# Invisible Fence?



## bell (Jun 4, 2008)

Is this safe to use with maltese? If so what brand is the best.


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

Here's a previous thread: http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?...Invisible+Fence


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

An Invisible Fence will keep your dog in and let any other dog, coyote, person etc in!!!!!
Do not use an I/F for small dogs.

Friend of ours had one and while she was out in the I/F area with her Maltese a coyote came and grabbed the dog and took off with it. They found their baby dead.

Please do not use an I/F, fence with cyclone fencing that is high enough to protect your baby!!!!


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## Lindy (Mar 25, 2009)

NO NO NO! will not protect your dog from other dogs or predators!


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

I have a fenced in backyard but if I didn't I doubt I'd use an Invisible Fence. For one - I have a Whippet. The invisible fence does not work with them, they run way too fast for it to be effective. And secondly, I wouldn't want to shock my pups. 

I found this article on Clickertraining.com on how to train your dogs to stay in your yard. I would use this method first.  It's inexpensive, reliable and you don't need a shock.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I'd do some sort of real fencing,we're getting too many coyotes in this area. while I was in Florida,in Naples,a couple people in nice gated subdivisions had their Malts snatched right off the leash. Hawks are a real danger,large or small they can kill a small dog. I have nightmares about my babies being snatched. We're not in the wilderness of Montana here,it's NW Ohio but we have eagles,hawks,owls ,coyotes and *****,once in a very great while black bears so we just can't take chances...even feral cats are dangerous.
Makes me think more and more about litterbox training for Malts.I've heard of big city dwellers teaching their small dogs to use the litter box....
We just can't take our eyes off the kids for one minute,especially Rylee he's only 3½ pounds....talk about gone in 60 seconds...
I'd vote a fenced in area.


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## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

NO absolutely Not Safe

Wouldn't ever let my baby out unattended either... why make it easy for someonbe to steal?


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## bell (Jun 4, 2008)

Oh I do not mean I would not be out there with them. I mostly want it for skipper and sparkie. They will bolt if given the chance. All of my girl dogs will stay with me outside, when I call they come. The way our yard is a fence is not a option. 
Our yard it built up with blocks, then it is flower beds a gravel walk way, so if I put a fence in it would only be maybe 15 by 10. and would look really weird lol.


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

Also if you to bolt out of the fence, get shocked, they will be too afraid to come back home because of it. Another on the It's Me or the Dog show, a boxer was too afraid to go outside because he got shocked by the electric fence.
Some positive training should work great for them. Make them stop and wait even if the door is open. Shocking them won't do anything but instill fear in them. Will you get more work out of a horse if you beat it or treat it kindly? Shocking your pets* won't *help them with this problem at all.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I am not in favor of invisible fences or shock collars.


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## 08chrissy08 (Sep 19, 2008)

Just going to repeat what i said in the other thread. 

I'm afraid I'm just not a believer in the invisible fences. My parents had one they used for their yellow lab and their toy poodle. They worked with both on training them with the fence and everything was fine for a while, but then things just fell apart. The lab continuously got out and wouldn't come back over the line. They would have to shut it off and bring him back over after they found him. The toy poodle was spooked by something one day and ran over the line and kept right on going. The shock scared her even further when she went over the line. She ran into some underbrush and they never saw her again. I hope someone picked her up and cared for her, but it's just as likely that some predator got her or she was hit by a car somewhere. They now have a fenced yard.

Their neighbors decided they liked the idea of the fence and got one too. Their pug ignored it entirely and came and went as much as he wanted. Their black lab was so terrified of it that she would pee herself and shake every time she went outside. The fence was not turned up high at all, it was on one of the lowest settings. They had to take the fence out and it took months before the lab would go outside without being scared half to death.

I'm not trying to come down on anyone for using one, I'm just sharing what I know about them and my personal experiences. With proper training and supervision, I can see the fence being useful, but I would never ever use one or recommend it to anyone.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

A family member tried using an invisible fence for their black lab and now the dog is afraid to go off the deck into the back yard. The dog has actually started going potty on the deck and won't go into the yard unless they have her on a leash, which means the shock colalr is removed.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

You are much better off buying a couple of lightweight long lines and letting them out with you on the lines.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

QUOTE (JMM @ Jan 1 2010, 06:35 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=868958


> You are much better off buying a couple of lightweight long lines and letting them out with you on the lines.[/B]


I would recommend this too. I don't care how well trained a dog is, if the right stimuli comes along at just the right time, no matter how often they have obeyed you in the past, there are very high odds that your dog will follow it. You have to remember to think of them as a 2 yr old that can out run you. I would not trust a 2 yr old to stay within certain boundary lines without supervision. I remember at the NMR picnic I attend a few years ago, there were just countless horror stories of people wanting to adopt because they lost their baby by not having them on a lead or line. And they all said the same thing..."but they always stay with me in our yard and they always obeyed when I called them". Except for that very tragic last time.

Along with what Briana said about the episode of It's Me or the Dog, there have been several others that showed how shock collars and invisible fences not only caused more behavioral problems, but made the very behavior they were wanting to modify worse. And there have been many examples of that given here.


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## suzimalteselover (Mar 27, 2006)

A friend of mine has an Invisible Fence for her 7 lb. toy poodle. I expressed concern with the shock collar and how other animals can still enter onto their property. She stated her neighborhood does not allow any type of fencing. She has complained that the dog has gotten out of the yard several times, and they have had issues with the fence not working. One day while I was there I was walking around in their home holding the shock collar. Evidently, they have boundaries set up in the home with the collar, as well. I walked through a door way and somehow shocked myself. I could not believe the pain that it transmitted to an adult human, let alone a toy breed dog. I can't tell others what to do with their pets, but, I asked if they could at least turn down the collar, as, it was very painful to me. It really sent a jolt to me and that was just my hand. I can't imagine how painful that would be on my neck. She said, it was turned down to the lowest point.  I am not surprised the collars cause behavioral issues.


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

Ok, I am not a doctor or vet, obviously...
But couldn't electric shock lead to an abnormal heart beat?


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## 08chrissy08 (Sep 19, 2008)

QUOTE (Canada @ Jan 1 2010, 09:57 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=869053


> Ok, I am not a doctor or vet, obviously...
> But couldn't electric shock lead to an abnormal heart beat?[/B]


Yes. If your dog has any hidden heart issues, these can cause serious problems.


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

My neighbors "had" an IF and a small dog. She let the dog out to potty because a storm was moving in. She was getting her dog back in right when it thundered. The thunder scared the dog so bad it ran out of the fence and down the street with her trying to catch it. The poor pup made it to the main road and was hit by a car and killed. They had this fence for a couple of years with no problems at all. You never know when something could happen and your dog would leave the area. I personality would never use one because I would be worried about other animals coming into the yard. IMO they aren't safe.


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## princessmolly (Oct 1, 2004)

I take Molly out on a leash everytime she goes outside. The thought of an electric fence crossed my mind at one time but when I looked at the pros and cons of it, I said no way. Actually the only pro to it is appearance, having an open yard. The cons are all of which have been mentioned already. I don't like the idea of shocking my baby that's for sure. I won't let her outside alone because of hawks and coyotes so it wouldn't help me either way if I had an electric fence or a regular fence. We get other dogs running through the yard all the time that got loose from other yards, perhaps electric fences? My advice, if you want your furbaby to have freedom in the yard, put up a regular fence and don't worry so much on how it will look. There are a lot of different style fences to put up.


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## makettle29 (Nov 12, 2005)

Well...I just had to post that I love my invisible fence. My property is too big to fence the perimeter and I want my Malts to be outside part of the day. The training was simple and
it works. I had the line buried in a specific safe zone around the house and away from the driveway. They don't try to push the limits and the fence keeps them from wandering off or chasing after the UPS man. I have peace of mind and I like it.

I also always keep a collar and ID tags on my Malts, day and night and they are both microchipped. I don't like taking chances. The training was done by a reputable and well-known trainer who had plenty of experience with toy breeds.


mary anna herk and theena :wub:


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## Dora's Mom (Nov 7, 2009)

We SAW a coyote running along the edge of our backyard Christmas night. :new_shocked: I can't WAIT till we can get a fence up (the plan is when we get our tax refund). I'm scared to take Dora out to potty after dark now. :shy: I know a coyote PROBABLY wouldn't come close to me even when I've got a Dora-snack with me...but you never know. :smcry:


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (Dora's Mom @ Jan 3 2010, 11:16 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=869597


> We SAW a coyote running along the edge of our backyard Christmas night. :new_shocked: I can't WAIT till we can get a fence up (the plan is when we get our tax refund). I'm scared to take Dora out to potty after dark now. :shy: I know a coyote PROBABLY wouldn't come close to me even when I've got a Dora-snack with me...but you never know. :smcry:[/B]


Coyotes are getting bolder now. Just a year ago LennaBella's darling Max was snatched from her on the leash, while she was on a walk with him. She said they think they were being stalked and the coyote came out of a bush. And he was about 10+ lbs I think. And I don't think she lives in a very rural area either. You never know.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

The I/F will not protect your babies from predators coming into your yard. Friends of ours have one and HAD a Maltese. A coyote hid in the bushes and while mom was out with her baby the coyote snatched the Malt and ran. When they crossed the fence line both coyote(holding Malt by the neck and collar) and the Malt were shocked. She heard her baby scream. Found his body later that day.





QUOTE (makettle29 @ Jan 3 2010, 10:39 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=869585


> Well...I just had to post that I love my invisible fence. My property is too big to fence the perimeter and I want my Malts to be outside part of the day. The training was simple and
> it works. I had the line buried in a specific safe zone around the house and away from the driveway. They don't try to push the limits and the fence keeps them from wandering off or chasing after the UPS man. I have peace of mind and I like it.
> 
> I also always keep a collar and ID tags on my Malts, day and night and they are both microchipped. I don't like taking chances. The training was done by a reputable and well-known trainer who had plenty of experience with toy breeds.
> ...


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## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

I don't think that I/F sould be used on ANY dog!!!

How would you like to be shocked everytime you wanted to leave your house?


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## princessmolly (Oct 1, 2004)

I think very good advice can be obtained from suzi about getting shocked herself from the collar. Put one of those collars around your own neck and take a shock. See how it does feel firsthand before putting it around your furbabies neck and if you're too afraid to try that, then why do you want to do it to your furbaby?  

mary anna herk and theena, I say this with a very warm heart.... You say you don't take chances but you ARE taking chances. It will only take that one time for them to take off as it has been mentioned in other posts here. I pray you never have that happen and that the I/F continues to work out for you. 

With the coyotes, they say they will not go after anything that is bigger than them. If you see one while out with your dog, you should put your arms out and make yourself looks as big as possible (this is what I read). I have heard that they are getting bolder though because their habitats are disappearing as more and more areas are built up. So is the case where I live. They have nowhere to go and food is harder to find. We have a tree line back behind our house and one of our neigbors went working through it and said he found what looked to be a den, so we think they may be living right behind our house. There probably isn't any fence that will keep the coyotes out though. They are high jumpers and have been seen jumping the fences in the yards over here.


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