If you are thinking of buying an electric dog fence, you may not know where to begin. What makes one fence better than another?
Here are some aspects you need to examine when selecting the best electric dog fence for you.
Reliability is Key
In your search for the right dog fence, you may be considering whether a wired fence or a wireless fence will work best for your situation. Let’s explore one of the differences between the two.
Did you know that there are many variables that can cause a wireless fence to fail? These include: an abundance of trees, hills (or even a gradual slope), a metal roof or stucco siding. Any of these will either allow the dog out at that area, or cause the dog to get corrected where they shouldn’t.
In contrast, none of these things will cause any issue with a wired dog fence. Hands down, no wireless fence can top the reliability of a quality, wired underground dog fence.
Coverage
When selecting an underground dog fence, you must take into consideration how much land you wish to contain. This is important because the transmitter of each system has its own limit of how many acres it can cover. Keep in mind that when you order any dog fence kit, it comes with a given amount of wire, and you may need to order extra to accommodate your acreage.
Correction Levels
Each underground dog fence system has a given number of correction levels for you to choose from. It is important that whichever system you choose allows you to program each collar independently. Every dog is different, and may have a different temperament, therefore needing a higher or lower level of correction.
In addition to this, find out how many dogs are supported on the system you choose. Some electric dog fences have a limit on the number of dogs they can contain, where others do not.
Size and Comfort
Pay special attention to the size of the collar and its weight. If you have a large dog, this shouldn’t really be an issue. However, if you have a small dog you wouldn’t want to have a big and bulky collar that could weigh him or her down.
Consider the Breed
Why would the breed of your dog matter when it comes to an electric dog fence? Because some dogs may require a stronger collar than others. For example, a Great Dane would need a stronger collar than a Shih Tzu would. This has to do largely with the prey drive of specific breeds. However, it isn’t always about the breed. Some dogs just have a stronger-willed temperament than others do.
To Recharge or Not to Recharge
Would you prefer a system that has a rechargeable collar, or are replaceable batteries just fine with you? This is a matter of personal preference.
A rechargeable collar sounds nice, but you may find the collar costs more initially. In addition to this, what if you forget to recharge the dog’s collar?
On the other hand, if a system runs on proprietary batteries, you have to make sure that you have several on hand in case your collar battery goes dead. Then, you have to factor in the cost of these batteries, and how often they need to be replaced.
Cost
The biggest consideration that a consumer makes when selecting a dog fence may be its cost. Logically, this is something that can and should come into play. However, keep in mind that whatever is the cheapest, doesn’t mean it is the best. A great way to find out if you are going to be wasting your money on an investment is to look at the reviews of a given product. Doing so eliminates some of the guesswork in regards to the quality and reliability of an electric dog fence.
The 5 Top-Rated Best electric dog fence of 2018
| Name Of this product | Editors Pick | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme Dog Fence Professional Grade | Best for Strong-Willed or Stubborn Dogs |
4.7 |
| Extreme Dog Fence® Hyper System ProGrade | Best for Strong-Willed or Stubborn Dogs |
3.5 |
| SportDog Inground Fence System | Best for Large Rural Properties |
4.0 |
| Petsafe Yardmax Inground Fence | Best if You Have a Very Small Yard |
2.0 |
| PetSafe Elite Little Dog Fence | Best for Those Who Have a Very Small Dog |
4.1 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change it*
Top 5 Wired Electric Dog Fence Reviews
Now that we have taken a look at the different aspects that go into your decision, let’s take a look at 5 underground dog fences that we have rated as the best.
The Extreme Dog Fence Professional Grade – Best for Those Who Want to Buy American
The Extreme Dog Fence® is the highest-rated, hottest-selling dog fence on Amazon. Let’s explore why the Extreme Dog Fence is a customer favorite.
Designed for dogs weighing 8 pounds and up, the receiver collar of the Extreme Dog Fence® is nice and lightweight.
The contact points on the dog’s receiver collar are covered in rubber, which gives the dog added comfort while they are being contained.
The wire that comes with the Extreme Dog Fence® Prograde Kit is a high-grade, thick and durable 14-gauge cable. This is important because no one wants to have to worry about digging up their wire looking for a wire break.
Pros
- 25-Acre Capacity
- For Dogs Weighing 8 Pounds and Up
- Lightweight and Comfortable Receiver Collar
- Thick and Durable 14-Gauge Wire
- Each Collar is Programmed Independently
- Made in the USA
- 7-Day a Week Customer Support
Cons
- Runs on Replaceable Proprietary Batteries
The Extreme Dog Fence® Hyper System ProGrade – Best for Strong-Willed or Stubborn Dogs
So you may be wondering, what exactly is the difference in this system and the regular Extreme Dog Fence®. The only difference is in the strength and size of the collar.
Some dogs need a stronger collar than others. For example, large guardian breeds such as Great Danes, Mastiffs, Great Pyrenees and the like may benefit from a stronger collar.
Everything else that comes in the kit is exactly the same as the regular Extreme system.
SportDog Inground Fence System – Best for Large Rural Properties
The first mentionable advantage of the SportDog Inground Fence is that the transmitter is strong enough to contain up to 100 acres. This is what makes Sportdog the best choice for large rural locations.
The collar that comes in this kit is rather bulky because it runs on standard 9-volt batteries. However, that is actually a good thing. This is because you won’t have to order the batteries online, all you need to do is visit your local discount store to pick some up.
Ideal for larger dogs, the Sportdog Inground Fence has a strong collar that is good for guardian breed dogs. It is designed to contain dogs 20 pounds and up.
Petsafe Yardmax Inground Fence – Best if You Have a Very Small Yard
The most notable feature of the Yardmax system is that it has a rechargeable collar. It can be used for dogs weighing 10 pounds and up.
This particular kit comes with 14 gauge wire. That means you are getting a high quality cable that isn’t likely to break on you.
The PetSafe Yardmax has a unique feature. The Yardmax feature allows your dog to come right up to the wire before he is corrected. For this reason, it is ideal for small yards. It allows the dog the most usable space out of the containment area.
It also has a much-appreciated run through protection feature. This means if your dog crosses over the wire, it continues to correct the dog. And its “welcome home” feature will not correct your dog when they come back into the containment area.
PetSafe Elite Little Dog Fence – Best for Those Who Have a Very Small Dog
Do you have a toy breed, or a dog that is teeny tiny? The Elite Little Dog Fence may be the right choice for you. The collar is extremely light and is designed to contain dogs that weigh 5 pounds and up.
Not only is the receiver collar smaller, its correction levels are weaker, which again makes it ideal for the little fellas.
However, one drawback of this kit is that it comes with a very thin 20 gauge wire. That means it is vulnerable to breaking. Another disadvantage is that it runs on a special proprietary battery.
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has thoroughly explained all of the different things to think about when purchasing an underground electric dog fence. No matter which fence you choose, your dog is certain to enjoy the newfound freedom of playing within the safe area that you have designated.