Hunting dogs are known for their adventurous spirit: they rarely ask permission of their master to go happily exploring their environment solo, nose down in search of interesting tracks. They are not the only ones, however. Are you one of the masters tired of having to constantly monitor their dog to prevent him from escaping the garden and running away?
If so do not despair: there are now other solutions than duty, sadness in the heart, attach or lock up an animal too independent. Electric dog fencing can be very helpful in limiting the territory of your pet. Several models are now marketed.
Do not underestimate the dangers of running away
A running dog can sometimes cause serious problems for the owner. If the dog lives near a road, it can obviously hit a vehicle and cause a serious accident.
It is forbidden to let an animal wander without supervision. It is the mayors of the municipalities who take the necessary measures to prevent the straying of pets (Article L 211-22 of the Rural Code). The owner can be ordered to pay a fine of up to 150 euros. If the owner is not found, the dog will be returned to the pound. The manager of the pound then searches the owner with the tattoo number or microchip that every dog must wear. If he has not claimed the animal within 8 days, the manager of the pound may return the dog to a shelter or, after consulting a veterinarian, have it euthanized.
Less dramatic but very inconvenient for the owner, the marauding hunt dogs often take illegal samples in the henhouses around, if they manage to enter. Good neighborly relations then tend to deteriorate rapidly … Very few whole male dogs know how to resist the call of the hormones: the scent of a bitch in heat is generally irresistible for them and the owner of the female protrudes thus ” illegally “does not like having to abort his dog.
Finally, purebred dogs are sometimes coveted and sometimes they are kidnapped by unscrupulous people.
Electric fencing for dogs: how does it work?
The system is based on 3 main elements.
- An emitter box for a radio signal is attached inside the house.
- The territory allowed to the dog is delimited by a wire that can be attached to an existing fence or buried in the ground, up to 3 cm deep. The supplied cables are typically 200 m long but it is possible to purchase additional wire coils to delineate the large properties.
- The dog wears a collar with a receiver that picks up the signal from the wire and responds to the dog’s distance from the fence. The receiver box is relatively small (approximately 5 cm long) and the collar / receiver assembly weighs no more than 70 g in most models. This system can therefore be suitable even for small dogs. The collars must be regularly recharged, either on the sector or by changing the batteries.
Watch the dog well at first
It is essential to be present to observe the reactions of the dog when starting the system, to avoid unnecessary stress that could traumatize the animal. Levels of sound and electrical stimulation as well as warning distances are adjustable according to the sensitivity of the dog and the constraints related to the environment. These distances vary from a few tens of cm to several meters.
Some models of electric fencing offer particular advantages: waterproof collar when immersed in water, indicators of wire break (if the buried wire is broken, an alarm sounds, possibly accompanied by a visual alarm). The speed of the dog is taken into account: the faster the dog reaches the fence, the higher the level of intensity of the shock …
As soon as it approaches the limit not to cross, the dog is first warned by a beep. If he continues to advance, he receives a slight electric shock that dissuades him to go further. If the dog continues to move in the wrong direction, the case emits more intense shocks until the dog comes back. (If they are each equipped with a collar, many dogs can be controlled by the same housing.)
We must observe the dog’s reactions: if he seems very frightened, it is better to lower the intensity of the signals sent. These fencing systems are usually sold with flags that allow to visualize the limits not to be exceeded. It is important that the dog can rely on these visual cues to avoid unnecessary punishment.
Over time, he will know exactly where he has the right to go and the pennants will then be removed.
Conclusion
The dog’s education at a young age remains the basis of obedience. It is better to avoid having to use “punitive” devices when it is not necessary, since a bad use can sometimes seriously disturb the behavior of the dog. This type of equipment is therefore reserved for situations where there is no choice, when the dog runs away repeatedly and nothing seems to want to dissuade him from starting again …