Who the heck would buy this?

I think that in most cases they are used by lazy people who won't train their dogs humanely.

However, we had to use something like this with my golden retriever that has since passed away. My dad had a garden that she would always get into. We tried building a small fence, but she dug under it. We tried training her to not go over there, but she was about 6 years old and it was harder to train her. She would not leave it alone for anyhing. We bought something like this, and used it in the most humane way. I made my dad hold it and go through the barrier to make sure it wouldn't hurt her. We turned it on the lowest level, for small dogs, and it just scared her. She never went back agian.

She loved being outside alot of the day and we didnt want to make her stay inside and be unhappy. She would cry at the door to go outside, and not to use the bathroom. She just wanted to be out. So, it worked for us as a last resort. I think we used it humanely, as I am the biggest animal lover and love them more than some people. I would never want to hurt my dog.

In cases like mine, its not harmful. But in cases where people use it as a first choice and are lazy I am completely agianst it. It also shouldnt be used with puppies or younger dogs, because its more difficult for them to understand where the boundries are.

The electronic fence system is not used for training...it is used to keep a dog in the yard. People use them if they cannot afford the cost of an regular fence. They do not always work though. My neighbors kept their dogs in the yard with one until people moved in that had outdoor cats. Once their dogs saw the cats the electronic fence no longer held them in. They learned that if they ran fast enough the shock was so brief it didn't hurt much.

Farmers use electric fencing to keep livestock contained worldwide and especially in my area that is a sheep farming area.

The sheep still sometimes get out and as Mamabas says, it does deter an animal from going back from whence it came.

I have 6ft open wire deer fence round my property as its dog proof and they can`t scale it either. (not that they would try and get out ). But its always best to be safe then sorry. I would not go as far to say that electronic fencing to contain a dog is actually cruel though. But I would only use it as a temporary measure until i could get proper permanent fencing erected.

My dogs have now and then accidently knocked against electricfied sheep fencing andits given them quite a jolt and they have yelped. They know better in future though. I once did not see some of this fencing and leant over it and it caught my neck....Boy did I feel it...Ouch!

These are excellent products!!! They are not training aides but are rather containment devices like fences. My sons family lives on a big beautiful park. The community has ordinances that the back yard fences can only be the 3' low two-rail types. This ensures the beautiful park views are not obstructed and also continuity of all the fences. They installed the device around their back yard fence line and their little Boston Terrier respects his boundaries and stays in the yard. Plus he has limitless views and he is controlled and safe too. Honestly, they turned the device off a few years ago but "Gordon" doesn't know it though. Please don't tell him ok? ha ha Often it is the wise choice to think through various applications of something rather than jumping to negative opinions.

I think they tend to work pretty well. and I have used them. Training an animal has got to be a good mix of positive and negative reinforcement if the do right they get rewarded, if the do wrong they are punished. Simple as that. and to the person who said its not training, you are either not experienced in raising dogs or have just had some bad luck.I don't have a fence (Yes i have kennels but those are for night time) Most of my dogs are trained to the point they will never step foot off my property regardless of what excites them....*

I wouldn't use it and besides it does not work on all dogs. That's as bad as the electronic collar, for barking or any other unwanted behavior. I hate people that would even consider this. Just plain old training or a fence should be enough.

No point! Not only are they not what I'd want for mine, basically they don't work because if there's something interesting enough out there, that the dog sees, he'll run through the fencing - and won't come back!! I'd defy anybody to suggest this would keep my Whippet confined, if there's a squirrel on the other side. Properly confining a dog isn't about training, it's about solid fencing. Period.

I won't personally use one but not because it's cruel. Because once the dog figures out they can get past it, that the jolt is only temporary it's no longer effective. Or you run into what Mamabas said and the dog does make it past the fence but won't go back through it to come home so it runs off.

I agree with you. I would never buy anything like that. That is a very cruel and lazy way to train / correct a behavioral problem (in my opinion). I would only use positive reinforcement training methods.

I have a few friends that use these on their farms to train their dogs to stay on the property. It works pretty good. It doesn't hurt the dog at all, so it's not cruel.