by Christa Dovel

Created on: November 10, 2008   Last Updated: December 06, 2008

An Invisible Fence

Trained for search and rescue, a fence was not an obstacle for Jael. True to her name, meaning mountain climber, she easily cleared our five foot chain-link fence and enjoyed the view from the top of our shed. We trained her to know the borders of our property, which she respected.

She gladly ran around our yard, keeping it free of cats, squirrels and mice; barking only when people entered our yard. She ignored those walking by. This was remarkable, considering she was a Great Pyrenees mix-liable to claim the entire town as hers to protect.

Jael was a perfect match for our growing family. She was gentle and protective, yet big enough that the children could not hurt her. Life with our new dog was good, until the 'dog lady' came along.

This woman, a self-proclaimed dog lover, was deeply offended that our dog would not leave the yard to greet her. She undertook to win our dog's affection, by sneaking her treats, when we were gone. I caught her one day, when the vehicles were gone, but I was home. She apologized, and swore it would never happen again, but a week later, I returned from grocery shopping, to find my dog missing, and a message from the pound stating that my 'run-away dog' was being held at the 'dog lady's ' place of employment. Once again, she had lured my dog out of the yard.

From then on it was impossible to keep her home. While out and about, she had met several other dogs, lured from their homes by the same woman. These, too, were being held captive by the woman, her way of 'protecting' them from the highway.

We tied Jael up, using a long rope, securely attached to her doghouse. This kept her home, but she resorted to barking at everything she saw, in her effort to protect our family. This made us the 'bad neighbor.'

We desperately wanted to keep our dog, so looked for an alternative. We ran a wire from one end of the property to the other, and attached her rope to it. This worked well, until winter, when the metal clasps, due to cold, would snap under the smallest strain. We considered putting in an electric fence, but found that the snow depth made this a poor choice in our area. Then we came across the radio collar, made by Pet Safe. It had a central unit that sent out a radio signal, giving the dog a radius to roam in. This radius is adjustable, so it can be customized to any yard. Unlike the electric fence, once out of bounds, the dog would be shocked until it returned, making home the only safe place.

We bought a used unit, from a neighbor whose dog keeping years where over, and found peace. We followed the training instructions, reinforcing what we had taught her before, about 'home'. She soon learned that crossing the boundary had consequences, and it was in her best interest to respect it. Her barking slowed immensely, as she could, once again, patrol the yard; and our neighbors, once again, became friendly.

Due to the portability of the unit, we take it with us when we travel. Upon reaching our destination, we set it up, and show Jael 'home,' by walking around the perimeter of her area with her, and repeating "home," every time the collar beeps, indicating that she has reached her boundary. This has helped to keep us in the good favor of those we stay with, and their neighbors.

This invisible fence has also been a blessing in regards to her work in the mountains. When we are out, and her collar is off, she will roam as far as needed, with no beeping to slow her up.

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