We all know that chaining or tying our dogs outside is wrong. It is dangerous and it is dog cruelty. You should have a second thought. Now, you have our attention, does invisible fence make dogs aggressive?
With the introduction of invisible fences, many pet parents are worried that their pets could go aggressive. However, that may be far from the truth. If you think that invisible fence is a great alternative to a physical fence, here is what you should know:
Painful & Dangerous
Dogs have flesh, blood, and nerve endings just as we humans do. These three things do not mix well with electricity. Dogs are shocked by invisible fences when they cross the buried wire.
This shock is painful. There are collars that shock them too. Some dog owners use remote-control shocking devices to control their dog when they feel the pet has misbehaved.
Some other cellars are triggered by the dogs barking and shock automatically.
These shocks do not only give physical pains and anticipatory fear to the dog, it also gives the dog physical and psychological injuries.
Physically it gives the dog burns and fibrillation. Psychologically it makes the dog have severe anxiety and misplaced aggression.
A dog may not understand why and how it is being hurt if it is continually subjected to collar shocks. It will likely transfer its fear or aggression to whatever it thinks must be responsible for the shock. It can be passersby, mail carrier or neighbor’s kids.
Punished for Coming Home
Have you ever witnessed your dog recklessly running after a squirrel? Have you seen your dog panic at a loud noise? A dog will always run through an invisible fence when it senses danger.
However, crossing back means it will receive a painful electric shock. This experience always discourages some dogs from returning.
An invisible fence can contend a dog within a specified area but, the absence of a barrier will not protect it from cruel humans, stray dogs, or other animals that may easily enter your yard.
It is not right for any dog to live in fear of being shocked when it barks or crosses an invisible line. Real fences and good training methods should be humane and effective approaches to be employed.
Dogs are supposed to be rewarded for good behavior in such training methods. Organize a party for your do if you actually want to make it happy.
Do invisible fences cause anxiety in dogs?
If a dog is restricted by an electric fence, there is every tendency for it to think that the painful shock is coming from something not in any way related to the fence.
For example, when it gets to the boundary to greet another dog and gets shocked, it will likely believe the shock came from the visiting dog.
If a stimulus is repeatedly associated with pain or a threat a once-friendly dog may become agitated, fearful, or aggressive.
For some reason, a dog can still bear the pain of the shock to cross the boundary.
Fear
When a dog is scared enough by a noise like fireworks or thunder, it will run across the boundary in search of safety. In addition, when a dog is frightened by the entrance of an intruder into the yard, it is left with two options;
- To escape through the boundary, enduring the shock and pain. It will still cross back to the yard through the same shocking boundary. Some dogs may not want to go through the shock again and will not return home.
- Fight the intruder in the yard which may result in injury or death.
How invisible fences can affect your dog?
Do you know that electric shocks do not necessarily cause long-term physical harm if it is apparently used?
However, it is very difficult to gauge and adjust the intensity of shock on the collar. The shock should be based on the dog’s size, weight, and most importantly the dogs breed.
Invisible fences may not cause a dog any physical harm but, they are likely to cause it some unexpected psychological issues since the dog does not actually know what goes wrong each time it is shocked by the fence.
For instance, your dog may not be feeling secure even when it is within the fence border.
The dog may think that the shock is coming from whatever it is seeing the moment it is being shocked.
Conclusion
Do you desire to have a safety measure for your furry friend? Have you considered using an invisible fence for your dog? While an invisible fence might make your dog aggressive, it could be an ideal support if you train your dog.
As a result, everything falls in training your dog. You can start training your dog to master its limit when it comes to boundaries. Finally, an invisible fence can work well for you when you train your dog.
However, you should be patient when helping your dog to use this type of security support.
FAQs
Does invisible fencing shock a dog?
Invisible fences give a dog a painful shock whenever it crosses a buried electric wire.
Other issues with invisible fences
Despite being harmful to dogs, electric fences are not consistent in their work. There are things that can make an invisible electric fence not work. They include;
- Certain climate conditions.
- An area that is not smooth.
- Large objects can hinder transmission. Objects like houses and trees.
An electric fence does not give protection like the traditional fence does because other animals like cats and coyotes can freely cross the fence and come into your yard without being shocked. The reason is that they are not wearing any collars.
The electric fence shocking mechanism is not a guarantee that your dog will always stay in your yard.
Does invisible fence make dogs aggressive?
A common question people always ask is “does an invisible fence make dogs aggressive”? “No” is the answer. Dogs misbehave because they are poorly trained or correction levels are misused on them.
Therefore, you should properly train your dog to adapt to using this fence.