When To Get An Invisible Fence

If you do not currently have a dog but want to make sure you are properly prepared for when your pup gets home, this article may be great to provide some insight on when to get an electric fence. If you are bringing a new puppy home, there are some important things to note before setting up an electric fence at your home. There are several other factors that need to be considered for any dog as well, so keep reading to learn more!

Some Factors To Consider

Your Dog’s Age

An electric fence may not be appropriate for dogs under 5 months of age. If there are companies out there trying to sell you on an electric fence system before your dog is of the proper age, they may just be after your money instead of doing what is right. With that being said, however, there may be opportunities or times where installing an invisible fence makes sense before 5 months of age.

Some homeowners want to start the training process as early as possible to get enough repetitions in with their pup. Many electric fence systems have a tone only feature, making it a bit safer for younger dogs. They will not receive any sort of stimulation so they can focus on easy, fun reps to condition their dog to the beep noise. 

There is a slight concern with starting your dog on an electric fence too early, however. Some dogs are not mentally mature enough to handle the concepts of an electric fence and may struggle with proper conditioning. Make sure to take things slowly to make sure your dog is progressing appropriately and not becoming overwhelmed. 

Aggression & Reactivity

If your dog has struggled with reactivity and/or aggression issues in the past, an electric fence may not be an ideal choice for you and your dog. While some companies like Invisible Fence or Dog Watch may still sell you on their products and services or may not even ask you all together, it should really be something to think about. 

Reactive and aggressive dogs may have a higher chance at breaking through the fence line to charge after another dog or person walking by. While proper training is extremely important and can dramatically reduce the risk of “fence break,” it is certainly not 100%. We want to make sure we are keeping our pets safe and reducing the risks of leaving the property. If you would like to make progress on fixing the aggression and reactivity issues so your dog can enjoy the freedom of being off leash in your yard, reach out to our sister company Delaware K9 Academy to learn more about training options!