Dog containment

**Frenchy** · March 2nd, 2009, 04:51 PM

Question here for you farm type boys. I need a containment system on my yard to keep my pups in…

I have a 2” fence around that will keep the smaller of my pups in, but the larger pup will easily jump 2” now.. Actually, they can both jump this high, but the smaller pup does not know it yet. Now I know a 4” frost fence would keep them in nicely, but I don’t have the $3 to $4,000 to do this.

For those of you who know dogs, these are Papillon, very small “Toy” dogs that are extremely intelligent and can do an agility course with extreme precision. Basically, (not my pups yet) the world champion in Papillon agility can do a course of 165 Meter in 29 seconds. They are extremely rapid.

So containing them to a 12X12 area is not some thing I feel would give them much exercise.

So I broke down my options to 2 types of containment, one being a 4” wood lat fence, (we are looking at over 300 feet of fencing here… Some where around $1.500 that I would have to work around and change as I do my landscaping as I have a lot of digging to get a hill in the back out to flatten my yard.

Or an electric fence with a combination of wire and tape that will be easy to move around with temporary posts until I get the actual landscaping done. This with all materials so far, is around $250.00 much more in my budget right now.

Here are my questions.

How will weeds and shrubs affect the fencing, do I need to keep shrubs and weeds off the fence?
The smallest power I could get was 700V to 1000V Now like I said these are smart dogs, I don’t expect they will touch it more then once or twice, but is 1000 V brutal to a 10 pound puppy? (he is like a small fox)

I did look at the K9 type collars, but the problem with those is the smaller pup weighs in at a 6Lb and the dern collar is 2Lb with batteries. The second problem is that it will shock them for 7 feet from the wire or area, but at the speed these critters can run, 7 feet is one bound and by the time they realize they been shocked to stay in, they would be out.

Suggestions?

**BIGSHOVEL** · March 2nd, 2009, 05:37 PM

Frenchy,

I believe Tri Tronics, Sport dog makes a wireless fence. Mount unit in Garage or another room and it contains dogs to the setting specified without any digging. I would reccomend putting the flag markers in the ground and do it the old fashion way and walk dogs near flags and leash "correct" as necessary before you power up a collar and make a dog scared in a hurry.

We moved two years ago and had a burried electric fence at the old house we didn't even turn on once the dog learned his bounds. I walked our dog repeatedly in flagged two acres at the new house and have yet to need a fence.

Good luck

Brad

**Frenchy** · March 2nd, 2009, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by BIGSHOVEL

Frenchy,

I believe Tri Tronics, Sport dog makes a wireless fence. Mount unit in Garage or another room and it contains dogs to the setting specified without any digging. I would reccomend putting the flag markers in the ground and do it the old fashion way and walk dogs near flags and leash "correct" as necessary before you power up a collar and make a dog scared in a hurry.

We moved two years ago and had a burried electric fence at the old house we didn't even turn on once the dog learned his bounds. I walked our dog repeatedly in flagged two acres at the new house and have yet to need a fence.

Good luck

Brad

The problem I see with this is the collar, the dern thing weighs a ton!

Well OK, its not that heavy, but the ones I looked at where in the 1.5 to 2 pound range. Remember this is a toy dog, What can I compare them to... figure a 8 inch collar needs holes in them to fit, They would both fit in a large purse... Although the larger of the two would probably have no problem with the collar, at the speed he runs, a 7 foot barrier will not really stop him, the shock would need to be continuous till he came back in.

Give you an Idea of the dogs in question...

**Farbmeister** · March 2nd, 2009, 06:11 PM

Invisible Electric fences suck. First, they rely on behavior, not physical containment. A scared or overactive dog can run over the wire with little more than a yelp. Once your dog is out... is it really gonna go through the PAIN to cross the wire to get back in? Plus you have batteries to worry about, a heavy collar, and changing the layout mean a new round of training. Plus they do not keep people out or protect your property.

I put up 5 ft chain link fence around my .25 acre yard for less than $1k total. If you are a landscaper your commercial account should get you fence for little over cost.

If you want a fancy fence then yeah, you are screwed as they are super expensive for what they do.

**BIGSHOVEL** · March 2nd, 2009, 06:15 PM

I see. My next recomendation is get a Cane Corso to eat those two and and utilize your new electric fence.

Theres alot to be said for just training them the old fashioned way "checking" them on a 20 foot lead and a reward system during training.

**Frenchy** · March 2nd, 2009, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by BIGSHOVEL

I see. My next recomendation is get a Cane Corso to eat those two and and utilize your new electric fence.

Theres alot to be said for just training them the old fashioned way "checking" them on a 20 foot lead and a reward system during training.

If it where Just up to me, I would have a nice German Shepard or a large dog, but the wife likes Toys... Besides, when these sleep on me, I don't really feel them

You sort of get attached to these little critters too. They make a great alarm system and are a bitch to follow so shooting them other then with a 12G would be virtually impossible.

Now if they could stop barking at the phone when it rings...
I'm thinking once they get zapped a few times, they will learn to stay clear of the fence and as it is a 7/8 wide tape, they will definitely see it well enough to recognize it.

LOL Not to mention any one who tries to come into the yard... PS. to me, 1000V is very uncomfortable...

**Chazman321** · March 2nd, 2009, 08:59 PM

I used 4 or 5 foot tall snow fencing... It's considered temporary, so no permits are needed... It's just 1 inch slats about 2 inches apart... It works well for jumping, doesn't do much for digging... If you need help, let me know...

-Chaz

**WVneighbor** · March 3rd, 2009, 01:11 AM

If you are going to be doing alot of digging and moving things around, why not go with an inexpensive wire fence?

Tractor Supply has this. I've used this on the inside of my wood fence to keep my dog from going under the lowest slat.

You can get simple push-in posts (no digging post holes!) that can be pulled up and moved if/when needed.

**Frenchy** · March 3rd, 2009, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by WVneighbor

If you are going to be doing alot of digging and moving things around, why not go with an inexpensive wire fence?

Tractor Supply has this. I've used this on the inside of my wood fence to keep my dog from going under the lowest slat.

You can get simple push-in posts (no digging post holes!) that can be pulled up and moved if/when needed.

That is exactly the fence I have now, first the pup decided to climb it, now he knows he can jump it, I would need to go up to 4" and if I did that, might as well go chain link, the reason I like the electrical fencing is that I can move it quick if needed, My main question was with Voltage, what sort of shock is 1000V to a small dog, Like i said I dont suppose he would go to it more then once or twice before he learnt that touching the tape is a no-no..

**phill** · March 3rd, 2009, 11:14 AM

Frenchy
We have about 1/2 mile of electric fence for the horses. It is a full time job in the summer keering the weeds and grass off of it. Our first wire is 12" off the ground, if anything touches it the voltage is seriously reduced. At the level of toy dogs I think that it would be major PIA.