Electric Fence for Dogs Safe Enough? Everything You Need to Know

Electric fences, or “e-fences,” have become more popular in recent years as a convenient way to keep dogs within the yard without installing a physical barrier. This option appeals to renters, frequent travelers with dogs, and those who prefer not to enclose their property. However, since e-fences use static shocks to deter dogs from crossing the boundary, the question arises: are electric fences safe for dogs?

Keep reading to find out what we learned about e-fences and why our expert advises against using them.

How Does an Electric Fence for Dogs Work?

Keep your dog in the yard for many reasons. For example, it keeps them out of the way of cars and other dogs, and it keeps them from being a bother to other dogs and people.
Animals get shocked when they try to cross an electric fence for dogs. The shock is meant to teach the dog a lesson and get it to go back to the safety of the garden. A lot of e-fences either use a high-pitched sound or a mild shock to “warn” the person before they cross the barrier.

There are two main types of electric fences in regular use:

Traditional electric fences:
They are often used on fields with cattle, but some people also use them for their dogs and other pets. These e-fences look like regular fences, but instead of pickets or mesh, they have electric wires stretched between wooden posts that go around the outside of the land. There is electricity running through the wires, so if an animal touches them, they get shocked.

 Invisible fences:
People who own dogs like invisible walls better. Instead of actual fencing, they use a transmitter or a special wire to keep your dog inside the fence. If you use a transmitter, your dog will be able to move within an electronic radius that starts at the emitter. The wires make the edge more precise. They can be buried, but they can also just be put on the grass.

When you use an invisible fence, you give your dog an electronic receiver collar that makes a noise or sends out a static charge when your dog approaches or passes the chain link. Usually, you can change how strong the shock is based on the size of your pet.

How much does an invisible dog fence cost?

Traditional electric fences can cost thousands of dollars to set up, especially if they are used to surround a lot of land. The transmitters, receivers, and wiring for an invisible fence usually cost less than $100 all together. Hidden fences that are more complicated, on the other hand, can cost pet owners more than $1,000.

Non-electric fence, on the other hand, can cost more than $200 per 6- to 8-foot panel. It’s easy to see why some dog owners, especially renters, think e-fences are a good and affordable choice. However, it is worth noting that some small fencing systems, especially temporary ones, can be bought for about the same amount of money as a cheap invisible fence system.

Why Professionals Do Not Suggest E-Fences

We talked to Kait Hembree, who is a qualified trainer and the Head of Training at GoodPup, to find out more about electric fences. We asked her if electric fences are safe for dogs and what people who want to buy one should know.

Can dogs use e-fences without getting hurt?

In theory, it’s easy to understand how an electric fence for dogs works. However, Hembree helped to explain how the system of dogs getting alerts and shocks works in their minds. Hembree explained that e-fences use penalties to stop people from leaving the garden, which is not a good habit.

“There must be a threat for an e-fence to work,” she says. “They will hurt themselves if they leave their home too far.”

Some dogs may be able to handle this pain, which comes in the form of an unpleasant sound or an electric shock. Is it safe, though? Even our expert finds it hard to answer that question. E-fences use pain to set boundaries, as Hembree described above. But people who support electric fences say that the pain is only temporary and doesn’t hurt dogs physically in the long run.

Still, Hembree isn’t sure if it’s the best way to set limits with our dogs. She asks, “Is letting a dog worry about being hurt all the time the best way to keep them safe?”

Are e-fences bad for your dog?

People can’t fully understand the effects of using electric fence for dogs because we’re not experiencing them ourselves. As Hembree says, “Unfortunately, the only person who can say for sure if something is “truly” unpleasant is the person who is experiencing it.”

People can’t even tell the difference between how an e-collar feels on them and how it feels on their dog because they are designed to work only on dogs. Hembree says that the shock from the collar is like the feeling of a TENS unit, which is a medical device used for physical treatment. According to her, most people don’t enjoy using these gadgets, even though they have benefits.

In the same way, electric fence for dogs will not work the same way for every dog. Sensitivity can be changed by size and personality. For example, dogs that don’t like smoke alarms might not mind the sounds that the collar makes at all, while dogs that aren’t as sensitive to noise might not mind.

But the important thing is that for many dogs, the painful shock of e-fences can cause them to feel afraid or worried all the time, which Hembree says is bad for their health as a whole.

Do dogs do well with electric fences?

One main reason to use a fence, whether it’s electronic or not, is to keep your dogs safe by containing them in your yard. The problem, according to Hembree, is that invisible walls don’t always do this important job. “Some dogs will go outside their electric fence even if it hurts or shocks them,” she says. “Other dogs may forget about the fence for a short time if they are too excited or aroused.”

To make things even worse, once the dog has crossed the line, going back to the garden is just as scary. A dog might not notice the pain when they are focused on chasing a mouse, but they might notice the shock more when they are not focused on the chase. This might make them less likely to cross back into your garden, where they are safe.

On the other hand, electric gates are only meant to keep your dog in the yard. Other animals can still get into your dog’s space even if you have an electric fence for dogs up. This means that your dog could run into rabbits, other pets, or even bigger animals that are looking for food.

Experts Suggest Choosing Alternatives to Electric Fences for dogs

Hembree says that the psychological risks of an electric fence for dogs and doubts about how well they work in general are enough to make people not want to use them.

“Since dogs can’t tell us directly what is really bothering them, and since there are other, more humane fence options, it seems like the best thing to do would be not to buy one.”

Other Options Besides E-Fences

The most obvious choice instead of an Electric Fence for Dogs is a regular fence made of metal, wood, or some other material that doesn’t use electricity. You can keep your dog safe by putting up a fixed or temporary fence, like the BestPet Heavy Duty Pet Playpen, around a small area or the whole yard.

But there are times when regular fencing is not a choice. Problems with control, local rules, or even just the way a house looks can stop people from putting up an electric fence for dogs. When this happens, Hembree says that dogs should be trained to respect boundaries. Instead of harsh punishment, this teaching method uses positive reinforcement to get the same results.

“Boundary training for dogs means showing them where they can and can’t go,” says Hembree. “This could be certain areas of the house or when they leave the yard.” “The best thing about it is that it uses positive reinforcement to reward dogs for staying inside the marked area or perimeter. This takes away the stress that an e-fence can cause.”

For dogs that like to move more, a GPS collar like the Whistle Go Explore can make pet owners feel safer. GPS collars can find out where a dog is, but unlike an e-fence, they don’t praise or punish the dog based on where they are.

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