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(More customer reviews)I have two Alaskan Spitz on six acres of chainlink fenced land. I also have ten cats the two dogs have pretty much raised like their own - and they are all crazy about each other and are all "outside" animals. Normally the dogs are well-behaved but they have thick fur to match some thick headedness, and are stubborn as mules when they want to be.
A while back people began moving into a new adjoining subdivision, and also began letting their dogs roam freely despite city ordinances. Of course, it was too much for my dogs to see other dogs roaming freely where they couldn't go. Soon they started getting out and learning how others got around fences. I finally had to chain them inside my fence, to keep them home - after having never had any problem like this from them in the past. Of course, the cats went everywhere and the dogs wanted to follow them, but mostly only because they are protective of them. At least the cats know to stay in the yard when other dogs are around.
I tried various training, changes to my fence, a cattle fence with a charger, and nothing worked very well. Desperate, I decided a shock delived at the appropriate time was the only thing that would work. I was right, but it took a strong one to penetrate my dogs thick fur, and I was having to stay with them to administer it. After a week, they realized I had to be there to stop them from leaving, so I again had to chain them. The male was the most stubborn and I was eventually able to unchain the female, but anytime I took him off the chain both of them would leave.
Then I happened across this Petsafe Stubborn Dog In-Ground Radio Fence System at Amazon.com. I learned It was capable of covering all of my chain-linked fenced area and purchased it. The supplied 500' of fence wire wasn't sufficient, but I had access to better and less expensive wiring. I ended up tying 1500' of Ethernet cable (I had somehow ended up with years before) to the bottom of my chainlink fence and finished the distance with RG-6 cable purchased at a local Lowes. After soldering all the Ethernet cable wires but one to the center wire of the RG-6 cabling, I connected the cable ground and the remaining Ethernet cable wire together and insulated my connections well with electrical tape. This gave me the one continuos ground loop I needed - and also a means of grounding the cable better against electrical storm surge in the proximity wire. Where it crossed the drive at my powered privacy gate, I buried the cable in a steel pipe and covered it with concrete.
I next set up the controls inside my home and adjusted the unit and collar using the provided test tool and 9 volt battery provided for the collar. Following the instructions, setup was easy and I set the boundary width control knob at 7 where my dogs would be stopped about three feet short of the fence itself. Since I had used about 2200 feet of wire, I set the units boundary control switch on its side to C. Greater than 2400 feet of wire requires setting A and less than 1300 feet is setting B.
I then went around and checked every point of the perimeter, and found the signal was strong and uniform everywhere. The collar has five settings levels for training and use. I set mine to level three and placed the collar on the male with a leash and walked him to the fence. At about three feet from the fence, he looked at me a little puzzled, but walked right on up to the fence. Irritated, I checked the collar was making proper contact and turned it to level 5. This time he walked within the three foot range and he yelped, and I instantly pulled him back away from the fence, consoled him and told him to stay back from the fence as we walked near it. We walked the entire fence, with me deliberately having him get close enough for a shock at different points. By the end of our walk, he wanted to stay away from the fence. I lowered the collar level to three and turned him loose. Within five minutes I caught him leaving. Okay, back to five. I turned him loose again and this time I saw some other dogs approaching from the other side of my fence. My male of course headed toward them. But, this time he abruptly stopped just short of the fence and yelped. I called him away and told him he would get a shock every time he got too close to that fence. Five hours later, he tried it again three times at different places. Eventually, over several days he got the idea. I lowered the level again, but he wouldn't go close to the fence even if I tempted him with a treat.
The next day the female left. When she came back, I tied the male and put his collar on her. One jolt at level three was enough for her as we walked the fence - and she realized she would be yelping if she got near the fence, just like her brother had. After that, the collar warning tone and vibration setting was enough for her. Smart dog, she hasn't left again - even after I removed the collar and placed it back on the male and removed his chain.
I forgot to turn it back up, and again I caught him leaving. I had to put it all the way back on five for the hard head before he got the idea to again stay back when he heard the warning tone - but he kept trying it. Only after several months training was I able to lower the shock setting on him again, but at least I was finally able to start decreasing the level. I had hoped I could remove the collar altogether one day, but my one hard head still leaves if I set it under level three - maybe one day. At least the female no longer attempts to leave, and the collar is keeping the male in. But, I do have to keep check on the collars battery and replace it when it starts getting low.
The collar has two metal prongs that deliver the shock. You can order a longer set of them for better contact, but I just continued using the shorter ones that came in the package. I also haven't shaved any hair from my dog for better contact with them, and I don't intend to. He needs to wear the collar all the time, and I don't want him to get any irritatation from it. So far he hasn't had any signs of skin irritation and I don't expect that to happen.
The really great thing is both my dogs can again enjoy freely roaming the six acres with the ten cats they treat like their babies.
After five months of use, the Petsafe unit has been no trouble and is continuing to do what it was needed for. I'm still hoping to eventually turn the collar down to level one where there is just a warning tone and vibration. But, I'm wondering if I'll ever get it there and still keep this stubborn dog of mine in the yard. I guarantee it wouldn't work at all with this male Alaskan Spitz, and only maybe with the female - if there were no chain link fence. But, it does work in combination with my fence, and it is keeping my dogs inside and away from harm. That's a huge relief not worrying about them now.
With the ability to use the number 1 setting to only deliver a tone and vibration using the collar, I believe this would be a good solution anyone could use with their pets - especially if theirs aren't very stubborn. Before I had these two Alaskan Spitz, I had another for many years. She never left the yard even if the gate was open. All I had to do with her was tell her this was her yard and to stay away from the gate in front. I really believe a little training using this unit with a ground wire alone, and the tone and vibration setting on the collar would have been enough to show her the boundary and keep her at home - without any chain link fencing. But, I put the chain link up to protect her and all the rest of my pets and property. I never had any idea the chain link wouldn't be enough one day. At least I found Petsafe.
Update 9/12/2010
After following an Amazon "recommended" link, I saw a review on the PetSafe RF-1010 transmitter used with this containment system. After reading it, I took a look at the circuit board to verify the obviously missing protection circuitry within the unit. Probably all that has saved my unit are the facts I used a separate ground on the perimeter wire and a $12 TII 325-2M outside-grounded signal circuit protector where the wires enter my home, normally used by phone companies, and have the unit power adapter plugged into a GFCI protected wall outlet. If you use this unit, I strongly urge you to use such protection for longer lifespan against voltage line surges and spikes in the RF containment loop and power supply.
Noticeably missing, but provided for on the circuit board, were an outside ground, two diode type transient voltage suppressors, and a fast blow fuse and holder. Still, weak protection at best - but missing.
Click Here to see more reviews about: PetSafe Stubborn Dog In-Ground Fence, PIG00-10777
Your dog may be stubborn and difficult to train, but the PetSafe Stubborn Dog In-Ground Fence can keep him safe and secure. It comes with five adjustable and progressively intense levels of correction, so you can increase the training to match your pet's temperament. Receiver You can also use a tone-only-plus-vibration mode if your pet is hard of hearing. Adjustable collar fits dogs of every size, but the product is recommended for dogs over 30 pounds. Collar's waterproof receiver has indicator to let you know when battery is low. Receiver picks up radio signal and alerts your pet when he approaches boundary. Includes 500 feet of wire and 50 boundary flags to cover up to .33 acres. Transmitter covers up to 10 acres (additional wire and flags sold separately). Works with multiple pets (additional receiver collars sold separately). Also includes operating/training guide and installation DVD. Quick and easy installation.
Click here for more information about PetSafe Stubborn Dog In-Ground Fence, PIG00-10777
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