The Risks Of Using An Electric Fence In Your Yard
For stopping your dog from fence-jumping, sometimes it is effective to erect an inner fence to interfere with the animal’s approach to the barrier. In some cases, an inner fence of only 30 inches has proved to be effective. If the dog climbs the main barrier, an inward-slanting overhang can be installed along the top of the wall. You can save the expense of raising the wall by digging sunken gardens around the inside perimeter. The dry moats will interrupt the dog’s approach and raised the effective height of the wall.
Corrective measures should never include shock collars, hobbles, physical punishment, electrified fences and toxic chemicals applied to the wall. Though they work in some instances, the risk of injury and adverse behavioral side effects is greater than the benefit. Complications from use of such measures to the dog have included viciousness, displaced aggression toward family, death from hanging by a collar, and self-mutilation from hobbles.
With “invisible” electronic shock fencing, an electric shock is emitted from a collar to the dog’s throat if the dog crosses a wire around the perimeter of the yard. To delineate for the dog the area beyond which the dog should not pass, the perimeter is initially marked with obvious cues. The procedure requires a great deal of time and effort, and the devices are expensive, considering the electronics involved is slightly more sophisticated than a remote control garage door opener.
While manufacturers and adherents of the “invisible” fencing devices claim many successes to using this method, the system cause very serious drawbacks relative to safety of the dog and possible trespassers. These dangers warrant careful consideration, since there may be heavy legal consequences should serious injury to passersby occur. There is also the danger that a frustrated, electronically confined aggressive dog may redirect or displace his anger and frustration and turn on his family.
Aggressive stray dogs or malicious people are free to attack or harass the electrically confined dog. The conditioned pain and frustration associated with the perimeter may also be associated with passersby, including children. If the “fenced” dog feels aggressive toward outsiders and they cross the property line, the result could be unfortunate for all parties concerned. Electric shock has also been shown to induce acute stress in dogs. And stress has many undesirable side-effects, both psychological and physical, especially on their immune system.