dogwatch of central ct

What You Should Know About Underground Dog Fence Installation

debbie • May 09, 2022

One of the scariest things a dog owner can experience is their pet going missing. Yet estimates say that one out of three pets becomes missing at some point in its lifetime. With such a high statistic, it is no wonder that dog owners look for solutions to keep their furry friends safe at home. Yet many do not want to obstruct the curb appeal of their home with an unsightly fence.


Underground dog fences pose a solution. With a hidden fence protecting your dog, you can have peace of mind knowing they are safe and sound. But the technology involved in hidden dog fences can be confusing.


Read on to learn all about underground dog fence installation so you can decide if it is the right option for you to protect your pets.


Advantages of a Hidden Dog Fence

Aside from the many health benefits of owning a pet, pets also offer unparalleled companionship. Many dog owners consider their pets an irreplaceable part of their family. The security offered by a hidden dog fence allows you to never have to worry about your pet getting lost or running out into traffic. 


The most obvious advantage of a hidden pet fence over a traditional fence is that it's hidden. A traditional wire or wooden fence can be an eyesore and block views of the house, while an underground dog fence offers all the protection and containment advantages without compromising on aesthetics.


Additionally, hidden dog fences are immune to some of the issues that may befall traditional fences. Many dogs dig, jump or bite through wooden fences. Of course, there are ways to modify your fence and your yard to discourage this, but they can be unsightly, expensive, and inconvenient. The technology of a hidden dog fence allows all the boundaries of a traditional fence without expensive maintenance.


DogWatch® underground dog fences offer another advantage: they use FM radio frequencies instead of AM. AM frequency systems can have harmful faulty corrections and are prone to interference. Our patented FM technology offers the safest, most secure hidden fence transmitter features on the market. 


How an Underground Dog Fence Works


An underground dog fence is a simple way to keep your dog contained in a certain area of your yard.


A DogWatch® hidden dog fence system works via an FM radio frequency sent to a hidden wire in the ground. Your dog wears a special collar that can detect the frequency of the wire in the ground. 


The wire then serves as a barrier for your dog. When the dog approaches the hidden pet fence, they hear a warning tone. With simple dog training, they will learn to retreat at the sound of the tone, keeping them safely contained.


If your pet moves past the audible-only zone, it will receive a correction from the collar. The correction does not hurt the dog. It is similar to static shock—enough to keep the dog from advancing further, but not enough to harm it. You can adjust the strength of the correction based on your individual pet's needs.


Hidden Dog Fence Installation


DogWatch® hidden fence installation is relatively straightforward. An FM transmitter is installed in a garage, basement, or other convenient location. It sends signals to a wire buried in the yard. This acts as a barrier for your pet.


We also take your home's safety very seriously. That is why in addition to the barrier wire, we also install external lightning protection. 


When lightning strikes, it is automatically attracted to the copper wire we install for your hidden pet fence. Unobstructed, it would travel down the wire and into your home. This could severely damage your home's electrical system.


The external lightning protection prevents this by redirecting the electricity from a lightning strike back out of your home and into the ground. This prevents a huge surge in power that your home's electrical system is not equipped to handle.


We take your dog's safety this extra step by protecting your home from electrical damage. 


Underground Dog Fence Configurations


The way we install the hidden wire in your yard depends on your needs and preferences. The boundary wire offers flexibility as it can be installed in many different configurations. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

Basic Perimeter Loop

Perhaps the most common configuration is the basic loop around the perimeter. This allows your dog the most freedom and space while still ensuring he or she stays safe. 


You can also take this loop a step further and choose to install a loop around areas that you want your dog to stay out of. It is easy to install an additional loop around any garden beds, flowers, ponds, or pools that you want to keep your dog out of. 


The advantage of this approach is that it offers your dog lots of room to run around and play. It can also protect your dog from wandering into parts of the yard that are off-limits.


The disadvantage is that it offers less control for you. Your dog will have the freedom to roam around the entire property, meaning you may not always be able to keep an eye on him or her. If you are comfortable with this and want your dog to have optimum freedom, this is a great option to consider.

Hour Glass Pinch

The "hourglass" configuration creates separate containment zones in the front and back of the house. The boundary wire loops around the whole property, but pinches in toward the home in the middle. This creates two distinct zones for your pet.


The advantage of this setup is that the dog has access to the entire yard while still being contained to a particular area. You can keep an eye on the dog no matter where you are. If you want to sit on the front porch, your pup can hang out in the front yard. Want to go do some yard work outback? Your dog can join you there, as well. 


The disadvantage is that the dog does not have as much freedom to roam around the entire yard. Your dog will be restricted to either the front yard or the back. 


Additionally, if you want to move back and forth freely between the front and back yard, the dog will not be able to follow you unless you deactivate its collar.

Backyard Only or Front Yard Only

Some people prefer to only allow their dogs access to the backyard. In this case, the boundary wire is installed in a loop that hugs the house closely around the front. This completes the boundary wire loop. It also allows additional protection to ensure your dog does not escape out the front door or the garage. 


If desired, this configuration can also be modified to contain the front yard only. Again, it will hug the house around the back to prevent the dog from escaping out the back door.

The advantage this configuration offers is that it contains the dog to a designated area. It still protects the dog from escaping in a direction that is not totally fenced in since the entire house is still surrounded. It also can be a more affordable option as it does not require as much boundary wire.


The disadvantage here, of course, is that the dog will not have access to the entire yard. However, if you only want your dog to have access to one area, this is a great option. 

Banana Loop

Less common but still a viable option, the banana loop is another fencing configuration that many opt for. It offers partial protection around 1, 2, or 3 sides of your property.


This option works best if your yard is already partially fenced in. The boundary wire can then serve to fence off the remainder of the yard. Then your dog can be contained while still being allowed to explore additional areas of your yard.

Indoor Hidden Fences


Not all our systems operate outdoors only. We also have perfect indoor fence solutions available. Using the same outdoor system collar and gentle stimulation, you can keep your dog off the couch or out of forbidden areas of the house without a visible barrier. Indoor fences simply use transmitters to form barriers rather than buried wire. 


Personalized Configuration


These are just our most common hidden fence setups, but we know that all properties are different and so are the results our customers hope to achieve. If these options aren’t what you had pictured or needed, then that’s perfectly fine! We can work with you to create a personalized plan for how the wire should be planted. 


Choose DogWatch® Underground Pet Fences


Underground dog fences are a great alternative to traditional wooden fences to keep your dog safe. They provide peace of mind by keeping your pet contained. There is also a lot of flexibility available with hidden dog fence installation options. There are also indoor hidden fence solutions available that can help establish boundaries for your pet. At DogWatch® Western Florida, we care about keeping your pets safe with the best technology available. To learn more about what sets us apart from the competition, get a quote for an underground dog fence in your yard. 


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