[DoggieDaddy]

We have used an invisible fence in Michigan for several years. The dog is well trained and supervised and has freedom to roam front, back, and side yards. The field on the in-ground line is set for approx. 6ft. (3 ft. on each side of wire).

With designer houses being close together in The Villages, is it feasible to use an IF around the property? It would seem likely that turning up a proper depth of field around the wire would preclude the use of most of the yard, especially that abutting a neighbors property (e.g. side of house). Any experience with this?

[gomoho]

If your dog is well trained on the fence system and was trained with flags, before you invest in a fence you might want to just try and put up the flags. We did this with our dog when we went on vacation and it worked like a charm - still had his collar on just didn't know it wasn't activated!

Another consideration is your dog won't enjoy the same freedom roaming the yard here unless you are outside supervising. There are critters on land and in the sky that would snatch her if they had the chance and asssuming she is a snatchable size.

I'm thinking if you decide to install a fence and put the line right on your property line it should allow enough room on either side of the house for her to get around.

Whatever you decide you and your pup will love TV - we really are dog friendly despite some of the "haters" on this site!

[John_W]

As a person who likes to walk, I don't like the invisible fences. A few months ago while walking on Odessa Circle in Tamarind Grove, there stood the largest dog I've ever seen, a Great Dane. I turned and walked the other way, I didn't want any part of that dog. I love dogs, but I was bit by a German Shepherd when I was about six and had to get rabies shots, so I've always been leery of big dogs.

One of the fellows on my softball team lives on Odessa Circle, so I asked him about the dog. He said, don't worry, they have invisible fencing. I still don't like it when the dog is out there. He looks just like this photo but is black & white in color.



As the previous poster mentioned. The fence doesn't keep out other creatures, and gators can easily enter a yard and snatch a dog. I grew up in Florida and that happens all the time. There was a national news story last year about a man in TV who had go in the water and wrestle with a gator to get his dog back. See the link below;

Man fights off alligator to save dog - YouTube

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[gomoho]

That reminds me of when we lived in Michigan and had our fawn Great Dane trained on an invisible fence. My husband was working in the front yard and Duke was out there grazing or whatever he liked to do in the yard and a man stopped his car and said "hey, Mr, Mr, do you know you have a deer in your yard???" We laugh about that to this day.

On the serious side that is why I mentioned you must be in the yard with the dog - can't just let them out to have at it.

[DoggieDaddy]

Yes, I definately agree that a dog must be closely supervised with use of invisible fence (or even if teathered, for that matter). I am sensitive to people that may get spooked while out walking or perhaps a parcel delivery person. Up here, though, I'm equally concerned with somone stealing a part of our family ... and an expensive one at that.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by DoggieDaddy

Yes, I definately agree that a dog must be closely supervised with use of invisible fence (or even if teathered, for that matter). I am sensitive to people that may get spooked while out walking or perhaps a parcel delivery person. Up here, though, I'm equally concerned with somone stealing a part of our family ... and an expensive one at that.

Many of us dogs enjoy invisible fencing in The Villages. There are previous threads with a lot of great information (search button at the top of the page). For an opinion on whether it is appropriate for your lot, we would suggest you call Dog Watch in Ocala. They do a lot of work in TV and are very professional. We love our invisible fence but our parents always supervise us.

Lollipop (70 lbs)
Biggins (11 lbs)

[DoggieDaddy]

Thanks Lollipop & Biggins. Perhaps will see ya sometime at the dog park.

Auggie (85 lbs)

[Bonnevie]

I had a great dane once....biggest couch potato ever and most placid dog I ever had...but I do admit, I never worried walking him in my less than affluent, starting out neighborhood. No one bothered me.

[bluedog103]

We're in a designer and the invisible fence works great. We have two zones, one for the front the other for the back and sides. We too use Dogwatch and always found them to be very responsive. We were newbees at invisible fences and found their training, both for the two dogs and the two humans to be excellent. As others have said, constant supervision of your dogs is extremely important. There a lot of critters out there, both on the ground and overhead.

[bike42]

Our invisible fence wire is installed along the property line on the sides and the dogs quickly learned that they can get from the front yard to the back yard "safely" if they walk right next to the house. I walk on the lawn and they use their own little path that they have made behind the shrubs.

[asianthree]

its the gators i worry about