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SportDog Brand In-Ground Fence Systems – from the Parent Company of Invisible Fence Brand – Underground Wire Electric Fence – Tone, Vibration, & Static – 100 Acre Capability – Remote Trainer Option, Containment System
Color | Black |
Brand | SportDOG Brand |
Material | Metal |
Style | Carry-On 20-Inch |
Closure Type | Buckle |
About this item
- Easy-to-install containment kit includes everything needed to cover 1 1/3 acres of land for one dog; can be expanded to cover 100 acres with more wire and flags (sdf-wf)
- Waterproof collar takes standard 9-volt battery (included) that lasts 6-12 months; Fits dogs 10 pound And up
- Contain an unlimited number of dogs with additional collars (sdf-r)
- Collar gives Tone (beep) and vibration (Buzz) warning before moving to one of four static stimulation levels (you choose the best level for your dog)
- Transmitter features wire break alarm and built in Lightning Protector
- Includes two-year manufacturer’s warranty; Call our US-based customer care Center for support
Customer ratings by feature
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Product guides and documents
Product Description
The SportDOG Brand In-Ground Fence system is a simple and cost-effective alternative to a traditional fence.1,000 feet of wire, 100 flags, 1 Transmitter, and 1 Collar Receiver are included to keep your dog contained in a yard up to 1 1/3 acres. The Transmitter is powerful enough to cover up to 100 acres of land with the purchase of additional Wire & Flag Kits (SDF-WF), and you can add an unlimited number of dogs with the purchase of additional Add-A-Dog Collar Receivers (SDF-R). Installation is as simple as burying the wire around the perimeter of your yard and plugging in the Transmitter. The Collar Receiver offers 4 levels of static stimulation to match any dogs' temperament, as well as a vibration/tone option.
In-Ground Fence system Features:
- 4 levels of static stimulation with vibrate (buzz)/ tone (beep) warning
- Kit includes 1000 ft of wire, 100 flags and 2 splice kits: enough to contain 1 1/3 acre
- Contain up to 100 acres with additional wire and flags (SDF-WF)
- Collar is waterproof
- For dogs 10 lb. or larger
- Collar take standard 9-volt battery that lasts 6-12 months
- Fence transmitter features wire break alarm to alert you to potential problems with the boundary wire
- Built in lightening protection
- Contain an unlimited number of dogs with additional collars (SDF-R)
- Hidden fence for your dog(s) with underground wire; invisible to neighbors
- Anti-linger feature prevents dogs from standing in the warning zone to drain the collar battery
- 2-year manufacturer’s warranty
By designing our products in the field, with heat, cold, rain, snow, dust, mud, and wind in mind, (tested in the potential extreme weather conditions faced while hunting) SportDog has become one of the most recognized brand in the electronic tracking and training categories, making the promise to always create "Gear The Way You'd Design It".
From the brand
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FOR THE BIRDS 20 YEARS AWAY
We give time and funding to projects that ensure hunters will have wild places to hunt wild game for generations to come.
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 6.19 x 10 x 13.06 inches; 10.35 Pounds
- Item model number : SDF-100A
- Department : Pet Supplies
- Batteries : 2 AA batteries required. (included)
- Date First Available : September 30, 2004
- Manufacturer : Radio Systems Corporation
- ASIN : B003P443C4
- Best Sellers Rank: #135,895 in Pet Supplies (See Top 100 in Pet Supplies)
- #363 in Dog Wireless Fences
- Customer Reviews:
From the manufacturer
About the SportDOG Brand In-Ground Fence System
The In-Ground Fence system is a simple and cost-effective alternative to a traditional fence. Installation is as simple as burying the wire around the perimeter of your yard and plugging in the Transmitter. The Collar Receiver offers 4 levels of static stimulation to match any dogs' temperament, as well as a vibration/tone option.
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Expandable to Contain 100 AcresSportDOG Brand containment systems come with enough wire and flags to contain 1 1/3 acres out-of-the-box. The kits can be expanded to cover up to 100 acres with additional wire and flags. |
Static / Tone / VibrationDesigned for sporting dogs, these containment systems feature a tone and vibration warning as your dog approaches the boundary. If your dog continues towards the boundary the collar will move to a static stimulation at the level set by you. |
Waterproof TechnologyThe In-Ground Fence features a waterproof collar, ensuring it performs in any weather. |
Standard 9V BatteryThe collar takes a standard 9V battery that last 6-12 months depending on how often your dog tests the boundary. |
Explore | Explore | Explore | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars
555
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4.3 out of 5 stars
1,311
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4.4 out of 5 stars
1,299
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Special Feature | Containment system with on-demand remote training | Upgraded, rechargeable collar | Old Version |
Max Acres Contained | 100 Acres (Kit includes enough to contain 1 1/3 acre) | 100 Acres (Kit includes enough to contain 1 1/3 acre) | 100 Acres (Kit includes enough to contain 1 1/3 acre) |
Max Number of Dogs Contained | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Stimulation Types | Tone, vibration, and 7 levels of static stimulation | Tone, vibration, and 7 levels of static stimulation | Tone, vibration, and 4 levels of static stimulation |
Remote Training Option | Yes. Collar works with containment fence and included handheld remote | No remote training option | No remote training option |
Waterproof Collar | Waterproof | Waterproof and submersible to 25 feet with DryTek technology | Waterproof |
Dog Size | For dogs 10 pounds or larger | For dogs 8 pounds or larger | For dogs 10 pounds or larger |
Battery Type | Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries | Rechargeable lithium-ion battery | Standard 9-volt battery |
Battery Life | 168 hours in Training and Contain + Train modes, 6 months in Containment mode | 1-2 months | 6-12 months |
Add-A-Dog Collar Compatability | SDF-CTR, SDF-R | SDF-CR (Not compatible with In-Ground Fence or Contain + Train products) | SDF-CTR, SDF-R |
Explore | Explore | Explore | Explore | Explore | Explore | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars
921
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4.7 out of 5 stars
397
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4.6 out of 5 stars
1,416
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4.2 out of 5 stars
771
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4.4 out of 5 stars
6,241
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4.0 out of 5 stars
1,852
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Additional Products from SportDOG Brand | Expand your fence to contain multiple dogs. | Expand your fence to contain an area of up to 100 acres. | Tool for exercising and training dogs. Especially useful during boundary training. | Highly visible, long range dog collar light that slides onto the collar strap. | E-collar for for training and communicating with your dog from up to 500 yards away | Control your dog's barking with this automatic, rechargeable bark collar. |
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, installation, value, ease of use, and training of the pet supplies. For example, they mention it's well worth the money, easy to train your dog, and has great training resources included. That said, opinions are mixed on wire, safety, and sound quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the pet supplies. For example, they say it's a good system, has been 100% effective, and is fairly well made. Customers also mention that it holds up for a long time and is durable.
"...irrigation tubing sometimes called "silly pipe"; it is cheap, easy to cut, and flexible, but hard and smooth, so wire runs through it easily...." Read more
"...It held up for a really long time considering how much my dober put it through, but about a year in, I had to call the company because the receiver..." Read more
"...Works great, adjust it once and you are good to go. DON'T FORGET TO REMOVE THE LEASH LOOP!!..." Read more
"...hours of training, and 2.5 weeks of being leash free, the system has been 100% effective...." Read more
Customers find the installation of the pet door to be super easy and simple. They say the instructions are clear and easy to follow. The installation process takes only 20 minutes and the training takes only a couple of days. Customers also mention that making the splices is easy.
"...Weaving will take forever. The zip-tie method was relatively quick.• I zip-tied the wire along the top of the 4' chain link fence.•..." Read more
"...in a squared off area, one wire, one continuous line then installation is extremely easy...." Read more
"...The only place we buried the cable was at the gates. Installation was straightforward and the only difficult part was running the wire across the..." Read more
"...It is more simple and less expensive and works better from all my research...." Read more
Customers like the value of the pet supplies. They say it's well worth the money invested, and it saves them a lot of money. Some are also pleased with the performance and value of this product.
"...This is an expensive collar but worth it. Bonus, it can be slid onto a regular clip-on collar with no trouble and is rechargeable...." Read more
"...A great and cheap upgrade. Should have come with it in the first place.SUPER happy with the setup...." Read more
"...It is more simple and less expensive and works better from all my research...." Read more
"...This has been a wonderful purchase for me… well worth the money invested for the peace of mind it has given me and the freedom it has allowed my dogs..." Read more
Customers find the pet fence easy to use. They mention that it's a do-it-yourself project and training your dog is a piece of cake. They appreciate the great training resources included with the product. Customers also say that the dogs learn their boundaries very quickly and know exactly where they can and can't go.
"...The training went well. After the first 2-3 encounters with the uncomfortable sensation of having an electrical shock, he had it down pat...." Read more
"...Once the system was installed, training was a piece of cake. I followed the owner's manual closely and it worked out very well...." Read more
"...He was friendly, completely knowledgeable, and took the time to find the perfect solution for my needs...." Read more
"...Training my dogs was a bit difficult, I took them around on a leash with only the beep turned on, so no shock, and they panicked after the first few..." Read more
Customers like the battery life of the pet supplies. They say the 9-volt battery lasts for months, and the system lasts forever without maintenance. Customers also appreciate that the collar has a replaceable battery and can handle a longer run. Overall, customers are satisfied with the battery performance of the product.
"...The 9volt battery lasts for months, too." Read more
"...I liked that this system can handle a longer run/larger area, in case I do decide to expand...." Read more
"...The other plus was that the collar receiver used a conventional 9-volt battery, instead of the really unique non-standard watch-battery the..." Read more
"...The battery goes out on it quick and the warning tone isn't very loud and I ended up strapping the big SportDog collar on him for training so he got..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the wire. Some say that it includes plenty of wire for any reasonably sized property, while others say that the supplied wire wasn't sufficient. Some customers also mention that the spool became loose and the wire was instantly tangled.
"...the wire to the fence because of the welded wire, the wire would interfere with the signal...." Read more
"...There was PLENTY of wire. We even bought another roll just in case, but ended up returning it.Super easy to install...." Read more
"...only reason for the 4 star rating was because I felt the supplied wire wasn't sufficient, otherwise, it would get a 5...." Read more
"...The kit comes with a significant run of wire and a lot of flags (the steel wire for the flags is most of the shipping weight)...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the safety of the pet supplies. Some mention that it keeps their dogs safe, while others say that it constantly shocked their dogs and caused damage.
"...OVERALL I great quality kit and it keeps our dogs safe...." Read more
"...The only problem is theirs only shocks and they have it amped to the the max. So when our dog got too close he got zapped and zapped bad...." Read more
"...It's a hassle free system and has made a safe, fun environment for my lab...." Read more
"...only gripe is that because of the long wire loop the unit is prone to lightning damage. Even with protection you will at some point sustain damage...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the sound quality of the pet supplies. Some mention that the collars vibrate when they beep, prior to delivering the correction. They also say that there are two levels of warning beeping/vibration before they get to the alarm sounds. However, others say that the transmitter unit makes a very loud beepping noise so you'll know that the dog is in the fence.
"...The battery goes out on it quick and the warning tone isn't very loud and I ended up strapping the big SportDog collar on him for training so he got..." Read more
"...It sounded good, and I decided to give it a try, though I still wasn’t totally confident it would work for my dogs...." Read more
"...At about 2ft and the collar starts to give shocking pulses. At this point is tarted feeling pretty optimistic. This could work...." Read more
"...He can burn off his excess energy and barking has been reduced a great deal where before tie out was inadequate..." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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Preliminary review (6/3/15) focused on installation and set up.
OVERALL:
After installing and testing for two days, I am very happy with the purchase.
• I saved a lot of money with this DIY option, though it required two days of work to enclose my backyard that has an existing fence (mostly chain link but with a wooden gate section). In other words, I did very little digging and burying.
• I bought this system because, about a week and a half ago, I adopted a 3-yo lab and almost immediately she climbed the wooden gate. I immediately started research on fence systems and happily bought this one.
• As indicated in the instruction manual, there are issues with interference with buried electrical lines and phone lines to your house where your fence wire may be within a few feet of these.
• The instruction manual is good. If you want to do more study, you can also find the manual on the company's website. I recommend reading it before buying.
INSTALLATION:
I have a good sized suburban lot with an existing fence with a 4 ft. chain link fence with chain link gates and a section with a wood gate. I have a recently rescued 3-yo 50 lb. lab who can climb the wood part of the fence (and probably the chain link, but I installed the in-ground fence before finding out). My goal was to enclose my backyard but I ultimately went around my whole house.
• It took two days for installing and training my dog. I used exactly 500 ft of wire (one spool).
• I purchased the standard 20-guage wire. I don't yet know about its long term durability but it seemed OK. I don't feel now like I should have upgraded, but this may be because of my specific use and I have no experience with durability yet. However, if you will run the wire through tubing (I did a section this way), a heavier gauge will definitely be easier to work with. See below.
• Most of the installation was along/on an existing chain link fence. As one reviewer noted (I read lots of these reviews first and they were very helpful) use zip-ties. DON'T weave the wire through the fence as recommended in the instruction manual as this is not even possible unless you want to make lots of splices. Weaving will take forever. The zip-tie method was relatively quick.
• I zip-tied the wire along the top of the 4' chain link fence.
• Where there were gates, I zip-tied the wire along a chainlink diagonal until it hit the ground and then buried the wire under the gate.
• I have an underground power line and a phone line along part of my fence line. The instruction manual says this will cause interference and to not run the wire parallel. Mostly, where the wire was along the top of my 4' fence, this was not a problem. But there is interference where the wire is in the ground and close to the buried utility lines. This could not be avoided in my set up. Fortunately it still works, not perfectly, but between the way it works, an existing fence, flags, and training my dog, it seems adequate so far. This would be a problem without an existing fence!
• You must make a continuous loop of wire to the controller box. Although my purpose was to enclose my backyard, I went all the way around my house, running the wire around my front porch and across my driveway to make the loop back to the controller. This way, apart from the backyard, the dog cannot leave the front porch (we didn't want her in the front yard) and she cannot leave the garage with the collar on.
• Apart from attaching the wire to my chainlink fence and going underground for gates, I found the system flexible in terms of installation. In some places, behind some bushes, I just left the wire on the ground (although ideally I would run this area through some pipe). Around the porch, I first taped the wire to the underside lip of the porch planks and then went back to staple them. In another section, as I went along, I did run the wire through some flexible plastic tubing.
• Use of tubing: I used landscape irrigation tubing sometimes called "silly pipe"; it is cheap, easy to cut, and flexible, but hard and smooth, so wire runs through it easily. However, this tubing comes coiled and wants to stay coiled, so you need to use short runs or have a helper to stretch the tube while you push the wire through. This worked surprisingly well for about 15 ft of tubing working by myself with 20-guage wire. I'm not sure if running wire through pipe and then burying it will affect the signal, but I think it does; you have to adjust the settings on the controller box. However, for some applications (not a lawn), I think you could run the wire through silly pipe and then use landscape staples to hold the pipe to the ground; then you can avoid burying the wire. Again, heavier gauge wire will push through pipe more easily.
• I made no splices.
• Again, you need to make a continuous loop of wire back to the system. Where you twist the ends of the wire together, or make a twisted splice, the signal is killed. Unless you install the control box right on the fence line (unlikely), you need to make a twisted wire back to the control box to maintain the geometry of your fence. Use the power drill technique to twist the wire: insert the ends and clamp them down in the part that holds the drill bit and turn it on. Works great.
• In my landscape, I had outdoor power. So I took a chance with installing the controller outdoors. I bought a big waterproof conduit junction box, drilled a few small holes for the wires, attached the box right next to my outdoor (waterproof and grounded) outlet, and installed the controller in there. There is some risk for water infiltration, but these boxes are used for heavier electrical purposes, so it seemed reasonable; I preferred this over drilling a hole through the wall of my house, making a much longer twisted wire run to my fence line, and dealing with less convenient indoor installation/outlet locations.
SET UP AND TRAINING:
• The controller box has a setting for the boundary range between warning (beep and buzz) and "correction" (shock). It is sensitive to adjustment. I was surprised (at the narrowest setting) how sensitive the collar is to the proximity to the wire both vertically and horizontally (i.e., dog head/neck height sniffing ground vs standing vs standing up on hind legs to get ready to jump/climb over a fence).
• Since I have an existing fence that shows the boundary already (as compared to a completely invisible in-ground set up), I dialed the range down on the controller box to make a very narrow boundary— to prevent climbing over the fence, while not making my yard effectively smaller. As other reviewers have noted, if you have a narrow lot or narrow enclosure conditions, this kind of fence will make your space even more narrow.
• Although flags are to show you and your dog where a buried wire is where there is no other indication, I put up the flags along my fence anyway. My newly rescued dog had a few days of experience with my yard and fence before the installation, so I wanted to show her that there was something new. I'm also training her not to go through open gates. I will train her to only leave the house through the garage and under certain conditions. Quickly I think she will learn what the beeping/buzzing means and will stay away from new areas without the need for flags.
• With an existing fence, it took me less than 30 minutes to teach my dog to stay away from the fence (or flags)— not to climb it. Or so it seems. She is smart, so she got two shocks and learned about the beeping and buzzing warning and to back away. Or so it seems! Being smart and obsessed with small woodland animals, she may yet test the limits of risk and reward. I will report on that later.
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2015
Preliminary review (6/3/15) focused on installation and set up.
OVERALL:
After installing and testing for two days, I am very happy with the purchase.
• I saved a lot of money with this DIY option, though it required two days of work to enclose my backyard that has an existing fence (mostly chain link but with a wooden gate section). In other words, I did very little digging and burying.
• I bought this system because, about a week and a half ago, I adopted a 3-yo lab and almost immediately she climbed the wooden gate. I immediately started research on fence systems and happily bought this one.
• As indicated in the instruction manual, there are issues with interference with buried electrical lines and phone lines to your house where your fence wire may be within a few feet of these.
• The instruction manual is good. If you want to do more study, you can also find the manual on the company's website. I recommend reading it before buying.
INSTALLATION:
I have a good sized suburban lot with an existing fence with a 4 ft. chain link fence with chain link gates and a section with a wood gate. I have a recently rescued 3-yo 50 lb. lab who can climb the wood part of the fence (and probably the chain link, but I installed the in-ground fence before finding out). My goal was to enclose my backyard but I ultimately went around my whole house.
• It took two days for installing and training my dog. I used exactly 500 ft of wire (one spool).
• I purchased the standard 20-guage wire. I don't yet know about its long term durability but it seemed OK. I don't feel now like I should have upgraded, but this may be because of my specific use and I have no experience with durability yet. However, if you will run the wire through tubing (I did a section this way), a heavier gauge will definitely be easier to work with. See below.
• Most of the installation was along/on an existing chain link fence. As one reviewer noted (I read lots of these reviews first and they were very helpful) use zip-ties. DON'T weave the wire through the fence as recommended in the instruction manual as this is not even possible unless you want to make lots of splices. Weaving will take forever. The zip-tie method was relatively quick.
• I zip-tied the wire along the top of the 4' chain link fence.
• Where there were gates, I zip-tied the wire along a chainlink diagonal until it hit the ground and then buried the wire under the gate.
• I have an underground power line and a phone line along part of my fence line. The instruction manual says this will cause interference and to not run the wire parallel. Mostly, where the wire was along the top of my 4' fence, this was not a problem. But there is interference where the wire is in the ground and close to the buried utility lines. This could not be avoided in my set up. Fortunately it still works, not perfectly, but between the way it works, an existing fence, flags, and training my dog, it seems adequate so far. This would be a problem without an existing fence!
• You must make a continuous loop of wire to the controller box. Although my purpose was to enclose my backyard, I went all the way around my house, running the wire around my front porch and across my driveway to make the loop back to the controller. This way, apart from the backyard, the dog cannot leave the front porch (we didn't want her in the front yard) and she cannot leave the garage with the collar on.
• Apart from attaching the wire to my chainlink fence and going underground for gates, I found the system flexible in terms of installation. In some places, behind some bushes, I just left the wire on the ground (although ideally I would run this area through some pipe). Around the porch, I first taped the wire to the underside lip of the porch planks and then went back to staple them. In another section, as I went along, I did run the wire through some flexible plastic tubing.
• Use of tubing: I used landscape irrigation tubing sometimes called "silly pipe"; it is cheap, easy to cut, and flexible, but hard and smooth, so wire runs through it easily. However, this tubing comes coiled and wants to stay coiled, so you need to use short runs or have a helper to stretch the tube while you push the wire through. This worked surprisingly well for about 15 ft of tubing working by myself with 20-guage wire. I'm not sure if running wire through pipe and then burying it will affect the signal, but I think it does; you have to adjust the settings on the controller box. However, for some applications (not a lawn), I think you could run the wire through silly pipe and then use landscape staples to hold the pipe to the ground; then you can avoid burying the wire. Again, heavier gauge wire will push through pipe more easily.
• I made no splices.
• Again, you need to make a continuous loop of wire back to the system. Where you twist the ends of the wire together, or make a twisted splice, the signal is killed. Unless you install the control box right on the fence line (unlikely), you need to make a twisted wire back to the control box to maintain the geometry of your fence. Use the power drill technique to twist the wire: insert the ends and clamp them down in the part that holds the drill bit and turn it on. Works great.
• In my landscape, I had outdoor power. So I took a chance with installing the controller outdoors. I bought a big waterproof conduit junction box, drilled a few small holes for the wires, attached the box right next to my outdoor (waterproof and grounded) outlet, and installed the controller in there. There is some risk for water infiltration, but these boxes are used for heavier electrical purposes, so it seemed reasonable; I preferred this over drilling a hole through the wall of my house, making a much longer twisted wire run to my fence line, and dealing with less convenient indoor installation/outlet locations.
SET UP AND TRAINING:
• The controller box has a setting for the boundary range between warning (beep and buzz) and "correction" (shock). It is sensitive to adjustment. I was surprised (at the narrowest setting) how sensitive the collar is to the proximity to the wire both vertically and horizontally (i.e., dog head/neck height sniffing ground vs standing vs standing up on hind legs to get ready to jump/climb over a fence).
• Since I have an existing fence that shows the boundary already (as compared to a completely invisible in-ground set up), I dialed the range down on the controller box to make a very narrow boundary— to prevent climbing over the fence, while not making my yard effectively smaller. As other reviewers have noted, if you have a narrow lot or narrow enclosure conditions, this kind of fence will make your space even more narrow.
• Although flags are to show you and your dog where a buried wire is where there is no other indication, I put up the flags along my fence anyway. My newly rescued dog had a few days of experience with my yard and fence before the installation, so I wanted to show her that there was something new. I'm also training her not to go through open gates. I will train her to only leave the house through the garage and under certain conditions. Quickly I think she will learn what the beeping/buzzing means and will stay away from new areas without the need for flags.
• With an existing fence, it took me less than 30 minutes to teach my dog to stay away from the fence (or flags)— not to climb it. Or so it seems. She is smart, so she got two shocks and learned about the beeping and buzzing warning and to back away. Or so it seems! Being smart and obsessed with small woodland animals, she may yet test the limits of risk and reward. I will report on that later.
INSTALLATION: First time/small yard - We used a lawn edger to cut the line for the wire. We had to rent it and unfortunately the blade was not sharp so it did not work great and I ended up using a stick to kind of dig it out in spots as I was laying the wire (my husband cut with the edger and I pushed in the wire and buried it), I used the same twig to push the wire down (a popsicle stick would probably work great, you want something small and flat on the end so you don't risk cutting the wire). I'd still say use an edger vs. digging by hand, but make sure the blades are sharp! It took about 3 hours. Tiring work but all in all not bad, especially when you consider the cost of professional installation. Second time/3 acres - This time we rented a cable burying machine called EZ Trencher (I believe) it digs the line and lays the wire for you. My husband did this part and I followed behind burying the wire. This also took 3 hours. I have to laugh thinking that it took us the same amount of time to do 3 acres as it took to do 1/4, the cable burying machine is definitely the way to go if you can get one, I had to drive an hour away to rent it but it was worth it for the effort saved!
TRAINING: My dog's personality can be hard to explain, she's very brave about some things but very timid about others. She learned very quickly, BUT (and this happened both times I trained her) after she figured out that she would get a shock going by the flags she was terrified to go out in the yard. So basically it took one training session to learn not to go by the flags and then it took a two weeks to get comfortable with the yard again. Both times I was sure I'd ruined my dog and she'd hate me forever. She didn't, she got over it both times. The first time I'd force her to go out with me and then just sit there petting her and give her treats. Not making her go by the fence just getting her comfortable to sit outside. The second time she was mad at me and didn't trust me for about a week, and wouldn't leave the porch. So I let my husband put her on a leash and walk the yard with him, then just let her be. She got over it and now she runs right up to the barrier. So, if you're dog is afraid of the yard after, don't give up. Just spend happy time in the yard with him. I've never used anything above setting 1. She does not challenge the barrier (in fact I once watched a rabbit tease her, hoping in an out of the boundary, she would charge it and it would hop nonchalantly out and she'd back up and wait for it to hop back in. I don't know how it knew she wouldn't get it but it seemed pretty sure of itself and she wanted it bad, but not bad enough to test the boundary) so if I forget to put the collar on her she's fine. I try to remember, but especially if the weather is bad or something and I know she'll be back quick I don't worry about it. We're getting a new puppy soon, so I'll be training again, hope he takes to it as easy as she did!
WARRANTY/PROBLEMS: This had a two year warranty and we've used it twice. The first time was for the collar. After we'd been using it for about a year the casing just broke off. It actually happened right by the door so I found it. I have no idea how it broke, the dog is not particularly hard on it. Perhaps from laying on the concrete of the porch? Anyway, customer service was great and they replaced it for me right away. The second time was just today, we noticed the power and loop light were out. This happened a couple weeks before our two year warranty was up, so they just replaced it for us too. I plan to buy a surge protector for it. The only other problem we had was a rodent chewed through the wire once and it had to be spliced. When I heard the alarm I was so worried that we'd never find the problem but I walked the line just in case and found a very obvious hole with two chewed wire ends sticking out. Repaired them and it worked again. Basically, these fences are bound to go down now and then for one reason or another so it's a good idea to expect it. Have slice kits, extra wires and I'd suggest surge protection, either a ground wire or you can buy a kit that you plug it into, haven't used it yet so can't tell you how good it works. I've been very happy with the Sportdog customer service.
COLLAR: I don't like the plastic collar, but we've lived with it. You could probably punch a hole in a collar of choice, but I haven't tried. I leave this on during the day and take it off at night. Sometimes I forget to take it off, if I do I just remove it after she goes out in the morning and give her neck a break. My dog has a short coat though and I don't have to put it on tight at all and it never seems to bother her.
THE SHOCK: I now have first hand experience on how it feels to get shocked with this thing. It was an accident, I was holding the collar with the prong lightly brushing my hand when my husband powered up the fence. It was on setting 1 (which is what I use for my dog). I was happy to find that it doesn't exacly hurt, however it IS extremely unpleasant. I just don't know how else to describe it. Not painful, unpleasant, definitely didn't want a repeat. If you have the room definitely make the boundary area as wide as you can so they have lots of notice before getting shocked. We had to make it as small as possible on our first yard because it was so small, but she always gave it a wide berth. I don't always trust the warning vibration/tone either. When we were walking the boundary flags at the new house, I tried to coax her across the flag line thinking that the tone would warn her and she'd remember about the flags (and hopefully not get shocked) but I never heard the warning and she got bit. That was the only time the second time around and I was mad I didn't hear the warning tone, but it works when I tested it. She's never been shocked by it outside of the training period, so there should be no need for her to ever experience it again.
UPDATE 3 Years later...
I thought I'd update this since I've used it with another dog now. The fence still works great, we've had zero problems since I wrote this review. I trained our Brittany puppy on it when he was 4 months old (he reacted much as I described my older dog: learned fast, afraid to go outside at first, over it in a week or so). Since he was still young and small I used the PetSafe Deluxe Ultralight collar. It works with the SportDog fence system so its an option if you need a smaller collar, but just a warning, it's not a great collar. The battery goes out on it quick and the warning tone isn't very loud and I ended up strapping the big SportDog collar on him for training so he got a loud warning tone, but after he understood I was able to use the Petsafe collar until he got to full size so he didn't have that massive box on his little neck. We got chickens and he is a bird dog, so I ended up buying the SportDOG Contain and Train collar. This collar works with the invisible fence but it is also an e-collar with a gazillion settings. We were able to train him to leave the chickens alone with this, which is good because they refuse to stay in their yard. Bonus, when I see him digging across the yard I can vibrate the collar with the remote and he'll stop. This is an expensive collar but worth it. Bonus, it can be slid onto a regular clip-on collar with no trouble and is rechargeable. Here's another tip. I've discovered SportDog has great customer service, they will usually give you a discount if you call and buy from them directly. I can't promise this, but they've done it every time I've called about something.
Top reviews from other countries
Update
This kit is worth every penny. Take time and train the animal correctly and after its worth the time. I'll buy this again. I have a Rottweiler and its holding up good.
Reviewed in Canada on July 11, 2019
Update
This kit is worth every penny. Take time and train the animal correctly and after its worth the time. I'll buy this again. I have a Rottweiler and its holding up good.