09/24/2024
How secure are electric fences?
Not as secure as one might think!
When considering an electric fence, there are lots of things an owner might want to (needs to) consider in terms of if it is worth it to try using, and the physical AND mental safety risks involved in their use!
I have had many clients come to me with the following issues after already having had an electric fence installed:
1. Dog still escapes (blows past) the boundary when the fence is on and functioning normally (delivering warning beeps prior to the dog reaching the barrier and a shock once the dog does reach the barrier)
• Many owners use electric fences to contain dogs that have an extraordinarily high prey drive. The problem is, once a dog has been triggered by a perceived prey item, their nervous system is dumping dopamine and adrenaline. What happens when our body is dumping adrenaline? That’s right, you guessed it, our pain tolerance frequently goes up, and our sensitivity to correction or punishment goes down. To them, the benefit of passing that boundary to chase the deer far outweighs the punishment of crossing the boundary, thus they choose to blow past the boundary to chase the prey.
• Owners of dogs who exhibit aggression toward other dogs and people also take this same risk in their dogs nervous system being so activated, that to the dog, it is worth it to blow past the barrier to get to the trigger. This can lead to fights or attacks that could have been prevented through other means of training and management.
2. Once a dog has passed the boundary and is outside of the yard, they likely will not have much incentive to cross the boundary to get back in the yard.
• It is important to remember that the shock collar is activated when the dog is stepping over the boundary itself. Which means returning home can be just as much a punishment as leaving, over time this could greatly reduce the likelihood that the dog does actually return home on their own.
3. Other animals are still able to pass the invisible barrier that has been created (because there is no physical barrier stopping them) This leaves dogs stuck behind electric fences at risk of being attacked or injured by another animal entering the yard.
4. Dogs who do not understand why they are being shocked very frequently inadvertently attach that feeling of pain or fear to random things within the environment.
• Reactivity and Aggression can be created or exasperated due to the dog being shocked and experiencing pain or discomfort when approaching a human or another dog. Over time the sight of an approaching human or dog can become a trigger for an involuntary negative emotional response to occur.
• I have had clients come to me with dogs that are scared of or reactive toward inanimate objects such as bushes, cars, potted plants, chairs, etc. Due to those objects being present within the environment when the punishment occured, a negative emotional response can be paired to the objects themselves. The fear of objects in their environment frequently continues to balloon, creating generalized anxiety.
5. The system malfunctions or the electric connection is down.
• For dogs who have not truly learned and generalized that they should not leave the yard, if the system does malfunction or the power goes out, there will be no form of containment stopping them from leaving. I have had concerned pet owners call us for training because they had no idea the fence had lost connection to electricity, and once their dog realized this, the dog left the yard and did not return on their own.
6. Dogs can become collar wise. Some dogs are able to discern that the shock only takes place when the collar is on them. Thus, if the collar is not on them they will almost certainly leave the yard.
Overall electric fences will work for some dogs without fall out occurring, but in our professional opinion, the risk of physical and mental harm being done does not outweigh the potential benefit. With that in mind, we highly recommend the use of other forms of boundary training even if a client comes to us having already used an electric fence. We do not believe in shaming or blaming any pet owner for wanting to keep their beloved family member safe, and for that reason, there is no judgement here if you are currently using an electric fence and it is working for you! However, we believe it is our professional duty to ensure owners are well informed of the risks involved in relying on an invisible fence system to contain their dog!
As always, let us know if you have any questions, and happy training!
How secure are electric fences?
A survey of 974 dog owners asked how their dogs were confined to the yard, whether they had escaped. The results showed that an electronic fence was the LEAST effective method of containing a dog: 44% of dogs contained by one had escaped. Dogs were less likely to have escaped from a tether (27%) or from a see-through fence (e.g. chain link or slatted wood) (23%) or a privacy fence that is not see-through (also 23%). Escape rates were not associated with how dogs were trained on them.
Ref: Starinsky, et al (2017). Escape rates and biting histories of dogs confined to their owner's property through the use of various containment methods. JAVMA, 250(3), 297-302.
