Dogs have earned their title as "Man's Best Friend" over the years, and the least we can do in return for their love and companionship is allow them the freedom they need to thrive. But who hasn't had a pet stolen, lost, or killed? Sometimes best intentions end in tragedy, and what makes these circumstances even more tragic is how easily preventable they are.

With electric dog fence systems, you can rest easy knowing that your pet has the freedom he or she needs with the security and peace of mind you do.

How Do Electric Dog Fences (or Invisible Fences) Work?

First, you must establish your boundary. How far are you willing to let your pet go before reeling him in? Once this is decided, install your transmitter. The transmitter will alert you with visual and audio alarms that allow you to know when your pet has broached the containment zone. Good ideas for the location of your transmitter: basements, covered patios, and garages. Full installation can be done aboveground or underground depending on your preferences.

After the boundary is established, run the wire around the perimeter of the pet containment zone or zones (you can specify multiple areas of your house and property), securing it by either burial or stapling it flush to the ground. From the wire, a signal is sent to your pet's specialty receiver collar.

How Does the Collar Work?

The battery-powered collar works by first warning the dog with a series of beeps that he or she is in violation of the containment zone. Should the dog not heed this warning, the beeps are followed in less than five seconds by a static correction, or shock, to the dog's neck, administered through two electrodes.

This will continue until the dog returns to the containment zone.

But shock therapy for dogs ? isn't that a little cruel? Actually, no it isn't. Dogs are more surprised by it than anything else. Before long, the animal becomes used to his surroundings, and will usually avoid further shocks based on conditioning. The idea that dogs feel pain, or can even be burned by these corrections is an unfortunate myth pertaining to the product.

But a word of warning: make sure you use electronic fences that use computerized collars and transmitters. Transmitters from these systems send a specific signal that only the collar is capable of decoding. Systems that do not can easily become confused with other electrical signals and inadvertently shock your pet when he is not in violation of the containment zone. It will not harm your pet, but could very well confuse him.

The health and security of your pet is of utmost importance. Electronic dog fence systems from brands such as Petsafe, Innotek, or SportDog, are at the cutting edge of pet-safe technology, and will give you the peace of mind you need in training that ensures safety. Do yourself and your pet a favor by choosing the one that's right for both of you.