Invisible Fence??

SophieMonsterSophieMonster
edited June 2009 in Behavior & Training
So I haven't been online lately, sorry, I have been lazy this summer. But I have a question. We live in a condo and have a fence on two sides of the yard and our condo's brick wall on the other. So the fourth side is open. In our side yard we had our shiba on a long lead that was grounded but she would sometimes wrap herself up around the bushes or a tree. So we started to train her that the grass area was a boundary and for a good two/three months she was well behaved and obeyed the rules of where we said she could play. But she has gradually been not listening and pushing her boundaries. I think this came from the fact that our neighbors would come outside and then pet her so I think she figures hey, if I run over there I get rewarded. I don't mind this because I have often received compliments saying that she is one of the friendliest and most outgoing shibas anyone has ever met. But I am wondering for her safety when she is outside playing with her brother (our bull terrier) if I should a) get an invisible fence or b) get a collar that emits a burst of air, I saw this at a dog park being used and it seemed to work well in redirecting the dog's behavior and doesn't cause pain. I was just wondering if any of you all have had experience with either of these tools and would recommend them or not before I go spending the money on either of them. I just don't want her choking herself on her tie down leash or when instincts take over and she thinks it is ok to run, for her to run off, get lost, or hurt. she always comes back to the yard after a two minute hello!!/kiss me!! session with the neighbors but I want to keep her safety in mind so if you all have any opinions that would be helpful, I would love to know.

Comments

  • tobyshibatobyshiba
    edited November -1
    I personally would not use or trust a Shiba with an electric fence. :(
    Most Shibas get the shock and ignore it and continue running or chasing small critters around the neighborhood. It might work for a few months, and then your Shiba will realize nothing is there but a little shock to stop them. I really think that Shibas are waaaay too smart to be restricted by an electric fence.
  • RyuRyu
    edited November -1
    You asked a great and valid question. When we lived in Hawaii, we had Ryu on a small tie-out for potty breaks and he would constantly wrap himself around the only post out there. We moved before having to consider an electric fence. While I wouldn't trust my two pups on an electric fence with my luck - I mean, Chloe managed to get through a wooden privacy fence! - I do know someone with two shibas trained on an invisible fence. They have been using it for a year with only one mishap - and this occurred when the dog was outside without the collar on. They are quite comfortable with their setup so it can be done. That being said, I don't agree with shock collars so I wouldn't personally use an electric fence. The version you described as using a burst of air is new to me. While it seems more humane, I know that a burst of air wouldn't deter my crazy friendly Shiba from running across the road for lovin'.

    Are there any covenant rules in your condo about putting some sort of temporary fence structure there?
  • TeamLaikaTeamLaika
    edited November -1
    What about an overhead zip line between the two fence sections? They are more difficult to tangle and give them quite a bit of freedom.
  • HeidiHeidi
    edited November -1
    Are you able to complete the fencing? If you don't want to build anything permanent (like if you're renting) you could use portable fencing panels, or something else that's easy to remove and either sell or take with you when you move.
  • sunyatasunyata
    edited November -1
    In my previous residence, I had an Invisble Fence. For my girls, it worked quite well. However, I spent a LOT of time using positive reinforcement training before I even took the rubber covers off the shock posts. (by a lot, I mean 6-8 months) Once they were trained to heed the beep with 100% accuracy, I took them off lead and allowed them to feel what would happen if they failed to turn around when they heard the beep. Once was all it took and they never tested the fence. But before I would allow my girls to be shocked, I shocked myself to ensure that it was not painful, just startling. (and it was rather startling, but not exactly painful)

    However, having a successful experience with an Invisible Fence with any of the Spitz breed dogs takes a lot of training, dedication, and watchfulness. Even after all that, I would NEVER leave my girls outside unattended. Just because they can not get out does not mean that something else can not get in. And if one of my dogs ever learned how to 'jump' the fence, it would be all over. You can not re-train a dog to use an Invisible Fence once they have figured out how to escape it.
  • SophieMonsterSophieMonster
    edited November -1
    This is all great advice, thank you all. What exactly is the overhead zip line? do you have a link to a site so I can see what one looks like, never heard of this for dogs. We do own our condo but I think the option of us putting up a fence on the un-fenced side would be up to our condo association, I am not sure how they would feel about it but I suppose it can't hurt to ask.
  • KFontaine04KFontaine04
    edited November -1
    Here is a good website:

    http://www.unchainyourdog.org/Trolley.htm
  • lindsaytlindsayt
    edited November -1
    A word of caution on the overhead zip line. Make sure it isn't next to anything that the dog can get hung up on if you can't watch the dog. Growing up, the parents kept some of our farm dogs on zip lines when they weren't being worked and overnight. We came out one cold AM to find the smaller lab female dangling, strangled on her brother's collar where her collar caught his overnight. The tangled ziplines essentially caused her to strangle as they prevented her from getting her feet on the ground, and he being the heavier dog, was able to keep his feet on the ground while Pepper hung herself. There are ground level ziplines that seem to be safer, but overall, I would still be worried about at large dogs attacking a tethered dog.
  • SophieMonsterSophieMonster
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the link. And I am sorry to hear about what happened with your dog Lindsay. I never leave my pup outside alone. She stays inside with us, she only goes out when she needs to go to the bathroom or if we are staying out in the yard to play with her and her brother. I just want something to keep her in the yard so that if she sees someone (or something) all the way across the condo parking lot that she won't run off.
  • shiba2shikokushiba2shikoku
    edited November -1
    After Tsuki scaled our 6 ft. fence we decided to install an invisible fence around the top of the entire fenced backyard. It has worked wonderfully for her. Befoe, she was completley stressed out in the back yard because there were squirrels going along the fence and she HAD to go after them. Now that she knows her boundries, she can hang out outside, running squirrels off and enjoy being in the back yard. I also tested the "shock" before I put it on my dogs and it DOES NOT hurt. It startles, but not hurts. If you ever touched your tongue to a 9 V battery as a kid, you know what the invisible fence does...granted, it's a little stronger than a 9 v, but you get the picture. Taro does whatever Tsuki does, so he has always stayed away from the fence. We don't have to worry about them getting out and getting injured or lost by jumping or digging. We also put it around our front yard to help with bolting, which is now not a problem either.

    Tsuki watching the squirrels
  • SophieMonsterSophieMonster
    edited November -1
    thanks! I love hearing everyone's input!
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