It effectively keeps the dogs within the owner's property and helps dogs learn to know their boundaries. They are trained by the system to automatically stay away from the boundaries of the home. Electronic dog fences have the added advantage of not taking up any property space. They are totally controlled by the dog's collar, and the predefined areas the dog is allowed to stay in.

The great thing about electronic fences is the fact that they can be programmed and wired to protect other areas of your home that are prone to the playful mischief of your energetic dogs. This way you can protect fish ponds, flowerbeds, gardens, and other sensitive areas.

But how do these things work? They are pretty simple, if you come to think of it. Here is a step by step guide to how electronic dog fences are set up and used.

Your Dog's Electronic Fence

1. Area Wiring - First of all, thin antenna wires are buried around the perimeter of the areas you want off limits to your dog. These wires are usually parallel to your picket or perimeter fences that surround your property. These wires are light, not bulky and are pretty easy to install.

They can even be secured in non soil areas by means of normal attachments easily found at any hardware store. Just make sure they are safe from the elements and are not an impediment to your surroundings. These wires can be installed beside your fish pond, other pet cages, and off-limit areas.

The wiring can also be installed inside your home. It should be installed in a way that it does not become cumbersome. It can be laid out like normal cable wire. Just make sure it is secured to the walls or to stable furniture and is beyond the reach of toddlers or your pets. You could even put it under you rug or under your carpet.

2. Pet Collar - Your pet then is made to wear a special collar that can receive signals from the wires you just installed. It is this collar that acts as the fence. Your pet should be wearing the collar for the system to work. Without the collar, the electronic fence will uselessly benign.

The collar works using radio frequency and has a specially installed radio receiver to pick up signals from the antenna wires in your territory.

3. Train Your Dog - the systems sets off a very mild and harmless shock to the dog whenever it crosses the boundaries marked by the wires. The shock is just like static and will cause no harm to your dog. All it does is offer a small irritating 'reminder' to keep your dogs from moving beyond their permitted areas.

Also before it emits the shock, it gives off high-frequency beeps to warn the dog. Whenever the dog hears the beeps it will be alerted to the fact that the shock would come if the warning is not heeded. This ensures that the pet will not have to be reminded physically as much as it will be by audio.

You should also mark the areas off limits by using visual aids such as flags, and other visual aids. As the dog gradually understands and respects the boundaries, it will no longer need these aids to avoid the areas altogether.

Warnings and Conclusions

Some owners are not comfortable with the fact that mild static is used to remind their pets of their boundaries. However, it should be noted that it is non-harmful and is a great alternative to cooping up a pet within a dark and dingy cage beyond the dog's comfort.

Also electronic fences do not protect your dog against robbers as cages do. Thieves have to work at a cage or a series of gates to get to your dog. Although it keeps your pets from going out too far from the home, it does not keep others away from coming into your home.