We all know by now that chaining or tying up dogs outside is cruel and dangerous, right? But if you're thinking that an "invisible fence" is a safe way to give your dog some time outdoors, think again.

Painful, Dangerous, and Bewildering

Like us, dogs are made of flesh and blood and nerve endings, three things that don't mix well with electricity. Invisible fences deliver a painful shock when dogs cross a buried electrical wire. There are collars that do the same thing. Some are controlled by the owner, who keeps a remote-control shocking device handy to be used whenever the owner feels that the dog has misbehaved, while others shock automatically, triggered by barking. Beyond the physical pain and the anticipatory fear that the shocks induce, these devices can injure a dog both physically—from burns to cardiac fibrillation—and psychologically, causing severe anxiety and displaced aggression.

Not understanding why or how they're being hurt, dogs subjected to shock collars and invisible fences may direct their fear or aggression toward what they believe is the source of the shock—which may be passing bicyclists, the mail carrier, or your neighbors' children.

Punished for Coming Home

Has your dog ever recklessly bolted after a squirrel or in a panic at a loud noise? Dogs often run right through invisible fences in the heat of the moment, but to cross back over that line means that they'll get a painful jolt—a prospect that leaves some too scared to return. And even if invisible fences succeed in keeping animals contained within certain boundaries, the nonexistent barrier certainly won't protect them from cruel humans and roaming dogs or other animals who can easily come onto your property.

No dog should live in fear of getting shocked for barking or crossing an invisible line. Real fences and positive training methods in which dogs are rewarded for good behavior are humane and effective. If you want to give your dog a stimulating experience, throw a dog party instead!

Here's some shocking news: A man in Wales was fined £2,000—about $3,200—for using a shock collar on his dog, the first such prosecution in Britain since the collars were outlawed in Wales last year because of animal welfare concerns. England and Scotland are also considering implementing bans, and the U.S. would do well to follow suit.

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Not only are shock collars cruel by design (they cause dogs to live in fear of being painfully shocked for engaging in normal behavior such as jumping or barking), they can also malfunction and cause serious burns. And shock collars and other cruel "training" devices are also unsafe. For example, an invisible fence is a nonexistent fence for cruel humans, roaming dogs, or other animals who can freely enter the property. Invisible fences can even encourage dogs to escape: Because they only suffer painful shocks in the yard, dogs can come to associate the shock with the yard itself. The Welsh dog whose owner was fined escaped his invisible fence so often that the townsfolk had come to know him as "the dog with the shock collar."

Never use a shock collar, prong collar, invisible fence, or other cruel device to train your dog. The four “P’s” of dog training—praise, practice, prevention, and patience—don’t include harsh punishment. Even if your dog's confused, frightened eyes don't move you, you'll never forgive yourself if your beloved friend escapes the "invisible fence" and gets hit by a car.

 
Written by Alisa Mullins