Talk:Pet fence

Unencyclopedic section
I removed the following section from the article, as its more suitable for WikiBooks than here. If someone can mine this for encyclopedic information and find some references, by all means put it back in. A Train take the 22:22, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

These electronic systems offer advantages, but also some considerations different from true fences. Fortunately, forethought and planning increase your chance for a pleasing installation. Ten things you should think about before installing an electronic fence:

1. Dogs can and do get excited and run through these invisible boundaries.

A “lost dog” sign posted around my neighborhood sadly punctuates this fact. Not every dog will obey electronic fences. A dog may be 99% reliable, but will burst the invisible boundary whenever a particularly appealing attraction trumped the system’s deterrent effect.

Keep this in mind when placing the boundary. The risk of attraction outside the yard should be reduced by avoiding placement nearby a road, public sidewalk, or walkway.

2. Supervise your dog while behind an electronic fence.

Dogs require more supervision with invisible boundaries. Electronic fence areas are generally not suitable for leaving your pet unsupervised. Be careful not to be lulled into complacency on supervision. Your dog may be controlled for 364 days, only to get excited by a rabbit running by, and bolt the electronic fence on day 365.

If your dog does cross the invisible barrier, the special collar will warn your dog not to cross the boundary and return home. Essentially, the dog is punishes for returning home.

3. Electronic fences don’t prevent dog bites as well as ordinary fences.

Any dog can get excited and run through the invisible boundary. If your pet has the potential to be aggressive, use a physical fence high enough and sturdy enough that your dog cannot escape. A dog that may bite should not be contained with an electronic system.

In addition, the electronic fences do not stop children and others from entering the area. In one case, a girl walked up to a front door to ask a friend to come out and play, and she was bitten in the face by the homeowner’s dog. The dog was contained in the front yard by an electronic fence while the owner was inside the house.

In situations like this, electronic fences may actually increase the risk to children. An invisible, electronic fence may mislead children into entering a yard when they see a dog’s apparently good behavior and have no way of knowing the dog’s behavior is only the result of the electronic boundary.

4. Place signs alerting others of the invisible boundary.

Wherever you place the electronic fence, place signs informing people that an invisible containment system is in use. Indicate where the boundary lies. Pay particular attention to areas where people might walk. However, even if your dog obeys the invisible boundary, he may still charge up to the boundary and scare some walkers, which is why the next point is so important:

5. Front yards (and side yards near a sidewalk or road) are poor locations for an electronic fence.

Front yards, nearly always, are a poor choice for electronic fences. Particularly if you have a front walk where children, delivery persons, or others may be walking, place your system in a less traveled area of your property.

When buying or installing an electronic fence, there is a natural tendency to enclose the largest portion of your property as possible. It’s an easy mistake to make. After all, you want to take full advantage of the containment system’s capabilities and provide your dog with the maximum exercise area.

However, think through your choices carefully. For your dog’s sake, don’t place the fence near traffic areas, particularly where there is foot traffic, because this will needlessly agitate your dog and increase the risk of your dog breeching the boundary. Front yards are never recommended, nor a side yard near a sidewalk; nevertheless, if you must, always put the electronic fence at least ten feet from the walkway.

In addition, enclosing an entire yard, front and back, significantly decreases your ability to monitor your dog. Never install a containment system over areas of your yard that you cannot monitor and control your dog.

Moreover, an agitated or barking dog near walkways may create additional problems for you, which leads to point six:

6. If your fence is too close to public walkways, you may be liable under nuisance law.

Even if your dog is reliably contained by the electronic boundaries, consider your dog’s temperament and your dog’s potential for annoying or harassing passersby. If your dog impairs the use of the public walkway, you may be liable under the tort law of nuisance. For example, a barking or agitated dog near the public walkway may impair the use of the walk and frighten some people, and they may successfully sue you.

While your dog may be adorable to you, even a dog just sitting in a front yard may be frightening to others. You may know your dog is controlled, but strangers won’t. Your knowledge of the dog’s temperament can’t reassure strangers that your dog won’t get excited and bolt through the electronic fence.

7. Be sure of your boundary line.

Be sure of your property line before installing close to your neighbor’s property, otherwise you may end up trespassing. You could hire a surveyor, but the expense is unlikely to be worthwhile. Instead, it’s recommended that your electronic fence be located at least ten feet from the edge of your property line where it borders neighbors’ property. (Even if you located the electronic fence accurately on the edge of your property, you may still be liable if you create a nuisance.)

In addition to neighbors’ property, be particularly careful locating an electronic fence near the sidewalk, road, or other public boundaries of your property. Many, if not most people, are unaware of the true boundaries of their property. The public right of way often extends into the property that homeowners think of as theirs. For example, most know that the sidewalk is within the public right of way, but most do not know that the right of way extends beyond the sidewalk toward their house. If you install the electronic fence within the right of way without permission, your electronic fence violates the law.

'''8. Check your community rules, easements, and restrictive covenants. '''

Your subdivision or homeowners’ association might have rules about where you may place a dog fence or where your dog may be loose without a lead or visible fence. In addition, putting a fence across an easement may be prohibited under an easement agreement. For example, if there is an agreement that your neighbor has the right to cross your backyard, you shouldn’t install an electronic fence that cuts off your neighbor’s access.

Restrictive covenants are legal agreements about how you can and can’t use your property. Your deed may be bound by a restrictive covenant giving your neighbor certain rights. You should be careful that your electronic fence doesn’t violate such rights.

9. Electronic “fences” may not be legal.

When a municipal code requires a “fence” to contain a dog off lead, but does not address electronic fences, then the dog owner must provide a true fence that is a physical barrier, not an electronic system. In addition, some communities require a special permit to install an electronic fence. Moreover, some codes or ordinances specifically forbid electronic pet containment systems. Be sure to check local ordinances before installing.

''' 10. Electronic fences don’t protect your dog from intruders. '''

Another point to consider when you locate your electronic fence is that electronic fences don’t protect your pet from the intrusion of other animals. There are occasions and locations where your dog might be exposed to aggression from other dogs or even wild animals. Other animals can enter your yard without being affected by the electronic fence, and your pet may be restricted in his escape by the electronic fence.

A final thought, manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of electronic fences may be liable for some dog bite injuries and deficiencies in electronic fences. If an electronic containment system is advertised in a way that misleads a dog owner, under the law of implied warranty and product liability, it would be possible to hold the manufacturer, distributor, and seller liable for injuries that resulted from the misleading information.

Professional installers of electronic fences should pay careful attention to these ten points and advise their customers of these considerations. Failure to advise customers may result in the professional installer being liable for damages under the law of negligence and implied warranty.

Commercial bias
I added the POV-check flag; Sunward Electronics paragraph looks like commercial bias to me. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.107.112.87 (talk) 17:44, 12 May 2007 (UTC).
 * I totally agree. I am editing the two "all caps" phrases to normal punctuation.  If they are trademarks and should be allcaps, they also need tm symbols.  There may be something useful in this section, but it does read like a company brochure. Huw Powell 15:07, 15 May 2007 (UTC)
 * I also deleted this "ad copy":

That had no place in the article and has been removed.  A  Train ''talk 20:35, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Suggest merge
Invisible fence was a promo for the brand name and got moved to underground fence, but really covers the same area as this article and should be merged with it. --Wtshymanski (talk) 22:05, 28 February 2013 (UTC)