Putting in an underground dog fence involves careful planning, precise installation, and consistent training to ensure your pet stays safely within designated boundaries. The core process includes mapping your area, laying the wire, burying it, and connecting the system.
How to Put in an Underground Dog Fence?
Installing an underground dog fence is a practical way to provide your dog with freedom within a defined perimeter, using a buried wire that communicates with a receiver collar.
Step 1: Plan Your Fence Layout
Before you start digging, it's crucial to map out your desired boundary. Consider the following:
- Perimeter: Decide exactly where you want the fence line to be. This could be around your entire yard, a specific section, or even exclude certain areas like garden beds or pools.
- No-Go Zones: Identify any areas you want your dog to avoid, like swimming pools, flower beds, or utility boxes. The wire can be routed to create these "no-go" zones.
- Twisted Wire: For sections where you need the dog to cross the wire without receiving a correction (e.g., from the house to the boundary, or across a driveway), you'll need to twist two lengths of boundary wire together. This cancels the signal, allowing the dog to pass freely.
- Obstacles: Plan how you'll navigate driveways, sidewalks, and other hard surfaces. You might need to cut grooves, bury the wire deeper, or run it through conduit.
Step 2: Gather Your Tools and Materials
Having the right equipment on hand will make the installation process much smoother.
- Underground Dog Fence Kit: This typically includes the transmitter, boundary wire, receiver collar(s), training flags, and splice connectors.
- Spade or Trencher: Essential for creating the slit in the ground for the wire. A manual spade is suitable for smaller yards, while a trencher can save time for larger areas.
- Wire Strippers: For preparing wire ends.
- Pliers: Helpful for twisting wire.
- Measuring Tape: To ensure accurate measurements.
- Utility Knife: For cutting sod or opening packages.
- Conduit (Optional): PVC piping to protect the wire under driveways, sidewalks, or other high-traffic areas.
- Shovel or Rake: For leveling the earth after burying the wire.
Step 3: Lay Out the Wire (Above Ground First)
It's highly recommended to lay the wire out on the ground exactly where you plan to bury it before making any permanent cuts or digs.
- Form the Loop: Create a continuous loop of wire that starts and ends at your transmitter location (usually in a garage or utility room).
- Test Signal: Temporarily connect the wire to the transmitter and test it with the receiver collar. This ensures the loop is properly formed and the signal is strong before you commit to burying it.
- Adjust Layout: Make any necessary adjustments to your boundary line based on your test results or visual inspection.
Step 4: Bury the Boundary Wire
This is where the physical installation takes place. The depth of the buried wire is critical for consistent signal and protection from damage.
- Digging the Slit: To bury the wire effectively, as demonstrated by systems like the PetSafe® In-Ground Fence System, you will need a spade. Simply take your spade and create a slit in the earth that is two to three inches deep. This depth is sufficient to protect the wire from typical garden tools and lawnmowers while keeping the signal strong enough for the receiver collar.
- Laying the Wire: Once the slit is made, carefully lay the boundary wire into the slit. Ensure the wire lies flat and is not kinked or stretched.
- Securing and Tamping: After the wire is in place, tamp the earth flat over it to secure the wire and return the ground to its original state. You can use the back of your spade or your foot for this.
- Crossing Hard Surfaces:
- Driveways/Sidewalks: For these areas, you may need to cut a small groove using a circular saw with a masonry blade or run the wire through a PVC conduit buried beneath the surface.
- Gates: If your fence creates a complete loop around your property but you have a gate, remember to twist the wire where it crosses the gate opening to create a "no-correction" zone.
Step 5: Connect and Power the Transmitter
Once the wire is buried and the loop is complete:
- Connect to Transmitter: Securely connect the ends of the boundary wire to the designated terminals on your system's transmitter.
- Power Up: Plug the transmitter into a standard electrical outlet. Most transmitters have indicator lights to confirm the system is working correctly.
- Adjust Range: Adjust the signal field strength on the transmitter according to your dog's size and the desired boundary width. Test the field with the receiver collar to ensure it's appropriate.
Step 6: Train Your Dog
Installation is only half the battle; proper training is essential for your dog to understand the new boundaries.
- Boundary Flags: Place the provided training flags around the perimeter of the boundary wire at regular intervals. These flags serve as visual cues for your dog.
- Introduction to the Collar: Gradually introduce your dog to wearing the receiver collar.
- Supervised Training: Begin with short, supervised training sessions, guiding your dog towards the flags. When they approach the boundary, let them experience the warning tone (and static correction if applicable). Praise them when they retreat from the boundary.
- Phased Training: Most systems recommend a multi-week training program, gradually increasing your dog's independence and removing the flags once they consistently understand the boundary.
By following these steps, you can successfully install an underground dog fence, providing a safe and effective containment solution for your canine companion.
