We spent a year testing the best electric dog fence systems to bring you the top electric dog fence reviews.
Electric Dog Fence Reviews
If you want to find the best invisible fence for dogs, you’ve come to the right place. Our pet fence reviews are based on in-depth testing and usage by 20 year veterans of the dog fence industry. Our professional and unbiased underground dog fence reviews and wireless dog fence reviews are based on real installation, testing, and training by our DIY dog fence experts. Our easy to read comparison chart breaks down the most important features of each pet fence so you can compare the best dog fences side by side. Click the links to read more detailed electric dog fence reviews and find the best dog fence system for you and your pets.
| Perimeter Ultra | SportDog | Yardmax | Stubborn Dog | Elite Little Dog | |
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| Rating |  |  | | ||
| Reliability | Excellent | Great | Great | Good | Excellent |
| Correction Levels | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Rechargeable | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Dog Size | 8 lbs – 120 lbs | 20 lbs – 220 lbs | 10 lbs – 150 lbs | 50+ lbs | 5 lbs – 30 lbs |
| Coverage | 5 Acres | 100 Acres | 10 Acres | 5 Acres | 25 Acres |
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| Price | $209.95 | $249.99 | $269.95 | $199.95 | $179.95 |
| Full Review | Perimeter Ultra Full Review | Sportdog SDF-100A Full Review | Petsafe Yardmax Full Review | Petsafe Stubborn Dog Full Review | Petsafe Elite Little Dog Full Review |
| Stay + Play Wireless | Petsafe Wireless | Perimeter Wireless | Border Patrol | Havahart Radial 2 | |
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| Rating | | | |  |  |
| Reliability | Excellent | Great | Excellent | Fair | Poor |
| Correction Levels | 5 | 8 | 5 | 50 | 5 |
| Rechargeable | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dog Size | 12+ lbs | 15+ lbs | 20+ lbs | 30+ lbs | 20+ lbs |
| Coverage | 3 acres | 1 acre | 2.5 acres | 4 acres | 3 acres |
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| Price | $319.99 | $299.99 | $339.95 | $599.95 | $359.95 |
| Full Review | Petsafe Stay + Play Full Review | Petsafe Wireless(PIF-300) Full Review | Perimeter Wireless Full Review | Border Patrol TC1 Full Review | Havahart Radial 2 Full Review |
What Is An Electric Dog Fence?
An electric dog fence contains your dog (or cat) in a specific area without the need for physical boundaries like a traditional fence. An electric dog fence is an electronic system that creates invisible boundaries for your pet through either a perimeter wire or wirelessly through radio or WiFi signals.
Using the perimeter wire or wireless signal field, you’ll create a containment area for your pet. Your pet will wear a special receiver collar that will communicate with the perimeter of the containment area. When your dog approaches the perimeter, the collar will sound a warning tone (some collars also vibrate) to alert your dog to the boundary. If your dog continues forward into the boundary zone, the collar will issue a harmless but startling static correction.
Through training and associative learning, your dog will begin to recognize the boundaries and associate the warning tone and static shock with the perimeter line. Your dog will learn where the invisible fence line is and that he must stay back to avoid the static correction.
In-Ground Dog Fence vs Wireless Dog Fence
There are two types of electric dog fence – in-ground (or wired) dog fences and wireless dog fences. Although both operate on the same premises and require the same training methods, there are significant differences between wired and wireless dog fences.
In-ground (or underground) wired dog fences rely on an actual wire completing a circuit around the perimeter. This wire transmits a radio signal to the dog’s receiver collar and is generally buried underground, although it can also be mounted above ground.
The Pros of In-Ground Electric Dog Fences
In-ground, wired dog fences are more reliable and more versatile than wireless dog fence systems. Because in-ground dog fences use a physical wire, the shape of the perimeter is completely customizable allowing successful installation and usage in nearly any situation. The physical wire is generally more reliable than it’s wireless counterpart – in-ground electric dog fences have far less variation in boundary lines than the wireless dog fences.
The Cons of In-ground Electric Dog Fences
In-ground dog fence systems tend to represent a larger initial investment than wireless dog fences becoause of the need for dog fence wire and installation supplies. In-ground invisible fences also require more time and skill to install.
Wireless dog fences do not rely on a wire. Wireless dog fences emit a radio or WiFi signal field that defines the perimeter without the use of a physical wire.
The Pros of Wireless Dog Fences
Wireless dog fences are extremely convenient. They are portable, require very little setup, and no installation. They also tend to be less expensive than in-ground dog fence systems because they do not require wire or installation supplies.
The Cons of Wireless Dog Fence Systems
Wireless dog fence systems are less reliable and less versatile than in-ground containment systems. Most wireless fence systems are only capable of creating a circular perimeter so they are not well suited to certain properties. In addition wireless dog fence systems require line-of-site to perform properly. These fence systems are not ideal in hilly terrain or where there are physical structures that could block signal transmission.
How To Choose An Electric Dog Fence?
Choosing an electric dog fence can be an overwhelming endeavor. That’s why we’ve created these detailed electric dog fence reviews. Our dog fence system comparison chart and comprehensive reviews will answer your questions and help you choose the best electric fence for your dogs.
Step 1: Determine The Right Type of Dog Fence
Decide whether a wired or wireless dog fence is best for your property, lifestyle, and pets. Consider the landscape, system capacity, installation and setup, and reliability differences in weighing the two.
Step 2: Use The Electric Dog Fence Comparison Chart to Pinpoint Key Features
When you’re narrowing your DIY dog fence options, focus on finding systems that match your top 3 key features. What features are you looking for in the best dog fence? Do you value a rechargeable collar, a small collar, battery backup, a large capacity, a multi-dog ready system?
Step 3: Read Our In-Depth Reviews of Your Top 3 Best Dog Fences
Our professional DIY dog fence installation experts have installed, set up, and tested every system out there and we’ve reviewed them all too. By reading through our underground dog fence reviews and wireless dog fence reviews you’ll get an inside look into each system’s benefits and weak points so you can go into your purchase feeling confident about the facts.