Obedience Dog Training:
Pros and Cons of Electronic Fences
By Jan Hoadley

Standard visible fences aren't absolute - dogs can dig under, go over, or sometimes loosen the fence enough to get out. One frustrated owner bought her jack russel terrier a nice six foot high kennel only to find him regularly on the outside of the kennel. Frustrated, she hid to watch the little 'monster' actually climb the fence, balance on top and jump down the outside. A top on the kennel stopped that behavior.

Some people use an electrified "hot wire" with a special pet charger to deter pressing the fence, but this can have hazards also. A dog that gets hung up, or a person who accidently touches the wire can be shocked also.

Being able to run and play without being on a leash is exercise that a dog needs to be well adjusted. A tired dog is a good dog less likely to develop bad habits. Sometimes an electronic fence provides the opportunity for a dog to do this in areas where going to a dog park isn't practical or available, yet the dog still needs an exercise outlet.

Places such as petstreetmall.com are resources for information and purchase of a variety of fences.

No 'one-size-fits-all' recommendation is likely to be satisfactory given the wide variety of living circumstances, breeds and individual dogs and training regimes. The best that can be said is to consider all the facts, not least of which are the physical and psychological health needs of the dog. Then make an informed choice. Be prepared to disable the fence if it proves to do more harm than good.