Invisible Dog Fence Questions

[IndyGunworks]

My parents are going to give me a petsafe RS 1010 controller, and a few collars to use at the new place. I plan on renting a wire trencher to trench about 1400 feet of wire to enclose the pasture area. Any tips on what sort of wire to buy?

Also, if its possible I would like to run about an extra 2,000 feet of wire but this will be in a VERY heavily wood area, that's also somewhat prone to severe flooding. The best info on this I can find looking it up is to use yard staples and put it above ground. I am not so confident the trencher will do so well in the woods. However when it floods there is debris that move along the top of the ground, and I am afraid that will end up snagging it. I could try and use an edger and sink it in a few inch's, which then the only real concern would be a tree or limb falling and breaking the wire, which would be easy to find and fix.

I don't know how much distance these controllers are capable of utilizing though.

Any tips or comments? If its going to be too troublesome in the woods then I can forget the idea all together, but it would be aweful nice to let the dog have more space.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

anywhere you can buy the petsafe stuff will have rolls of wire, but i think it's just 18 or 20 gauge copper wire. i've seen it both solid and stranded. this link might help

18 gauge vs 20 gauge Wire for Underground Fence Systems

 

[lizerdking]

The way I read the Title:

Invisible Dog, Fence questions.


Buried mine about 2-3 inches under, you can tack it above the ground in places if necessary, but I'd try and get it covered. I ran just over 1k feet, if i remember right i could have gone 4 times that with the controller i had.

I bought the wire in rolls on amazon, it's a coated yellow wire, it held up great until the dog dog it up and chewed through it... He didn't have his collar on at the time, so, my bad there... I need to get it fixed when the ground thaws, he doesn't enjoy being tied up, poor fella



Amazon.com : DOGTEK 500ft Boundary Wire For Electronic Dog Fence System : Dogtek : Wireless Pet Fence Products : Pet Supplies

 

[IndyGunworks]

How easily will the trencher go through heavily wooded areas? Do I need to clear the ground first?

 

[hoosierdoc]

We did 5 acres in Edinburgh. the guy had a trencher that had a hard time in the clay. For the woods he just left it laying on the surface. One time in three years there was a break in that section. I found it using an RF choke (read online, How to find a break in an invisible dog fence). Our current home we have another DogWatch system. I added about 350' of area myself using a trencher. I bought 18g (I think) solid copper wire at Home Depot. Bought a 500' roll and it was like $60 I think. These are definitely DIY projects. Not sure about the woods area and trenching. I think as long as you can get it covered a little bit you'll be OK from critters and falling limbs. Theoretically it should continue to bury if you do it in the spring as the leaves/limbs fall and decay.

 

[Crbn79]

How deep does the flooded area get? If you can get the dog trained to the barriers before the area floods, you should be okay with visible barrier flags as a deterrent in that area.

I will say, if the dog will have problems identifying the barriers flags in the wooded area it might just avoid the area completely because it doesn't want to get shocked without warning.

 

[Dead Duck]

Invisible Dog Fence Questions

So-
Where did you get an invisible dog?
I'm not sure that any fence will hold him. Wouldn't he just walk out the gate with you and you'd never even know it?

 

[printcraft]

So-
Where did you get an invisible dog?
I'm not sure that any fence will hold him. Wouldn't he just walk out the gate with you and you'd never even know it?

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Dead Duck again.

 

[bcannon]

How easily will the trencher go through heavily wooded areas? Do I need to clear the ground first?

I wouldnt think very well - you might want to check out the Petsafe Wireless Pet Containment - I have one for my 2 pits and its going on 7 yrs old - had to replave both collars but would say money well spent - works in wooded and nonwooded areas very well without having to bury any wires - I will definately buy another if this controller unit goes bad -

 

[JStang314]

From what I got from the guy at pet smart you don't have to buy the exact wire. You can get regular wire of the same guage at menards etc and it will do the same thing and save you money. I ended up not getting one at all since I live in the middle of nowhere. But I don't see anything special about the wire made for them.

 

[IndyGunworks]

The area only floods bad enough to effect the dog once every couple of years.... at least that's what the neighbors have told me, and I have witnessed it once, but that was when the whole county flooded anyways. If I can buy the wire somewhere that I can return it then I will buy enough to go through the woods, and if the trencher doesn't work through the woods then I will just return the extra wire.

My dog is VERY VERY smart, and would undoubtedly learn the boundaries even w/out flags in less than a day. so I am not concerned about her not understanding it.

Anybody have a link to the stuff I could buy from home depot that would work as a replacement?

Also, I plan on adding a powered gate to the front of the property so I will be running a live wire along the driveway. This will also have a magnetic, driveway beeper. Will either of those effect the function of the invisible fence?

 

[Tactically Fat]

Something else to consider:

The fence may keep your dog IN, but it won't keep others OUT.

Other critters coming in can do a number on your dog if yours can't somehow escape (or you or a neighbor isn't around to help)

 

[IndyGunworks]

That's a part of life. There are not many citters that on their own are going to try and take on my 110 pound german shepard. esp with 3.5 acres only 1.5 of which would be in the woods. If there was such a beast i don't think my dog would have much of a chance anyways.

 

[IndyGunworks]

The dog is going to be contained no matter what. I don't want to deal with having to yell at the dog for crapping in the neighbors yard all the time, and good fences make good neighbors. It may be a while before we can put up a cattle fence on the property lines, but at least for now this would cheaply contain my dog onto my property.

There is already a neighbor that has three dogs that run rampant on EVERYBODY'S property with zero effort to control them. I don't want to be that guy.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I lied, I used 14g wire. The installed used twisted wire, I used solid.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I totally get wanting to keep your dog on your place. That's the responsible thing to do.

And it wouldn't really be about "one" critter getting to your dog. A "pack" of dogs would be what I'd be concerned with. Both "domestic" and wild.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I totally get wanting to keep your dog on your place. That's the responsible thing to do.

And it wouldn't really be about "one" critter getting to your dog. A "pack" of dogs would be what I'd be concerned with. Both "domestic" and wild.

If that's going to happen, i doubt my underground fence will be the reason my dog looses the battle

 

[68_F100]

YOu can get the wire real cheap at Graybar on the southwest side.

 

[IndyGunworks]

YOu can get the wire real cheap at Graybar on the southwest side.

Details? Just regular direct bury single strand 18g? or should i go 12 or 14 guage?

 

[bigus_D]

Consider using a subsoiler attachment to pull that wire under. Can probably buy cheaper than the rental and have less mess.