Containment systems give dogs room to roam without using fences or chains. Here's what you need to know before buying one.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Nobody likes a pooch on the loose.
Not the neighbors, not the mail carrier and especially not the dog owner -- not if he or she has ever lost a beloved pet in traffic.
Electronic pet containments are one way to keep Fido from roaming and one way to keep the back yard free of fences.
If you're in the market for this type of product, the first thing you need to know is that electronic pet containments and Invisible Fence are not one and the same.
"Invisible Fence is a trademark brand that was invented about 29 years ago," explained Ann Marie Stroney of Invisible Fence of Eastern Ohio, located in Austintown. "When people say 'Invisible Fence,' they often use this term incorrectly. It is not a general term for electronic pet containments."
Stroney said Invisible Fence comes with a lifetime guarantee, a daylong training session with a professional animal trainer, a custom-made receiver collar for the dog being trained and dealers located worldwide who will service the product should something go wrong.
Invisible Fence is more expensive than other types of electronic pet containments, but Stroney could not give a ballpark cost because each system is custom-made.
"Everything is customized, so we are not allowed to give prices over the telephone. We have someone come to your home to assess what you need and then give you a figure. We base what you need on the size of the area you want to fence and the temperament of your dog," she said.
How it works
But regardless of which brand a pet owner chooses, all pet containment systems work the same way.
A wire is buried about 3 to 8 inches in the ground around a designated area. You can do it yourself or have it done by a professional, depending on what you buy.
The dog wears a collar with a battery-operated, programmable radio device that creates a sharp tone and a "static correction" when the dog gets too close to the buried wire.
The static correction feels similar to a zap of static electricity. It startles the animal but does not cause it pain.
The dog wears the collar while outside. The system will work in all types of weather -- rain, sleet or snow -- as long as the batteries are replaced as needed.
Stroney said Invisible Fence automatically mails its customers new batteries so they don't forget to change them.
"We recommend changing batteries every three to five weeks," Stroney said.
Large areas or small areas can be outfitted with electronic pet containments.
For example, Invisible Fence can be installed in a tiny city lot or a 25-acre plot of land, and Whited K-9 Services, a local company that sells PetSafe electronic pet containments, installs systems that cover 100 acres.
Guarantees
Whited's products also come with a lifetime guarantee, and owner Bill Whited said PetSafe products feature an ultralight receiver collar.
Although the electronic devices that are used with Invisible Fence come with lifetime guarantees, the wire that is buried in the ground does not come with a lifetime guarantee.
Stroney said this is because if something goes wrong with the wire, it is almost always because the homeowner forgot where the wire was located and damaged it while digging in the yard, planting a tree or a shrub.
"If the Invisible Fence wire is damaged, the entire length of wire won't need to be replaced, only a small section," Stroney said, adding, "However, if you don't damage the wire accidentally it can last for many years. We have been installing locally for 13 years, and there are wires out there that have been around for that long and they are still working just fine."
Several brands
Although Invisible Fence is known as the elite of the industry, not all dog owners can afford it.
Other local dealers in electronic pet containment systems, such as Whited K-9 Services, promise quality and competitive prices. Whited will install a standard system at about $645, and a more advanced system at about $800.
Local pet stores also sell systems for even less.
Charlotte Jones, an obedience instructor at Petsmart in Niles, said some of these less expensive alternatives are sold at Petsmart.
"Invisible Fence is a really good product, but for people who can't afford it, there are alternatives. At Petsmart, we sell [electronic pet containment] kits that cost about $200 to $300," Jones said.
Jones said that she owns one of these systems and is pleased with it.
"My husband installed it about a year ago, and so far it is working well. We have a German shepherd and a Rottweiler," Jones said.
Jones said the less expensive brands come with instruction videos that show how to install the wire and how to train the dog to stay within the boundaries.
Training is the key
Training the dog to know the boundaries of the electronic pet containment system is crucial to success, Jones said.
"Since I work as a dog obedience trainer, training my dogs was easier for me than it might be for someone else. For someone who doesn't know about obedience training, it might be more difficult, but I think if they watch the video and take the time to work with their dog, they could do it," Jones said.
Stroney agreed that the success of electronic pet containment systems depends largely upon training a dog to stay within the boundaries.
"That is why our company sends a professional out to do the job," she said. "The trainer works with the dog for one day, and by the end of that day, the dog is 75 percent trained. It's up to the owner to reinforce that training. With a cheaper product, you are on your own without that professional instruction."
Stroney said any dog can be trained, no matter the breed.
"Big dogs aren't necessarily easier to train than smaller ones, and you can teach an old dog new tricks and teach him to stay in the boundaries. Dogs as young as 4 months can also be trained," Stroney said.
For pigs and cats, too
But if you think it's just dogs that can be trained to stay within the boundaries of an electronic pet containment system, think again.
Stroney said she knows of a few pot-bellied pigs and some cats that have been trained with Invisible Fence.
"The pigs learned really fast. Cats are a little harder to train," she said, adding, "Invisible Fence also sells indoor units, and lots of people buy these for their cats. The indoor units keep the animal out of a certain room or off of a certain piece of furniture."
Jones said remote control units are another electronic pet containment option."We sell these at Petsmart for around $200. There is no wire buried in the ground. The animal wears a device on its collar, and the owner uses the remote control to activate the device and signal the dog when it is getting out of its boundaries. The disadvantage to this type is that you have to stand there and watch the dog while it is outside," Jones said.