Electronic dog containment systems offer an easy way for pet owners to keep their canine companions safely in the yard. Electronic training systems, whether collars or containment systems, are highly debated in the pet industry. Rest assured, when used properly the PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence is completely safe for your dog and will not cause him unnecessary pain or injury.
As with any electronic dog training aid, you need to ensure that you read the instructions thoroughly before using this product with your dog. You need to understand how it works, how to train your pet to use it and how to test the system to ensure that it is working properly before you use it with your dog.
I've been happily using a wireless pet containment fence from PetSafe for many years, but wireless systems are much more expensive than their in-ground counterparts. I wanted to test out this system to recommend it as a budget friendly option for dog owners looking for an electronic containment system.
Did it live up to my standards? Would I use it with my dogs on a regular basis? Does it safely and consistently correct the dog? I'll answer all of these questions and give you the lowdown on the advantages and disadvantages of the PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence in this review.
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PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence Review
First, let me start out by saying that this version is just as reliable as the wireless one that I have been using for the past few years. Unfortunately, it does have a physical wire that needs to be buried underground. I much prefer the simplicity of the wireless version, but this one definitely has a few advantages over that option.
With the wireless version, you can only cover 3/4 of an acre of land. In order to cover more, you'd need to buy multiple wireless systems and overlap them. The biggest benefit of an in-ground fence is that you can buy additional wire to cover a much larger space! In the case of the PetSafe Baic In-Ground Fence comes with enough wire to cover 1/3 of an acre, and you can buy additional wire to expand it up to 5 acres!
Another benefit to the PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence is that you can customize the area that you want to enclose. For example, if you have a garden, pond or other space in your yard that you don't want your dog to have access to, you can set up a perimeter around it with underground fencing.
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This system allows you to not only contain your dog inside your yard, but also keep him out of unwanted areas. It's ideal for homeowners with canine hazards in their yard or dog owners who only want their pet to have access to part of the yard.
Another feature that I really like is that this electronic containment system is equipped with a surge protector. This is a unique feature that you don't get with many similar products. This feature protects the transmitter from electrical surges and spikes, including those caused by lightning.
The rechargeable collar receiver is waterproof, which is great for rainy days or dogs that like to swim. The battery should last about 1-2 months, depending on use, and the collar is equipped with a low battery indicator.
This system comes with one included collar, but you can buy additional collars to contain an unlimited number of pets.
Another benefit to this system is that it offers 5 levels of correction. The first is just an audible tone, and the other 4 are increasing levels of electronic correction. This is a nice feature, because you can use the first setting (only audible correction) during the training process so your dog doesn't have to get shocked before learning what is expected of him.
The biggest drawback to this electronic fence from PetSafe is that you'll need to bury the wire that marks the boundary. It's a tedious, time consuming task, especially if you're planning to cover multiple acres of land. And, once you get the fence buried, there is always the chance of the wire breaking, meaning you'd have to dig it all up again to find the break.
However, if you're on a budget this option is much more affordable than wireless systems that can cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000+ depending on the size of the area that you need to cover. You can purchase the PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence for $170 and additional collars can be purchased for about $70.
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