Electric Fence

[drmom777]

I have always hated electric fencing. But with me working about 80 hours a week this year (I took a second job on top of being a resident physician, I'm crazy) and it looks like Steve will have a full time job too, I would like for the kids to be able to let the dogs out in the yard for a while when they get home from school.

Our yard has a steep drop off in the back, and cannot be effectively fenced so Uncle Fred can't casually hop over it off the slope. The only thing I can think of is electric fence. I' know all the drawbacks, but don't have any other ideas. Thoughts??

[Kilter]

Do you mean an invisible fence with the collars, or an actual electric fence like for livestock?

The collar ones are good, if the dogs are taught properly. For those I would suggest the plug in model that is wireless because it is less likely that the dogs will run past the shock zone of the wire ones - it continues to correct them if they are out of the zone. The collars can cause sores on their necks.

The livestock fence works well for jumpers/climbers but will also correct humans who forget and grab it. A friend has that on the top of her fence in her dog run because a few of her dogs figured out how to jump and climb out, within a day of installing it they all rethought their quest for freedom and it's no longer an issue. I don't know if it's legal where you are but I know some people in the city have put them up around their flowerbeds and gardens to keep cats out.