I wanted to post an update but couldn't find my earlier post on this topic. Balon is being trained to our invisible fence and I gotta say I'm impressed with him. He is doing great. Ruby (lab) learned this system in like 3 days. Balon is doing really well. He got shocked one time with the trainer and so far hasn't gone back for more! My street is busy with people and kids and dogs (not too many cars right now that school is over) and he just sits and watches. I think it helps that he has Ruby there following the fence barrier too. One time he was going 90 mph (lol) and I though he was gonna run through it but nope he slammed on his brakes and stopped at the first warning! I should note someone is always out with them, we do not plan on ever just leaving them out alone.

I am hopeful that since he is young it will work. There is a women who lives behind me who has two female huskys and she has had the same fence for 10 years and neither has ever run through it. Keep you fingers crossed for me.

Balon is already minding the flags, he won't go near them, and my neighbors pain in the ___ dog got loose again and was running around just outside our yard, Balon sat and watched him, but did not go through the fence!!! Cautiously optimistic!

I have been debating on getting a invisible fence for Raven. We cant put up a regular fence because of association rules and BS. My husband thinks she will just run through it and take the shock. I don't know what she would do. I have seen self installation systems available at Menard's, are those just as good as the company installed ones?

I don't know about do it yourself kits. I already had the fence for my lab, and I debated trying it with Balon, it cost me another 400 for the collar and training for him. But I decided to go for it, glad I did. He is 4 months old, and I gotta say he is not appreciating the shock, he went to close 3 times and that was it, he stays far away from the flags! They come out and tempt him with other dogs next week, but I gotta say he has just sat and watched other dogs go by which is great!

You don't have to tell me exact figures but about how much does it cost to have it installed?

My yard ends at a busy street and if it would stop her from running out into the street if she ever yanks the leash out of my hands, which has happened, it would be so worth it.

We are planning on buying a new house soon, meaning within the next year.

my yard

street of doom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxvTvzrzamU&feature=plcp

The do it yourself kits are much cheaper, and work just as well. We have 4 collars, and we spend about 100 on the fence, and about 12 to 16 for each collar. It just takes A LOT of time to get it perfect!

Look on eBay, that's where we got ours!

We spent 1200.00 on the original fence, and one color plus 2 years of free batteries for her collar (lab). It came with 2 training sessions, and I can call them anytime if I need an adjustment to the collar. We have about 1/2 acre and its totally fenced in, we elected to stop about 10 ft from the street. You can have it go anyway you want, we went around pine trees to stop the dogs from getting to a fence in the corner of the yard where two not so nice pits live.

If others say the DIY kits work, go with that!

Thanks for the answers. 1200 isn't to bad either. My neighbor made it sound like it was around 5000!

Another quick question I want it to go around the house so if she bolted out the front door, this hasn't happened YET, she couldn't go anywhere but around our house. Is there an on off switch or something on the collar so when we go in the car or for a walk we can leave the property or do you switch collars.

You can turn the collars off, atleast with mine you can.

Not with invisible fence! That is the hard part. Getting mine in the car is not a problem, my car is parked way above the fence line To get the lab to take a walk I place a white towel at the fence line, then I take off her collar and lay it down. She knows this means it is ok to leave. I have to train Balon to do the same. I can tell you that if the other poster can turn off her collar, and her dog knows its off, then she has some smart dogs lol! This is actually one of the problems with an invisible fence, my friend puts her dogs in her car, drives out of the driveway, and parks her car on the street to get hers out of the property lol. You just have to find a method that works. I used Invisible Fence, because they are popular. But mostly because I knew my husband would take months to get it done lol and I wanted it done then! IT was actually my Christmas present from my husband this year, I know nice right! I love it.

The other trick with a husky is that the collar must be tight in order for the prongs to reach through the fur. My fence guy said that is why most people think it won't work for a husky, it will it just has to be tight, and some people even thin the fur right around that area.

Tiff&Kya wrote:

You can turn the collars off, atleast with mine you can.

actually I am interested so now I have to ask how do your dogs know when their collars are turned off? In other words how do they know they can leave the yard safely?

Balonsmom wrote:

Tiff&Kya wrote:

You can turn the collars off, atleast with mine you can.

actually I am interested so now I have to ask how do your dogs know when their collars are turned off? In other words how do they know they can leave the yard safely?

It's only up in the backyard, and if we have to take them through the back fence, they know they are ONLY allowed to cross the "area" when they have a leash attached. They think that having a leash attached keeps them from being shocked.

Kya picked it up within like 3 tries. Rio still freaks out a little if we go close to it. The poms know that if they are being carried, they aren't going to be shocked. It's all about using what you have available. (Like inviting them over type thing)

ETA: We only have it in the backyard because we have killer rotties next door, and a pier and beam house that they like to go underneath. There are a few spots (like next to the porch) that the fence isn't laid at, and they can still get under the house, but in general, unless Kya is being EXTREMELY naughty, it works.

We associated the leash with meaning it was ok to leave, like you did with taking the collar off. We turned off the collars, put the leashes on them and let them go to the fence. Then we took OFF the leash, turned the collars back on, and let them go to the fence. After about a week of this conditioning, they were aware that leashes meant NO PAIN and no leashes meant PAIN. (shock really, but to my drama queen's they act like it's killing them)

Ahhhh great ideas! I really see it as the only downfall to the electronic type fences lol....so far so good with Balon!

Something interesting happened last night I was taking out both dogs last night (on leash cause last potty before bed ) and the lab pulled me because there was a man walking down the street I dropped Balons leash and he ran about a foot away from the flags and just sat down (he did not have the invisible fence collar on) so yeah he is definitely getting it!

That is AWESOME! YAY Balon!

Quote :

I dropped Balons leash and he ran about a foot away from the flags and just sat down (he did not have the invisible fence collar on) so yeah he is definitely getting it!

Yay good to hear;;;

June, it sounds like you'll be supervising them out there with the fence, and that's good.

For anyone who didn't read the details and is considering this for when they are NOT supervising their huskies : invisible fences are NOT recommended for huskies as an option to keep them in your yard while you're NOT supervising them.

Huskies will tolerate the pain to get through the fence if they really want to get out. As well, other animals can enter the area and attack them, and your dog is trapped within that area. In addition, if they do escape while you're gone they will be shocked again trying to come back in and may not come home. A safe option to contain your dogs while you're not home should be both planned for and budgeted for before you get a husky. End of public service announcement.

hollywoodhuskies wrote:

June, it sounds like you'll be supervising them out there with the fence, and that's good.

For anyone who didn't read the details and is considering this for when they are NOT supervising their huskies : invisible fences are NOT recommended for huskies as an option to keep them in your yard while you're NOT supervising them.

Huskies will tolerate the pain to get through the fence if they really want to get out. As well, other animals can enter the area and attack them, and your dog is trapped within that area. In addition, if they do escape while you're gone they will be shocked again trying to come back in and may not come home. A safe option to contain your dogs while you're not home should be both planned for and budgeted for before you get a husky. End of public service announcement.

I personally would not leave my dogs unattended in any fence situation. My fence situation is indeed safe for my dogs, both lab and husky. It certainly wasn't a money problem with me, it was a huge hill on one side of my yard making it nearly impossible to fence off correctly with regular fencing. Furthermore, my friends husky mix tried to jump her 6 ft fence, catching his collar and hanging by it, thank god they were home and got to him quick enough. Sorry, but no fence is completely safe.

If a husky, or any other dog, wants out of their enclosure, they will find a way, whether over it, under it, or through it. I believe I did indeed plan for my dogs, and their safety. But to reiterate I didn't get dogs to put them in a yard and let them be on their own, I or another member of my family is out with them, enjoying them and making sure they are safe. That being said, I have owned many different breeds of dogs, including husky mixes, each dog is different. I know many people whose huskys are safely contained by invisible fences. But that is why there are so many choices in the world, and like you said my dogs are never outside unattended.

Just so you know, in addition to what Sam said, there are other risks with invisible fences that apply to any device that gives a dog a shock. Suppose the dog rushes up to see something on the other side of the invisible fence (other dogs, a person, or some wildlife) and gets a shock. It's possible that they will associate the shock with the thing that they were running to see. So if it was other dogs, they might associate the shock with the dogs and become aggressive towards other dogs as a result. Or suppose they toileted too close to the fence and got a shock; they might associate the shock with toileting outside. In general terms there is a risk that the dog will become anxious, fearful or aggressive as a result of receiving the shocks.

Ghost wrote:

Just so you know, in addition to what Sam said, there are other risks with invisible fences that apply to any device that gives a dog a shock. Suppose the dog rushes up to see something on the other side of the invisible fence (other dogs, a person, or some wildlife) and gets a shock. It's possible that they will associate the shock with the thing that they were running to see. So if it was other dogs, they might associate the shock with the dogs and become aggressive towards other dogs as a result. Or suppose they toileted too close to the fence and got a shock; they might associate the shock with toileting outside. In general terms there is a risk that the dog will become anxious, fearful or aggressive as a result of receiving the shocks.

I'm pretty sure I should not bother to answer this, since its more then obvious you don't like invisible fences, but here I go anyway, the dogs learn not to go too close, believe me they aren't dumb. Well mine aren't anyway. My lab received one shock while training the fence, she has NEVER received another. In fact she stays back further then she needs too! Balon has received two in training, so far no other shock. I suppose if I wanted too I could dredge up some study that said what can happen to dogs mental health when enclosed in 6 ft fences where they can't see what's on the other side. They know something is there, but they can't see it, maybe it would drive them crazy trying to see it. I mean really, c'mon! Do you think I would allow my dogs to continually get shocked? REALLY???? As I have stated again and again, I do not believe any dog in any fence should be left unattended. Therefore none of what you state would ever happen. If I discover it doesn't work for him, then I wouldn't continue to use it.

MANY of you use tie outs, are they safe, NO they are not. How many dogs have received broken necks running full speed only to be stopped on a dime so to speak? Or strained necks, or broken toes, legs. Again, they are left tied out to become prey to your so called wildlife!

Let me say this, and then seriously I am done with this topic. I have no other choice to fence in my property because of a large hill, already stated. I figure this is better then the possiblity of them getting hit by a car. You do what you want to fence in your animals, do not judge me for providing the best that I can for my dogs.

Thanks again for reminding me why I should never use forums!

Balonsmom wrote:

Ghost wrote:

Just so you know, in addition to what Sam said, there are other risks with invisible fences that apply to any device that gives a dog a shock. Suppose the dog rushes up to see something on the other side of the invisible fence (other dogs, a person, or some wildlife) and gets a shock. It's possible that they will associate the shock with the thing that they were running to see. So if it was other dogs, they might associate the shock with the dogs and become aggressive towards other dogs as a result. Or suppose they toileted too close to the fence and got a shock; they might associate the shock with toileting outside. In general terms there is a risk that the dog will become anxious, fearful or aggressive as a result of receiving the shocks.

I'm pretty sure I should not bother to answer this, since its more then obvious you don't like invisible fences, but here I go anyway, the dogs learn not to go too close, believe me they aren't dumb. Well mine aren't anyway. My lab received one shock while training the fence, she has NEVER received another. In fact she stays back further then she needs too! Balon has received two in training, so far no other shock. I suppose if I wanted too I could dredge up some study that said what can happen to dogs mental health when enclosed in 6 ft fences where they can't see what's on the other side. They know something is there, but they can't see it, maybe it would drive them crazy trying to see it. I mean really, c'mon! Do you think I would allow my dogs to continually get shocked? REALLY???? As I have stated again and again, I do not believe any dog in any fence should be left unattended. Therefore none of what you state would ever happen. If I discover it doesn't work for him, then I wouldn't continue to use it.

MANY of you use tie outs, are they safe, NO they are not. How many dogs have received broken necks running full speed only to be stopped on a dime so to speak? Or strained necks, or broken toes, legs. Again, they are left tied out to become prey to your so called wildlife!

Let me say this, and then seriously I am done with this topic. I have no other choice to fence in my property because of a large hill, already stated. I figure this is better then the possiblity of them getting hit by a car. You do what you want to fence in your animals, do not judge me for providing the best that I can for my dogs.

Thanks again for reminding me why I should never use forums!

June, you don't need to defend yourself at all. I read the post thought it was rubbish and decided to ignore it. I think it is a great option for me.

Thanks Katie!

As you say, everyone's circumstances are different. If people know the pros and cons, they can weight them up and decide what works for them. We all have to decide what is right for our dog and our own situation.

As I said before, I'm very happy you supervise your dog while they are outside. Others finding this forum may not read this thread as closely and miss that very important part.

Part of being part of a community is being able to share the pros and cons of any issue. This forum comes up very high in searches when husky owners are researching fences and other husky issues. I like to use my experience as a husky owner to help other husky owners, much as others in the this forum have helped me in the past. That's the great thing about the internet.

There is no need on anyone's part to be defensive, Ghost and my posts were FYIs for anyone reading this thread and not a comment on you. Ghost was commenting on something that sometimes happens when dogs misinterpet the shock, the information was not directed at anyone.