How to keep 3 big dogs on my property???

[BK911]

Three dogs about 5 years old; a ridgeback and two German Sheppard/lab mixes.
About 300 lbs of dog!
I live in a pretty rural wooded area. Most homes are on 5+ acres.
I am on 20 acres, mostly wooded but about 1/2 acres of grass in the middle.
Until recently my pooches have had free run and were mostly staying out of trouble.
Not sure what happened, but we have started getting letters from animal control and neighbors about our dogs free roaming the area.
So now I have to find a way to keep them on my property.
I tried the system that plugs into the wall and emits a circular signal that provides a shock through the collar whenever the dog hits the boundary.
Knuckleheads ran right through it to chase a squirrel, but wouldn't come back in!! Several times!!!
Thinking of a direct buried system. Is this better?
What have you guys used that works on stubborn pooches?
Really don't want a physical fence, but will if that is what it takes.

[Rikao4]

buried or not..
once they've gone thru.
that's it..
as upon return they remember, slow down, start to get the ping...
and they turn back...
doubt their causing problems..
folks simply see them loose..
that they are on your property means nothing..

mine roam free...with me nearby...
otherwise they are in the big enclosed yard..


SIL has 2 Cane Corso's..
her system would stop and make humans think real hard ..
means nothing to them..

Rika

[pavulon]

Running this on my two pure bred Mennonite farm dogs. Set the collar for deep fat fry and no problems since the initial close encounter but nowhere near 20 acres to cover.

Wireless Pet Containment System by PetSafe - PIF-300

[Crowbob]

If you have the luxury of plenty of time at home, I'd get a wireless handheld collar zapper thingy. Those pups will learn very quickly where and when they are able to go anywhere.

[MBAtarga]

Wireless worked for us at our previous house. No need for it here with our only dog - he tends to stay within the 3.5 acres - and we really have just 2 adjacent neighbors that have never said anything when he does go off deer chasing.

[KFC911]

Once they've roamed...tough to undo.
I'd let 'em roam if I was home, enclosed in some type of fence otherwise. It's not like it once was...

I have rural property too..lots of deer/critters to chase...

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Rikao4

buried or not..
once they've gone thru.
that's it..
as upon return they remember, slow down, start to get the ping...
and they turn back...
doubt their causing problems..
folks simply see them loose..
that they are on your property means nothing..

mine roam free...with me nearby...
otherwise they are in the big enclosed yard..


SIL has 2 Cane Corso's..
her system would stop and make humans think real hard ..
means nothing to them..

Rika

With the Pet Safe systems it will continue to apply shock correction for up to 30 seconds or until they return so there isn't something to go "thru" as much as something to be tolerated. If they have thick hair the longer prongs may have to be used.

That said, our lab would tolerate it if she thought the prize was worth the pain.

[Seahawk]

I have three dogs and live on 60 plus acres.

The dogs are penned unless they are out with a human. They are out quite a bit, trust me.

The neighbors love our lab Rika...one of the kids comes over all the time and asks if Rika can come out and play. He does.

Key is not everyone loves dogs and should they unintentionally hurt someones child or pet stand by for a visit from a lawyer named Sue, especially given the complaints already on file.

Pen them.

[968rz]

A friend had the wireless underground system and he told me that the dogs need to be trained where to stop first before using the"shock fence", otherwise it will not work. (so I was told)
And, as noted once they are through nothing stops them going further. If chasing something hard and fast enough it only takes seconds to go past the fence so the shock is almost a non-issue.

How about one of those long overhead leads that the leash slides along, those can be rather long if I remember right.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I have three dogs and live on 60 plus acres.

The dogs are penned unless they are out with a human. They are out quite a bit, trust me.

The neighbors love our lab Rika...one of the kids comes over all the time and asks if Rika can come out and play. He does.

Key is not everyone loves dogs and should they unintentionally hurt someones child or pet stand by for a visit from a lawyer named Sue, especially given the complaints already on file.

Pen them.

You named a dog after the guy whose posts read like a fortune cookie?

Pen them or set up a dog run between trees or both.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by 968rz

A friend had the wireless underground system and he told me that the dogs need to be trained where to stop first before using the"shock fence", otherwise it will not work. (so I was told)
And, as noted once they are through nothing stops them going further. If chasing something hard and fast enough it only takes seconds to go past the fence so the shock is almost a non-issue.

How about one of those long overhead leads that the leash slides along, those can be rather long if I remember right.

A friend had one of the buried and her dog learned if it ran it would only get a brief shock and it was free. The wireless transmitter style continues the correction until they are back in range or until the 30 second time limit is up. These work by not shocking as long as they get a signal. One they are out of range of the signal the correction occurs.

[winders]

I vote for a physical fence. Some dogs are just too stubborn for the electronic fence solutions. Plus, my dogs don't wear collars unless that are in a leash.

[recycled sixtie]

Robert Frost said good fences make for good neighbors. The same applies to dogs. As mentioned above corral those furkids or one of these days they could go missing....

Neighbors will only tolerate so much. Expect fines, possible court action if status quo is maintained. They will get used to being fenced in.....

[BK911]

Thanks guys. I know I have been a bad daddy.
I put up a "red top" wire fence around the wood line and they ran right through it the first night.
I will put it up again and electrify it!
Just kinda odd all was well for 5 years.
My babies also keep the bears and coyotes from the hood.
Be interested to see what happens when they are no longer the sheriff.

[Tobra]

I suspect a lot of kitty cats will go missing

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Tobra

You named a dog after the guy whose posts read like a fortune cookie?

Indeed I did.

It's a helo thing, you wouldn't understand

[Rodsrsr]

The breed has a lot to do with this as well. GS and labs are good working dogs and are usually not roamers, "unless they are intact" If so all bets are off and they will roam. Not sure about the Ridgeback but same rules apply. I've had GS dogs my entire life and lived in both city and large acreage rural properties, and while each dog is different with its own personality, they tend not to roam. They would rather stay close to home protecting. Having said that its sounds like they have been roaming for the past 5 years so its now a habit. A physical barrier is best even if its just an area around the house 1/2 acre or so, which has the added benefit of keeping things out. The wireless units are effective but require some training as well. Its not plug and play. Lastly, if your dogs are still intact at this age don't waste your time now getting them neutered, it wont change anything.

[Baz]

I'd get rid of the neighbors and let the dogs do what they want.....

[recycled sixtie]

The truth is that there are good dog owners and bad dog owners. The dogs reflect the behavior of the owners. No training, no boundaries = bad behavior. Training a dog takes effort, patience and time. Just like kids.....

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Baz

I'd get rid of the neighbors and let the dogs do what they want.....

He's got the land and shovel ya know

Stark reality...rural neighbor's 7 yr old sweetie was accidently killed crossing the road at night chasing a yapper recently....very sad day. Give 'em freedom and protection from two legged dawgs too... got to anymore. Dogs have roamed my acreage freely for decades, some still do but are trained not to roam far. Woods smart, not street smart....