Invisble Fencing

[centrarchid]

I am using a German Short-Haired Pointer (GSP) as livestock (poultry) guard dog. He periodically leaves flocks to patrol beyond their home ranges which increases his visibility to predators but he also goes to socialize with fellow canines and humans at neighboring trailer court. Not all the humans like my dog despite many feeding and playing with him at every opportunity when he was a pup. I did not know this was going on until recently. Now some humans threaten life of my dog so arrangments must be changed. Social interaction alternatives will come with female GSP next spring. I would like to confine both with invisible fencing. Area is roughly 20 acres and 3/4's of perimeter already has fence post in place. Where post in place I am considering leaving wire above ground like visible electric fencing. Since the wire would be exposed to white-tailed deer traffic I hoped the woven electric fence wire could serve as anntennae instead of standard insulated monofilament. Any reasons why such a wire above ground will not work?

 

[caspernc]

Try the 800 # on the fencing. I have NEVER been a fan of the wire type of fence. We had dogs that would run away from home to come to the vet clinic when their batteries were only a couple of weeks old. You have to shave necks and all kinds of hoohaa. My sister just got a fence that is stationed at a centeral point. The dogs collar starts to beep then sting the farther away from the trasmitter. I don't know the range on that type of collar, but seems more effective as the farther away the worse it gets and they can't run through it. Still if you have a battery failure.....gone dog.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
We looked at wireless version but range more limited and would not accomodate irregular boundaries of our land. I can change batteries routinely.

 

[Beekissed]

My wireless covers almost my entire acre when at fullest extent of the boundary. To accomodate my boundaries I just shorten that range a little. Has worked lovely for my two dogs for the past 6 years...haven't lost a dog yet.

 

[caspernc]

Personally or internet speek IMHO a real wire fence with a little electricity added to it will keep your animals home more dependability (SP). I have seen more fences abandoned than kept. Just what I have seen.

 

[centrarchid]

We used hot wire cattle and the ribbon version for horses but did not use for dogs. Our hunting dogs got zapped once in while especially when working a trail but they would go under or over, sometimes through multiple strand fence. I am not inclined to trust such fencing on a hyper active bird dog in use now. Keeping such a fence hot would also be problematic in existing fence rows without herbicide applications.

 

[sourland]

Invisible fencing works fine on our golden retriever, but my son in law's GSP would breach the invisible fence whenever he desired. He would back up, charge the fence, yelp as he went through and go about his business. As you are probably aware GSP are smart, tough, and strong willed.

 

[centrarchid]

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Black and tan coonhounds and dalmations do same with electric fence as previously mentioned. Hope is that acreage and environment it contains (next year another GSP) will be enough to keep motivation to leave reduced. Problem I still have is like with pursuit of coyote late last night; dog so into chase he forgets about everything else. Foxes do same going after chickens so that I can almost catch fox by hand and dog definantly can catch fox at least briefly.

 

[watchdogps]

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I doubt it. GSPs are hardheaded dogs, and as already demonstrated he "gets so into it he forgets everything else". He will probably do the same with an IF.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I doubt it. GSPs are hardheaded dogs, and as already demonstrated he "gets so into it he forgets everything else". He will probably do the same with an IF.

IF option still to be pursued. Much lower cost than physical fence which might be cleared even if 6'. Looking for advice on how to improve odds IF will work. The smarts of breed which leads to hard headness (boneheadeness) can also be used to advantage in the very rich environment provided.