Does an Electric Dog Fence Hurt Your Dog? What the Correction Actually Feels Like

Before choosing a hidden pet fence for your yard, you’ve most likely looked up some form of “electric dog fence hurt” into Google. It’s one of the most frequently asked – and most critical – questions pet owners ask prior to installing a containment system in Michigan. No one wants to cause their dog pain and there is more information out there than you can find on the web.

But the answer is not as straightforward as a yes or no. This guide will explain the perception of the correction on a dog, if it hurts, the risks that an improperly installed and trained electric fence poses, and how it can be a fateful experience to stay on a trailside versus a safe, humane one.

What Is an Electric Dog Fence and How Does It Work?

An electric dog fence, also known as an underground dog fence, hidden fence or invisible fence, is a fence that presents an invisible boundary around your yard and utilizes an underground wire or wireless signal to do so. Your dog is fitted with a collar with a signal that alerts them when they are nearing the edge. The collar beeps a warning sound and then if the dog persists in coming forward it gives a mild static shock.

Unlike a livestock or farming fence, this fence technology is not quite the same as to the degree of the hindrance it provides or to the magnitude of the power output it generates, which we will discuss shortly when discussing whether or not a cattle electric fence would hurt a dog.

When weighing systems or brands, our staff can guide you through all of the underground dog fence installation options at your disposal for any yard in any shape or size in Southeast Michigan.

Does an Electric Dog Fence Hurt Your Dog? The Honest Answer

So, does an electric dog fence bite the dog companions like people fear? A good modern type dog fence system, when used properly and programmed correctly according to your dog’s size, temperament and breed, will not cause any pain. It produces a temporary shocking sensation, like the electric shock people get when they touch a doorknob after walking on a carpet.

The correction isn’t to hurt or punish, but intended to interfere with behaviour. Good products like Invisible Fence, PetSafe, Innotek and Dog Guard are designed with many adjustable levels to accommodate each individual dog. If installed and introduced correctly, a properly fitted and properly programmed system should never leave marks, cause any burn or leave any lasting distress.

However, if not used properly, could an electric fence actually harm a dog? Yes – poor installation, poor fit of the collar, the setting was too high, or inadequate training. Proper setup is of such pivotal importance, that’s why.

What Does the Correction Actually Feel Like?

This is the part that most pet owners want answered! The correction made from a hidden fence collar is not an electric shock as portrayed in films/cattle prodders; rather, it is a low level static pulse. It is often explained to the veterinary profession by using the analogy of:

• A situation in which one has touched a piece of metal after walking on carpet, causing the static shock
• Calm shaking or vibrating – not a jolt
• A very short, brief moment, for a span of a few seconds

After just a few sessions of training most dogs come to associate the warning tone with getting corrected, and in most cases the actual correction is never heard after the initial phase of training. This is the purpose of a well-trained system – the sound is what will be the boundary cue and not the static correction.

Do Electric Fences Hurt Dogs More Than Traditional Training Tools?

In comparison with primarily recognized training methods, such as electric or dog fences, hidden fences are one of the more mild ones there are. A dog that slips or gets hit with a verbal scolding or even a sudden leash pop can be even more frightening than if it was properly harnessed with a containment collar.

Hidden fences not only do not present the danger of physical barriers, but also will prevent the following risks:

• Fenced and unattached dogs hit by cars who leave by gaps or get over the fence
• Jumping or climbing injuries involving fences
• Loud barking, barking excessively towards people walking or passing dogs

One thing to remember when answering the electric dog fence painful question is that the potential for unrestricted freedom for a dog is much greater than the potential for a dog being contained by a system.

Will an Electric Fence Hurt a Dog With Health Conditions?

This is a decent question. Will an electric fence be damaging to a hearty dog, sensitive skin, anxious dog or a senior pet? In most cases, no – but these dogs do require special consideration.

• Dogs with arthritis or older dogs: Corrections will need to be made at a conservative level, and training should be more gradual.
• Dogs who have skin sensitivities: If collar contact points are causing irritation, then, the use is not the cause of the irritation and should be inspected regularly to avoid any irritating problems.
• Anxious or reactive dogs: Slow introductions to the system work best on these dogs and using positive reinforcement.
• Dogs with pacemakers or severe heart disease: Check with your veterinarian before fitting a containment system into any dog that has a pacemaker or a heart disease.

Be sure to state in the free consultation any medical issue you have if you are dealing with a specific one to help provide the training approach.

Are Electric Dog Fences Painful for Puppies or Small Breeds?

The Corrections must be less intense for small breeds and puppies and more patience should be used when training them. Most of the professional grade systems have low power settings which they can turn down for smaller or more sensitive dogs. Puppies are not usually introduced to boundaries until they are bigger and stronger, and thus safer to learn boundaries at an appropriate age, which is usually 6 months.

Would it hurt a 10-pound chihuahua the same way as it would hurt an 80-pound Labrador on the electricity? No. That’s why ‘one size fits all’ gadgets from large home improvement stores can be a dangerous option – you will not always receive the same kind of tweaky modification as a professional might, which is necessary with different sizes, coat thickness and temperament of different dogs.

Electric Dog Fence Safety: How Professional Installation Reduces Risk

There are three key components to electric dog fence safety: the proper equipment calibration, proper collars and structured training. When professionally installed, they lessen the risk in a manner that a DIY kit can’t achieve:

1. Specific yard boundary mapping, based on layout, logging contours, water features and landscaping.
2. Fitting the collar not too loose and not too tight so that the collar plane is in correct alignment with the skin.
3. Progressive positive training which teaches the boundary first with the warning tone, prior to application of a correction
4. Continued assistance following installation if your dog’s response needs to be modified after installation.

Our technicians also service all major brands for wire break repair and for troubleshooting to help determine if the system is already in place is safe.

Humane Electric Dog Fence Options and Training Methods

Training is as vital to a good humane electric dog fence experience as is the fence. We custom tailor our technique at Pet Containment Services toward an approach that focuses on:

• Splattering the feet first or introducing the boundary with flags and with warning call
• Reallocating any boundaries to the sound without intervening with any correction
• Outward praise lavished on the dog staying outwards of bounds
• Fading out visual boundary markers as confidence is gained

This positive-association training is the most gentle practice for a method to get a dog to go around a containment system, it’s the training exercise that our trainers use at each new containment installation we complete.

Understanding Dog Fence Correction Level Settings

Dog fence correction level settings typically start at a low static pulse and increase to a higher level to correct a dog’s behavior if it is thick-coated, is very high prey drive and/or is very stubborn. General advice given to the professional installers is:

• Begin at one end where it is possible to get a mild reaction (slight head turn or pause)
• Try to raise the amount only if the dog doesn’t respond at all
• Reassess the dog’s strength as growth happens or decreases, or during seasonal changes in coat

Electric fence correction level safety is not about finding the strongest setting, rather it is a matter of finding the lowest effective setting for that particular dog. This is one of the greatest benefits of hiring a professional install as opposed to trying to put together a standardist kit.

Invisible Fence Safety vs A Cattle Fence: Are They the Same Thing?

One of the misconceptions contributing to fence-related fear is equating a pet containment fencing with agricultural or fencing. The standards that invisible fencing devices must adhere to for safety, are formulated with the common house pet in mind and are significantly lower than what livestock fences must have.

So, will a cattle electric fence injure a dog? Yes – cattle fences are built to keep large cattle-like animals such as cows and horses out, because of their thick hides and they give a pretty hefty shock when compared to a residential pet containment collar. The use of livestock fencing on a dog or on the basis of a dog responding to a dog fence, has been incorrectly characterized and may even be un-safe. If one were to install a residential one for use by a dog, it would be dangerous to the furry animal due to their intended purpose of residential electrical systems. So far as concerns are unusual when appropriate pet use of equipment.

Signs Your Dog’s Correction Level Needs Adjusting

No matter how expert installers provide the installation services, it’d be wise to keep an eye on your dog once the installation is complete. If you see any of the following, please call your installer:

• Your pet unwilling to go outside the house or not willing to go outside at all
• Yelping, excessive shaking or a display of fear along the boundary
• Nothing  no interest whatsoever in the correction (may be too low)
• Rubbery areas around the collar that are red or irritated

All such indications merit a follow-up service call, rather than being dealt with in a troubleshooting mode.

Why Professional Installation and Training Matter

Whether it will be a humane or stressful experience with the use of a humane electric fence depends on who installs it and trains it. Structure and customized boundary mapping, professional collar fitting and training are replaced by DIY methods, which make containment safe and low stress for your dog.

We proudly service pet owners across Southwest Michigan and provide no-cost in-home consultation, allowing each yard and each dog to have an individualized system, but not one if the other. Find out all the options in our underground pet fence services in Perth and how we take a different approach to installing these fences when compared to the National chains.