Electronic dog fences for dogs are a highly debated product. Some dog owners swear by them, while others say they are inhumane and cruel. I've gone back and forth on the issue myself, but using the PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence helped me make up mind about this controversial dog training aid.
I've used other electronic containment systems for dogs in the past, and I was sadly disappointed. They weren't consistent and would send a corrective signal when my dog wasn't anywhere near the boundary line. Sometimes, the dog would cross the boundary line and receive no correction at all.
When I was at the end of my rope with these products and planning to build a large, unsightly visible fence, a family recommended the PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence. I was skeptical at first, but you'll soon see why this product completely changed my opinion of electronic fences for dogs.
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PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence Review
I have to begin this review by telling you that this is the wireless fence that I've been using with my dogs for many years. We've had large dogs (like our Labrador) and smaller breeds (like our Beagle mix), and this fence has worked well for all of them.
I also need to start out by telling you that whenever I use an electronic device with my dogs, I ALWAYS READ THE INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY before use. This is EXTREMELY important! You need to have a complete understanding of how the device works, how to properly train your dog to use it and what to do in the event that something goes wrong.
I tried many different wireless fence products before we settled on the PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Fence. As I mentioned, I had all but given up when this product was recommended to me. At first, I thought we could get away with a cheaper version, since our dogs understood boundary training very well.
Take it from someone that has already tried multiple cheap electronic containment systems, you're better off just buying a more expensive product from the beginning.
Cheap systems (and I'm talking about wireless fences that cost less than $100) use simpler technology and lower quality materials. Because of this, they are not as consistent and may shock your dog when he isn't even near the boundary. Likewise, they may not always work when you need them too, which could result in a lost dog.
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Also, these cheaply made products may alert your dog with an audible alarm at varying intervals from the boundary. This will make it impossible for Fido to learn where the actual boundaries are.
The PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence is, by far, the most consistent and best wireless dog fence that I've ever used.
My favorite thing about this fence is that there are no wires to bury! Most electronic fence systems work with an in-ground wire that you have to bury all around the perimeter of your yard. But, with this model, you simply plug in the receiver to an electrical outlet and your wireless boundary is instantly set.
The adjustable range can cover up to 3/4 of an acre of land. You can set the range to cover up to 105 feet in a circular direction around the receiver. When your dog approaches the boundary, he'll be warned with an audible tone. If he continues to cross the boundary, he'll be signaled with an electronic correction.
Another great feature of this fence system is that it will not correct your dog when he comes back across the boundary. Let's say Fido leaves the yard, but you're watching him and quickly call him back. Some systems will send an electronic shock anytime the collar receiver crosses the boundary line. This means your dog will get corrected for returning home.
Do you think he'll want to return home if he gets negatively reinforced when doing so? Of course not! With the PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence, your dog can safely return to the yard without being corrected, which makes me a very happy dog mom!
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This system is also easy to take with you while traveling (providing your going somewhere that has electricity). If you purchase an in-ground fence system, you can't just dig up the wire and bury it around your camp site or hotel. You can easily take the PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence with you while traveling or visiting family and friends.
It features an alarm that will go off if the power is lost to the system. If the receiver gets unplugged by mistake, you'll instantly hear the alarm so you don't need to worry about your dog leaving the yard. It's also helpful if the power goes out and you're unaware of it.
I was also impressed that this system from PetSafe allows you to add an unlimited number of pets, as long as you buy them all their own receiver collar. Many of the best wireless dog fences only let you add 2-3 pets on the same system. Personally, I don't have a need to add lots of dogs, but this would be the ideal system for owners with a large pack.
The waterproof receiver collars are rechargeable and offer 5 levels of correction. The first is only an audible tone for training, and then there are 4 levels of static correction.
I love that there is an option to only emit an audible tone! Our dogs are 100% boundary trained now, and we just set the collars on the first level so they are reminded when they're getting close to the boundary.
Once our dogs were trained on this system, they respected the boundaries and returned back to the house when they heard the audible tone. Now, their collars are only set to make the tone with no static shock. I don't have to worry about them getting shocked on accident, and that gives me a great peace of mind.
Just to clarify, when the collar is set on static correction it also makes an audible tone before your dog reaches the boundary line. If he turns around before reaching the line, he won't get shocked. If he continues and crosses the line, the static shock will briefly activate.
We've been using this system for years, and it's been consistent the entire time. I'm confident in saying that I believe we'll have this wireless fence system for many more years.
With all of that said, there is a drawback to this system and it comes in the form of the price tag. You can buy the Stay & Play system that comes with one receiver collar for about $350. Each additional collar will cost another $140.
Our family is on a budget, so I totally understand what you're thinking right now. That's a lot of money, especially if you have multiple dogs. I get it, but remember what I said about cheaper systems at the beginning of this review – you get what you pay for.
Spending the money on a quality system, like the PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Pet Fence, will pay off in the long run. It will help you effectively and consistently train your dog, while also giving you the peace of mind in knowing that your dog won't be corrected for no reason.
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