If you are looking for reliability, nothing beats an underground electric dog fence. Wireless systems have too many limitations that can block the wireless signal. If you have decided on a wired electric dog fence, you are making a solid choice.
Selecting an Electric Dog Fence
When selecting an electric dog fence, there are several aspects to consider. Make sure the transmitter is able to contain as much land as you have. The collar should be the right size and have the appropriate strength for the breed of dog you have. Another consideration is if you want the system to be rechargeable, or battery operated. Figure out exactly how much wire you are going to need for your project. For example, if you have 1 acre of land to contain, you will need approximately 1.000 feet of wire. Also consider what type of warranty is offered on the package you choose.
Dare I say, the most important thing to consider with your underground dog fence is the type of wire that comes with your dog fence kit. If you go with a budget kit that comes with a thin and flimsy wire, you are going to have a headache down the road. Cheap, 20-gauge wire is going to break on you in a year or less. Then you are out in your yard trying to figure out where the wire has broken.
Professional kits come with 14-gauge wire. Our 14-gauge wire is direct ground burial rated, and has a polyethylene coating of 60 ML. This wire will last you for 20 years or more, with no problems. Although it does cost more, there are many advantages to choosing 14-gauge wire.
Can I Place My Wire Above Ground Instead of Burying It?
Now that you are ready to install your own electric dog fence, logically you want to know the easiest way to do that. Planting the wire above the ground saves you the time and effort of having to dig a small trench and burying the wire. This is the main reason dog owners opt to keep their wire exposed. Some people who have an existing physical fence decide to run the wire along the fencing, as a secondary means of containing their dogs. In this scenario, you can just zip tie the wire to your fence and you are good to go.
Other people have very hard or rocky soil, and digging is not possible. In this case, you can just attach the wire to the top of the ground, using landscape staples. You need 1 staple for about every 3-5 feet of wire. So yes, you can absolutely keep your dog fence wire on the top of the ground. With that being said, it would not be a wise decision to do that with the thin and flimsy 20-gauge wire. It does not have the strength to stand up to the elements.
Considerations
When planted on top of the ground, your dog fence wire will naturally settle into the ground a bit. This takes a little time, but before you know it, the wire won’t be as visible. Although the wire is durable, you will still need to keep sharp objects such as lawn edgers away from your dog fence wire. Installing your own electric dog fence will save you big bucks. Planting the wire on top of the ground will save you time and effort.