Underground Dog Fences in Michigan

Cost varies per property. Wire length, lot shape, number of dogs, and what the boundary has to cross (driveways, sidewalks, gardens, or a shoreline) all have to be considered. A Grand Rapids subdivision lot and a wooded cottage parcel near Traverse City are different projects. Your Local Pro will provide an estimate based on their evaluation before anything is installed.

No. The terms "invisible", "invisible fence" and "invisible fencing" are registered and considered trademarks by Invisible Fence, Inc. Electronic pet fences with a buried wire are often referred to as "invisible fences", but Dog Guard® should not be confused with the Invisible Fence, Inc. Dog Guard® is not affiliated in any way with the Invisible Fence, Inc. Dog Guard® and Out of Sight Fencing® are registered trademarks of Sunward Electronics, Inc.

Michigan's Public Service Commission urges calling or clicking MISS DIG 811 at least three days before digging, and it specifically names homeowners installing fences. The service is free. A boundary wire goes in a shallow trench, so the locate step still applies. Many Local Pros take care of the MISS DIG request themselves, so confirm with your Local Pro who is handling it before your install date.

It can, with a layout built around the water. A buried wire cannot run through open water, so your Local Pro designs the boundary to fit the shoreline, often keeping dogs back from the beach or dock or looping around the lake side of the lot. With more than 11,000 inland lakes in Michigan, waterfront yards are common, and each one gets its own plan.

Winter installs can happen, even in snowbelt towns where lake-effect snow piles up for months. Some Local Pros lay the wire on top of the snow to get your dog trained right away, then come back in spring to bury it once the ground thaws. The Keweenaw Peninsula averages around 180 inches of snow a year, so timing really does vary by region. Ask your Local Pro how they handle cold-season jobs.

Michigan's Dog Law of 1919 generally makes it unlawful for an owner to let a dog stray unless it is properly leashed, with exceptions for working dogs such as hunting and farm dogs while accompanied and on the job. Many townships and cities add their own rules. Check your local ordinance for specifics. An underground fence helps train your dog to stay in your yard when it is off leash at home.

Scent hounds and bird dogs can be persistent, and the system is built with that in mind. Ultrasonic and audible tones warn first, correction is gradual across dozens of levels, and Turn Detection stops it when your dog heads back toward the yard. On FreedomPro, Xtended Zone keeps containment going beyond the buried wire if a rabbit tempts your dog past it. Your Local Pro sets and trains to your dog's temperament.

Battery life fits cabin life. Rechargeable Dog Guard collars last up to about a month per charge, and battery-powered receivers can run up to about six months. That is a big difference from GPS collars, which typically need charging every day. For a seasonal place in northern Michigan, charge the collar before you head up and keep spare Dog Guard batteries on hand.

Close enough that we noticed, which probably says too much about how closely we watch color charts. Dog Guard uses navy and golden yellow, and the University of Michigan's maize and blue land very near them. We have no affiliation and no stadium, just a buried wire and a lot of happy dogs. Your Local Pro will not ask where you stand on the rivalry. Probably.