An invisible fence is an excellent way to keep your dog confined, and many consider the best wireless dog fence in the market a more economical alternative to chain link, wood, or vinyl. An invisible fence won’t interfere with your property’s appearance, one of its best benefits. However, one question every pet owner asks is: how much does an invisible fence cost? What’s the total cost including operation, maintenance, and your dog’s training requirements?
What is an Invisible Dog Fence?
An invisible fence for dogs gives your dog a safe play area without going through the hassle and expense of a physical containment. Invisible fence solutions work through wiring buried completely underground (in-ground dog fence), wireless systems with a base station, or GPS dog fences. One thing to note is that you may benefit from using flags to mark boundaries where you have underground wires buried.
Dogs will wear a collar with a transmitter once your invisible electric fence is activated, correcting your dog when too close to the boundary. Collars keep dogs within limits by providing sounds or mental stimuli. Your boundary area and the number of collars required will be the most significant factors in the invisible fence cost.
How Will an Invisible Dog Fence Work?
An invisible pet fence system involves electrically charged wires three to four feet underground, a transmitting and monitoring device, and a collar that communicates with the transmitter. Usually, your transmitter will be in the house or garage for easier access. The technology is similar to the best bark collars, using vibration or an alarm sound to keep the dog away from the perimeter.
In most cases, if your dog crosses the boundary line, it will receive a brief electrical shock. One helpful thing to know is that the electric charge does not cause harm but startles your dog and keeps them from getting out of bounds. In most cases, these systems help you tweak the electric charge to keep your dog confined without causing pain or distress.
Benefits of Using an Invisible Dog Fence
Cheaper Than Traditional Options
When compared with the cost of a traditional fence, an invisible dog fence costs less to maintain. An invisible dog fence will only require installation, while conventional barriers need maintenance, as well as cleaning. Barring a catastrophic event that destroys your fence’s wiring, you can expect your fence to last for many years.
Durability
You can reasonably consider an invisible dog fence an investment to last for years. Durability is one feature that is certainly assured, as little can affect an underground fence. One of the things that you won’t need to worry about is having your dog knock over a physical barrier that will require repair.
Additional Protection
An invisible dog fence offers a superior level of protection when compared to other types of fencing. An invisible alarm signal that can alert you if your dog is trying to wander can be very effective and worth the extra cost. The ability to install a transmitter in the house provides a level of control that makes checking your dog’s activity much more manageable.
How Do You Determine the Price of an Invisible Dog Fence?
Some of the factors that impact the installation price of an invisible dog fence include:
- Your boundary or fence perimeter size
- The type or brand of the invisible electric fence
- How many dogs need to learn to stay in the boundary
- Your yard’s terrain or layout
When you consult a professional fence installer, they can give you an accurate estimate from photos or a visit to your property. Installation costs average between $100 to $2000, while transmitters and collars cost $100 to $400. These systems require batteries that average $60 to $90 annually. However, you may also learn how to install a wireless dog fence yourself.
People who have multiple dogs of different sizes or larger dogs will require different correction levels. These systems cost more but make it easier to keep your dogs adequately confined. When dogs have appropriate correction levels for their size, they will do better when confined to the area with the invisible fence.
Training your dog to respond to the fence system is another cost to consider. You may opt to have the invisible dog fence company train your dog or dogs, which costs an average of $500 extra. In the long run, the guidance of a trainer can help you avoid common mistakes that result in recurring behavioral issues. Products like the Halo Collar have training features to guide pet owners.
Invisible fences or wireless dog fence can cost an average of $2100 for everything. Training your dog to respond to the fence, as well as vocal or visual prompts, will involve extra expenses. In most cases, a dog trainer is the best choice to teach your dog to understand the necessary prompts.
The Price of an Invisible Dog Fence and the Features That Impact the Cost
Signal Receivers
Most collars with receivers are lightweight and rubber-coated, minimizing how much dogs notice the collars. These collars can hold up to chewing and are waterproof. Fencing systems allow you to program the transmitter, so it does not interfere with other radio signals and adjusts to your dog’s sensitivity level.
Invisible dog fence systems sometimes allow you to adjust the strength of the charge for different dogs. If your dogs are of various sizes, this type of feature is helpful. The frequency you need to replace batteries depends on how much of an attempted escape artist your dog is. Several receivers are necessary if you own several dogs.
Underground Wiring
Wiring pricing is very fluid, with an acre-sized property costing from $200 to $2,500. An invisible dog fence cost an average of around $1,100 as reportedly paid by many owners. The area where you live may also impact the installation cost, especially if there is a high demand for these systems.
You can usually install an invisible fence using a boundary shape that works for your needs. The fence should provide a perfect balance of safety and freedom. Although square areas are the most popular, you could also use oval, round, or irregular shapes.
Boundary Size
An invisible dog fence is helpful for a property of any size. Even though many hidden fence users live on smaller suburban lots, these systems also work well on multi-acre properties. The system size will determine the cost because wiring installation is possible for several types of terrain, including:
- Flatland
- Hills
- Rocky areas
- Woods
- Underwater
How Well Do Invisible Dog Fences Work?
Invisible dog fences are effective in most cases; however, there are a few things to remember to maximize effectiveness. Being prepared for these circumstances will benefit you and your dog in the long run.
Sometimes, perimeter wires break. Although some systems have audio alarms, not all have this type of feature. What is more common is for transmitters to blink where there is a break, which you may overlook. Checking the transmitter for breaks is something that you need to remember without an audio alarm.
There are repair kits that you can use to fix line breaks, depending on the issue. Although in most cases, enlisting a professional to repair the break or install a new system might be your best option, learning how to repair an invisible fence wire yourself is also a good idea.
Batteries in the dog collars must work for the invisible dog fence system to function correctly. If the batteries require replacement, your dog may wander off because they never receive a correction.
Although your pet may not try to escape after receiving the first correction, sometimes you need to increase the shock level. Dogs that become too used to a shocking level might start ignoring the correction and wander outside the area [1].
What Are Some Additional Cost Considerations?
Installation
When you install an invisible electric fence, you will need to think about training your dog to respond to the fence. Hiring professionals to install your invisible dog fence will give you time to devote to training, as well as access to a warranty and support.
Training
Professional trainers can help dogs get used to an invisible dog fence. Your dog’s trainability, the trainer’s experience level, and your location will be factors in the cost.
Noise Interference
Invisible dog fences may contribute to radio noise interfering with other electronics nearby. Since interference can contribute to your dog getting out, you may want a professional to address this issue.
Solar Power
If running power to your fence may present a challenge, solar power might be an ideal option for your invisible dog fence. A southeast-facing charger helps ensure that the device receives sufficient sunlight.
Running wires from your house is another possible way to power your fence that is often expensive. Your installation professional will know what options might be the most viable.
Additional Accessories
Some extra accessories that are popular may also increase your costs:
- Lightning protection against damage from a power surge
- Higher-quality wire resulting in greater longevity
- A backup system providing power during an outage
FAQS
1. What is the average cost for invisible fencing?
Invisible pet fencing costs an average of $1,100 to $2,000 or more, depending on the type, brand, and perimeter size. Part of the cost includes the installation, which works best with a professional. Professionally installed invisible fence will customarily come with a warranty that helps protect against equipment failure.
Owners who opt to use a trainer to teach their dogs how to respond to the fence will pay extra for the trainer. Additional fees include batteries, as well as monthly or yearly monitoring fees required for some fences.
2. Is Invisible Fence worth it?
An invisible fence is worth the cost but also has some limitations. Although these fences are highly effective for keeping dogs from wandering, they can’t prevent other animals from entering your yard. Installation costs are sometimes high if you have hilly or rocky terrain to run wiring under for your system.
One thing that you may also need to keep in mind is that these systems are seldom user-serviceable. If paying a professional after your initial installation is a problem, you may want to reconsider whether one of these systems is best.
3. How long does an Invisible Fence last?
Some electric fences can last as long as 27 years with the proper installation. The terrain will not affect the fence’s longevity. Most of these systems will work in areas with severe cold weather conditions as well.
If the wire quality is low, the system may break or wear out faster than if you had used wiring of a higher grade. However, backup battery packs used during a power outage may wear out somewhat quickly and require replacement depending on how often they come into use.
4. Is an Invisible Fence cheaper than a wood fence?
An invisible fence might be as much as 45 to 80% less than a wooden fence for a similar-sized perimeter. Wooden fences require regular maintenance that is somewhat costly. Weather-proofing, anti-termite treatment, staining, or painting are some of the upkeep costs, along with repairs or slat replacements.
Wood fences may also cost more depending on the type of wood, with pine being one of the least expensive and redwood one of the most. Periodic supply chain disruptions may also impact the availability and cost of wood.
