Invisible dog fence wire substitute

[jimmyj]

Hi all. I have done some searches but did not have any luck so here goes. I am installing "invisible type" dog fencing around roughly 7 acres and don't have enough wire. I can buy more at $60 for 500 feet but I was thinking of a substitute wire that may be cheaper. It's very small guage wire and I was wondering if any of you had ever found a good alternate wire for this job?

 

[Craig Clayton]

Hello fellow Canadian
The wire needs to be underground rated. You do not want the RF to leak by poor insulation. I assume you will pull in a slit trench with the tractor. Now I am going to spend more money for you. If you put in 1/2 " poly pipe you will never have to dig up the invisible fence again. Because if a stone or one of our chewing rodents eats the wire you get to find the bad spot.
If it comes in 500 foot lenghts that is where it is joined, seal that that with silicone to keep out the damp.
Craig Clayton

 

[rekees4300]

"I can buy more at $60 for 500 feet"

Amazon has it for $32.01 for 500 feet and free shipping.

Amazon.com: PetSafe 500-foot Spool of 20-Gauge, Solid Core Boundary Wire: Kitchen & Dining: Reviews, Prices & more

 

[DJ4wd]

"I can buy more at $60 for 500 feet"

Amazon has it for $32.01 for 500 feet and free shipping.

Amazon.com: PetSafe 500-foot Spool of 20-Gauge, Solid Core Boundary Wire: Kitchen & Dining: Reviews, Prices & more

Now this here is one of the reasons I come here everyday. Not only is this place chock full of info but also super friendly people willing to help out whenever they can.

My hat is off to Rekees!

 

[jimmyj]

Craig! You are VERY close to me. I'm just outside of Sunderland. I bet I'd recognize you if you go to local farm auctions!

Reekes, good call out man! Thanks.

 

[Carykong]

How many and what kind of dogs are you training to stay within your underground fence?

 

[jimmyj]

Just one that I am concerned about. I have 4 dogs and 3 are good but one is a rescue who is very headstrong. We got him a few years ago and he still bolts off the property barking and running amok in the forest. If we had a farmer next door he'd be shot by now for sure. It's not all the time, but before we got him he must have been completely wild because he is the most challenging dog we've ever had. He's overly dominant, food aggressive and runs off.

We have fencing for either pasture or the perimiter around about 1/3 of the property and he won't go through it, but at the back there are forest and swampy areas and we get coyote, deer and who knows what else through at night. He is part hound and gets his nose on a scent and zoom! We have quite a bit of experience with dogs and he REALLY respects the electric farm fences so I think a dog collar / fence combo would be an excellent training aid. I don't care if he's not perfect, but if one of the farms near me had a problem with him running a horse or cattle or whatever I'd feel terribly irresponsible.

He's about 100 lbs, part hound and possibly great dane or maybe just a heinz 57 mix. Long gangly legs and he's freindly with animals otherwise, even chickens and kittens.

NOTE: I was actually going to run this above ground in some areas by running it along an existing fence.

 

[AlanB]

We used irrigation control wire, comes in a lot bigger spools and is heavier and better insulated. The stuff that comes with the fence is about a joke to me. Ours does the perimeter of our 10 acres, and mostly sits above ground.

Around here, Lesco, John Deere landscapes, Ewing sell it but I have no idea if you have irrigation installers in your area.

When I spoke with the invisible fence folks they said it would be fine, but would need to use the same wire throughout.

It has been in service about a year I guess and the only damage was done by some idiot bush hogging. Fortunately I found him in the mirror and made him go fix it. But anyway I run over it regularly with the Trackavator and other equipment and I think I only broke it that once (and what can I say, I hit it with the bush hog)

 

[kidr]

I would try him in a smaller area first, before you spend a lot of money and effort. That fence doesn't work on all dogs and yours sounds like he may not be a good candidate. A brave dog will take the shock and go right through the thing in a moment of passion. To me electronics are no substitute for good basic obedience training anyway.

 

[schmism]

That fence doesn't work on all dogs and yours sounds like he may not be a good candidate. A brave dog will take the shock and go right through the thing in a moment of passion.

This is an issue of training on the owners part. nothing to do with the dog.