feet). You can also upgrade to the slightly thicker 18 gauge boundary wire (we don’t think there is a big difference between 18 gauge and 20 gauge)
Training DVD and Instruction Manual
The system comes with a training DVD from Innotek that shows you how to train your dog on how to use the system. We use a little different approach, but the Innotek way works too.
Indoor and Outdoor Zones
The Innotek 4100 is compatible with the Innotek indoor zones and the Flintstones style outdoor zone (cleverly designed as a rock). These let you create small circular exclusion zones that you can set from 2-12 feet in diameter to keep the dog out of small area. For example you could use the indoor zone pod to keep the dogs out of the kitchen, or slip it under a couch cushion to keep them off the sofa. The outdoor zones could be used to keep them away from a garden bed or out of the fish pond, etc.
Warranty
The system also has a limited lifetime warranty - that is a weasly way of saying it has a one year warranty. After the year there is a fixed charge for repairs ... the charge depends on what part breaks. Reliability is pretty good so hopefully you will never need it.
| Model | Innotek IUC-4100 |
| Type | In Ground |
| Collar Battery | Rechargeable – Lithium Ion |
| Correction Levels | 3 Levels + Progressive Correction |
| Beep Only Training Mode | Yes |
| Collar Warning beep | Yes |
| Collar Vibration | No |
| Independent Correction Levels | No – all collars have same correction level (Independent correction level workaround) |
| Collar Dimensions | 2.5” (L) x 1.2” (W) x 0.7″ (D) |
| Collar Neck Size | 7″ – 23″ |
| Collar Water Resistance | Waterproof |
| Collar Fit Test | Yes |
| Maximum Number of Dogs | Unlimited |
| Minimum Dog Size | 12 lbs |
| Minimum Age | 6 months |
| Maximum Containment Area | 25 acres (5,000 feet) |
| Boundary Width | 0-10 feet (adjustable) |
| Control Box Dimensions | 6” (L) x 5.5” (W) x 2.25“ (D) |
| Control Box Power Source | Wall Outlet (110V) |
| Control Box Battery Backup | Yes – 8 AA batteries |
| Indoor Pod Compatibility | Yes – ZND1000 |
| Outdoor Pod Compatibility | Yes – Rock!! |
| Included Boundary Wire | 500 feet + 2 wire Splices |
| Included Boundary Flags | 50 |
| Training Materials | DVD + Manual |
| Other | Collar recharger |
| Package Dimensions | 12” (L) x 8” (W) x 6″ (D) |
| Package Weight | 11 lbs |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime |
For the Innotek IUC 4100 Manual click here. (PDF)
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- How to effectively communicate the boundary rules to your dog
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- How to install an in-ground fence without burying the wire at all!
What you get
- Ten Chapters with over sixty pictures to make the instructions clear and easy to follow
- Detailed planning and installation instructions that make the job easy. The guides shows you how to handle driveways and other obstructions
- The step by step training guide, that shows you the best techniques to teach your dog the boundary rules safely and effectively
- How to easily find breaks in the wire
{ 76 comments… read them below or add one }
We have 2 well behaved Rottweilers and a small silky terrier. Are there collars for the innotek 4100 system that would handle both the small and large dogs? If not, what system would be best for multiple dogs of varying sizes?
ADMIN – Hi Steve,
The Innotek’s aren’t very good in situations like yours where there are dogs of very different sizes. You cannot independantly adjust the strength of correction of collar on the Innotek’s.
With different sized dogs, I would recommend the Dogtra or PetSafe models. They let you adjust the correction of each collar independently. The Dogtra is great because it is rechargeable, but has an older clunkier collar. The PetSafe is good becuase you can also use any collar for a wired system on any other wired system. So you can use say the PetSafe small dog collar and the large dog collars together on the same system.
Our yard is 5 acres, will this system (IUC 4100) work well with this area?
ADMIN – Hi Jamie,
The Ultrasmart IUC-4100 is rated to 25 acres, so will give you plenty of room to grow.
We have a Siberian Husky. Is the thickness of his fur a concern for the effectiveness of the collar? Also, we will be getting a Siberian Husky puppy. At what age can you use the collar on her? Is the Ultrasmart IUC- 4100 the best choice? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Deny,
The thickness of that undercoat makes getting the collar fitted so it is getting skin contact a little tougher than usual. The collarfit feature will make it easier by giving you immeadiate feedback when you have it correct. Wait until you Husky is six months old. You can start a little earlier if she will confidently do a sit/stay/come.
Hello, I was wondering how long the stimulation lasts for this system if a dog does cross the boundary. Also, does it shut off after a certain period of time?
Thank you very much.
ADMIN – Hi Geoff,
If the dog remains in the boundary zone the correction lasts for ten seconds before timing out for ten seconds. It then goes back on for ten seconds and so on. After three cycles, the correction is shut off to avoid over correcting the dog. With proper training this should not happen, the dog will be taught to reflexively turn and retreat as soon as they hear the beep.
Wanted to follow up on Deny’s question: my dog has very thick fur, especially in the collar area. Is there a perferred collar type/style for dogs like that?
ADMIN – Hi Frank,
The better systems (like the 4100, most of the Innotek’s, Petsafe’s and Perimeter systems) come with a second set of longer collar probes for long hair dogs. That really makes life easier when you have dogs with thick fur. Also, try and get a collar that detects when the collar is properly fitted, so you can get some feedback as to when you have it on correctly. (e.g. Innotek’s 4100 & 5100)
Sometimes you will need to cut a small patch of hair around the collar.
I want to install my system above ground, is this a good idea?
What guage of wire should I use?
ADMIN – Hi Sherry,
Installing a system above ground is functional and even recommended for some properties. You can use ground staples to secure the boundary wire above ground and begin training your dog immediately. Later, you can bury your wire (if you choose) when you have the time. 20-gauge wire is perfectly sufficient for this purpose. If you expect heavy traffic, 18-gauge may take a bit more wear.
It’s me again. If I understand correctly a radio signal is tranmitted from the underground wire to the collar. I have an old (23 yrs) Genie garage door opend that uses a radio signal to open and close the gargage doors. Since my garage doors have old technolgy (most likely an AM frequency) could opening the garage doors using the remote cause a correction to be sent to the collar? Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Tad,
Thanks for bringing this up. You very ocassionally get strange cases of interference where some electrical device triggers the correction. The only way to be sure that this will not happen on your system is to get a collar and see if using the garage door opener (test all the buttons) triggers it to start flashing and beeping. This is something everyone should do with any devices of concerm
In the unlikely even of interference, you can return the system under our 30 days satisfaction guarantee.
I have a small dog (Jack Russell Terrier). Is the collar okay for a dog this size?
ADMIN – Hi Marty,
A Jack Russel is somewhere in the grey zone. If they are over 15 pounds, definately go with the IUC-4100. If they are under 12 pounds, definately go with the PetSafe Little Dog. In the middle, and you could go with either option. The petsafe little is probably going to be slightly more comfortable, the Innotek is a slightly better system.
Hi – I am interested in purchasing one of your fences – the innotec 4100 seems like the best choice as I think recharable batteries are key. However, my dog is a minature pinscher and at most weighs 9 lbs. Will the 4100 system work for him? I read about the Petsafe little dog system and that is my 2nd choice. Also, I don’t understand lightening protection – does it protect the dog from lightening, or the wire in the ground (the invisible fence hardware)? Also, does the indoor pod that works with the 4100 system use the same collar as the rest of the 4100 system. Are you using a wire barrier inside as well or is the barrier wireless?
Thanks for you website and ability to answer questions. Jenny
Admin – Hi Jenny,
WIth a dog under 10 lbs, I would definately go with the PetSafe small dog. The system more appropriately sized for a small dog and the correction stnegth is calibrated for a small dog. Unfortunately as you point out, the PetSafe is not rechargable.
The lightning protection protects the control box in a thunderstorm. If lightning hits the wire it will run back through the wire and damage the control box. The lightning protection stops that happening. It is not a dog safety issue. Whether you have the lightning protection or not, the dog will not be endangered. It is really only useful if lightning strikes are likely to be an issue in your area.
The indoor pod is wireless. It looks a little like a smoke detector and projects a circular boundary that you can set from 2-12 feet that stops the unit. It doesn’t use wire. It is good to slip say under a sofa cushion to stop the dog snoozing on your new white sofa or in the kitchen to stop counter surfing!
Hi my next door neighbour has a IUC 4100 Ultrasmart and she runs the wire alongside our boundry fence… if I get the same model (which I also want to run down the boundary fence, will they interfere with each other.
ADMIN – Hi Denise,
There will be interference unless the wire are separated by about six feet. One idea would be for her to run hers along the top of the fence and you along the bottom of the fence (or vice versa) Another idea would be for you both to share a single control box and do one big loop around both properties. A third solution would be to use a different type of system like a Perimeter Ultra that lets you use different frequencies to avoid interference.
I just had a Invisible Fence consultant quote me 2700.00 for 3 acres of coverage for 2 #20 lb terriers…that seems expensive. She said that Innotek is not good and they have alot of problems. What is your opinion of Invisible fence?
Also..is it cutomary to find peopl to do the installation on Innotek, or is it do it yourself type?
Thank you,
mb
ADMIN – Hi mb,
We like the Innotek products, and use them for most of our own installations. We particularly like the rechargeable 4100/5100 models, we use these for our own dogs. Problems are rare. Innotek is owned by the same company that owns invisible fence, and you will notice that some components are shared between systems.
We like Invisible Fence a lot too. Most of their local franchisees do really good work. The systems are very good (except for the proprietary battery), service tends to be excellent, and the training is decent. I would feel comfortable entrusting my dog with them. A few of their salespeople go a bit overboard when trying to sell the product, this happens at every company with a salesforce.
Most people that buy our kits put in the system themselves, it is pretty easy and takes about a day. Some people hire their handyman or gardener to do it for them.
I live in an area that gets a lot of snow. Which fences work well during the winter?
ADMIN – Hi Bob,
Any of the systems, including the IUC-4100, will work with snow. Just make sure when the snow starts to build up, you turn up the boundary width to compensate for the extra height above ground the signal needs to travel (and turn it down when it thaws). Also, make sure you put your system control box in some place that stays above freezing, as with all electronics repeated going above and below freezing will shorten the unit’s life.
I live on 3 acres and my daughter and son in law live on 6 acres a few miles away. We both have Siberian Huskies and they love to run. We like to let the dogs run and play together, it is really something to watch them run in tandem. My question is, if they install a fence, and I install the same brand/model fence, will the collers work on both fences? I am also a little concerned that the underground fence may not stop them. I expect this is a training issue, but when they get going, common sense goes out the window – just lots of running, mouthing, jumping, barking, growling . . . That brings another question to mind. Are these collers pretty tough?? It seems they like to chew on each others necks while playing.
By the way, thank you for providing this site. This is exactly what I was looking for to research an underground fence. Your professionalism and willingness to share your knowledge is refreshing and impressive.
ADMIN – Hi Jim,
(1) Oddly enough, Huskies are pretty easy. Despite their stubbornness and general lack of regard for instruction (I say that with affection as a former Husky owner and person that aspires toward the same values ), they are really big babies. During the first phase of the correction they give you absolutely no hint that they are learning anything. But, at the first sign of even a very low correction they make that shrieking howl and act like the sky has fallen. And suddenly they will reveal that they are underground dog fence experts.
(2) If you think other dogs will be a distraction, incorporate that into the last phase of the training. (with Huskies, people, especially family members also tend to be a major temptation) That way the dog will learn that even when there is something as tempting as a buddy on the other side of the fence, they still cannot cross.
(3) If you get the same type of fence as your daughter, the collars will be compatible.
(4) The collars are tough. But when I am concerned, I will spray the collars with bitter apple (you can get it in the pet section of any supermarket for a couple of dollars). After a couple of days, the dogs lose all desire to chew on each other’s collars.
Should you be concerned with ‘line loss’ /18ga vs 20ga wire for a 3 acre property?
ADMIN – Hi Dave,
Line loss is not an issue at this scale. You can comfortably do 25 acres with the IUC-4100 with the 20 gauge or the 18 gauge.
I have 3 dogs, a Standard Poodle and 2 Shih Tzu’s under 14 lbs I want to use the IUC-4100. Collars seem to be a problem for the two little guy’s and suggestions?
ADMIN – Hi Chuck,
The Innotek is not a great fit for dogs under 12 pounds, nor when you have dogs of different sizes. I would get a PetSafe Deluxe System for the poodle and add a couple of PetSafe Little Dog Collars for the small fellas.
I have just started looking into this type of fencing.
I have 2 acres that is fenced already (T poles and wire) can this system be attached to the existing T poles?? If not what kind of stakes are used for the installation of this and how far from the existing T poles does it need to be??
Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Rob,
You can run the wire along the existing T poles. If you already have an electric fence (the cattle/horse type) you can sometimes get interference — the only way to tell is to test a section. If that is the case, you need to separate them, typically by six feet.
Most people don’t use stakes, they either zip-tie/staple to an existing fence or bury the wire an inch or two below ground.
I have been looking into these and other fences and would be using it on a Yellow Lab, he is now just 7 weeks old, at what age do you reccomend using the fence on this breed of dog.
ADMIN – Hi Craig,
When training dogs for clients I wait till they are six months. Before that they don’t have a long enough attention span or the cognitive development to understand the training.
If a client is really keen and has a dog that has developed a bit faster (can confidently do a sit, stay, and come) then we will do them as young as four months.
What is difference between the regular wire (18 or 20 gauge) and the twisted wire?
ADMIN – Hi Stacey,
18 gauge wire is a bit thicker than 20 gauge and of course more expensive. 20 gauge is easier to work with and we find it suitable for most installations. Twisted wire is simply two wires twisted together. Be sure not to confuse twisted wire with “stranded” wire. Stranded wire is multiple strands of wire inside a single wall of insulation. Twisted wire is two single core wires (both insulated separately) wrapped around each other.
Hello,
was just wondering about this system. the battery for the collar, are they replaceable? or do you need to get a new collar eventually? Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Kevin,
The battery can only be replaced at the factory. We have had them going for 5 years with pretty minimal dropoff. When they do eventually expire – you can get them fixed under the limited lifetime warranty, the cost is around $30.
Howdy,
I have a Lab/Spitz mix (I think Labrakita) that has been a jumper from day one. He can go over a 6′ wooden privacy fence with ease. He leaps at it from about a foot away, gets his paws on the top of the fence, and then uses his hind paws to help push himself up and over. He doesn’t hit the fence lower than 4.5-5′ or so. I suspect, also, that his prey drive is strong enough that adrenaline would keep him going through the fence, but that leaping back in would be an issue. Would an in-ground or above ground fence help in this case, and, if so, where should I install it — at the top of the fence, in the middle, or on the ground? Thank you!
ADMIN – Howdy Andrea,
Fence jumping is a pretty common problem. About half our customer already have a fence in place but have a dog jumping over, digging under or busting through. It is one of the easier situations because the fence creates a visual barrier that makes it easy for the dog to understand where the electronic fence barrier lies. And also because the dog will not want to hang around the fence long enough to hitch their top legs over the fence, then shimmy with their back legs to climb over.
I would install it around 3 feet from the base of the fence. Staple it or ziptie tie it in place. Then turn up the boundary width to about 3 feet so that the collar beeps both with the collar is held around the top of the fence and when the collar is held at the height of the dogs at 3 feet from the fence.
If we need to place the wire somewhere else for aesthetic reasons, let me know and we can figure out another configuration.
Hi – just wondering whether I could lay the wire on the snow or do I have to wait until all the snow is gone. We have recently adopted a terrier mix and he is great except when outside without a leash and his stubborness sets in and doesn’t come without us going to lure him back. Many thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Beth,
Laying the cable on snow is fine. Try and secure it in a few places by stapling to the snow or by placing a rock/brick on top of the wire. You can then do the permanent installation in the spring when it thaws.
Hi, we have a small dog, beagle, chihuahua, & daschaund mix and she weighs 12 pounds. Our neighbor just purchased the Innotek IUC 4100 for his miniature austrailian sheppard that weighs about 30 pounds. Will this system be to big for our little dog?
ADMIN – Hi Randy,
You are right on the border between the PetSafe Little Dog and the IUC-4100. You could go either way. I might go for the IUC-4100 (because it is rechargeable), and if it turns out to be uncomfortable for her, we can swap it out for the PetSafe Little Dog.
I am very interested in this system, and I know many people have already asked you similar questions, however I have just adopted a 3 year old yellow lab (56#), and I already had a Corgie(30#), would this be safe for both dogs or too much for the Corgie…(he’s kind of a baby anyway)…yet I want to make sure I can control the Lab (who seems immune to anything)…I have done my research and already believe this to be the best system available, I just want to make sure it is safe and effective for both. Thanks So Much.
ADMIN – Hi Texas Rose,
The Innotek is not a great choice where you have dogs of very different sizes, because you cannot vary the correction level for each dog independently. So the Corgie and Lab would get the same correction level. I would get seomthing with independant correction. if you wanted something rechargeable, the Dogtra EF-3000 Gold is a good option. It is a little older and has a bigger collar, but should be find on a Corgie and a Lab. If you wanted something smaller (but not rechargeable), one of the PetSafe Inground systems (e.g. PetSafe Deluxe) would be a good choice but it is not rechargeable and has a proprietary battery.
I would probably opt for the Dogtra, but both are good choices.
i have an older dog. she 15 years old and does not have the best hearing. she is not totally deaf, but is certainly hard of hearing. she can hear us call her from at most 10 feet way. is the audible alert on the innotek going to be loud enough for her to receive an appropriate “warning” alert?
ADMIN – Hi Charles,
It is not very loud. Fine for a young dog, but could be tough for an older hard of hearing dog. Perhaps he would be happier with a vibrating collar like the Dogtra EF-3000.
I have 6 acres I plan to set as the perimeter. Will it be possible for our dog to have 360° access around our home or will there always be a side of the house he can’t access because of wires run from the transmitter box outward to the perimeter?
ADMIN – Hi Rod,
You use a pair of wires twisted together (twisted wire) to connect the transmitter box to the boundary. The dogs can walk over the twisted without getting the correction. That way the dog can still have 360 degree access to the home.
I am looking at renting a home with an ornamental fence around the 1 acre backyard. I’d like to know if the invisible fence can be installed by attaching to the existing fence as opposed to placed in ground. The soil is very rocky and would be a pain to do an inground install.
ADMIN – Hi Calvin,
You can abolutely attatch the electric fence wire to the fence. I usually use zip-ties or staples to hold it in place. Try and fix the wire a little above the ground level so it does not get hit by the weed whacker!
I am going to install an Innotec system this spring. I have a spot in my driveway that I can run the wire in an expansion joint and cover with dirt.
My question is, When the system is on and I decide to take my dog in my truck, will I have to deactivate the system or will he be high enough over the wire so he doesn’t get corrected?
ADMIN – Hi Jeff,
Depending on high above the ground the truck and how wide you have the boundary set, you can often drive over it. But, I generally just take the collar off the dog when we leave home. It is better to be conservative in these things, and you also don’t want the collar being inadvertently set off by say a neighbor’s system as you drive along.
I would like to run the wire through a part of my woods in the back yard. If I lay it on top of the ground will the squirrels or other animals eat the wire. That wouldnt be a good thing and installing the wire underground in a woods will be quite difficult. If I ran it through something like garden hose would that work.Thanks
Rick
ADMIN – Hi Rick,
You can run the wire along the ground in wooded areas. It is much easier than trenching, because all the tree roots get in the way and it will bury itself after a couple of seasons of foliage being dropped on top of the wire. Animals eating through the wire is rare (it is not very tasty), but you will get the occasional break due to say a tree falling, an animal, etc.
You can run the wire through an old hose pipe. Running the wire through garden hose will definately protect it from almost anything.
Hello from a very happy customer! I don’t generally take the time to send comments online, but I’ve just gotta say, this is the best investment I’ve made in a long time! We bought the Innotek 4100 about a month and a half ago to try to contain an energetic, jumping stray we took in and fell in love with – really not expecting it to work, but wanted to try it before investing in a 6′ privacy fence for our back yard. She would jump the chain link fence and run full force into the woods. She would always come back, but the time she was away was very stressful.
Just a few days after installation, she was aware of her boundaries and after 3 weeks of training on leash, we reluctantly let her roam on her own. I can happily report that now we can open the door and let her out unsupervised! We probably spent more than the recommended time with the training, but it was most definitely time well spent, as it now saves us 1-2 hours a day, not having to walk her on a leash in our own backyard!
Thank you!
We have a small (18 lb) dog that we are considering getting a fence for. My neighbor has the Invisible Fence brand and has suggested we connect our systems so our dogs can have access to both properties. Would I have to get the Invisible Fence brand to do this or can we do this if we purchase the IUC-4100?
Also, our dog is 8 months old. Is there a minimum age that you can use an electronic fence for a dog?
ADMIN – Hi Sheryl,
The collars form the Invisible Fence brand are not compatible with the Innotek. If you extend the boundary on your neighbour’s system, you will need to purchase an Invisible Fence brand collar. You don’t want to train a dog on a dog fence under six months, they don’t tend to have an attention span long enough to make training effective.
Hi, Thank you for this website! I have a question regarding the number of correction levels on the Innotek 4100 v.s. the PetSafe deluxe. I am sold on the the Innotek 4100 but have some reservations due to only having three correction levels Our last fencing system (WiFi wirless) had 9 correction levels. Is three enough of a training variation? Level 5 was the highest our last collar was set at (training only) and I could hold that in my hand. Do you have any reviews/ feedback on the zap of a collar offering diffent correction levels? (FYI- the WiFi gave a very inconsistent boundry line making it impossible to contain our dog) Thank you for your help, Erin
ADMIN – Hi Erin,
The Innotek Ultrasmart 4100 and 5100 have three correction levels but they are also progressive. This means that the collar also automatically increases the correction level if the dog does not retreat. The level you set just represents the starting level. We find that using those three levels is fine for most dogs. The only situations I where the correction levels seem inadequate are where the dog is under 12lbs (choose the PetSafe Little Dog instead) or when the dog is particularly insensitive to pain. (e.g. some Pit Bulls, German Sheppards, Rottweilers, etc should choose the PetSafe Stubborn Dog instead) 5 on the Wifi is about equivalent to the medium on the Innotek, so that is where I would start my training.
Hi, I have a new rescued 2 year old Great Dane, and a 5 month Anatolian Shepherd puppy. I am debating on the correct fence to use to fence in about 4 acres. I am also concerned about collar size and want to make sure the Anatolian has room to grow. I am looking at this Innotek and the Sportdog system. Would you recommend one over the other?
ADMIN – Hi Dwight,
We have only done a small number of Anatolians, but from that small group some seemed to need the higher correction levels of the PetSafe Stubborn. My guess is that their roots as guardians of a flock led to them being bred for very high pain tolerance. I would use the PetSafe Stubborn in case your pup turns out to be one of those dogs that need the higher correction levels.
If possible, I would wait till six months to start training the pup, training tends to be much easier for all parties involved at that age.
How do you get 2 dogs on 1 system ?
ADMIN – Hi Jill,
You can add dogs to the system just by getting an extra Innotek IUC-4100 collar. The collars will automatically work with the system. You can add as many additional collars to this system as you want.
We bought a house that has an Invisible Fence system, but the sellers took the base unit when they moved. Can we add one of your systems to the existing wiring and will it work properly?
ADMIN – Hi Kevin,
Yes, if the old wiring is still in place for the Invisible Fence system, you can just connect up a DIY system and it will work.
We are considering the IUC4100 as an electronic fence for a 10 month old Standard Schnauzer we will be getting in a few days. Our property is 2.5 acres, with 1 acre already fenced in, but only 4.5′ in height. I read about installing the wires along the fence and setting the boundary width to prevent digging under and jumping over, which we will do.
My question is this. Part of the fence is wood at 5′ in height, and the remaining and majority of the fence is chain link. Are there any special issues and/or special installation tips for the chain link sections, or can I just treat them the same as if they were wood. I’m unclear if there are any issues for metal fencing vs wood.
ADMIN – Hi Stephen,
No issues attaching the system to a chain link fence. Just treat it like the wood. You can either zip-tie it or weave it through the wire fence.
I recently adopted a female blue doberman. She is 62 lbs and is just one year old. We live on a fairly large piece of property on a lake in the Sandhills region of NC. Approximately half of the property line is borders the lake and a lagoon. I was thinking of using the 4100 with the wire just covered by the layer of pinestraw…usually 2 to 3-inches thick. Do you think this application would work and is the 4100 right for my dog? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Drew
Any sense as to what her sensitivity would be to the correction. (If you accidentally stood on a tail or a paw – would she yelp or not flinch?) Some dobermans can be very low pain sensitivity, in which case I would use the PetSafe Stubborn. If she is more in the normal range the Innotek IUC-4100 is a better choice. Covering the wire with pinestraw or other mulch works great.
I was planning on installing the transmitter in an unheated storage shed that is near the property line. This will keep the loop around the entire 2 acre property. I didn’t want to bring the loop back to the house in the middle of the property. The IUC-4100 says to keep the transmitter above freezing. I am in MA. Any ideas, do all fences say that? One more thing. Will putting the wire in pvc conduit have an effect on the field. Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Tom,
All the systems want to be kept above freezing. What I usually do where I cannot keep the system above freezing is to wrap the system and transformer in insulation. The small amount of warmth given out by the electronics seem to keep it warm enough to avoid condensation.
Putting wire in PVC conduit is fine. I will also sometimes use a flexible conduit like an old garden hose, or that flexible black piping for inground sprinkler systems too. What is great about using a flexible conduit is that it is easier to work with.
I wanted to be clear on if the Innoteck IUC – 4100 would be best suited for my two dogs. We have a 7 yr. old lab who is 70 lbs. and a 1 year old lab who is currently 47 lbs (expected to be about 50 lbs). Would this be the right product for us or should we consider the Pet Safe Deluxe instead because of the different weights? The more I read on the Innoteck, the more I am sold on it…… Also, it was recommended on another website if purchasing the Pet Safe Deluxe, to buy your own 14 – 18 gauge solid-core wire instead of using what comes with the kit for better durability, is this necessary? If purchasing the Innoteck product would the wire up-grade also be recommended? Thank you for your help, your website has been very informative!
Hi April,
We don’t understand wire upgrade argument. It doesn’t improve the fence at all, but some folks seem to be promoting it as more durable, which seems reasonable enough. Our experience has been that it does not help a whole heck of a lot. The three things that damage dog fence wire are power mowers, power edgers, and weed whackers — those things are going to cut right through any wire you use whatever gauge. So we rarely find the thicker gauge helps much, and it also tends to be stiff and hard to work with (especially when you get up to 12 gauge or 14 gauge)! I would save my money on that and get your dog some extra bones or rawhides instead! All that being the case, if someone really has their heart set on the thicker it is not going to do any harm … who are we to stand in the way of true love.
I would be comfortable putting those two dogs on the same correction level. The weight difference is not too big and they are the same breed. The only thing that might change my mind is if you told me that the older dog seemed to have a much lower sensitivity to correction (for example if you had tried a training or bark collar on the dog and had to turn it up high), but at that age and being a lab I would think it unlikely that was the case.
We are getting closer too purchasing an invisible fence system, and reading all of the questions submitted is a big help. Here’s our plan, let us know what you would reccomend for a system ? We have two dogs a golder retriever weighs 60lbs long coat, a swiss mountain dog 140lbs, and medium fir coat. 2 – 3 acre perimeter, controller will be in an unheated barn. We live in New Hampshire, so have large fluctuations in temps, and winters can be cold with lots of snow.
What type of wire is used for these systems, since we will require a considerable amount would probably purchase wire locally.
Thanks for you help,
Clint
ADMIN – Hi Clint,
Since the dogs are such different sizes, you will want something with independent correction. I would suggest a PetSafe Stubborn (also get the optional long prongs) for both. You won’t need the full power of that system for the Golden, and you likely won’t need it for the Swiss, so start with the correction level turned down and only increase it if you need to.
All the controllers like to be kept above freezing. If possible put the controller in a heated part of the house. The next best option is to put the controller and transformer in an insulated box. The self heat of the system can minimise the temperature fluctuation problems.
You can use any single insulated copper wire. If possible get something “rated for direct burial”, it will last longer in the ground.
Does the Innoteck IUC – 4100 have any kind of lighting protection? If not, how would I protect my system from lighting strikes or is that even a real concern. Thank you.’
ADMIN – Hi Ed,
The Innotek IUC – 4100 has an optional lightning protection module that is $39.95. It is worth getting if you area is prone to lightning strikes or you have a very big installation (>2 acres).
Are you an authorized Innotek dealer? Will we have any issues with future warranty claims when we purchase through you?
ADMIN – Hi Brad,
We are an Innotek Authorized dealer, so you will get complete warranty coverage when purchasing through us, Everything we sell is new and non-refurbished. We are listed as an authorized dealer on the Innotek Website. (http://innotek.net/Where-To-Buy/Authorized-Retailers.aspx)
Thanks for such a great, informative website. I have a couple questions about this system.
1. If I understand correctly, the wire must be installed in a continuous loop, correct? Is there any way to leave the wire “open-ended” or terminate it without returning to the transmitter?
2. Is there any method of shielding the signal from the wire along certain lengths, other than twisting two active wires together? For example, at a gate opening from a traditional fenced area to the invisible fence area.
ADMIN – Hi Eric,
Appreciate the compliment.
1. Correct, the wire does need to make a complete loop, starting and finishing at the base station transmitter. There is no way to have an open ended loop. But, often through creative wiring we can achieve similar effects. (I presume you are trying to do a back-yard only installation?
2. There is no way to effectively shield the signal in some sections. Again you can often get a similar effect by creative wiring, such as running the wire high above or down below to get a similar effect. If you want to email us a diagram, we can often help brainstorm layout solutions.
I have 2 pit bulls that are very well behaved in the home and out in the back yard. But recently they got a taste of freedom when my 2yo let them out of the crate and out the front door. It was very traumatic for me not knowing if I could find them or if they would find their way home. We live in a duplex and are considering an invisible fencing system for the front yard in case this ever happens again. My dogs can be stubborn when on the run. Is this system good for Pit bulls? Can this be mounted on the top of a wall over the door jam to keep them from passing the thresh hold of the door? (the neighbor and his son are severly allergic)
ADMIN – Hi Widow-to-the-Oil-Field,
I would use a stronger system for Pitbulls. Some pit bulls have very low pain sensitivity so need a stronger correction to be trained effectively. A PetSafe Stubborn would be a getter choice
You can certainly run the wire along the threshold of the door, but note that the dogs will not be able to approach within several feet of that threshold.
we have a husky (40lb) and two goats (40lb). the innotek IUC-4100 will work with the husky i know from the conversation. But have you every put them inplace for goats?
ADMIN – Hi Anthony,
We have very limited goat experience! We have only done it once, using an Innotek SD-2100 on a herd of goat. I am told by the customer that it went well, the training was aparantly a bit harder than with dogs, with the owner having to get them on a leash, but the goats with the training figured it out.
Hello, we just moved and want to purchase an inground fence. I really like Innotek because the collars are rechargeable. Our neighbor has an inground fence as well and I am concerned about interference between the two. Our lot is long and skinny and his fence is right next to the property line. I am afraid if we get a new inground fence that we will need a decent amount of separation between the two lines leaving our dogs with essentially a hallway as a yard. Any insight regarding interference would be appreciated.
ADMIN – Hi Cassady,
Interference with neighboring systems is a problem and you need about 15 feet of separation to ensure there is no problem. You can experiment and sometimes get away with less, but 15 feet is a good conservative rule of thumb. Where that creates a problem, for example long narrow yards like yours, we have two options. First, extend the neighbors system if they are amenable so you both share one larger yard. Second, use a Perimeter Technologies Ultra system. The Perimeter systems have two adjustable frequencies so you can usually avoid interference by simply switching to a different frequency than your neighbors.
I read the description on the outdoor pod, Pawz Away Rock Outdoor Zone (RFA-378), and it said it ran on 4 D batteries. Can you tell me how long it will run on set of batteries?? I’ll be using it with about 100 feet of wire. Thanks.
ADMIN – You get about 3-4 months off a new set of batteries in the rock.
We have a really small yard with a field wire fence. One of our dogs keeps breaking through the fence so we’re considering adding this system. How small can the field width be set? We basically want something that won’t take more than a foot off the edges of the yard, but will correct our dog if she tries to climb/jump/chew on the fence.
ADMIN – Hi Mary,
Small yards are tough because, particularly during the training you need to set the boundary up at least 3 feet to train the dog. When you set it too narrow, it is tough to teach the dog because it is too easy to run through. It is a bit less of a problem where you have a fence because running through is not as easy. Still, I prefer to see clients set the boundary at three feet and then reduce it later after the dog is trained.
I am interested in the IUC 4100 or a Petsafe Deluxe – we have a lab mix puppy (5 mos / 28#) that lets all reason go under certain circumstances – neighbors dog, hikers, and certain vehicles. We have 10 acres fenced for cattle and 1.5 acres for the homestead. I was going to use the in-ground fence for the 1.5 acres. We often enjoy unleashed walks to check the fences but occasionally, she bolts off property, ignoring all calls to stop/stay. Does Innotek, Petsafe, or other manufacturer offer a fob type control to reinforce my command and activate the collar while outside of the boundary?
It seems as though there are dog training collars on the market; I’m wondering if any are compatible with the in-ground systems?
ADMIN – Hi Rob,
The Innotek IUC-5100 sounds like what you are after. The 5100 is basically the IUC-4100 with an added remote control for remote training. (it is $40 more, but also includes the twisted wire and lightning protection) The collar is about 50% bigger, but not a big deal for a lab.
Hello.
We are interested in putting an electric fence in at our home. We have got an 11 year old Jack Russell and a 9 month old Lab. Our Lab is already about 50 lbs and our Jack is about 25 lbs. I like the idea of the being able to recharge the Innoteck collars. I see the suggestions about dogs that have a 20 lb. difference. Which system would you suggest is the best buy? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Jennifer,
The IUC-4100 is not a great choice where you have two dogs of different size and temperament like yours since you cannot adjust the correction level on each collar separately.
If you want something rechargeable for a Jack Russel and a Lab, I would go with a Dogtra EF-3000. It is a good system, is rechargeable, and lets you adjust the correction level on each dog collar individually.
Hi, I have a different problem than anyone else on that I’ve read about. I have a 9 year old german shepherd who has recently started digging in the yard while I’m gone. I actually want to fence her out of a portion of the yard. Would the Innoteck IUC – 4100 work for that? She would still have an area that she could use but would protect the landscaped portion of the yard (she seems to go for the sprinkler heads).
Thanks for your help!
ADMIN – Hi Bridget,
When trying to keep dogs out of an area, these outdoor pods work great. They are also much cheaper and easier than a full dog fence system. You can either use them to create a wireless circular exclusion zone, or run upto 150 feet of wire off them.
The collar might be a bit weak for a german shepherd, but usually you don’t need much to keep them out of an area. If it does turn out to be a problem, we can either add a second collar until the dog learns, or use an IUC-4100 collar.
Hi,
I’m ready to buy a system. I’ve found your site most helpful.
I have a question about the proprietary batteries vs. rechargeable. I am impressed by what you say about the Innotec 4100, but it is more expensive than the PetSafe Deluxe. With the Pet Safe Deluxe, while you have to buy the proprietary batteries, they are only $10 or less for two. With the Innotec system, the collar is rechargeable. However, some sites state that people have had to replace the entire Innotec collar after less than a year. Even under warranty, that can be $40.
What is your experience with the lifetime of the Innotec collars?
Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Tommy,
When you recharge the collar only when it needs recharging (once every few weeks), with the oldest collars (about five years old) we are seeing a drop off in lifespan of about 50%. This tells me you should expect the collar to last somewhere in the seven year range before the life span becomes less than a week and you want to replace it.
We have had a few collar failures in the first year, but when that happens it is due to a defect in the collar not the battery wearing out. Unlike say a cell phone, you are not recharging this daily (or shouldn’t be), so there are much fewer charge-recharge cycles on the collar and hence you get much longer battery life.
To clarify, getting a collar repaired under the warranty through Innotek is done at no charge to the customer for the first year, then a fixed charge of around $35 in the second or subsequent years.
You are right the PetSafe Deluxe batteries are not too bad ($8 for 2), especially since they last about three months. The PetSafe Stubborn and SportDog are also good options for those that prefer a disposable battery, they both use 9V batteries lasting about 3 months and so are even cheaper to run.
Can you offer any ideas for finding out if a dog has a high or low pain sensitivity? I have a 1.5 year old, 35 pound pit bull/sharpei mix who seems to be pretty tough, but I don’t have a point of reference to know if he is too tough for this system. Thanks for the help!
ADMIN – Hi Laura,
Some good rules signs are if you have ever accidently trod on the dog’s paw or tail. Or if you have observed when the dog has accidentally ran into something. A low pain sensitivity dog will show little reaction. A higher sensitivity dog is going to yelp. At 35 lbs I would be comfortable using an Innotek 4100 or a Stubborn Dog.
I purchased the IUC-4100 and have begun burying the wire. I have a couple of questions. I read in the guide that you shouldn’t run the wire parallel to phone/cable lines. I was hoping to take the twisted pair into the garage through the same hole where the cable TV line comes in. There’s also phone lines, a wireless router, a wired hub and a number of CAT5 data connections in this area, within 3 feet of where the controller will mount. Will the twisted pair or the controller cause any interference with the voice, video or data communications?
Also, I’m planning for a single loop, back yard only installation. I may have to run the wire under about 12 feet of deck where the dog will exit the house through the back door. The deck is about 3 – 4 feet above the ground where the wire would be. Are there any options to shield the wire to reduce/eliminate the transmission field from this 12 foot segment of wire?
I appreciate your help!
Thanks,
John
ADMIN – Hi John,
You should be fine running the twisted wire through there. Twisted wire tends to cause very little interference, and what we are really concerned about is long runs of parallel lines, a few feet is not a big deal.
Unfortunately, there are no good ways to consistently shield the wire that we have ever found. I don’t think 3-4 feet is going to be enough separation unless you turn the boundary width down a lot. I would instead run the wire up through the gutter above that back door.
Hello…I was just wanting to know…what is the biggest size the collar..i think i saw that it was only 22 inches….im not sure that will fit my dogs neck..she is a very big bull mastiff..is there a way to get a bigger one if it dont fit…..
ADMIN – Hi Rick,
The Innotek can do about 23 inches. The SportDog is a bit bigger and goes to 25 inches. There is nothing bigger I am aware of on other systems, but we have had people remove the collar band and make something custom.
I want to allow my dogs access to a pier on lake we live on. Can I run the wire in the lake underwater around the pier then out and onto land and the rest of the containment area? the system is a 4100. thanks lls
ADMIN – Hi Larry,
You can indeed run the wire underwater. Also depending on how high your pier is, lots of people will run the wire lower down around the legs of the pier but still above the waterline, for easier access in case they ever need to make repairs.
Hello. Thanks for all the info. We adopted a 10-month old male English lab from the Humane Society 2 1/2 months ago. He still has pretty bad seperation anxiety whenever we are all gone and will do whatever it takes to get out on into the neighborhood, including the street, which has me very worried. I’ve spent A LOT of time w/him, but desensitizing him to our absence is slow and time-consuming. We have a big yard and he has access to house. He weighs about 68 lbs. I’ve only heard him yelp once when nipped by another dog over a bone. He did not yelp at being cut by back country skiis (or the staples used on the cut), at being cut by barbed wire on the chest, when he scratched his muzzle trying to get the Halti off, or at any of the other small mishaps around the house. For these reasons I’m leaning toward the Stubborn Dog fence, but like the options on the UltraSmart Innotek 4100. What’s your thought?
Also, could you include info regarding whether getting the collar wet on the systems affects either the dog (ie. shock) or the collar?
One last question: I’d love to think in 2 or 3 years he’ll have overcome all his angst and won’t need the containment system–have you seen this happen? Thanks, Mary
ADMIN – Hi Mary,
From our experience with labs, it is very rare that they would need a Stubborn. Usually medium on the Innotek is fine. I would try the Innotek and if it becomes apparent that you need something more, it should be obvious in the second week of training and we can switch it out for the Stubborn.
The dog being wet does no harm to the dog or the waterproof collars, but can diminish the level of correction felt by the dog.
Separation anxiety is one of those hard things to treat. I think you have the right idea working with him. I don’t think the dog fence is going to help (nor hinder) your progress. It is just going to be a process of you continuing to patiently work with him. I would consider working with a good local trainer for a couple of sessions. An outside perspective can often be very helpful.
Even once a dog seems to lose the desire to leave, I like to keep the correction collar on. It only takes one time for the dog to escape and have an accident and I hate to take a chance. But, I do know a lot of our customers stop using the collar after the dog is trained and do ok. I still think it is a bad idea.
How do you know when it is time to recharge the battery? Is there a way to measure or know how much battery time is left in the collar?
ADMIN – Hi Sabra,
When the battery is low, the collar light starts blinking red. That means you have about three days of battery life left and need to recharge the collar.
We have a 1- 1 1/2 yr old adopted Lab mix who weighs about 47 Lbs. She has escaped and ran away several times so we have to find her and coax her back to us.
I am trying to decide as to whether install the below ground fence wiring like the Innotek IUC-4100 or to simply buy a behavior control trainer that I can take with me and my dog for walks and also to train her to stay in our yard without burying wire etc.
What is your opinion on the two approaches? If the Long or Medium range trainers would work it is a less expensive and easier approach.
ADMIN – Hi Bob,
I have rarely seen much success with using a remote trainer for containment. People generally don’t keep the remote handy and don’t monitor the dog closely enough to consistently correct the dog whenever they cross out of the boundary area. It also tends to teach the dog that they should not escape while you are around, but that they are free to leave when your back is turned. I would use a dedicated dog fence system. If you want a remote trainer, consider the Innotek 5100, which is a containment system with a remote trainer built into he collar.
Speaking of charging the collar. The main wall unit is constantly blinking red/green and beeping. The picture says it is the Charge Collar Reminder, but the collar is fully charged and showing green. Any idea of what it could be before I call the company? Thank you for your site.
ADMIN – Hi Brandon,
You want to open the control box, find the middle switch (labeled “Collar charge Reminder”) an switch it off.
That red and green flashing and chirping is due to an old feature that you no longer need on the 4100. It is supposed to remind you once a month to charge the collar, but you no longer need it since the collar now has an in-built reminder. How it worked was that once a month the control box would flash and beep, and you would change the switch from position A to position B and vice versa. Now that it is no longer needed, everyone should just switch it to the off position.
Hi,
We have an existing Invisible Fence system that has just been installed and I would like to install another system at a second home. The installation looked really easy but I was quoted $600 for a DIY system from Invisible fence.
Do you think a different system would confuse our Golden Retriever? I am wondering specifically about the tone alert differences?
Thanks for your help.
Rob
ADMIN – Hi Rob,
Systems are very similar, and a dog trained on one system will very quickly if not immediately get the hand of another system. Just be sure to do the same training when you start on the second home – you can go a lot faster, but you still want to lay out the flags and take them round to introduce them to the new layout.
We have a malamute pup we are just about to pick up this weekend. We wanted to look into underground fencing. We have about 2 acres and were wondering if this type of fencing will work with the malumute and their strength, stubborness and smarts? We want him to be able to run around but also want to set limits and thought this would be the best way without putting a fence around our yard (which is not allowed in our neighborhood). Any suggestions would be helpful…we were looking at the INNOTEK IUC-4100…
Thanks,
The Price Family
ADMIN – Hi Carina,
I’d recommend the PetSafe IUC-5100 or the PetSafe IUC-4100 fence. Training wise, Alaskan Malamutes are a lot like Huskies (I know hearsay). They are stubborn, but sensitive to the correction. The main challenge is getting the collar fitted properly so that you have nice contact between the prong and their skin – this can be a little tricky the first few times because of that thick undercoat. The neat thing about the IUC-4100 and the IUC-5100 is that they have a collar fit detector that lets you know if you have the collars on correctly which is very useful feedback in the first few days when you are learning to fit the collar correctly.
If you are particularly concerned about stubbornness, the PetSafe Stubborn has the highest correction levels. You probably won’t need the higher levels of correction, but it’ll be there if you need it. It has 5 total levels. Level 1 is warning beep only, with levels 2 through 5 offering a warning beep plus correction. I’d recommend starting out on level 2 and moving up only if necessary.
I wait until my clients dogs are 6 months old before training on the fence. The reason is that most pups under 6 months old only care about playing and don’t have the attention span to be trained.
I am looking at the 4100 system for a 5 acre dog yard. My question is in regards to the collar. Can it be used outside of the dog yard (i.d. hiking with the dogs) and triggered by a portable hand device to stop the dogs from chasing wildlife?
thanks, andy
ADMIN – Andy
Not with the 4100. Now, the Innotek 5100 does exactly that. This system has a remote feature is great for when going for hikes and need a distraction deterrent.
Hi. I have a fenced in area in my yard that 3 of my dogs get out of. I know that you can use the IUC 4100 above ground attached to the fence, but can I do part of it above ground and part under? I have gates to go past, but woods too.
ADMIN – Hi Kim,
Absolutely yes you can. You can install areas that are above ground and only bury the wire in areas you’ll need to protect it from the mower and edger or simply want it out of sight.
Hi Stewart, Two questions. We are installing a 4100 system on about 1 acre that includes areas with heavy brush where the dog rarely explores. Do I conduct flag training in those areas or will the training in the other areas generalize? Second, how do you suggest laying wire along and across a gravel/clay driveway? Will a trench digger work in such an area? Thanks for your advice, Kari
ADMIN – Hi Kari,
1. Training in the flag areas is adequate. You may walk your dog around the brush areas and reinforce the command of “no” in that area.
2. A trencher should work fine in that area. When running wire in a gravel driveway, I recommend protecting the wire in that section by running it through pvc conduit. The gravel can grind through the wire and cause a line break. If the trencher doesn’t work well in that area, you may need to simply use a shovel in just that area if possible.
I have to tell you how pleased I am with this product. It did exactly what your site claimed. It was easy to install, and the right fit for our miniture schnauzer. The training video was a tremendous help and the installation guide took the confusion out of the process. It took me one day to lay the system out, and the next day to bury and flag about 750 feet of wire with a garden spade.
My neighbor had her fence installed by a contractor and it costs thousands. The collar for her system alone is half the price of what you charge for the entire product. The rechargeable collar of the 4100 is great, and I don’t have to pay for batteries. The 4100 is an excellent system and the only thing I would change is the quick snap on the collar. It should be on the other side.
Our dog was a little “gun shy” of the collar after the first correction, but with some reassurance she soon became used to the collar. Now she knows that the blue collar means she is free to roam outside as long as she likes. I must say that I am enjoying the freedom of not having to stand at the end of a leash every morning too.
As for your company and your web site, I was very impressed with how easy you made this purchase. The abundance of information found on this site is a testament to the professionals who run your company. I would tell anyone that they can purchase from this site with confidence.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
ADMIN – Hi Keven,
You are so very welcome and thanks for your feedback we greatly appreciate it!
I have two dogs a Labrador retriever about 72lbs and a mixed chow about 50lbs, so would the 4100 work based on the medium correction setting for dogs 30-80lbs? Would the mix chow feel the shock a little more do to size or is it solely based on the strength of the shock? Of course the chow is a little more stubborn, so feeling it a little more would definitely work in her case.
Secondly, I know I would have to purchase a second collar, but are the pods included in the kit or do I need to purchase them separately? My total property is 3/4 of an acre, so how many rock pods would I need for about 1/2 an acre, just doing the back yard. Would also, need about 5 inside the house.
Third, do you need both rock pods and wiring for outside to do the parameter ? If so, is the wiring underground and if so, how deep because I have a riding mower to cut the grass.
Thanks Tresea
ADMIN – Hi Tresea,
(a) I would be comfortable putting a chow and a lab on the same correction level (medium). Chows are known for needing a little more correction than is typical for a dog of their size.
(b) Rock pods (http://dogfencediy.com/store/accessories/pawz-away.html) are not necessary if you are going to run the wiring around the back yard to contain the dogs. From your description it does not seem like you will need any. What the rock pods are used for is to protect some small part of the yard from the dogs (e.g. a garden bed) – they are not to contain the dogs. The rocks are sold separately and there are none in the basic kit.
(c) For in the house – you probably are going to want the indoor pod – they are a bit cheaper and a lot smaller than the rocks (http://dogfencediy.com/store/accessories/indoor-zones-1.html)
(d) You don’t need both the rock pods and the wiring – you just need the wiring outside. The wire just needs to be buried deep enough that the lawn mower doesn’t sever the wire. 1-2 inches is plenty but you can go deeper if you want.
Hi – we took in a stray coonhound about a year ago. She’s approx 3 yrs old and is as lovable as all get-out but not too awfully bright. We have taught her to sit, but stay and come are not quite there yet. Probably because she won’t stay or come! We live in a wooded area and she takes off for hours at a time then comes home exhausted. Do you have any experience with or suggestions for this breed?
ADMIN – Hi Sue,
We get a surprising number of coonhounds and huskies … I guess they are the escape artists of the dog world! While both have a reputation for stubbornness, that changes when they are motivated to avoid the correction. When you do the training just be a little patient in the first week (where there is no correction). The dogs will seem to learn nothing and it can be frustrating. Just stick with it, once you get to the second week when we introduce the correction the dogs will put into practice everything they learned in the first week very quickly now that they are motivated.
The other thing I like to do with coonhounds in the final few days, I like to test the dog with a scent trail going through the boundary. Coonhounds tend to be strongly nose motivated and that is always a nice test to see if they have truly learned the boundaries or if they need a few more days of training.
I have a pool in the back yard and my dog loves to take a dip every once in a while. Is the collar suitable for going in the water?
thanks Dom
ADMIN – Hi Dom,
Yes, all the 4100 dog fence collars can be fully submersed in water.
We purchased the Innotek 4100 from Dog Fence DIY due to the rave reviews. First collar out of the box malfunctioned, sent it back to Innnotek, new collar malfunctioned also. Note: Called Innotek directly and they told me it would be 2 -3 months for a new collar since it was backordered (comletely unacceptable but they would not budge) Wes from DogfenceDIY handled the issue and got a new collar to us within two days (it malfunctioned also but Wes replaced it as well) The third collar functions great. Aside from an install error on my part, corrected through guidance from Wes, the system is working great. ***** Despite the manufactures issues with the collar the customer service on DogfenceDIY was responsive and outstanding! 90% of our fence runs through woods, so we fished it through 50ft sections of garden hose with an electrical tape fish – worked great! Without them I may have thrown in the towel on what is otherwise a fairly simple and straight forward process. Our thanks to Wes for handling the equipment issue in such a professional and speedy manner.
ADMIN – Hi Sean,
It seems like there was a defective batch of collars going through the Innotek factory. These collar will not hold a charge, as soon as you put them on the recharging cradle they give an error message. (flashing red) Now that we are aware of the problem, we are testing collars before sending them out to customers. So hopefully, others will not suffer this inconvenience. We appreciate your pateince.
I am looking at the 4100 system but have a question on crossing a paving stone driveway. My driveway is pattern laid paving stones that are “sealed” using a compound that fills all the spaces between the stones (sort of a rubberized grout) so that weeds can not grow between the pavers. The wire might fit in the spaces between the pavers but the pattern is irregular so that the wire would wind around each paver at right angles and snake its way across the driveway. My question is whether the wire can take a series of so many short right angle turns or is there another way to handle a driveway situation such as mine?
ADMIN – Hi Dan,
Shooting from the hip, it sounds as if that will be a trouble area. It may create an inconsistent boundary across the driveway. This is a unique case where going under may be the best solution for creating a good boundary and retain that beautiful sounding driveway intact.
Recently purchased the IUC-4100 and I have to say the review by DogFenceDIY was spot on. The collar is the downside of this unit, you can barely hear the beep when you are next to your boundary. I understand the dogs hearing is better then mine, but when training I would like to hear the beep so I know when to retreat from the boundary. I wanted to ensure my pet heard the beep and seen the flag to retreat. I would have like the nylon strap compared to the rubber strap on the collar. I believe you would be able to adjust the strap better then just using the optional holes on the rubber strap. Good that its water proof, but I don’t have a pool or pond in my back yard. So I really wasn’t worried about it getting wet.
I did rent a trencher that fed the wire as I went along the yard, that was money well spent. I place around 750 feet of wire and I designed it like the Hourglass loop. I have a gravel driveway, so I trenched a line and then ran the wire through 1/2 pvc pipe. This helped ensure it would not get broken by the repeated driving over and gravel cutting through the wire. The instructions never really told you how to mark your boundary with the flags. So I just walked around the yard with the collar and marked when I heard the beeps.
So far training is going well, we are taking our time to make sure we don’t skip a step and our pet is use the collar and boundary. We are into our second week and she will not cross the boundary line, even with distraction.
I am pleased with this unit and I have recommended it to a few people already.
Thanks DogFenceDIY you did help me find the best unit for my pet. And for the guy doing the video reviews, thanks for making it entertaining. I actually went back to watch one of the videos again just for the humor.
Thanks,
Ray
Got the 4100 innotek for my boxer and followed the training instructions completely and what great results. I am thoroughly pleased with the product and it proformance. Would highly recommend it!! Got it about two months ago and havent been disappointed. Was going to purchase an invisable fence brand for $900.00 but sure am glad i saved the money and went with the 4100 for $279.00. Great product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a great service. Thanks!
We have 4 dogs in the following sizes: 90lbs, 70 lbs, 20 lbs, and 16 libs. I understand the problems about having them all on the same system, but the rechargeable battery and slim collars are really appealing.. What I’m wondering is whether we can train the 2 large dogs first (they would train fast and not challenge the fence, I think), then lower and keep the correction level to the little dog size thereafter. I’m figuring that just the sound would deter the big ones after they experienced the shock. We’ve had a training collar on the 70 lb dog, and he’s been good as gold ever since, even without the collar. What do you think?
ADMIN – Hi Dale,
If you want to use the IUC-4100 with different size dogs – I would use the resistors modification to lower the correction on the two smaller dogs collars. You can see full details here: http://www.dogfencediy.com/reviews/innotek-ultrasmart-iuc-4100/resistor-hack/
Using the resistor modification is a pretty easy way to permanently get a lower correction level on the smaller dog’s collars. The only real downside is that you need to disconnect the resistors once every few weeks when you recharge the collar. Let me know if you want the resistors – just shoot me an email – we are happy to offer them complimentary to our clients.
I’ve seen the way you suggest work – my only concern would be that someday several years later one of the two bigger dogs figures out that the correction level is too low to matter. With more docile dogs it is unlikely – but better to be safe than sorry on these matters.
We are building a home on 10 wooded acres and do not want to commit to a traditional fencing layout around our house until we decide on landscaping. Underground fencing seems a good option and we are interested in the Innotek IUC 4100, but have a few concerns. We have a 1 yr. old Bloodhound and I’ve read that Bloodhounds (like many tracking dogs) are so driven to find the source of a scent that they are willing to risk the corrective shock. My questions are: (1) Are certain breeds just NOT suited for invisible fencing?, (2) Should we fence a large area so that our tracking dog is able to go “exploring” often or would we have better luck training him in a smaller (less wooded) area around our house?, and (3) Should our dog make it past the warning and correction of the zone, would he then be discouraged from re-entry by the same methods? Thanks.
ADMIN – Hi Jennifer,
(1) The only breeds we have trouble consistently consistently training are Wolf-Hybrids, we find them very difficult to train. With some breeds there are a few things to watch for. Dog bred for fighting or for guarding tend to require a higher correction level because they have been bred to be insensitive to pain, so you want to use a stronger collar like the PetSafe Stubborn. With long-hair breeds, you need to be careful that the collar is actually contacting the dog’s skin. And with dogs that are people aggressive, you always want to use two means of containment because the consequences of the dog escaping are so serious.
Hounds don’t present any particular difficulties, they do have a scent drive, but as long as you train them their desire to avoid the correction is much greater than the desire to follow the scent. If you are particularly concerned, you can lay a scent trail through the fence in the last week of training and test to see if the dog is tempted to go through.
(2) There is not a big difference in training for a small area vs. a larger area. I prefer giving the dogs a bigger area to roam.
(3) Correct. If the dog gets through the fence they are reluctant to come back because they will again get the correction. This is why training is so important, a properly trained dog will not realize that they can get through the fence … they will just assume that the correction goes out forever and will think that the only way to escape the correction is to retreat from the boundary.
hi i am interested in getting an invisible fencing in my yard its about 1 acre but i have a 26lb beagle and a 6 lb yorkie shire which one should i get to work with both os the dogs?and can i also buy an extra collar they like to play outside together.Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Natali,
I’d recommend the PetSafe Deluxe fence and add in a PetSafe Little Dog collar for your yorkie. Yes, you can buy extra collars with your order.
Hi: We are debating between the ICU 5100 and 4100. We have two 60-75# weimeraners, of which one thinks he is a jumping horse. We will be doing 2800 ft above ground on rural farm property. 1. Is lightning protection all that necessary? 2. Boundry wire- guage? / special outdoor insulation? 3. Can I use metal clasps to hold boundry wire to American Wire cattle fencing, or is zip ties better (but less durable)? 3. Special instructions for splicing for above ground connections? 4. Best guess on life span of above ground wire?
Thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Ian,
The IUC4100 and IUC5100 are both good choices for a weimeraner. It all boils down to whether you want to do remote training with them. One word of caution, remote training is not a casual tool – and if you don’t have some experience, get someone more experienced to help you start out right.
(1) I would get lightning protection if your property is either big or prone to lightning strikes, otherwise skip it.
(2) Again, this is another place I would save my money unless the property is very large (greater than 10 acres). For smaller properties there is no benefit in terms of durability or transmission of the signal. For larger installations, a larger gauge wire is useful to stop the signal degrading, but even there the regular 20 gauge wire will work fine.
(3) You always want to build a bit of slack into the wire and tie a knot in the two pieces of wire before the joint. This helps if the wire is accidentally pulled, so that the strain does not go into he splice.
(4) Depending on climate, I would expect the wire to last 5-10 years above ground. Mostly where it gets very hot, the UV causes the insulation to go brittle and eventually leads to wire breaks.