Underground Pet Fencing

Has the lack of a fence around your yard prevented you from
purchasing a pet? Or perhaps you want to get rid of your fence
altogether to improve the look of your yard, but can’t because
of your pet. Well whatever the reason, the good news is that
thanks to underground fencing you can now keep a pet in your
yard without the need for a fence or any other physical
enclosure.

Underground fencing is not a new technology and has been around
in some form or another since the 1970′s, however, it is now
starting to gain momentum due to increased housing density and
regulations on fencing (fences are not allowed at all in many
new developments). The underground fence is also a very cost
effective solution that can be implemented for a lot less than a
conventional fence and requires far less maintenance.

How does it work?

The way the underground fence works is that it creates an
invisible barrier for your pet. If your pet ventures towards the
edge of the barrier it receives a warning signal (usually a
beep), but if your pet approaches further it receives a small
static shock or a spray of citronella, neither of these are
harmful to your pet in any way.

An underground fence is comprised of three main parts: wire, a
transmitter and a receiver. The invisible enclosure is created
by burying wire a couple of inches under the ground. You can
create any type of enclosure you like, it is just a matter of
laying the wire to suit your needs. Your pet is then fitted with
a collar that contains a small receiver. The receiver will give
warning signals and then a correction if your pet ventures to
close to the fence boundary. Powering all of this is the
transmitter, which broadcasts a radio signal through the wires
and will enable your invisible fence. The transmitter and hence
your fence can be turned on or off with the flick of a switch.

For an underground fence to work effectively, your pet will need
to be trained in how to react and respond to the
warnings/corrections from the receiver. The initial training
should be done on a leash and will require patience. Essentially
what you are trying to teach your pet is that when it hears the
warning signal it should not proceed any further or it will
receive a correction. The full training procedure is beyond the
scope of this article, but your local supplier of underground
fence products will be able to provide you with the various
methods.

Underground fencing products are readily available online or
through a good pet store. For a basic self install kit, you
should be able to pick something up for under $200. Pet
Handbook.