There used to be a time when people had to think about putting up a fence in their yard before letting their dog run free. In most cases it is not a safe thing to do as this puts the dog in the risk of accidents, or they can also run to the neighbor’s property and do some unwanted damage. Surely, nobody wants to go through such troubles. Honestly, it will be quite the hassle if you think about it.
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Moreover, putting fences in your yard may not go well with the image of the house and your neighborhood may not even allow such a thing as it can be a huge eyesore in a meticulously planned area. Wireless dog fences are an excellent alternative in these kinds of situations, especially if you want to give your furry buddy the freedom it deserves.
Now, you can now keep your dog safely inside the boundaries of your lawn without building tall fences. Wireless dog fences is a marvel of modern technology, there’s no doubt about it.
How do wireless dog fences work?
A wireless fence is also called an invisible fence. There are two main components in a wireless fence that are designed to work together, they are the transmitter and the receiver collar.
The transmitter works as the wireless system and it can be placed anywhere in the house. Your dog’s collar detects the signal constantly while it is in the safe zone.
It uses satellites to map a specific boundary for the dog. Mapping the fence boundary is also often done by using cellular technology. The centrally located transmitter uses digital radio frequencies which creates a circular boundary around your yard, which will be the dog’s containment area and also the safe zone.
The safe zone can extend in every direction giving you a circular containment area. Your safe zone can be adjusted anywhere from a minimum of about 15 feet up to a maximum of almost 3 acres, depending on what kind of fence you buy.
The receiver collar is connected to the GPS program that sends an alert to the receiver collar if the dog approaches the boundary. Your dog is free to run around the safe zone without getting any type of correction. However, losing the signal will first create a warning sound and if your dog doesn’t return toward the safe zone, it will create a static correction. This static correction is designed to be uncomfortable but will not hurt them.
Furthermore, you can also mark the designated area with warning flags that usually come with the wireless dog fence and train the dog to familiarize with the safe zone.
Why should you buy a wireless dog fence?
Wireless dog fences have their limitations, but people are still interested in buying them because they’re quick and easy to set up and maintain. Furthermore, wireless dog fences are an excellent way to keep your dog safe and secure in your yard.
They are also completely portable, you can take your fence with you no matter where you travel and in less than half an hour you can have a safe place to contain your furry friend, no matter where you are. It is really convenient and it also ensures peace of mind.
In fact, there are a lot of situations where you have to own a wireless dog fence. There is a possibility that your neighborhood has strict regulations and it doesn’t allow fences. Also there are people who may find a wooden or metal fence surrounding their yard an eyesore. Furthermore, it doesn’t block other outdoor areas like the swimming pool or garden.
As it is easy to set up and more affordable than traditional fencing, you can easily move a wireless dog fence to a new location or take it with you when you go on vacations.
Another reason is that your dog loves to dig in your garden, so there is a possibility that it may dig out the traditional wired fence and cause it much damage. In that case it would be wise to use a wireless dog fence instead.
Reasons for their popularity
Many dog owners prefer to use a wireless dog fence rather than a traditional fence to keep their dogs safe. There are several reasons why wireless fences have become so popular with the people.
The main reason being, wireless fences are quick and easy to set up. You can have a wireless fence up and running within an hour.
They are also very low maintenance. With virtually no wire to bury, you’ll never have to worry about wire breaks or replacing your wire.
Another reason is that wireless fences are completely portable. You can take them along with you anywhere, anytime.
Limitations of wireless dog fences
Despite all the conveniences wireless fences are not without any shortcomings. All wireless fences have limitations and there are some special situations where they don’t work as expected.
In fact, they have quite a few flaws depending on different situations. In order for you to decide if a wireless fence is the right choice for you, it’s important for you to know what those limitations are.
First is the inconsistency of its boundary. Wireless dog fences often cannot provide the same consistency as the wired fences. Their coordinates can shift. They are also prone to interference and changes in signal strength. Moreover, the boundary tends to fluctuate. Much like your cell phone, sometimes you get good reception and other times not so much. Wireless fences do best in wide open spaces where there aren’t lots of obstructions to block the signal transmitted between the transmitter and receiver collar.
Secondly, wireless fences can only give you a circular shaped boundary. So if you have an odd or narrow shaped yard or if you have very close neighbors, then the circular shape of the boundary may not work at all. They also don’t work well in yards with lots of trees or steep slopes.
Thirdly, it is sometimes not that helpful with training a dog. When the boundary is not consistent, it can confuse the pet and make training and containment less effective and less secure.
Fourth limitation is most common in any electric device. Wireless dog fences have a comparably shorter battery life. They generally use a rechargeable battery to power their receiver collars. The more frequently you need to charge the battery, the higher the possibility of winding up with a dead battery. A dead battery means no sound alerts or a static correction. As a result, it is possible that the pet may run through the boundary without you even noticing.
The fifth one is that wireless fences have a very limited range of uses.
Wireless fences are not recommended for those with smaller properties. It is due to the fact that the boundary line of a wireless fence can differ unpredictably. In order to keep the dog away from dangerous areas such as roads and woods, the boundary line will need to be moved further away from the danger, thus reducing the overall size of the safe zone.
Furthermore, wireless signals can also be subject to interference from a variety of sources, including nearby tall buildings. This further limits the use of these products. Thus, GPS fences are often not recommended for properties that are less than 5 acres or properties with potential obstructions. They don’t transmit well through metal so metal siding on your house or a metal shed on your property may also cause problems with your fence.
Finally, wireless dog fences are really quite expensive. They can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than the usual traditional underground electronic fence. Also, some wireless dog fence systems require an on-going monthly fee for use of GPS and cellular networks.
These are the main limitations of any wireless fence. If any of these limitations do not match up with your requirements, you can also check out underground wired dog fences. Although compared to a wireless dog fence the underground wired dog fences require more effort to set up and maintain, in-ground fences don’t have any of the limitations similar to the wireless fences. With some effort, you can install them in almost any type of terrain, they give you a consistent and clear boundary. Moreover, they are not affected by metal and it is also not limited to a circular shaped boundary too.
Final verdict
The wireless dog fence is indeed a useful tool that matches the modern lifestyle of the people. Only with a bit of training, your dog will be able to run around the yard without worry.
With their quick and easy set-up, as well as portability, wireless fence systems allow you to keep your dog safe and close to home without the expense and trouble of building conventional fences.
Your dog will not be able to dig under or jump over the fence and go to dangerous areas. The wireless fence has made our lives much more convenient and we have to thank modern technology for this wonderful gift.
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