The 9 Best Fences for Dogs in 2020

Having a fence is a great way to keep your dog safe while playing outside. If you don’t like the look of an actual fence, and would instead prefer a cleaner look for your yard, an in-ground fence is a great option. With the Extreme Dog Fence kit, it’s a breeze to set up and works well for most breeds. Everything you need is included: boundary wire, a transmitter, collar receivers, training flags, and splice kits. Available in a range of lengths, this fence can cover up to 25 acres of land. Even better, the system is highly customizable, allowing owners to define their own boundary zone from a few inches to 32 feet from the fence, and the collar receiver is lightweight and fully submersible in water. The static correction can also be individually programmed, offering eight levels based on your dog’s size and need.

Customers write that the Extreme Dog Fence kit is a great system that leaves them confident to give their dogs the run of the yard without fear of danger or escape attempts. The signal strength is uniform at every area of the wire, and won’t interfere with other electronics or neighboring fences. The customer support is also stellar and highly knowledgeable if you need assistance during setup. Whether you’re a first-time dog owner or an experience canine parent, this fence is a great choice for your pup.

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For a wireless dog fence that covers most yard sizes and works well, we recommend The PetSafe Wireless Fence. It's a great choice for medium to large yards, as their system covers up to half an acre and yards measuring up to 180 feet in diameter. It comes with two extra RFA-67D batteries, and each one lasts for about two months with heavy usage. The system requires a transmitter inside your home and uses a 17.5 kHz radio signal. If your pup approaches the fence, he will hear a loud beep and eventually a static correction that is not painful but surprising.

Online reviewers say the PetSafe Wireless Fence is perfect for dogs of all sizes who have had issues running away in the past. It’s easy to install and makes training simple. Some reviewers do note that the transmitter glitches on rough terrain or hilly yards, so it’s better for mostly flat spaces.

The PetSafe Stay+Play Wireless Fence is another great electric option that saves you the trouble of burying a wire. This simple unit plugs into an outlet in your home and covers up to 3/4 of an acre (210 feet in diameter). The waterproof collar offers five levels of static correction, and features a tone-only mode once your dog’s gotten the gist of the system. The set also comes with 50 boundary flags, two long contact points (and wrench for adjustments), and a testing tool, and can be set up in one to two hours.

The PetSafe Stay+Play Wireless Fence is highly user-friendly thanks to its plug-and-play design, and works well even in hilly or wooded areas. More importantly, it’s effective—dogs tend to understand where the boundaries are after a zap or two, letting most owners feel confident that the beep-only mode is enough to keep them from running past the fence.

Another PetSafe product, this in-ground fence system covers up to five acres and is invisible to the eye (aside from the training flags, if used). The collar is fully waterproof and offers four levels of static correction, which is always preceded by a warning beep. The kit also comes with a transmitter, 500 feet of wire, 50 flags, a surge protector, test light tool, and the necessary hardware for setup. Once the wire has been installed, just place the flags around the perimeter to show your dog where the boundaries are—most learn quickly, and the system is safe and gentle to use.

The PetSafe Basic In-Ground Fence System gives the owner the peace of mind that their dog will stay out of the street or designated pup-free areas (like trash, gardens, or the pool). And since it’s in-ground, it doesn’t change the look of your backyard and is much quicker to assemble than a physical barrier. In general, it can be put together in a weekend and begins working immediately.

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There’s more to the market than just electric fences. An exercise pen is a great way to contain your dog indoors or out. The IRIS 8 Panels Exercise Plastic Pen is perfect for puppy training sessions, offering over 21 square feet of space, and can be used with small, medium, and large breeds. The hinged door is escape-proof, and the plastic assembly is durable and won’t rust like metal. Each panel fits together with a connecting rod, while the non-skid feet will protect your floors if used inside. All in all, it’s a great multi-use pen whether it’s being used outside or in your apartment living room.

Customers love that you can customize the IRIS Exercise Plastic Pen by adding or removing panels as needed to adjust the size of the space—you can even purchase extra panels to further expand it. The pen is portable, making it easy to throw in the back of your car for a trip to Grandma’s house.

Similar to an electric fence, the PetSafe Pawz Away Outdoor Pet Barrier instead protects out-of-limits areas in your backyard from your adventurous pup. While it won’t contain your entire yard, it aims to keep your pup away from specific outdoor areas such as pools, ponds or gardens where Fido may wander. This option is a great choice if you already have a standard fence, but need to keep your dog away from other locations outside. It works by emitting a static correction via a soft, nylon collar whenever your dog approaches the transmitter. The transmitter is designed to look like a rock and sends a high-pitched tone if your furry friend comes close. The collar fits neck sizes six to 28 inches and works on pets over five pounds. Each transmitter protects an area up to 16 feet in diameter, but additional transmitters are sold separately to secure an even larger space. The collar sends correction signals for 15 seconds before it stops.

Owners say it's a great way to keep pups away from open areas of fencing, or away from neighborhood dogs who don’t get along. They say it’s easy to set up and works well to teach Fido not to approach off-limits areas. This outdoor barrier is a great choice if you need to secure only portions of your yard away from your pup.

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Similar to the PetSafe Outdoor Barrier, the Indoor Pet Barrier is a great solution to contain curious pups indoors. Each barrier set comes with a collar that fits necks ranging from six to 28 inches and a lightweight transmitter. When your pup crosses the invisible barrier, the collar will emit a static correction signal and a high-pitched tone to tell him it's off-limits. Each barrier can protect areas ranging from two to 12 feet and are ideal for keeping pups away from furniture, rugs or doorways. The correction static starts at the lowest level and increases to the maximum after three seconds.

Owners love the indoor pet barrier for keeping pups safe when they’re home alone. Many reviewers say their pets learned quickly and no longer need the collar after just a few uses. Either way, it’s a great option for keeping your dog away from off-limits areas indoors.

Need to cordon your pup off from a specific room in the interest of protecting your prized rug during potty training? The answer is a pet gate, and our favorite is the Carlson Lil’ Tuffy. This expanding gate fits opening from 26 to 38 inches wide, making it perfect for sectioning off rooms or guarding the top of the stairs. There’s also an inset pet door measuring 10 x 7 inches, so your friend can pass through when it’s unlocked. Rubber bumpers protect your walls, and the gate can be adjusted to create secure pressure wherever it’s used.

Customers say the Carlson Lil’ Tuffy Expandable Gate is the ideal solution for keeping pets safe indoors. The pet door is a particularly great feature for owners of small dogs since it saves owners the trouble of having to lift their pup over the gate every time they want them in the room.

If you’re not into the idea of an electric fence, try to the physical border fence to keep your pup contained in the backyard. The Tenax Pet Fence is a high-strength, low-visibility barrier that does an excellent job of sectioning off portions of your yard or neighboring areas. It’s available in several sizes, depending on your yard: 4 x 100 feet, 4 x 330 feet, and 5 x 330 feet. The mesh design keeps pets from squeezing through, and the sturdy but lightweight plastic material does a surprisingly good job of blending in with its surroundings.

The Tenax Pet Fence does a terrific job of keeping pups out of trouble, customers write, and there’s enough material to section off areas like flower beds in addition to their yard’s perimeter. While you’ll need to buy some posts to set it up (unless you’re attaching it to an existing fence), it’s easy to install using zip ties or garden staples.