Underground Dog Fence

I lost one of my treasured dogs to a speeding truck and trailer a few years ago . . . right out in the road in front of the house . . . thankfully, the vet was here giving rabies shots and vaccinations to the horses.  He and I both saw it happen . . . and he was here to help put my beloved Springer, Percy, down.

Since that time, I decided I would be a responsible dog owner and get an underground dog fence to do my best to protect my canine treasures . . . at this time, a Black and Tan Coonhound, a Black LabX, and an Aussie/BorderX . . . all rescue dogs and special to me.

Three years ago, I ordered the underground fencing online. 

"No need to bury the wire . . . just stake it on top of the ground . . . "

I thought to myself, "This will be easy!  I won't have to drive fenceposts or BUILD a fence!  How great is that??!!"

When the fencing arrived by UPS, I eagerly opened the box containing an electric charger, battery-powered dog collars, insulated wire, waterproof connectors, metal stakes, and little white flags to provide a visual boundary for the dogs until they memorize where the fence is located.

As I turned to the direction booklet, my heart sunk . . .
"For best results, bury the wire 2-3 inches below the surface . . . "  WHAT????????????????

So, for the next two weeks, I spent many hours on my hands and knees . . . crawling around the perimeter of the yard . . . slicing the lawn with a hatchet . . . and burying the thin, insulated wire beneath the ground . . . through garden hose under the driveways . . . carefully using the waterproof connectors whenever necessary . . .

and I spent another two weeks training the dogs to the fence . . .

and when it works, it's FABULOUS . . .
but when it doesn't work . . . (sigh) . . . The dogs eventually figure it out, and I have to go hunt for them . . . and usually can't find them but have to wait for them to wander home hours later . . .

and the times it has decided NOT to work have always coincided with RAIN . . .

and I have to go dig up the connectors and try to figure out why the fence isn't working . . .

I have fixed the fence many times over the past 3 years . . . About 3 weeks ago, the fence stopped working again (the charger sends out a shrill squeal when it shorts out) . . . and the dogs figured it out this week . . . So I have had to go look for them 3 times in the past week . . . and it's just too hard to keep an eye on them when I'm doing chores or working in the field . . . So . . . Today, I put the boys (they are the ones who wander) in the big kennel and determined to fix the fence.

Bad boys

 I got the pickax and started hunting for the wire and the connectors . . .

(sigh) . . . lots of yard to dig through

I think moles do a much better job.

I replaced some connectors

And after digging and splicing and connecting and checking and digging some more and putting on more new connectors . . .

I tried and tried . . . and the fence doesn't work . . . (sigh) . . . (is there an electrician in the house?) . . . and I may just have to buy new metal stakes and run all new wire (this time on TOP of the ground) . . .

When underground dog fence works, it's FABULOUS . . . (sigh) . . .