Losing a beloved pet is heart-breaking. Dogs run away for a variety of reasons, often basic instincts that are difficult to overcome, such as a need to roam, breeding or simply pent-up energy. One modern solution is an electric dog fence. It isn’t difficult to install; here are the steps in invisible fence DIY.
How do you install a dog fence?
Here are the tools you’ll need:
- Hand weeder
- Wire cutter/stripper
- Water-proof wire splicers
- Shovel or trencher
Before you get started, have a good idea of where you’re going to lay the wire. Avoid crossing driveways or sidewalks where exposed wire will be damaged. Also, for your safety, check with your local utility company to be sure you aren’t digging around existing power cables.
1. Dig a Trench Excavate a trench about 6 inches deep around the areas you want to keep your pet contained. Wire too close to the surface may be exposed or damaged. Remember, it’s just for wire, so it doesn’t have to be very wide.
2. Install Boundary Wire Unroll the wire and tuck it into the trench along its length. You can also use a dull (you don’t want to cut the wire) weeding tool or even a stick to ensure the wire lies flat at the bottom of the trench. If you do break the wire, or need to cut it, use a waterproof splicer to reconnect it at the break. Do not rely on electrical tape or splicers that can admit moisture.
3. Install Twisted Wire In most cases, you’ll need to install twisted wire, for example, to connect the transmitter to the boundary wire. Twisting wire together cancels the electrical signal each of those wires emits. Try to locate your boundary wire so that you won’t need a lot of twisted wire.
4. Cover the Wire You should be able to bury the wires just by kicking the soil back into the trench. A garden rake or hoe might make this easier. After filling in the trench, stomp the dirt firmly into place. Make sure your dog doesn’t get curious and try to dig it up again before everything’s in place!
5. Flag the Boundary Line Every two or three feet along the boundary wire, put a marker flag. These should come with your invisible fence DIY kit. This will help the dog to remember where the boundary is. When you’ve trained your pet to intuitively recognize the new limitations, you can remove the flags. You can make installation easier with the
You can make installation easier with the tools and equipment available at One-Stop Rental. We have two locations in northern Cincinnati to meet a wide variety of home project or contractor needs. One-Stop Rental also sells new and used equipment as it becomes available. Stop by and find out how we can help with even the biggest DIY jobs.