Average Price: $169 – $269
Pros: smallest collar – lowest correction levels, compatible with indoor pet barriers
Cons: non-rechargeable, proprietary battery
Best Uses: small dogs, multi-dog households
Overview
The PetSafe Elite Little Dog Fence is the only DIY dog fence receiver collar suitable for dogs under about 8 -10 lbs. While other collars are considered ‘safe’ for dogs down to 5 lbs. They are generally not appropriate or comfortable for dogs this little. The Elite Little Dog Fence features a lowered range of correction levels to match the small physical size of the collar. Although the collar is ideally suited to dogs under 50 lbs., the PIG00-10773 transmitter is also compatible with a range of other PetSafe receiver collars, making it possible to use this system with dogs of various sizes and temperaments.
Hands-On Review
Teeny Tiny Waterproof Collar
The key feature of the Elite Little Dog Fence is the small, lightweight collar with lowered correction level settings. At about half the size and weight of other receiver collars, the Little Dog collar weighs just 2.5 oz. and fits necks from 6” -16”. This is the smallest dog fence receiver collar on the market. The collar was designed specifically for very small and toy breeds, but is generally strong enough to be effective on dogs up to about 50 lbs. The collar also has a reflective strip to help you keep tabs on your little dogs at night.
According to PetSafe, the collar is not only waterproof but also submersible. In our experience, the collar has functioned just fine after getting wet but we’re not sure about long term functionality after repeated full submersion. The collar has an external correction level setting adjustment button that could be a place for water infiltration. If your dogs regularly swim with their collar on, you’ll want to go for a system with proven excellent waterproofing like the SportDOG Containment Fence.
Mix & Match PetSafe In-Ground Fence Collars
PetSafe makes a variety of in-ground fence systems geared towards different dogs and situations. Because all of their In-Ground Fence series systems are inter-compatible, any receiver collar from an in-ground fence series can be used with any transmitter from an in-ground fence series. This allows you to use different receiver collars for each dog based on their size and temperament. So you can install the Elite Little Dog Fence and use the included collar for your Pug and get a larger and stronger collar, like the PetSafe Stubborn Dog Collar for your Rotty.
Compatible With Wireless Indoor Pet Barrier
The wireless pet barriers are a fantastic way to keep your pet in or out of certain areas of your home without using annoying baby gates. These small pods work just like the dog fence to warn and then correct if your dog gets too close to the boundary. Compatibility with the Indoor Pet Barrier Transmitter PIRF-100 means your dog can wear one collar for both systems.
Four Lower-Intensity Correction Levels
The Elite Little Dog Collar has four correction level setting options. The correction level is set on each collar using a small button on the side of the collar. The entire correction level range is dialed down compared to other dog fence receiver collars, but is still quite suitable for most dogs that the collar will fit.
Expensive Proprietary Batteries
The one drawback of this PetSafe system is the proprietary disposable battery. Most people tend to prefer the rechargeable collars but even a disposable battery is ok as long it’s generic and easy to get your hands on. These proprietary batteries are expensive ($10) and have a really terrible life span (about 1 month). You can increase the lifespan by turning the collar off when you take it off the dog, but don’t forget to turn it back on when you’re ready to let the dog out again! Proprietary batteries mean you have to be pretty prepared with spares on hand since you can’t just run to the corner store and buy some when your battery needs replacing. It is possible to pop open the battery cartridge and place a generic CR1/3N 3 Volt battery inside to replace the dead battery, but this is pain in the rear end.
25-Acre Capacity
The PetSafe Elite Little Dog Transmitter is capable of powering up to 5,000 linear ft. of wire (roughly 25-acres of space). This is on the higher end as far as transmitter capacities go. The Elite Little Dog uses the same premium transmitter that the retired PetSafe Deluxe system used. It’s reliable and easy to set up and use.
Anti-Linger Technology & Run-Through Prevention
When dogs spend too much time in the warning zone, they deplete their collar battery faster and also tend to challenge the boundary more frequently. The anti-linger technology is designed to deter the dog from spending time in the warning zone. This feature will automatically issue a static correction to the dog when he or she lingers in the warning zone for more than 2 seconds.
Run-through prevention aims to keep the dog from crossing the entire correction zone and getting out the other side where the correction will stop. This is bad for two reasons. First, the dog learns that he can get past the correction zone and some dogs will decide to take the correction because they know that they’ll be out the other side shortly. Second, once the dog is out, he’ll get corrected when he tries to come home, which is obviously confusing for the dog and undermines all the training. So, with run-through prevention, the collar automatically progressively increases the strength of the corrections as your dog gets further into the correction zone. Ideally this increase in the strength of the correction is enough to convince the dog to return to the safe zone.
PetSafe Elite Little Dog Installation Supplies
The PetSafe Elite Little Dog Fence, like most DIY dog fence kits, comes with a 500 ft. spool of manufacturer-grade 20-gauge dog fence wire, 2 waterproof splices, and the appropriate number of training flags based on 500 ft. of wire. As always, we don’t trust this thin, flimsy, manufacturer wire and recommend upgrading to at least 16-gauge but preferably 14-gauge wire to protect your installation against wire breaks that can set you back a significant amount of time and money.
Includes External Surge Protection
The PetSafe Little Dog Fence does generously include external surge protection which will keep your transmitter and house safe from electrical surges either on the main power line or stemming from a lightening strike that travels up the in-ground wires.
Value
Considering this fence system is the only one suitable for very small dogs, we do think it’s worth the price. The transmitter is good quality and has a large capacity and the system includes lightning protection. The drawbacks in terms of value are the long term expense of the proprietary batteries .
Conclusion
This is the best (and only) DIY dog fence system for very little and/or timid dogs. The system has good fundamentals and is compatible with other PetSafe collars, making it multi-dog ready. If you don’t need a dedicated small dog system, we’d go for one that uses a rechargeable collar, like the PetSafe YardMax.