Should I Get an Invisible Fence for My Dog?

Over a decade ago I purchased a home that had an invisible fence for dogs, and when the home was marketed, the invisible fence was advertised as if it added a great deal of value to the home. I wasn’t impressed, and it didn’t add value as far as I was concerned. I had a dog, but my dog was older, and I had no intentions of training her to stay in the yard with invisible electric fencing.

Despite the fact that an invisible electric fence sends jolts of electricity to a canine in training, for many other reason I don’t consider invisible electric fencing the best choice for my dog. Sure, the invisible fence would no doubt keep my pooch in the yard after she realized the jolts she received were caused by specific locations surrounding the property, but I had a few other good reasons for not wanting to use the invisible fence.

Other Animals

An invisible electric fence will keep a canine on the property after proper training, but it won’t keep other animals out. When your dog is in your yard and surrounded by an invisible fence, that animal becomes a target for area dogs, coyotes, and any other wild or stray pets. An invisible fence won’t stop other animals from entering your yard, and your dog could still be attacked and end up with painful, costly, or even life-threatening injuries.

When your dog is surrounded by an invisible fence and fully accessible to other animals, your pet will mostly certainly draw stray dogs, and why wouldn’t he? An open yard is an open invitation to stop by for a visit. Even if stray dogs aren’t aggressive and don’t attack your dog, they probably won’t be on their way without leaving a calling card.

As a good pet owner, your dog is probably current on vaccinations, but what about internal parasites? Dog feces is the source of many canine worms including roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. Many worms that infect canines can also infect humans, and keep in mind that dogs with worms don’t always appear ill. It takes a fecal exam to determine if a dog has worms, and when other dogs are defecating on your property, your dog is at risk and vulnerable.

Human Predators

An invisible fence won’t stop humans from entering your property, and dogs are taken from their yards every day of the week, especially purebred dogs. Don’t think that it can’t happen to you. I’ve never lived my life thinking that negative things can’t happen to me, and I saw how devastated my closest cousin was when her dog of eight years disappeared from her yard. If she had a regular fence that would have prevented strangers from easily entering her yard, or if she hadn’t taken her eyes off her dog, she wouldn’t have lost him to a stranger.

My cousin’s dog was more than likely taken from her backyard since he was never before known to leave the premises. He had been trained with a collar and an invisible fence, and always stayed within bounds. While my cousin was in the house taking care of her children, a neighbor saw a strange car temporarily parked in the alley behind her home. When the car was gone, so was my cousin’s little Chihuahua, Taffy. He was a friendly little dog, and although he stayed in the yard, and although the yard was equipped with an invisible fence, it didn’t stop a stranger from taking her precious friend and family member. Taffy was never seen or heard from again.

This isn’t to say that a dog can’t be taken when hooked up to a chain, or concealed behind a regular fence, but it isn’t as easy. An invisible fence may keep a dog in, but it won’t keep others out. No matter why type of fencing you choose, and no matter how you choose to keep your dog from leaving your property, it’s important to keep an eye on him, especially if he’s friendly and quiet. My cousin’s dog Taffy was exceptionally loving and kind, and this is also why it was very easy for someone to whisk him away. Losing Taffy was heartbreaking, and we’ll always remember his loving nature and what a special little dog he was.