subject: Factors to Consider When Choosing Between a Wireless Fence Or in Ground Fence [print this page] Many customers also want to know what types of things they should be thinking about when deciding between a wireless or in ground fence. Here, is a brief rundown of some of the more relevant factors:
1. Size of yard: In ground fences really come in three basic sizes 1/3 of an acre (the size of most city homes), 5 acres, and 25 acres. However, each of these systems can normally be expanded by adding on additional wire if needed.
Wireless fences currently work for up to an acre. This is beneficial for most residential homes, but is not ideally suited for homes larger than 1 acre in size. An additional wireless transmitter can also be purchased to extend this range; however, it is likely to be less than 1 full acre in coverage.
2. Makeup of yard: The makeup of the yard is an important factor to consider as well. If your yard has many trees or bushes in the way, this can make it difficult for a wireless fence to work properly because of extra obstacles. However, it can also be difficult to setup an in ground fence if one has to run across a lot of cement for driveways or other areas. In addition, it may be necessary to do some additional extra work for setting up barriers for pools, gardens or other areas in the yard that you want to keep the dogs away from for in ground systems.
If the yard has many obstacles, an in ground fence is likely to perform better. However, if the surface will contain a lot of concrete to navigate around, a wireless fence will be a better choice. Either way, if there are a lot of obstacles on the inside of the yard that need to be protected like pools and flower gardens, customers will want to add in some additional zone barriers or loop the in ground fencing to protect this are as well.
3. Type of dogs: The breed of the dog and the time spent training the dog will have an influence over how well the dogs are suited to in ground or wireless fences. Some dogs are more likely to try to leave the yard because of being distracted by something as simple as seeing a squirrel move in the next yard or a strong smell.
For example, the breeds less likely to stay at home include terriers, sight hounds, greyhounds, whippets and scent hounds. However, even in these breeds, many owners have been able to train dogs so it really depends on the time spent training the dog and the individual dog. Some owners have also mentioned that the gender of the dog and whether it is fixed or not can influence the digs obedience level as well. However, all owners believe that dogs that are trained early on tend to be the most responsive. We do suggest you avoid training dogs that are younger than 6 months so that the dog can develop fully before implementing obedience training.
Generally, in ground fences are going to provide a stronger deterrent response to pets. This is because they tend to have slightly more consistent service and there are options that can be purchased with extra raised shock levels for more stubborn dogs.
With this said, wireless fences do offer the advantage of having a system that will continue to signal the dog they are out of the yard up to 30 seconds whereas as an in ground fence will shut off after they leave. This 30 second process for wireless fences can be a great tool in helping aid the dog in returning to the yard.
For these reasons, it is difficult to say which system will work best on your dog as even dogs in the same breed will respond differently.
4. Number of dogs: The number of dogs can increase the likelihood that dogs will be more eager to try to leave the yard. However, this factor is really more important for determining the number of collars needed. In the newer pet containment systems, practically all of them allow for the addition of extra collars. My personal opinion is that in ground fences offer slightly better protection in this area but the difference between the two is pretty minimal.
5. Plans for residence: Wireless fences are the easiest to setup and later take with you in a move. In ground fences are usually left in the yard; however, you could also dig these up in the ground if they are not stapled in the ground. Another challenge with in ground fencing is the installation itself. For people who will have to run the line across concrete, they are forced to use a saw in the concrete to create a wedge where the wire can be placed and then covered up with caulk. This is done to help prevent the wire from being broken by being run over by a car. For these reasons, a wireless fence system is much easier to setup as it can be done in less than 30 minutes whereas an in ground fence will take several hours or longer depending on the setup of your yard.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between a Wireless Fence Or in Ground Fence
