One of the most heartbreaking tragedies that can occur for a pet owner is to lose their best 4 legged friend.  Today’s world is a very dangerous place for our cats and dogs - cars and trucks speed along busy streets, sickly animals are drawn closer to our homes with the lure of garbage, and many toxic chemicals are unknowingly placed within easy reach of our best friends.  There are any number of things that can harm our dog or cat in the world today and, as loving pet owners, it is our job to ensure that our pets are kept healthy and safe.

While it’s tempting to raise indoor-only pets, thereby avoiding these dangers, ensuring that our pets receive an adequate amount of exercise is equally important.  In fact, your pet’s exercise is as essential to their well-being as it is to our own.  When we don’t get out and get enough exercise, we find ourselves growing sluggish, sickly and gaining excess weight - the same is true for our furry friends.  Just like their owners, animals can suffer from the effects of obesity, often developing diseases like diabetes or suffering heart, kidney and liver damage.  Making sure that your dog or cat has a means to exercise will help to keep him healthy and ensure he lives a much longer life. 

But the question remains - how do you allow your pet the freedom to run and exercise, while still keeping him safe and out of harm‘s reach?  Granted, many cities now offer dog parks where people can take their canine buddies out for a romp, but not everyone has the time to go to a dog park on a regular basis.  For some people, dog parks aren’t even an option yet, despite their growing numbers.

Ideally, the best way to exercise your pet would be to allow him the use of your own private yard - this way, you have the opportunity to go through and “puppy proof” your surroundings, just as you’ve done with your home, and ensure that there’s nothing that could potentially harm your pet.  Of course, anyone will tell you that you have to put up fencing if you are going to grant your dog or cat access to your back yard.  Unfortunately, there are many people who drag their feet when even considering such a thing, and there are others who simply just don‘t know how to go about purchasing and installing their own fencing.

While many people might suggest that you try chain link or privacy fencing, one of the best methods to use is to install an electric pet containment system.  Pet containment systems have been growing in popularity and many new and incredible advancements have been made with this kind of technology.   In fact, having a pet containment system installed on your property is often much safer for your pet, as well as being easier on both your back and your budget, when compared to traditional-style fencing. 

A Safer Alternative

Leash laws, as well as common sense, tell us that our pets should not be left outside and allowed to roam the neighborhood freely.  It’s far too dangerous for them, whether they are pets that have lived indoors all of their life or even if they are pets that love to spend time going for walks and appear to be street-savvy.  If you are a responsible pet owner, then you should know the rule - no pet should be allowed off the leash unless they are inside their own home or within the borders of a safe and effective pet containment system.  While some people may suggest traditional fencing for your yard, depending on your dog, it’s not always the best alternative.

It’s frightening, the number of dogs which are badly injured, or worse, because they have tried to leap over fences.  Many of the chain-link fences and wrought-iron decorator fences that are on the market today are very inappropriate dog fencing, particularly if you have a large breed dog.  While your calm Collie or your docile Dalmatian may not seem the type of dog to go fence-hopping, you’d be surprised just how many of them actually shock their owners and do just that.  While the “lucky” ones make it over the fence and escape into freedom, there are many cases of dogs who do not make it over the fences and end up with serious, life-threatening injuries.  Even the small breed dog can learn how to wiggle his way through or climb his way over a low lying fence and neither option is practical if you’re hoping to keep your cats in your back yard.  A hop, skip and a jump, and your kitty cat is off for the hills.

If they don’t go over, many a determined dog decides to start digging and they find a way to wiggle free of their enclosure by going under the fencing.  This too, can lead to injury for your dog, as well as tearing up your yard, and definitely ensuring that Bath Day becomes a daily habit.  This habitual tunneling under barricades also proves a problem with the taller and more sturdy privacy fence but, with the privacy fence, there also comes one more problem - price.  While one option is to dig up the yard and install chicken wire a couple of feet deep throughout your entire yard, this is often more problem than it’s worth because it will rarely keep an escape artist confined.

For many people, the electric pet containment system is the ideal way to go.   It may appear to cost a bit more than traditional fencing but, if all factors are taken into consideration, electric dog fencing can provide home-owners with a safe, reliable, and humane alternative to daily walks on the leash.  What’s even more important is that, in the long run, electric pet containment will actually save you money.

Pricing the Pet Containment Package

There are so many varieties of electric dog fencing available on the market that it can be very confusing, when the time comes to purchase a pet containment system.  Naturally, price is a factor that many of us take into consideration when purchasing any kind of dog fencing, but it’s important to remember that the most expensive doesn’t always mean it’s the best product, nor does the cheapest dog fencing mean that it will do an adequate job and keep your pet safe.  If you’re looking for an electric dog fence, try following these simple steps:

?         Research - You should never be afraid of doing a little investigating into a product that you plan to purchase; whether it’s an electric pet containment system or a new stereo, an informed consumer is the one who gets the best product for their buck.  Doing a search on the internet or reading through publications are both great ways of learning about the various products that are available on the market.  Then, you can take a collection of names and products, moving on to the second step in the process.

?         Talk it over - Speak with friends or family members who use electric dog fences.  If they aren’t familiar with them, try checking with your veterinarian or local breeders.  Find out what they have to say or, if you still can’t find a good recommendation, try checking forums and groups on the internet - more often than not, people are happy to discuss the various pet containment systems that they’ve tried.  You will want to be wary of people who haven’t used electric dog fences within the last couple of years, however - technology has advanced remarkably over the past few years. 

?         Pick Product Over Price - Don‘t go for the most expensive product, but don‘t shop the bargain bins either.  While it‘s alright to shop for a deal, a final choice in pet fencing should not be made until you‘ve found a product that will do exactly what you want it to do and will offer you a warranty that the company is prepared to stand behind.  Shopping the bargain bins can lead to problems - in fact, most low-cost pet fencing is manufactured in China, a country that has recently come under the microscope due to its poor product testing and substandard manufacturing quality.  Does the pet collar come with a low battery indicator?  Can it work with your friend’s systems (can you visit for doggie play dates with owners of other brand systems) Does your electric dog fencing come with a full lifetime guarantee?  What has been said about the company’s customer service?  All of these things should be considered before price.

While the lowest-priced sale items may seem like the best bargains, chances are that the product is made in China, where quality is often  substandard.  Be sure to look over the products carefully and compare or ask around - while you may end up paying out a little extra for an electric pet containment system done right initially, the difference you  save in trips to the veterinarian, and the safety and well-being of your furry friend, will make it all worthwhile.

Electric Fences: Myth and Misinformation

There is a great deal of misinformation circulating about electric dog fences.  Electric Containment systems are not cruel or inhumane.  There are major humane organizations and thousands of veterinarians who use and recommend assorted electronic dog fencing products.  When an electric pet containment system is used in a proper manner, and the pet is properly trained, the electric pet fence is one of the most humane methods that can be used to keep a pet within the confines of your yard.

Do electric fences shock your dog?  In truth, yes they do.  With the best electric dog fences, the level of shock intensity can be dialed down to where you cannot even feel it, allowing an incrementally increasing approach to training.  These electric fences allow the intensity to be adjusted, because good training requires far less pressure.  Some dogs can be controlled by a very low level – like a strange sensation, that they feel when they cross their boundaries, where other dogs have higher drive levels and it will take a stronger charge for them avoid the underground dog fence.  The manufacturers of electric dog fences do not want, nor do they expect, for any animal to be harmed in any fashion, particularly not using their dog fence products.  In the hands of a neglectful or careless pet owner, most pet training tools or containment products can harm your pet - even a simple collar and leash can be deadly if misused.  Responsibly used, an electric dog fence delivers lifetime yard freedom for that early training period.

Also contrary to some beliefs, your pet will not be needlessly jolted whenever you use the garage door opener or use the remote to change a channel, nor will pet fencing systems interfere with your television, telephone or pace-makers.  With the advancement of the pet containment technology, most electric fences were designed to work on pulse-coded radio signals, which means no disruptions in your signal, and no confusion in your furry friend’s training.  Quality pet containment systems can also help to keep those straying kitties home at night.  While it’s generally believed that electric fences are just used on dogs, many cat owners have success with electric cat fencing for their pets. 

Whether you have cats or dogs, an electric pet dog or cat containment system will allow your furry friends access to run and romp in your yard while keeping them confined within safe boundaries.  Granting your pet access to such an environment will help to promote good mental and physical health, as well as giving you the joy of knowing that you’ve done something wonderful for your beloved pet.  Why not check some out today - tails are bound to be wagging in no time!

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