A Guide to Invisible Fence Installation

Any dog owner who lives in an urban setting has a responsibility to keep their pet confined to the property. There’s nothing sadder than watching a confused pet wandering along a busy roadway, with no idea of how to get home and unaware of the danger passing cars pose.

Loose dogs get into garbage, taunt other dogs and pose a danger to humans if they’re confused and panic.

Nothing works better than a physical fence to prevent your dog from wandering. That’s the opinion of Ali Smith, a dog trainer and the founder and CEO of Rebarkable.

Various circumstances can stand in the way of erecting one, unfortunately, including local building codes, homeowners’ association (HOA) rules, difficult terrain or budget. In those cases, an invisible fence may be the answer.

Three general types are available: wired, wireless and Wi-Fi. Each requires the dog to wear a special collar calibrated to deliver a corrective impulse that alerts it to a boundary. The impulse is not a shock. It’s more like a strong vibration, getting the animal’s attention without hurting it.

Dogs must be trained to recognize the signal and associate it with the boundary, and not all dogs respond equally well. While Smith mentions other problems with invisible fences, they work well for many dogs and their owners. A wired fence is the only one that calls for physical installation, particularly burying the wire, and it’s generally straightforward.

Buried Invisible Fence Installation

The installation kit for the typical buried fence, like the PetSafe Basic In-Ground Pet Fence, comes with a spool of wire long enough to enclose a standard yard (about one-third of an acre). It also includes a transmitter to send a signal through the wire and a collar that generates an impulse to warn the dog.

Marker flags are also included to indicate where the wire is buried. If you need more wire or flags, you can order these separately.

Before installation, it’s important to plan the boundary. Walk the perimeter with a 100-foot tape measure to know exactly what you need, so you can order extra wire if necessary before you start.

The wire shouldn’t be close to chain link fences or metal poles, which can interfere with the signal. It also should be several feet from buried electrical, TV and phone wires.

Tools and materials

The transmitter can only send a radio signal if it forms a continuous loop. To avoid breaks, you may need to cut channels across sidewalks or feed the wire under gravel walkways or driveways in PVC tubing.

Depending on the circumstances, you may need some or all of the following materials:

• Drill and driver bit;
• Surge protector;
• Circular saw;
• Masonry blade;
• Concrete patching compound
• Some 3/4-inch PVC pipe;
• Mini sledgehammer;
• Wire connectors;
• Silicone caulk;
• PVC tape;
• Shovel.

Install the transmitter

Using a drill and driver, screw the transmitter to a wall that’s well-protected from the elements and close to an electrical receptacle. Inside the garage is ideal, but the basement or a weatherproof outbuilding also works — anyplace where it won’t get wet.

It shouldn’t be close to any major appliance or electrical panel, which can cause interference. Plug the transmitter into a surge protector to keep it safe from lightning strikes.

Lay out the wire

Establish the fence perimeter by laying the wire on the ground, starting at the transmitter and returning to it. Avoid making sharp corners; these create signal interference. If you have a garden to protect, create a sub-loop that goes around it.

Determine the obstacles, like walkways and driveways, that need special tools and supplies. If you must add extra wires, connect them by splicing the ends with wire connectors. Then reinforce the splices with silicone caulk and wrap them with PVC tape so they’re ready to be buried.

Bury the wire

Dig a shallow trench for the wire. This doesn’t need to be elaborate; digging about three to six inches into the ground with a spade and pulling the turf and soil to one side will do it. Drop the wire into the trench, replace the soil and turf and place the supplied flags at intervals to mark the location.

If you need to cross a concrete surface, cut a shallow trench with a circular saw and masonry blade, drop in the wire and backfill with patching compound. If crossing a gravel walkway, tap a 3/4-in. PVC pipe under the walkway using a mini sledgehammer, and feed the wire through it. Cap the leading end of the pipe to keep dirt out while you’re tapping.

Connect the wires to the transmitter and test the system

Hook the wires up to the transmitter following the manufacturer’s instructions, then put a battery in the collar.

Turn on the transmitter and walk the perimeter with the collar in hand, making sure you can feel the vibration and hear the beep as you cross the boundary. This is your chance to calibrate the collar if the vibrations feel too strong, or you can’t feel them at all.

Train your dog

This is an essential part of the installation. If you don’t do this, your pet will be confused when the collar vibrates.

Training can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the dog. The installation instructions usually contain helpful training tips. You can also find them online.

Wireless Invisible Fence Installation

Wireless and Wi-Fi invisible fences don’t require digging.

If you’re installing a fence with a wireless transmitter, put the transmitter in a central location near a power outlet. Plug in the transmitter and adjust the range setting to establish the boundary area according to the manufacturer’s instructions (only circular boundaries are possible).

Put a battery in the collar, walk the perimeter and test it. As soon as it’s outside the range of the transmitter, the collar should vibrate.

Wi-Fi dog fences work with GPS. They consist of the collar and an app for your mobile device. You typically establish the boundary by walking along it with your mobile device on and the app open, using GPS. The procedure varies from product to product, so make sure you read the instructions.

Training is still an integral part of the installation when you purchase wireless and Wi-Fi fences.