[scrapple]

We are beginning our research on TV, and planning to come for our first visit in a couple weeks. We have one small-ish dog, so I'm sure we'll neeed some sort of fence to keep him in the yard. Don't want to keep him inside 24x7.
What sort of home choices exist?
Are we pretty much limited to CYV style? Have you heard of anyone installing "Invisible fence" systems?

Thanks for the advice
Dan& Carol

[Halle]

Hi Dan and Carol,

There are some Ranch Homes in Hemingway that have fences, I don't know if there are any new ones for sale with fences or if you would be limited to a resale. We and several of our neighbors have Invisible Fencing in TV and it works great for us and them. We love the freedom it provides us and our girls, of course we never leave them out unattended.

Good luck with the house hunting.

[bluedog103]

Halle, did you install the invisible fence yourself of have it installed? If you had it installed, do you recall who you used? We're planning to go with a system such as yours and I'm just trying to determine if I should do it myself or not.

[Pturner]

Hi Scrapple,
My dear friend, Barefoot (who technically, I haven't met yet) installed or had one installed recently in TV. She loves it. Hopefully, she'll see your post. If not, you might want to send her a PM.

I know you will love your visit and will want to move to TV. Keep us posted.

[golfnut]

we use a 20' tether which is essentially a leash attached to the ground...gn

[oldpaint1421]

We have a Miniature Schnauzer and live in a Courtyard Villa.
We recommend them because they are fenced in. At the moment
there are two dog parks that are free. I am training my dog
so do not go to them. When Kirby is sufficiently trained will return.

Have lived here 10 yes so know most everything about The Villages.
Highly recommend Courtyards
they are easy to sell

[scrapple]

Originally Posted by Pturner

Hi Scrapple,
My dear friend, Barefoot (who technically, I haven't met yet) installed or had one installed recently in TV. She loves it. Hopefully, she'll see your post. If not, you might want to send her a PM.

I know you will love your visit and will want to move to TV. Keep us posted.

Funny that you mention that idea! I was just about to send her a PM last night, then I thought it would be good to ask the audience.
See you in a couple weeks!

[Halle]

We had ours installed by Invisible Fencing, they were recommended by our neighbors. The installer/trainer/regional mgr is Fred, he did a wonderful job helping us to train the girls and also training us.

The training is very important it is done in stages and the slight shock is increased as needed. A machine is used to determine how many times the fence has been tested and the shock is adjusted as needed to contain the dogs,the girls collars are set at different levels. Of course my husband had to hold the collar and step over the line to test the shock.

We love the Invisible Fencing and highly recommend Fred,(352-351-1055) he says he has never met a dog that was untrainable, just owners. If you want more information PM me, also he will give you a discount if you tell him you were recommended by me.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by scrapple

We are beginning our research on TV, and planning to come for our first visit in a couple weeks. We have one small-ish dog, so I'm sure we'll neeed some sort of fence to keep him in the yard. Don't want to keep him inside 24x7.
What sort of home choices exist? Are we pretty much limited to CYV style? Have you heard of anyone installing "Invisible fence" systems? Thanks for the advice Dan& Carol

We had a Courtyard Villa for three years and I loved it. (We backed on a golf course so we only had a short three-foot picket fence at the back of the lot).

Then we moved to a house. Blame Fireboy. He wanted a larger house and a big garage. Now I've adjusted to living in a house and my dogs have learned all about Invisible Fencing. We used a company called Dog Watch, a very popular company in The Villages.

Initially, I was very much against invisible fences. I thought they were cruel. Then I talked to Halle who told me that her invisible fencing works well for her large dogs.

Before I ordered the fencing, I asked to try the collar on my arm. It is more of a tingle than a shock. But it is a surprise for sure, and a deterrent. I have the collars set on the lowest level possible.

For the first two weeks after the fence installation, we trained our dogs to the warning beep. During that period they never experience a correction! They just learn where the boundaries are. After two weeks, if they ignore the beep, they will receive a correction.

My small dog got the idea immediately and is perfectly trained to stay within the boundaries of the lawn. Whether or not he has on his collar!

My large dog is a bit goofy. She lunged through the boundary a couple of times when she was taunted by ducks on the golf course. The correction didn't really bother her, she just shook his head and looked puzzled. I could have increased the level but I preferred to keep it on the lowest setting. Now my large dog is also trained and doesn't go through the boundaries.

The Dog Watch trainer was marvelous and would come by as often as we wanted. We really liked the company very much.

So now we have two happy dogs (who get most of their exercise at the private off-leash dog park) but they also enjoy playing with each other in the back yard and watching the ducks and cranes. I never allow the dogs in the yard unsupervised.

[Vinny]

We waited for months for just the right home for our two dogs who graciously share it with us. My Village agent emailed us last week when a CYV on an oversized corner lot came on the market in a brand new section at Pennecamp.

Our new home will have a yard bigger than the one my current 4 bedroom home sits on now. We will have four grassy areas and a very large cement patio. One of our dogs loves laying in the grass and the other thinks grass is like walking on hot coals, so this is perfect for us.

We did not consider anything else. We currently have a nice picket fence and my smallest one loves to sit in yard all night and protects us from the deer, rabbits, chipmonks, skunks, and groundhogs. The other attacks his stuffed toys. We regret that they will no longer be able to see the rest of the world from their back yard but we do walk them at least once a day and take them with us on vacation so they have marked more territory than most dogs.

As someone at the other side of an invisible fence, my wife and I have been startled by a charging dog that suddenly stops a few feet from us. Invisible fence or not, we avoid those houses in our area when we go for walks.

[K9-Lovers]

One drawback for an invisible fence (apart from the obvious painful jolt to the neck your dog feels when learning the boundaries) is that your dog may be attacked and not be able to flee.

Imagine a racoon, larger dog, or other agressive creature entering your yard and attacking your dog. Your dog may not be able to protect itself because it is unable/unwilling to flee past the boundaries of the electric fence.

If my dog was using an electric fence, it would not be outside unless I was there to protect him/her. The dog would be within my view 100% of the time. So, if you are thinking of letting your dog outdoors without you, my opinion is that using an invisible fence is not a safe practice for your pet.

And, as a previous poster stated, they have encountered many dogs that charge at them and then stop suddenly at the electric boundary. One day, they may encounter a dog that will not stop and chooses to endure the painful jolt in order to get to them, or to attack their dog.

Dogs that attack are following a primal urge to protect their territory. Some dogs are aggressive only to other dogs, but some will attack humans as well. When I walk my dog, I carry a walking stick for protection. And, the best way to break up a dog fight is to grab the attacker by the back legs, swing the dog in a circle so gravity keeps him from turning and attacking you, and gradually (while contining to swirl the dog in a circle) move away from the victim. (That works if the attacker releases his grip).

If you have ever been attacked by a dog, big or small, you would never choose to use, or walk past, an electric "invisible" fence. I speak from experience.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by K9-Lovers

If my dog was using an electric fence, it would not be outside unless I was there to protect him/her. The dog would be within my view 100% of the time. So, if you are thinking of letting your dog outdoors without you, my opinion is that using an invisible fence is not a safe practice for your pet.

I agree with K9-Lovers. I would not allow my dogs to be outside without my supervision.

Also, my dogs only use the back yard. I wouldn't rely on invisible fencing in the front yard. Too much traffic and too much temptation to socialize as dogs are walked past all the time.