Test Report: DogWatch 3000 Underground Fence

I lost a dog last year to a speeding car -- the one he finally caught.

Lucas loved chasing cars, pitting his speed against four wheels and an engine. As he grew from a puppy to a dog, he got braver with each passing car. I kept watch during the day, running to the door or a window to holler if he left the yard. He'd return with tail partially tucked, and I'd pat myself on the back for being a fine watch-person for him. I kept telling myself I had to take serious action to curb his chasing before it was too late. Too late came much too soon.

My house sits toward the front of a fenced, partitioned five-acre spot in the country. City sprawl was quickly overtaking us. Traffic also increased with the growth. My remaining three dogs were not as car crazy, but interested enough to make me get serious about saving them sooner rather than later. I talked to my daughter, Amanda, an avid and wholly responsible pet owner, about better fencing/training options available. Shortly after our talk, she called me to tell me about DogWatch Systems, an underground radio fencing system that gives dogs definite perimeters with very little training. Desperate for help, I decided it was certainly worth a try.

Amanda works at Good Dog! DogWatch had arranged with Publisher Ross Becker to install a system as a test product for review. Since the magazine staff members all had full and proper fencing for their pets, Ross offered me the opportunity to test the system. He was aware of my dog troubles and knew the product would be scrutinized under tough conditions for a thorough evaluation.

The folks from DogWatch came to my home at precisely the time we had arranged. They brought everything necessary to secure my yard and protect my dogs, including a trenching machine to lay the wiring. They walked the entire perimeter area with me and identified any potential trouble spots. They discussed the best plans for installation with my spouse and me. Once started, they did the job in less than an hour. When the fence was ready to test, they came to get me and we went through a one-on-one training with each dog. It was amazing to see how quickly my dogs learned what the line of flags meant. I was pleased at how little negative reaction it took to remind them to stay within the 'safe' zone. The system is very sophisticated and yet so simple.

Each dog wears a collar with a receiver attached to it. The receiver picks up a signal when the dog enters the flagged danger or forbidden zone and emits a high pitched beep, beep, beep barely audible to humans. The dog then retreats to the safety zone and all is well.

If a dog refuses to heed the warning, he's in for a little surprise, as the beep turns into a buzz. Once activated, the collar gives one of four preset corrections to the skin under the dog's neck. For two of my dogs, it took only the lightest correction to train them. My third dog needed a little stronger reminder. Her collar was set on the next level. She fully understood the drill after her next approach toward the fence.

I was concerned about what would happen if one of the dogs should get an attack of horse-chasing (it's an addiction with these dogs) and slither under the pasture fence. I worried that the worst would happen and a dog would get stuck under the fence, smack dab in the middle of the danger zone. I was assured that the collar would only activate for 10 seconds, then go inactive until it was reset. That set my mind at ease, and I was able to let the system take over my watch-person duties.

For us humans, the DogWatch system has delivered great benefits. We have pleasure horses in the pasture that the dogs loved to 'herd' around. Some of our close neighbors have rodeo and show horses that are high-dollar critters. As our dogs had gotten bolder and bolder about chasing neighbor horses, our relationships with the neighbor humans had deteriorated. In fact, one of the neighbors had given us notice that any dog caught running her rodeo stock would be shot. I hated locking the dogs in a barn stall at night, but that was our only option if we wanted to get any sleep. Needless to say, the neighbors are all thrilled with the DogWatch System, and all the horses and other herdable livestock have benefited from the fence.

Not only have our neighbors begun to wave and smile again, our dogs have become increasingly more sociable during the day. They had taken up daytime posts under the house to sleep off the previous night's marauding weariness. After the DogWatch System was installed, they couldn't leave the yard at night and started sleeping more regular hours. No more middle-of-the-night calls from neighbors about unwanted visits from our dogs.

We also installed a battery-operated doorbell on a post in the main driveway that could be rung from a car window to summon assistance. It was an immediate fix until the dogs got comfortable with their diminished territory boundaries.

We've had two minor bits of equipment difficulty since we first got the DogWatch System. The first trouble occurred after a rain. Our paint pony pawed at the softened ground while eating her hay. She was standing over the area where the fence wire runs from the barn to the pasture to connect and send signals. Her hoof snagged the wire and broke the connection. Fortunately the system is equipped with an alarm. We were quickly alerted and able to locate and correct the problem. After the third incident, my husband got a shovel and a length of PVC pipe, and he made a sleeve to fit around the wire. Since the fix, we've had no further trouble.

Overall, I have to say the DogWatch Fencing System has been the single best improvement we've made to the place since moving out here six years ago. My hat is off to the DogWatch company for its product quality, general consumer response practices, and the superb attitude of each person I've encountered in their system thus far. I give DogWatch an A+!

-- Charis Huntley

I was impressed with the DogWatch equipment, but even more impressed by the DogWatch dealer who did the installation and training for Charis. The two men who came in from Louisiana were quick, efficient, professional, and well-humored.

They installed the DogWatch System 3000, which incorporates the latest and greatest advancements in underground fencing.

Technology has advanced a bit in the four years since we last looked at underground fencing, but not all companies have kept up. DogWatch has.

First, though, let's take a quick look at how underground fencing works.

All of these fences use a low-power radio transmitter, which sends a signal out through the buried wire. A receiver on the dog's collar picks up the signal, and delivers either a beep or a correction, depending on the situation. The dog is trained to respond to the beep, and run away from the perimeter, toward the center of the yard. (Training is important to success!) If the dog ignores the warning, a correction is delivered by the collar. Depending on the system, different degrees of correction are available, from mild to strong. Adjustability is important, based on the stubbornness level of the dog.

In our tests in 1994, we found several things which could go wrong with underground fencing. The wire can break, causing much of the perimeter to go unprotected. The battery in the collar can run down, allowing the dog to escape without regret. Poor antenna design on the receiver can allow dead places in the yard, where there is no reception. Lightning strikes in the neighborhood can fry a system. And none of the systems do anything to prevent children and other small animals (yes, I meant to lump them together) from entering the premises. Some dogs will take the correction and run through to the other side. They can't get back into the yard without (feeling) another correction.

Dogwatch has solved many of these issues. There's a Loop Alarm, which sounds if there is a break in the buried antenna loop. An omni-directional antenna works to eliminate dead spots (which means a dog won't run through, encounter a car, and become a Dead Spot).
A recent upgrade to FM digital sound helps eliminate false activations from stray radio signals -- and the shocks which can accompany them. (The new transmitter will also work with older AM collar/receivers.) Some of the other brands pick up cable TV signals and one brand's older collars will pick up a signal from a Nextel phone which is within 8 feet of it.

For lightning surge protection, DogWatch uses a fusible link and grounding in the ground. Other companies ground their systems in the house, which may not offer as much protection. A battery backup for the transmitter costs $99, and keeps your dog protected during power failures.

The best thing about the DogWatch is its flexibility. The collar has 5 settings, with four shock options plus a warning only setting. These can be adjusted with a magnet/test light combination, or any magnet. Just touch the magnet to the collar and it beeps to tell you it has gone on to the next setting.

The low, medium and high settings actually change the voltage of the shock delivered. The fourth setting overrides the normal low setting on the wall-mounted transmitter. This increases the frequency of shocks to a constant rate until the dog backs off. This is designed for large, problem dogs who will stand there and take a shock. On this system, they squeal, and get the message quickly. This new feature is unique to DogWatch, and works well for dogs who have defied other brands.

The system has an adjustable field range. That means you can vary the width of the protected border, from 1 foot across to about 40 feet across. Standard, though is a 7 foot 4 inch field, with 10% of the width being the sound-only warning area. In the other 90% of the field, the dog will receive a correction for 10 to 15 seconds. To keep a stuck dog from getting too many corrections, the system stops correcting the dog after 10 to 15 seconds. It resets itself when the dog leaves the boundary area and returns to the safe zone.

The basic DogWatch 3000 system is designed for up to 10 acres. An upgrade allows the system to handle up to 36 acres. Charis' installation used 1000 feet of wire, and protects about 1 acre. (Prices may vary by dealer.) You can also protect areas within the yard's perimeter, such as a swimming pool or garden area. And if you choose to let your dog swim in the pool (why not!!), you'll be happy to know that the DogWatch receiver collar is completely waterproof. A 3.6 volt lithium battery in the collar is guaranteed for a year, and will last up to 18 months if the dog doesn't "test" it. The quick battery replacement means there's no downtime. (The Innotek system requires several hours of battery recharging.)

While I've always been inclined toward the install-it-yourself savings of the other brands, I've changed my tune. Seeing the quick and efficient installation of the DogWatch, and the experienced troubleshooting, makes me a believer in paying extra to have it done right.

Even more important is the dog training offered by the pros. Yes, they put the little flags in the ground to show the dog where the new perimeter is. But the two-person team effort is amazing. One waves the flag at the dog when the dog gets corrected, and the other person brings the dog back into the yard. By the third time, nearly every dog has the idea.

After that, you just need to reinforce the concept over the next three to five days. Wave the flag at your dog and tell him "Good Dog!" when he runs back into the center of the yard. The DogWatch dealer said he's installed over 1700 systems, and only one dog ever ran through the fence. That was a Siberian Husky with separation anxiety.

Back in our 1994 tests, I concluded that you get what you pay for with underground fencing. More money bought more features.

Today, you can get all of the newest features on a more-sophisticated unit, plus installation and professional training -- and the lifetime warranty which comes with the dealer-installed unit -- for less than what the top-of-the-line unit cost six years ago. More features for less money -- isn't technology wonderful?

-- Ross Becker

From Good Dog! Magazine
©2000 Good Dog! Magazine.
All rights reserved. May not be reprinted or reposted without permission. www.gooddogmagazine.com
Good Dog! Magazine March/April 2000 page 25-26