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The PetSafe Stubborn Dog Fence (PIG00-10777) is for dogs that require a particularly strong correction. The system is designed for low pain sensitivity dogs, and very large dogs that require a stronger correction than can be provided by a standard collar.
The PetSafe Stubborn collar at full strength is approximately 50% stronger than a standard correction collar. This makes it useful for dogs with a low pain sensitivity (guardian breeds) and very large breeds.
The Stubborn uses a 9 volt disposable battery, instead of the rechargeable battery used on the better systems.
The Stubborn system can also be used with the collars from the PetSafe Little Dog, PetSafe Deluxe, and PetSafe InGround systems. This allows you to contain dogs of a variety of sizes and temperaments, with each dog having a collar than suits their needs.
The Stubborn collar can be used with the optional wireless PetSafe Indoor Pods to keep the dogs out of particular part of your home.
The PetSafe Stubborn Dog (PIG00-10777) is the strongest correction collar for use with low pain sensitivity dogs.
|Area (acres)
|Wire Required (feet)
|PetSafe Stubborn Dog Fence (PIG00-10777)
|In Ground
|Collar Battery
|Disposable (9 volt)
|Correction Levels
|5 Levels
|Beep Only Training Mode
|Collar Warning beep
|Collar Vibration
|Independent Correction Levels
|Collar Dimensions
|2.5" (L) x 1.5" (W) x 1.5″ (D)
|Collar Weight (with band)
|6.5 ounces
|Collar Neck Size
|6″ – 29″
|Collar Water Resistance
|Collar Fit Test
|Maximum Number of Dogs
|Minimum Dog Size
|20 lbs
|Minimum Age
|6 months
|Maximum Containment Area
|10 acres (3,000 feet)
|Boundary Width
|0-10 feet (adjustable)
|Control Box Dimensions
|4.8″ (L) x 4.3″ (W) x 2.0″ (D)
|Control Box Power Source
|Wall Outlet (110V)
|Control Box Battery Backup
|Indoor Pod Compatibility
|Yes (ZIRF-100)
|Outdoor Pod Compatibility
|Included Boundary Wire
|500 feet + 2 wire Splices
|Included Boundary Flags
|Training Materials
|Collar Tester Tool
|Package Dimensions
|12″ (L) x 6″ (W) x 6″ (D)
|Package Weight
|6 lbs
|Limited One Year
Hi I have a 7 month old husky golden retriever mix and was wondering if the stubborn dog fence would be appropriate. He may be cute but he is very hard headed and thinks he can go where ever he wants. He will sit and shake but forget about it if you tell him to come. He does not seem to be phased by pain so I am not sure the petsafe fence will be strong enough. Thanks. Christina
ADMIN – Hi Christina,
If the dog tends to be less sensitive to pain, you will probably need a stronger correction and the PetSafe Stubborn would be a good choice. I would start the collar on the medium-low setting. I would be surprised if you need to go much higher than medium. Neither huskies nor goldens generally require a lot of correction.
It is really important with those dogs to get the collar fitted correctly so that the probes are touching the skin. The dog feels no correction if there is not good skin contact. So you may want to trim the hair a little on the underside of the neck where the prongs contact the skin. You will also want to use the long prongs with the collar instead of the regular size prongs.
I currently have the Petsafe invisible fence installed. My 90lb male American Bulldog/Boxer stays in in 95% of the time. He doesn't like the shock at all! My 40lb female English Bulldog/Boxer goes right through it. She barely even winces. We have tried training her, but haven't had any success. Can I just purchase a Petsafe Stubborn Dog collar for her and use it with my current system, or do I need the Stubborn system?
ADMIN – Hi Eva,
If you already have a PetSafe fence, you can simply add a PetSafe collar and it will work with your existing fence.
Can I run the wire through steel pipe to sink it in the lake and go out beyond the dock? Will running the wire through a lead pipe (or any other material) block the signal?
ADMIN – Hi Cheryl,
You can run the wire through metal piping. I prefer to use a flexible conduit like irrigation pipe because it is easier to work with, but metal works fine too.
Lead pipe, nor any other conduit we are aware of consistently blocks the signal. The only way to create dead sections in the loop is through having a creative layout.
We want to use a heavy gauge wire in the woods. How heavy can we go? Also does it have to be single strand or can we use multi strand.
ADMIN – Hi Cheryl,
You can use any gauge wire thicker than 20 gauge. The thicker wire is actually easier for the transmitter to transmit the signal (it is like having wider lanes on the highway). Multi-strand wire works just as well as solid core.
We have invisible fencing at home and are putting it in at our camp in the mountains. We need an "open door" of 100 ft. at the waterfront. The wire will go over, back and over again to continue the loop. right? Next question: can I use the twisted wire for the open 100 feet I need. The order says you cannot use it is the boundary loop.
Also this wire will be installed over the major power line that comes across and under the lake to supply the camps on our shore. It is not very deep underground. Will this be a problem?
ADMIN – Hi Cheryl,
Unfortunately, running the wire three time across the waterfront will not block the signal it will still be active. (odd numbers of wires are active, even numbers are non-active) Nor will running the twisted wire help out in this situation, as you mentioned, it cannot be used as part of the boundary loop.
If you want to create an open section, you can either create a three sides boundary (like a U-shape), then double back on yourself six feet apart. Or you can run the wire out into the water and sink it deep below the surface so the dogs can pass over the wire without getting the correction. In our planning section, we have some diagrams of waterfront dog fence layouts that may be helpful.
Running the dog fence wire across the underground power cable will not be a problem. Running over utilities is not a problem if you run it perpendicular. It is running the wire both parallel and close that is a problem.
I've been reading your reviews of the different fences and I am wondering if Dobermans normally require a Stubborn Dog system. I have two male pups four months old and they seem to have a high pain threshold, for example, when they play together they will often pull the other around by a chunk of skin without seeming to cause pain. Another question, we don't keep them in the house but in a large fenced pen with an attached shed for the time being and take them out on leashes for walks and exercise but want them to be in our yard eventually. Our yard has a non-dog-proof fence on three sides only so I thought your electric fences would be perfect, but I read your recommendation to not take the dog through the fence at all during the training so it wouldn't confuse them. The problem is the shed is on our property behind our back yard and we would have to go through the fence gate to get the dogs into the yard for the training and then back out through the gate to put them back into the pen at night or when we weren't out with them. Any ideas?
ADMIN – Hi Lester,
Often Dobermans and other guardian breed dogs have quite high pain thresholds and require the stronger correction of the PetSafe Stubborn. From your description of their roughhousing, I would suspect that your dogs will need a stronger correction than most to get their attention, particularly when excited.
FYI – when you are training the dogs, start on the medium levels and work your way up only if needed. The way each dog experiences the correction is different. Because it is such a strange sensation to a dog, who has never felt anything like that before, you can often get a good response even at lower level with Dobermans.
If you have to take the dogs through the fence during the training, just try and establish a crossing routine, and make sure it is always on leash so you are leading the way. Usually we would tell you to carry the dogs over the boundary, but I am guessing that is not a possibility Dobermans. If you need to break the boundary during training, it is not a big problem, but training make take a few extra days.
Hello I have a one year old pit and a 12 year old hot dog. My pit is extremely friendly loves people and kids. Because her attention span is short when she sees kids or adults there is no keeping her in line, she just needs to get the love. And I need to keep her as free as I can but to stay in the yard. Just looking for recommendation for best fencing. Approximately 1 acre lot but very hilly and irregular. send back response soon as possible please need to do something soon. Thanks Helen. PS – I just sent an email but I don't know if it went through.
ADMIN – Hi Helen,
I am presuming your Hot Dog is a Dachshund under 12lbs, with those dogs, you want a smaller collar like the PetSafe Little Dog.
For the Pitbull, you want something a lot stronger. Sometimes, due to the way they have been bred Pitbulls require a lot stronger correction than other dogs, so you want a collar that allows you to have a high correction if you need it. The PetSafe Stubborn collar would be a good choice for the Pitbull.
With only a acre parcel to contain, the cheapest way to get both collar is to buy the PetSafe Stubborn system and add a PetSafe Little Dog collar.
Where do i buy the longer prongs at? you mentioned they no longer come in the kit. also do i have to buy extra wire? on the video it said it come with enough for 1/3 of an acre. or was that the flags?
ADMIN – Hi Megan,
The long prongs are only available directly through PetSafe as part of what they call their "accessories pack." It costs $10, and shipping is an extra $5. The PetSafe phone number for placing an order is: 800-732-2677.
We have a 5 month old English Mastiff at about 65 pounds and a 9 year old Lab/Chow/Shar Pei mix at about 75 pounds. We want to go with an invisible fence since we are in the middle of the family farm and our place is a fenced area in the middle of the horse pasture. The mix has an extremely high pain threshold (kicked by one of the horses and has been clipped by a vehicle before, as well as tangling with an old piece of barbed wire) and we do not have much experience pain-wise with the mastiff.
Question 1: Would the stubborn dog be the best system or is there something better with those dogs?
Question 2: We want to run the invisible fence along the same area as the horse fence. It is hi tensile that has electric on it. Will they interfere with each other?
ADMIN – Hi Tabitha,
Question 1: With a high pain threshold dog, the Stubborn is a good system. As always, don't start on full strength, some dogs will respond at lower levels to the unusual sensation. But, it is often the case that high pain threshold dogs require a lot more correction. (Chows often fall into this category)
You can use the same collar with the Mastiff, but again start on the lower levels and increase only as necessary.
Question 2: The dog fence is unlikely to interfere with an electric horse fence. However, it is worth stringing up a small test section first and seeing if you get any interference before rigging up the whole thing.
We have an Alaskan Malamute. We have successfully used a wire type fence from Pet Safe around an 11 acre tree field. She is contained their to keep deer away from our Christmas tree and this worked very well until she realized she could run through the fence and then it would quit correcting her. This is of great concern because she is a predator and has often gotten into the chicken yard fence and killed many chickens. We also fear she would chase or kill our young calves and the neighbors meat goats. As of now, we have her chained. Her coat is VERY THICK — 2 inch woolly undercoat and 4″ guard hair. We trim it but it doesn't help anymore. Is the Stubborn dog suitable for her?
ADMIN – Hi Chris,
My guess is that she is not getting the correction, because we don't have good contact between the dog's skin and the collar probes.
What is her reaction when she crosses the fence?
(A) If there is no reaction, we can assume she is not getting the correction. We want to check the collar to make sure it is working. And, then we want to thin out her hair around the underside of the neck and fit the collar so we get the probes contacting the skin. With a Malamute and their thick undercoat, you need to use the long prongs, not the standard short prongs (if you don't have them you can get them through PetSafe). The collar should be tight enough that you can slip in only two fingers between collar and the dog's neck. Then take her back through Step 2 and Step 3 of the training
(B) If she is reacting when she crosses and still going through, she just requires some remedial training. I would increase the correction level, make the boundaries wider and take her back to Step 2 and Step 3 of the training.
Malamutes don't tend to require a lot of correction, so the Stubborn dog system will be fine. You are right to chain her immediately after she starts going through. You never want a dog getting into the habit of breaking through boundaries.
I have a 7yo -70lb Australian Shep who has never so much as winced at pain, lots of coat, super strong willed, a horse pasture across the road, and deer running thru our property periodically. Which system do you recommend? I also need it to be water proof as he loves to be in the pond. Please help. Kate
ADMIN – Hi Kate,
He sounds like a good candidate for the PetSafe Stubborn, a system that has a particularly strong correction. As always, I would not assume you need such a strong correction – dogs can react very differently to the correction, it is an unusual sensation for a dog. I would start the collar on the second level for an Aussie and only increase it if there is only a weak reaction (i.e. just scratching at the collar or not seeming too bothered). Note that if you get no reaction at all – it probably means that the collar is not contacting the skin and needs adjusting.
I am not sure how much area you are doing. I would use the Stubborn up to about 5 acres, if you are doing more than that, use the slightly more expensive SportDog SDF-100A which will take you up to 100 acres.
Hi I was just wondering if the Stubborn dog collar would work with the innotek invisible fence?? I only ask as I already have the fence set up for my boxer dog and have tried the innotek collar on my malamute but she doesn't feel anything from it. thanks and kind regards. Andy.
ADMIN – Hi Andy,
The PetSafe Stubborn collar does not work with the Innotek systems. What kind of Innotek system do you have? My first guess would be that the collar prongs are not quite contact the Malamute's skin, and that is why she is not feeling anything. Those type of dogs tend to be sensitive to the correct and you would at least see some reaction. But, fitting the collar to them can be a little tricky because of the thick undercoat and can require you to thin out the coat a little with some scissors.
We have a lab/shepherd/chow mix puppy and live in a rental house with no fence. She is currently about 16 lbs and just over 3 months old. I would like to keep the the PetSafe brand because a friend has one and I would like her to be able to be contained in their yard when we bring her over. I'm just not sure which model they have. It's at least 3 years old, though. Does that matter? Our yard is quite large and situated between two fields with woods at the back, but a 4-lane highway in front. Would the Stubborn Dog collar be too much for her, or would the Deluxe be too little correction once she is grown? She is currently on a long overhead trolley during the day when we are home but not outside with her, and in a kennel at night and when we're away. She already obeys sit & come, but is still working stay. I am trying to find the most cost effective way to keep her safe yet still allow her the use of our huge yard.
ADMIN – Hi Sharon,
The new PetSafe collar should be compatible with a 3 year old PetSafe system – we could give you a definitive answer if you have a picture of the unit or send us the model number.
With the Chow and Shepherd in her, the Stubborn would be a good choice, giving you a little bit extra correction if you need it. I would wait a little longer however before training her on the dog fence system. Six months old is a good time, a think three months is very early. The issue is that they tend to have a short attention span when they are young making training no fun for anybody. I see that you are working with her, which is great and she seems advanced. You could probably do five months, but not much younger.
I have a 2 yr old Pitt/Rott/Lab mix that became very aggressive to other dogs at about 1 yr. I have a fully enclosed back and side yard but he still finds a way to get out sometimes, either by a gate not being fully closed or by finding a way to go over it (it is 6ft high). Once he decides he is going after something, be it another dog or the lake he is almost impossible to stop. He is an 85lb meathead that seems to listen when he wants to. What system would work best to stop him from trying to go past the fence line and what level of correction would be best to use?
Admin- Hi Adam,
The best system for your Pitt/Rott/Lab is going to be the PetSafe Stubborn dog. The Stubborn dog offers our highest correction levels. We recommend attaching the wire 12 to 18 inches off of the ground to a stationary fence. With good training this should stop most containment issues almost instantly.
Hello, Upgraded from Innotek 4100 to stubborn dog system to try and constrain 1 of my 4 Treeing Walker Coonhounds. 3 of them did fine with the Innotek system but one just would not stay in. I have the stubborn dog collar on the one and she runs out regularly. The collar is working and on highest correction. She knows exactly where the boundary is as she will sit at it and bark from outside until I go out, take collar off, and bring her back in. I believe the collar fit is correct, i.e., 2 fingers only fit. Any suggestions?
ADMIN – Hi Randy,
Wow, this is a tough one. What is her reaction when she breaches the boundary? Does she have a strong reaction or no reaction to the correction at all? The only thing I can recommend is to turn the boundary width dial up as wide as your yard can handle. Ultimately, this is a training issue not a correction level issue. Re-training dogs is very difficult. For one, you cannot leash train them cause they will not allow you to walk them up to the boundary and if you cannot keep her from leaving when she is off the leash, re-training becomes almost a lost cause.
You'll need to find a way to create a new daily routine for her that puts you in charge instead of her. She needs to learn that she just can't leave.
Hi again, forgot to ask how well these systems work with 2+ feet of snow on the ground? Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Kathy,
They work just fine. During the time when snow is on the ground, you'll probably need to turn the boundary width up to widen the signal. When the snow melts, you can adjust it back down.
Hello… We are looking at this system for our two Whippets (25-35 lbs). Do you think this particular system is too strong? I like the different correction settings as one of them is pretty thick-skinned. Thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Kathy,
No, you can use the Stubborn collar for the thick-skinned Whippet and a Deluxe collar for the one that's less so. I recommend beginning on the lowest correction level and only increase it if necessary.
I just got an Austrailian Sheppard/mix (probably bluetick or some kind of hound). She is only 4months old right now and just under 20lbs. However, she is expected to get to be abut 45-50lbs. She is smart and has worked her way out of any pen I have created in the house. I was trying to wait untill she gets a little older to put in an invisible fence, but she has started to chase birds and the vet said she would be fine with an invisible fence now. I orginally bought an Innotek but returned it after I found out I had to have 6ft between the wires, which would have reduced her space in the yard. I have heard good reviews on PetSafe, but I am not sure if I should go with the Stubborn or the delux. Also, one side of my yard is contained because of a neighbor's privacy fence. Could I just run the wires close to eachother along the standing fence in order to use that as my bondary instead of cutting off that side of the yard with the invisible boundary?
ADMIN – Hi Andrea,
All the wired fences we sell will work identical to the Innotek fence you purchased. For a hunting dog like yours, I'd recommend the SportDog SDF-100A. If you decide to install a perimeter loop around your whole property, this may increase your work, however, it will provide your dog the largest safe area to play and run.
Hi, I am thinking of getting this for my 2 golden retriever pups. I have 3 acres that back onto a creek. I would like to leave the creek available to them still and loop the rest of the property. I have walked it and can loop the wire to the water using existing trees and fencing.
1. Will they get any kind of shock going into the water with their collars on?
2. The area around us is wilderness (even on the other side of the creek) so I am confident that I can put extra flags on all sides of the creek, kind of a 'do not enter' warning so they won't want to come up except for our 3 acres. How far should I put the flags as a warning to come back to where they can enter the property? I can set up flags on the other side of the creek as well. I think I will always leave the flags in until nature decides differently.
3. What if they are wet and approach any area of the wiring?
Thanks in advance
ADMIN – Hi Melissa,
1. The water will not cause the collars to correct them, just make sure you have a waterproof collar (most of systems we recommend are waterproof). The dogs will of course get a correction in the water if they cross a boundary (i.e. if you made the boundary somewhere in the water.
2. I am not sure, I understand. The flags should follow the boundary. You can run flags along the creek on either side of your property, but if they do not represent real boundaries, the dogs will eventually figure it out and will break through. You will want your actual boundary to cut off the creek at some point, otherwise you will create an exit point for them.
3. The dogs being wet is not an issue. If they try to cross a boundary, they will get the correction as per usual. If they don't go near a boundary, they will not get the correction as per usual.
What fence would you suggest for a pyrenees?
ADMIN – Hi Lori,
How large is the area you are containing? For large guardian type dogs, the PetSafe Stubborn (up to 10 acres) or SportDog SDF-100 (up to 100 acres) are always good choices. If the dog has a more sensitive temperament, then you could also use an Innotek IUC-4100 if you wanted something smaller and rechargeable.
I have a 45 pound Blue Heeler and was wondering if this system is too much for her. I have to believe that a dog of her nature, that likes to roam, would need a strong shock to keep her within the boundary. Is that the case?
Admin – Hi Hunter,
The amount of correction a dog needs is more related to their pain tolerance than their desire to roam. Some dogs, particular gaurdian type breeds have been selected over many generations to be insensitive to pain. Unless you turn up the correction high, they just will not feel anything. Other more skittish dogs just need a tickle to get their attention.
The PetSafe Stubborn Dog is a good system that will work well for your Blue Heeler. (You may also want to check out something like the Innotek IUC-4100) The correct levels are adjustable so you will be able to set the correction level you feel is best for your Blue Heeler. My experience tells me that you would not needs anything that strong for a Blue Heeler so I would start very low. Blues tend to be a smart and eager to please, so tend to train fast and usually don't need much correction to understand the message.
The most common issues with Blue Heelers is the collar being fitted incorrectly so the probes are not touching skin. With their thicker and longer hair, you sometimes need to thin out a bit of hair to make sure you are getting contact. Without contact, the correction does not work and the whole system is ineffective.
Your site is great! We've used the PetSafe Stubborn dog for years, and it is wonderful for our 3 labs. However, due to not burying the wire deep enough or not burying it at all in some heavily wooded places, we have had several breaks. I was thinking about running the wire through a garden hose, or some type of rubber hose. If, indeed, the wire still broke at some point, would we be able to detect where the break is through the rubber hose? Also, wouldn't the rubber hose discourage lightening strikes?
Admin- Hi Jacquelyne,
If the wire is not cover up or protected at any point we recommend either PVC pipe or a water hose. A rubber water hose will not affect the signal at all. You would be able to fine a break just as easy as if the wire was 6 inches in the ground.
No the hose will not help in discourage lightening strikes.
I have a siberian husky this system was recommended to me by an owner of eight siberian huskies and contains them all on this fence system and had recommended it to me. Installed it and it works great. We did have to thin out her fur in the collar area in order for it to have contact with her skin as Huskies have very thick fur. I would definitely recommend this product and also recommend the lightning protection module to go with the unit.
ADMIN – Great to hear Tammy! The huskies with their love of escaping are very big clients of ours. While they are often thought of as difficult to train, they learn very quickly when motivated and the correction seems to provide ample motivation.
With Huskies, I generally start the correction on a medium-low setting, they usually don't need more than a little shock to get their attention. When training Huskies, as you mentioned, it is critical that the probes actually touch the dog's skin. Use your fingers to feel the contact and move stray hair out of the way.
Hello, I'm about to install your PetSafe Stubborn.
I understand that it requires locating the system 15 feet from any metal boards.
My questions are:
1. Is it ok to locate the system panel next to electric wire that runs in our yard?
2. Do I need to locate the system wire itself in a certain distance from other wires (such as electric/ phone) that runs in the yard or it doesn't interfere to the system wire to work at all?
If I do need to keep a certain distance between the electric wire and the system wire, what would be the minimal distance to keep?
Thank you for your help. Sagi
ADMIN – Hi Sagi,
1. Avoid locating the transmitter box within six feet of other electric wiring.
2. Try and keep the dog fence wire six feet from other parallel wiring. If you need to cross other wiring – cross at right angles.
The reason is that sometimes when you run the dog fence wire or control box near other wiring the dog fence signal jumps into that other wiring and that wiring will start emitting the dog fence signal. This can result in the dog getting the correction in all kinds of strange locations such as near power outlets.
Note this is an infrequent occurance, so if you need to break these rules it is okay. But, you will want to lay out he wire first, and check to make sure this problem is not ocurring before permanently burying the wire. To do this, take the collar and walk around to other places where the wiring runs and make sure the dog fence signal is not triggering the collar in these locations. If it is, you will need to move the dog fence wire and/or control box further from these other wires.
I have a 14-week old Jack Russell and am dying to let him out. I have been cautioned that he'll need the 'stubborn' system just because of his Jack Russell personality (so far he's a very good dog!). Will the 'Little Dog' system be enough for a feisty Jack Russell, or should I just go straight to the 'Stubborn' system. I know that collar size can be an issue for them because they are technically a small dog (or as I like to say, a Large dog in a small-dog body).
ADMIN – Hi Katie,
You Jack Russell will do great on the PetSafe Deluxe. I would not recommend the Stubborn dog for him and the Little Dog may not be enough correction for him as well.
We are currently looking into getting an underground system but are unsure of which one would be the right choice for us. We have a great dane puppy (10 months) who is currently weighing in at 119 pounds and is going to weigh about 200 pounds when he is done growing. We live in town on a busy street and would really like Uecker to be able to have freedom in our yard, but we currently have him leashed at all times so nothing happens to him. Could you please recommend a system for us? Thank you! Abby
ADMIN – Hi Abby,
The PetSafe Stubborn would be the best choice for a Great Dane. Sometimes the bigger dogs like Uecker need a little stronger correction to regain their attention and the PetSafe Stubborn has the strongest correction levels of all the systems. With a Great Dane, I would however start at a mid-level correction and work your way up only if you need to.
I bought this system and an extra collar about a year ago, and what a good decision. Great dane only took one time to learn and never seen a problem again, and the Anatolian took about three times, all on level two. Works like a charm. I like the fact that Energizer high end batteries last months in the collars. Currently in our 5th month on batteries and they are still working. Ran wire above ground through the woods and deer hooves will cut the wire very quickly. Some cheap Rainbird drip irrigation tubing from Home depot was perfect to feed the wire through and now that problem is solved. Overnight I would come up with 1 to 5 breaks in the above gorund portion of the wire but not a single break since using the irrigation tubing.
Now the question. While using these same collars, are there barrier transmitters to keep the dogs out of the flower and vegetable gardens, or training remotes that can also be used with the collars so I do not have to go out and buy all new training systems?
Thanks again, pricing through your site was great and the information was priceless.
Admin – Hi Dwight
We do not have an outdoor wireless zone for the PetSafe systems. we do have an indoor zone. With a little effort, you can create wired zones within your property. Take a look at some examples… http://www.dogfencediy.com/installation/plan/#exclusion
I hope this helps you.
I currently have an InnotekSD2000 this worked very well for my Akita. She NEVER left the fence. We then added two Newfoundland St Bernard mixes and they basically laughed at it I watched the one sit right in the correction zone and his chest was actually shaking and he just waited it out in order to go to the graveyard behind my house. I have checked for breaks etc. and have even shaved both of their necks to ensure good contact. I am considering the stubborn dog fence and then just setting the collar low for the Akita since she responds well. Would this be a good choice or should I just get the Newfoundlands a job digging graves for the graveyard.
Admin -Hi Stephanie
Yes, this is where I would recommend a system with more than 1 level of correction. The Innotek IUC 4100 has 3 levels of correction which would give you additional range. Or possibly, as you mentioned, the PetSafe Stubborn with 5 correction levels.
You just need to find the right balance for your Akita and Newfoundlands. I hope this helps you.
hi we are looking at one of your systems. We are in Australia. Will it plug into our power outlet or do we need a connector/adapter?
ADMIN – Hi Dan,
The systems on this site are for the most part all set up for US (110V) voltage. The only thing we offer in 240V (AUS) or 220V (EU) is the Dogtra EF-3000.
I am new to the underground fence idea and have no idea what system is right for my dog. I have a 2 year old lab mix. I am not sure what exactly he is mixed with. My vet thinks it's a toss up between shepherd, pit, or boxer. He weighs between 75-80 lbs, maybe more since he hasn't been weighed in a year. He is very hyper and fast and likes to chase anything that moves. He is also very strong. I'm afraid that if he sees something, he will chase it and since he is so fast he will blow thru the fence and barely be corrected for it. He already has a PetSafe bark collar. He barks through all of the correction levels until the safety shutoff kicks on. He might yelp once, but it does not keep him from barking, especially when he sees another animal. What system is right for my dog?
ADMIn – Hi David,
Given the possibility that he is a Pitbull, or German Shepherd mix, I would recommend a PetSafe Stubborn collar, just so you have the extra correction levels there if you need them. With dogs with a strong prey drive, the training is even more important to avoid a situation where a dog learns they can run through the fence. In the last week of training, be sure to incorporate some temptations that will get him in that hyper-excited state (like a neighbor's dog or a favorite toy). We want him to learn that the boundary rules apply no matter what the temptation.
Usually when a dog is not reacting to a correction collar, they are not getting the correction consistently because there is not contact between the correction prongs and the dog's skin. I would not assume he need a stronger correction – I would start at medium and see his reaction to the first correction before increasing or decreasing the level.
i have a basic pet containment system(innotec 2000) and my dog(wheaton terrier-30#) is running through it and around the neighborhood! Would I be aable to introduce a stubborn dog collar to this underground system or do I need a complete new set?
ADMIN – Hi John,
The Innotek transmitter you have is not compatible with the PetSafe Stubborn collar, so you would need to replace the transmitter as well to use that collar.
What is the dog's reaction when they cross over the boundary line and were they ever trained/contained? It is often the case that the dog is not getting the correction (you won't see a big reaction) because the collar is no fitted quite right. Even a lesser system like the Innotek SD-2000 should be able to contain a Terrier. I would be very surprised it a dog of that size and breed needed something as strong as the PetSafe Stubborn – that is only really needed for 100lb Pit-bulls and 200lb Mastiffs.
Hi! I am finding a lot of information on your website! After reading all of the questions on it, I have about decided the PetSafe Stubborn is what I need for my German Shepherd/Malamute 6 month old pup–who is already 60 pounds. My question is this–I live in a mobile home–will the aluminum outside walls interfere with the signal? I have seen statements about metal outer buildings and such, but I am unsure about whether I can use an underground fencing system. I'd appreciate a prompt response, as I am ready to order a unit if it can be used. Thanks! Judy
ADMIN – There should be no problem with a wired system installed in a home with metal walls. You do however want to make sure that any dog fence boundary lines you lay parallel to your walls are more than six feet away, otherwise they can amplify the dog fence signal.
Sorry for the slow response. I have heard occasional anecdotal stories about systems not working in mobile homes with metal exterior walls and wanted to check in with the manufacturers to see if there was any issue.
Would this system be too much for a Blue Heeler? about 30 pounds.
ADMIN – Hi Jordan,
The PetSafe Stubborn would work fine for a Blue Heeler, but you would want to make sure to keep the correction strength turned down to the lowest two settings. Anything more than that is going to be too much for a dog of that size, correction sensitivity, and disposition.
I don't think I need this collar because my dog is stubborn, but would like it because my dog is deaf and it viberates. Would this be to strong for a 60 lbs Dalmation?
ADMIN – Hi Jon,
The collar will be okay for your Dalmatian cause you can set the correction level down to an appropriate level. The collar has 5 total levels. Level 1 is a warning level only. I suggest starting on level 2.
We have a 11 month old Beagle who just loves to escape and run about the neighbourhood. Also loves to dig up our garden beds. I am wanting to plant more plants around the perimeter fenceline, and am wondering if the Petsafe stubborn is the right control device for a Beagles strong instinct? I have read in various forums that electric dog fences don't work for Beagles. What is your experience and which should I buy?
ADMIN – Hi David,
There isn't a breed of dog we're aware of that's incapable of being trained on an invisible dog fence. The key is good, persistent training. It usually requires 3 to 4 weeks of training before your dog is ready to be allowed to roam the yard unsupervised. For a beagle, the Stubborn Dog is too much him. We'd recommend the PetSafe Deluxe fence.
I have a Bernese Mountain dog that loves to chase the neighbors chickens, geese, etc. She knows that she isn't allowed over there, but the minute I'm not looking that is where she goes. She weighs about 120 pounds. She does fine with supervision, but left to her own devices she always gets into trouble. We live in the country and have a very large yard. I hate having to keep her in the pen when she is unsupervised, but the neighbors have threatened to shoot her if she comes back over. I want her to be able to run freely, but not have to worry about her getting shot. Is the Stubborn Dog System right for her? Thanks so much!
ADMIN – Hi Maddie,
A PetSafe Stubborn is indeed a good choice for a Bernese Mountain Dog. One tip with a Bernese and other long-hair breeds is that you want to be sure you have contact between the collar probes and her skin – particularly in the training phase. Without contact, the dog does not get the full correction and will often seem indifferent to the correction.
You will want to use the long probes, and maybe thin out the hair a little. Fit the collar box in place, parting the fur and jiggling the collar box until you can see or feel direct contact between skin and the two probes. Then fit the collar band tightly enough that you can insert two fingers between collar and neck but no more.
Hi, I'm am about to buy the stubborn dog system for my two labs. I was wandering if i could just buy the system without the wire? If i could, would 18 gauge irrigation wire be ok to run for the fence? The wire is solid copper and is made to be underground. Also what kind of wire would be needed to run from loop to loop so my dog could pass over it. How deep should i place the wire in the ground? Thanks for the info.
ADMIN – Hi Kevin,
We sell the systems without the wire, it is $10 less than the listed price on the website. If you just send us an email with your order number, we can have the wire taken out and the discount refunded to your card.
Irrigation wiring will work great, as will pretty much any weatherproof, direct-burial, insulated wire. To join the different loops, you will run a section of twisted wire (two regular wires twisted together) between the loops. The dog will be able to pass over the sections of twisted wire without getting the correction. Check out this link for more information on how to use the twisted wire in your dog fence layout.
I have a year old basset hound and six month old pit/rott mix. They are left outside during the day and have started digging under the fence while we're gone. Our backyard is full of holes along the fence now. Would the Stubborn Dog Fence be an appropriate solution to this problem and for these dogs?
ADMIN – Hi Jessica,
You can use an electronic dog fence to stop dogs digging under the fence. That is usually an easy problem to fix, because the dogs really don't want to hang around the fence long enough to engage in a digging session. Instead of burying the wire, you can of course just attach the wire to the existing fence.
A PetSafe Stubborn system would be a good choice. As always start on the lower levels – it is unlikely you will need a particularly strong correction for the basset hound. The Rottweiler mix may need a little more, but still something relatively medium-low should work to stop problem digging.
I have an American Eskimo who has never been much for listening. In the home she is trainable and follows commands. Leave an inch in a door and she is gone. She scares the kids in the neighborhood with barking and has been known to bite. We are at our wits end since the dog has a talent for escaping. Would a stubborn dog fence be the best bet or the standard? The dog loves to run and fails to come when called. She actually plays with you by coming up to you and sprinting off. We obviously failed in the training department.
ADMIN – Hi Pam,
I don't think you would need anything as strong as an Stubborn Dog for an Eskimo. She may be feisty, but that breed is usually sensitive to the correction and does not require a lot of persuading. That said, you could use a PetSafe Stubborn and just keep it on the lower two levels.
One important thing with those hairballs is to make sure you have a good collar fit. You will want to use some scissors to thin out the hair a little in that area. Make sure the long collar prongs are fitted and that you have good contact between the dog's skin and the prongs. The Innotek 410/5100 are both helpful for "big hair" dogs because they tell you when you have the collar fitted, but are by no means mandatory.
PS – Training a dog is easy, we don't need you to be a brilliant trainer, we just need to be diligent. Do the exercises 2-3 times a day for two weeks. In the final few days when you test the dog with the biggest temptations you can devise, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what a bit of diligent training achieved.
Your website has been most helpful, I plan I purchasing a fence system from you all once I figure out what is best for my parents dogs.
They have 2 dogs: a golden retriever and a collie. Both dogs roam the neighborhood when left unattended and I am concerned that they are going to get in trouble sometime. They have been roughly trained but barley listen when they are storming the local walkers barking and jumping, but just wanting to say "hello". I want to get them something appropriate for the 3 (ish) acres. Since the dogs are very poorly trained should I start with the stubborn fence for both dogs?
Thanks, Anne
ADMIN – Hi Anne,
I don't find that poorly trained dogs require more correction … they are equally motivated to avoid the unpleasantness of the correction as much as trained dogs! Collies and Golden Retrievers both don't require particularly high levels of correction, both breeds tend to be sensitive to the correction and smart enough to figure out the new rules you will be imposing. With both those dogs I would start low and then work your way up only if you need to. It is very unlikely that you will need a high level of correction on either of those dogs.
With those two long-hair breeds, you want to be careful when you do the training that there is good contact between the dog's skin and the collar prongs.
And, as I am sure you know, doing the training is really important for the first two weeks when you are introducing the dogs to the fence. So, your parents will have to temporarily suspend their no training policy, after the two weeks of dog fence training they can go happily back to not working with their dogs.
I have this fence and it works well for both an aussie and a bully mix. Occasionally I get a fence brake (woods) and it takes hours to find! Can you recommend a good break locater tool? Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Janice,
PetSafe makes a good dog fence wire break locator tool.
In trying to train my dog when we try to approach the fence he will lay down and not move. How do we get him to get up so he can be trained. He knows the fence is there but today he just walked through it with no problem. I tested collar and it shows it to be working. Any suggestions?
ADMIN – Hi Randy,
If a dog walks through he fence and does not react, the most common cause is that the collar prongs are not properly contacting the skin and so the dog is not getting the correction.
With regard to the dog laying down, that is something you will often see when a dog learns the system. They will often also turn around so their back is to the fence. This is good, you want to encourage them to react in that way to the boundary. Don't force the issue. I would just continue to walk the dog to other areas, and as training advances to use temptations on the other side of the fence like a ball, food, or another dog.
My husband and I are thinking of buying the Stubborn Dog Fence system. We have seven dogs, all rescues: three boxers (one large male, two small females), three labs (two large males and one smaller handicapped female), and one small sheltie/terrier mix. We moved to our new house in April. Our backyard is separate from our house. We fenced it in beyond the driveway using chain link. They figured out how to open the gate. We put up an electric fence for dogs on the inside perimeter of the fence. That worked for about a week, then they started opening the gate again. We fixed the gate issue with more locks, they started digging out. The big male boxer and the black male lab even pull the chain link back with their mouths and escape under it. After rigging this with more chain link (we have a super ugly fence/backyard now), they finally resigned to staying in the backyard. Our neighbors on one side absolutely hate animals, especially dogs, and the neighbors on the other side have two pits that constantly bark at our dogs. So, my husband used an underground fence before we were married with his big chocolate lab, and it worked. We are not worried about any of the females or smaller dogs, as they do not dig out. We are mostly concerned with the large male boxer and large black lab. Our idea is to put up the underground fence in addition to the chain link (as a backup…I am very afraid our mean neighbors will shoot them if they get out). I guess my question is this: how many stubborn dog collars do we need?
ADMIN – Hi Sarah,
You only need one collar for the dogs you want to be subject to correction on the fence. It sounds like there are only two dogs (large male boxer, and large male lab) that will need the fence, so you only need two collars.
I recently purchased the stubborn Fence for my lab/possibly pit mix. I have not installed it. I just read another person's question about a neighbor having an in ground fence. Our neighbor also has an in ground fence so I will be returning ours. My question is: Which under ground fences have adjustable frequencies. It doesn't seem to be listed on your review page or your comparison page. Thanks, Stacy
ADMIN – Hi Stacy,
Happy to switch that out for you. The two systems with that let you change the frequency to avoid interference are the new SportDog SDF-100A and the Perimter Ultra. The SportDog is very similar to the PetSafe Stubborn and would be a good choice for a lab mix.
I just need some clarification: I have the in-ground PetSafe fence and am only doing the back yard. The transmitter will be in our garage, which is on the back side of the house. I only need one wire, correct? Our layout would be an entire loop back to the transmitter the way I figure it. Coming out of the garage, which is facing north, looping to the left, then north alongside the fence and across the back fence, then back south along the east-side fence, then along the back side of the house back to the transmitter.
ADMIN – Hi Jamie,
That layout would work. One thing to consider, if you run the wire along the back of the house, the dog will not be able to go in and out of the house without you taking the collar off and putting it back on each time. To avoid that, we often run the wire tight around the front of the house, or up over the house along the eves. This lets the dog continue to use the back door of the house to enter and exit without getting the correction. There are lots of great diagrams in the Installation –> Planning section of the website that show you some typical backyard layotus.
Hi, I have 2 Siberian Huskies and a Jack Russell. My Sibes are very stubborn and I can't keep them in for anything. Will they be able to run right though this with out a second thought. Is there any guarantee to work?
ADMIN – Hi Jennifer,
Siberians are notoriously stubborn, but really hate the correction and tend to be very sensitive to it. With the training, the dogs are not going to want to go anywhere near the boundary. If you are at all happy after 30 days, you can send it back for a full refund.
With Siberians and a Jack Russell, I would get a PetSafe Stubborn system, with an extra Little Dog collar for the Jack Russell. (But, start with a low correction with the PetSafe – despite their reputation for being difficult, we find that Huskies generally need very little correction)
SHERRI 10-25-10 – I have three Siberian Huskies, only one digs wholes and eats the wooden fence. And gets out all the time. He also is eating the sideing on the house.We put the big cement stones around the fence he moves them.We are trying the stubborn electeric dog fence. Is this to strong for him. He is extremely stubborn and strong willed. I think he will just ingore the shock. I want it to go around the back yard fence and the back of the house. But then I am wondering how he will get througt the back door. Thanks,
Hi Sherri.
Huskies don't tend to need a very strong correction – despite being hard-headed they are usually sensitive to the correction. You can use the Stubborn dog system with Huskies, just start off on the lower correction levels (Level 2 would be a good starting point), and only increase the correction level if you need to. One thing to watch for with huskies is to make sure you are getting good contact between the probes and the dog's skin. You often need to thin a bit of that thick undercoat with some scissors.
I have a petsafe inground system.. 2 dogs both with stubborn dog collars. we have set up an apartment in our metal shop building and I am trying to install the fence but it keeps picking up signal from the metal… Is there anyway to prevent this? what can i do?
ADMIN – Hi Amie,
When you run the boundary wire parallel to sheet metal, the signal often gets picked up by the metal. The best way to stop that happening are to change the routing of the wire, to either avoid the sheet metal building, or to make the wire non-parallel. Unfortunately there is no great way to shield the signal.
I am thinking about buying the Innotek 4100 or the PetSafe Deluxe. I have 2 dogs though, one only 16 lbs (my digger) and one 50 lbs (my jumper) and will be stapling or zip tying the wire to my existing fence. Someone told me that I should not get the Innotek one because with the rechargeable collar it looses correction strength as the battery winds down and that the ones with the regular batteries that need to be replaced are better. Do you know if this is true? Also, is there one that would work with both a small dog and a big dog?
ADMIN – Hi Lauren,
I don't think there's much difference between the way the rechargeable and non-rechargeable work. With both disposable and rechargeable, you should be replacing/rechargint eh battery well before the point where the correction has started to lose strength. They both have warning lights that flash to let you know when it is time to replace/recharge the battery.
Since there is so much disparity in weight between your dogs, I would opt for the PetSafe Deluxe so you can have a different correction level for each dog. You could use a compatible PetSafe Little Dog collar for the 16lb digger, but at that size, they should be fine with the PetSafe Deluxe.
We just moved into a new home which does not have a fence. Our black lab/pointer mix has always had a fenced yard. When she gets out, she loves to run. We are concerned about her chasing deer and other animals in our new location. She usually runs laps around our house but we also now back up to a busy road through the trees. She also does not listen when she is out. Eventually we can catch her with offers of a car ride or a treat.
We were looking at the PetSafe Stubborn Dog Fence because of her inability to listen when excited and running. We wanted a strong deterrent to getting out. Would you recommend this fence for our situation?
My second question is our neighbor has an Invisible Fence right on the property line. We would want to put ours right there also because that is the door the dog uses. Is that going to be a problem?
ADMIN – Hi Kimberly,
Generally you would not need anything this strong for a Labrador/Pointer – both breeds tend to be sensitive to the correction. Certainly you could use the PetSafe Stubborn, just keep it on the lower settings. You would be surprised how well she will learn and listen when she is motivate.
If you have a neighbor with an Invisible Fence, you want to get a system where you can adjust the frequency to avoid interference. Two good systems that achieve that are the SportDog SDF-100 and the Perimeter Ultra.
I have a Viazla/lab mix who trained like a dream to the basic in ground system (Innotek SD-2000). She responds very well to it.
I now also have a Border collie/wheaten terrier mix. He sits inside the fence staring at the neighbors dog pining until he works up the courage and then takes off like a shot and jumps the chain link fence and is in the neighbors yard. He then doesn't want to brave the shock on the return so sits on the other side of the fence waiting for me to come remove the collar and toss him back into our yard.
I'm confident he is getting the shock due to his reluctance to recross the boundary, and his hesitation to before he goes in the first place.
Would switching him to the stubborn dog option be a good choice? Basically do we need to make the correction even more uncomfortable so it's not worth it to go play in the neighbors yard? Or is there something else we should be doing?
ADMIN – Hi Becky,
With the Innotek 2000, there is only 1 correction level. Your terrier needs a higher correction level and unfortunately upgrading systems is the only way to do it. You could upgrade to the PetSafe Stubborn, although you won't need something that strong for that breed. You may also want to consider the Innotek SD 2100 or IUC-4100. With an appropriate correction level, your terrier will contained the same as your Viazla/lab mix.
I have a one year old weimaraner that loves to jump the fence and go to the neighbor's yard. Will this be a good one for him. I live in a residential area and have a fenced in back yard, that is probably half an acre to a full acre also, and was considering just using the chain link fence and privacy fence.
ADMIN – Hi Joshua,
Yes, you can definitely combine a wired dog fence with a physical fence to keep your weimaraner from jumping over or digging under your fence. You can attach the wire directly to the fence or you can install it at the base of the fence.
We are trying to figure out the best solution to keep our dogs in the yard. We have a 70lb Pit bull and a 10lb chihuahua. They are both very friendly with people and with other dogs. This is our main problem because they want out of the yard when they see someone or another dog. We have a fence in our yard, however they have managed to break the fence about 10 times and now that they can't do that any more (for the most part) they have resorted to digging holes under the fence to get out.
So I have a few questions.
1) Will this system work for both dogs? Can I get this for the pit bull and then buy a smaller collar for the chihuahua? What will that cost me?
2) If we line the inside of the fence, will that help keep them away from the fence? Will it also keep them from digging holes? (how is the shot range on it?)
3)We are renting so when we move out of this house, will be be able to pull it up and take it to our next home?
4)Does it have to be put underground?
ADMIN – Hi Ashlee,
(1) The stubborn dog would be a choice for the Pit Bull. For the Chihuahua, the collar would be too big, but you could use the compatible PetSafe Little Dog Collar. The Little Dog Collar costs $100.
(2) Where you already have a fence, most people just staple or ziptie the wire to the existing fence. You can adjust the range by turning a dial on the control box, but with a fence, you rarely need a range more than about 3 feet to stop the dogs getting near enough to jump the fence or dig under the fence.
(3) Yes, when you move out you can take everything with you. Most people leave the wire in place and buy new wire. The wire is so inexpensive it is rarely worth your while digging it up.
(4) No the wire does not have to be underground. It works just as well above ground. The only reason people bury the wire is to protect it from lawnmowers and edgers. If you attach the wire to the fence it will be fine.
Hi, my wife and I just purchased this product for our dog whom is a border collie/lab mix. She probably weighs in between 30-40lbs. Our neighbor already has a in-ground fence setup for their black lab, and we were worried that if we laid our fence right next to theirs, I'm talking like one foot, if it would cancel each other out. I believe our neighbor called his product's company to make sure, and I think they said something about 10feet needs to be in between each fence. Is this true? I am just worried, because the door that we take our dog out (the door that she is trained on) is 5-10 feet away from their yard. Could you please give me some hints on this matter?
ADMIN – Hi Jon,
Which fence does your neighbor have? If it's the same as your fence, your dog will receive a correction when walking into the neighbor's correction zone.
You have another dilemma as well. Regardless of fence brand, unless you can keep your shared boundary wire a minimum 15 feet apart, your boundary on that side will receive interference from your neighbor's fence and will probably be canceled out. The solution to the problem is for one of the fences to be switched to another frequency. Check to see if you neighbor's fence can switch frequencies. If not, you will not be able to use the Stubborn dog fence you bought. Did you buy it from us?
Hi I have a 2 year old st. bernard and pyranise mix she wieghs about 110 and we have the stubborn dog collar and fence and the correction level is all the way up. but the dog still runs through it, do you have any suggestions how to keep her in the yard?
ADMIN – Hi Cory,
There are several recommendations we have for containing dog's who disregard their dog fence boundary.
1) Thin the fur on the dog's neck with scissors or clippers to guarantee a good fitting collar. If you're not using long fur probes, we suggest changing to those.
2) Increase the boundary width if possible. Widen the boundary as wide as your property can take that still gives your dogs plenty of space to play. This will increase the area in which your dog will receive correction and make it more difficult to bolt through.
3) Most importantly, re-train your dogs. The successful containment formula is training + correction. Correction alone rarely contains any dog. With your dogs boldly disobeying the rules, it's time to go back to square one. Treat this as if your dogs have never been on the fence and you need to train them for the first time. So, set up your flags to establish the new, wider boundary and begin supervising your dogs play. Until your dogs can prove they respect the boundary, keep training and do not let them in the yard unsupervised. You don't want to force your dogs to the boundary, but you want to be present give commands. Try using a leash that has a long lead so that your dogs can play, but if they try to leave, you can reinforce the correct behavior. Make sure to have a great, positive attitude about it as well. Reward him with treats when he does the right thing.
Making your yard the fun, safe place to be is the biggest lesson your teaching your dogs. And remember, patience and persistence with the above tips will go a long way in solving your dog containment issue.
Hi i have a 3 English bulldogs I'm going to put on this system 2 i trust this will work on they don't have a high pain tolerance. However my male, is very stubborn and I'm nervous that it won't even register with him? He doesn't seem to care The collar on the stubborn dog fencing does it have a higher correction? I may be worrying about nothing as the beep and proper training will work for him.
ADMIN – Hi Donna,
The PetSafe Stubborn at full power has a very strong correction. It is very rare that it will not be strong enough to recapture a dog's attention. Although, there are of course exceptions – so the only way to know for sure is to give it a shot. When clients are nervous, I usually encourage them to just pin the wire to the ground and get right into training. If it is not going to work, it will be obvious in the second week of training when you introduce the correction. That way you have not invested too much time and can return it easily.
I have large Springer Spaniel and a Miniature Dachshund. Can I use PetSafe Stubborn Dog system with a different correction collar for the smaller dog?
ADMIN – Hi Perry,
You can use both a PetSafe Deluxe or a PetSafe Little Dog collar with the PetSafe Stubborn Dog system. If the min-dachshund is over 12 lbs go with the PetSafe Deluxe collar – under 12 lbs, go with the PetSafe Little Dog collar.
i have a 1yr old old english sheepdog. he's currently shaved down but his hair is growing fast. is this the correct system for him?
ADMIN – Hi Kelly,
With an old english sheepdog, I'd recommend the Innotek IUC 4100. Even your dog is a larger breed dog, their temperament makes them a great fit for the 4100 system.
I have a chow mix who was trained and at first stayed within the fence, but now just runs through and yelps. I've switched to the stubborn dog collar but he still runs through. Is there a recommended 'retraining' procedure?
ADMIN – Hi Will,
Well, you'll want to go back to training your chow mix on distractions. Considering he's not respecting the boundary at all, in a way, you need to think of this as starting over. This means that your chow should not be allowed to be in the yard off a leash or unsupervised until he shows he's going to obey the boundary rules. You're on the right path. This is not a correction issue, but a training issue. Another thing you can do, if you have the space, is increase the boundary width as much as your yard will allow. Of course, you'll want to give your chow plenty of room to play. An larger boundary increases the time in the correction area, which gives your chow more incentive to return to the safe area.
Also you want to check if the collar is still properly fitted. A very common issue with dogs that stop respecting the boundary is that the owner is no longer fitting the collar properly so the dog is no longer getting the correction. The collar prongs must contact the dog's skin. In the months after the dog is trained, we naturally start putting the collar on looser and looser until it is no longer effective – and eventually the dog figures this out.
I have two dogs: A German Shepard-Lab-Husky mix that is about 80 lbs and has a high pain threshold. He loves to run and chase every critter he can find. The other is a pure German Shepard that is about 90 lbs, has a low pain tolerance, and is very obedient. I'm mainly looking for a system that will help contain the mix, as he is the only one that wanders off the property. I have a couple questions:
1. How does the 'Stubborn' correction level compare to the 'IUC 4100'? For ex. is the highest level on the '4100' similar to the mid-level for 'Stubborn'. I'm fairly sure I should get the 'Stubborn' to be safe, but I'm not sure.
2. My plan is to have only one dog (the mix) with a collar, while the other dog is free to roam beyond the boundary. While he rarely if ever would wander, I'm wondering if this is advisable as it could confuse the other dog.
3. If I do go with the '4100' system, and I find the correction level too low, can I purchase a 'Stubborn' collar to use with the '4100' transmitter?
Thanks so much for your help! This site is fantastic!
ADMIN – Hi Erik,
1. The Stubborn Dog has 5 levels. Level 1 is warning beep only and levels 2 through 5 are warning beep plus correction. Level 5 on the Stubborn Dog is 3 times higher in correction than the high level on the Innotek 4100 system.
2. As long as your dog is trained well, he should not get confused. You may need to have training sessions where you walk the other dog through the boundary and tell your other dog "no". In other words, train your dog from getting distracted with your other dog leaving the boundary.
3. Unfortunately, no. The Innotek and PetSafe systems are mutually exclusive. I suggest going with the Stubborn Dog starting on level 2 and moving up to higher levels if necessary.
4. Thanks for the feedback and you're welcome!
My dog is an 8yr old lab mix, about 50 pounds. We put in the stubborn dog fence around our existing fence. I worked with him, doing the suggested training. He know where the boundary is and what those white flags mean, he even know that when the collar is on him then the shock is on. Even with it on level 5 and the boundary up to 7 he is till climbing over the chain link gate and getting out. Any suggestions, cause at this point I don't know what else to do. I know that shock hurts him I have seen it!!
ADMIN – Hi Lindsey,
My suspicion is that your lab mix dog is not receiving the full correction, meaning that the collar probably isn't getting solid contact with your dog's skin. I suggest thinning the fur with scissors and using the long probes if you don't already have them on. As for getting the right fit, you should only be able to place one finger width between the collar strap and your dog's neck, but no more than that.
Hi. We have a 3 yr. old male cocker spaniel, and will be getting a large male lab pup in July. The cocker weighs about 27 lbs right now. We cannot decide between the Stubborn dog (for the price) and the deluxe system. Which would you recommend?
Thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Pamela,
The stubborn is going to be a bit too big and a bit too strong for a cocker spaniel. I would use a deluxe collar with the Spaniel.
The stubborn would be fine on the lab – just keep it on the lower levels. It is not only cheaper, but also uses a non-proprietary battery, so will be cheaper in the long run.
So perhaps get a Stubborn system, and add a deluxe collar for the cocker spaniel.
I have a 4-year old German Shepherd that until now has been very passive. We have a standard privacy fence. Recently our dog has dug under the fence, chewed through the fence and busted through the 2×4 's. I feel that an electric fence is our next step to protect our dog. My question is related to using the gate to remove the dog or use the back yard. If we electronically surround the back yard, how do we get the dog to go through the gate for a walk? Does this not confuse the animal. Our dog loves to go for walks, but we would have to go through that one gate. Please HELP!
ADMIN – Hi Emily,
Once you have got the dog trained on the fence, and you are confident that he is safely contained (2-4 weeks) – we will train him so that he understands it is ok to go through the fence when you give permission. For details see "Dog Fence Training –> Walking Your Dog"
In the first few weeks when you are training the dog, if possible don't let the dog go through the fence at all – we want to make it a really simple clear cut rule that is easy for him to learn. If you want to walk him for those first few week – I suggest you just take off the collar and drive him over the boundary.
I have a 3 year old English Setter that loves to run his heart out. He has recently learned how to get to the road and I was wondering if this would be the best way to keep him from doing that? Is it too late to train him since he isn't a puppy? Also, will he obey it (not cross it) because he want stop to anyones commands once he starts after something? Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Emily,
Training an adult dog is no problem, the dogs are highly motivated to learn the boundary rules so they can avoid the correct. Training hunting breeds like an English Setter tend to be straight forward. You can train a dog not to cross even when extremely excited or even when there is a very strong temptation on the other side of the fence, because the desire to avoid the correction tends to be much stronger than the lure of whatever is on the other side.
The problem owners have when trying to restrain a running dog is that they have no leverage – the fence helps you give the dog a consequence for disobeying.
PS – If there is something that is a particularly strong lure for the dog – then use that as part of the final part of training to make sure that the fence holds even when the dog is really tempted. It is pretty easy to train the dog out of crossing the fence when say chasing a squirrel early in the process, it gets harder if they get in the habit of doing it.
I have a five year old St. Bernard. We live in the country and our yard is about 5 acres, surrounded by woods. When the dog sees an animal or deer he darts through the woods and does not stop. He also will run to the neighbor's house through the woods every time he is not changed. We really want to keep him safely in the yard. I am torn between the stubborn dog fence and the innotek 4100, and the ultrasmart contain and train, because teh like the idea of having a remote with is system but I really don't know if the collar will suit my 160lb dog. I like teh idea of the stubborn dog because it seems as though the collar is stronger. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated before I make the purchase.. Thank You, Stephanie
ADMIN – Hi Stephanie,
With a St Bernard, I think the stronger stubborn collar would be the better choice. The dogs are just so big, you often find that you need the stronger collar – because they just aren't feeling the regular strength collars. I would start the collar at about medium, and then adjust up or down as needed after you observe the reaction after the first correction.
Hi! I have been reading the reviews and am on the "fence" haha about what fence to get. I have a 2 month old husky and am glad to know they are generally very sensitive to these systems! I cant make out from the comments whether the regular system is enough or the stubborn system on low (for the option of higher settings) is correct. I live on a mountain with lots of other small critters about. I also have 3 gardens that i'm sure he would love to dig in. I'm pretty sure these systems have ways to keep them out? At least the inground ones? The wireless ones I dont think have that option? Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi Laura,
With all the wired systems you can run additional boundary wire in small islands to protect the garden beds. The Innotek Ultrasmart IUC-4100/5100 also lets you add wireless pods that you can position in the garden beds to keep the dogs out. You are right that the wireless systems can't be used to keep the dogs out of small subsections within the main containment area, they are also not a great choice for mountainous terrain.
Hi there, I have a male pitbull who turned 1 yr back in January. He is 100% spirit, energy, happiness and muscle! I originally was looking at the PetSafe Ultrasmart until I noticed that the PetSafe Stubborn was more along the lines for a pit. My question is, that although he is extremely strong and quite pain intolerant, he is a HUGE baby and is very afraid of any kind of loud noise ie. lawn mower, vaccuum, diesel trucks etc. I think that the PetSafe Ultrasmart would work simply for the reason that he would quickly turn the other way and run from the fence until the buzzing stopped but I am still worried that he could and would run right through…. What do you think my best choice would be? (I like Ultrasmart the best)
ADMIN – Hi Katie,
With a Pitbull, I nearly always go with a PetSafe Stubborn. Keep the level down at about medium to start. From your description, I think he should be trainable at the lower correction levels, but if for some reason he is not feeling it and needs a bit more correction, then you will be glad we have that extra strength in reserve.
The Ultrasmart is a good system, but the correction level is sometimes just too low for dogs like Pitbulls that have been bred to be very sturdy and insensitive to pain. The Stubborn is a little cheaper too, which is always good!
We have a rot. and bichon mix (17lbs). Can we put a weaker collar on the bichon then the one that comes with the system? What would you suggest?
ADMIN – Agreed, the PetSafe Stubborn is a good choice for a Rotweiller but not so much for a Bichon Frise. You can add a weaker and smaller PetSafe collar to the Stubborn system and it will work fine. The Bichon breed stradles the border between two systems, if they are under 12 lbs I would use a PetSafe Little Dog Collar. If they are over 12 lbs I would use a PetSafe Deluxe collar. Since your Bichon is 17lbs, I would would go with the PetSafe Deluxe collar. The collar is a little bigger than the PetSafe Little Dog but the batteries on that collar are $4 (vs. $10) and last about 50% longer.
We installed the stubborn dog system about 5 years ago. I'm having problems with one of the dogs running through it, though I don't know where. Could the system be compromised somewhere, somehow–or this this dog just getting smarter. Does the transformer ever need replacing? The collar batteries are new.
What is the life limit of the system? We have lost phones, modems and other electrical appliances due to lightning surges–could this be a problem?
ADMIN – Hi Carol,
The first step will be for us to figure out if the system is still working. Take the collar near the boundary and see if it still beeps. Then check if it still gives a correction. If you still have the tester use that. Otherwise turn the collar down to low and find a sucker that will test it for you!
I have a 1 yr old pit mix that jumps 6 foot fences like they are nothing. Ive been tethering her but she gets herself tangled and somehow manages to break every type of tether ive found. We are going to be moving in a few weeks and i would like to install an electric fence. She is going to have a Dog Run at the new house so i would like to put the electric fence around that, but also i would like to put it around the whole front a backyard so she can come outside with me when i am home, would that be possible on one system, like go around the whole property in one loop then do a smaller second loop within it? I know she then would have to stay out of the dog run when she out with me but thats not a problem.
ADMIN – Hi Chelsea,
You can have two concentric loops, one within the other, just be sure the parallel sections of each loop are more than six feet apart and join the two loops using the twisted wire.
I have an eight month old Newfoundland. She is always chasing birds out of the yard. I want the wireless fence but didn't know if this would be to much or if I should use the PIF 300. She can also be stubborn, but it could just be that she is a puppy. Thank you
ADMIN – Hi Cortney,
With a newfie, you rarely need a lot of correction strength, while your pup may be stubborn it is likely they will be sensitive to the correction. You can certainly use this unit, just start with the correction level on the medium-low setting, I doubt you will need to go much higher than that. If possible I would avoid the wireless systems like the PIF-300. You will be much happier with the results from wired systems and it should also be a little more economical.
Hi! Thanks for all of the great info so far! We are thinking of installing this fence, but have one concern. Is this system able to have 3 dogs within it's boundaries and so till work properly? We have 2 Great Dane/Doberman super mutts and a little chocolate lab. I understand we will have to train each dog to get the proper results. Just wondered if 3 is okay. Thanks!
ADMIN – Hi JW,
You can get as many dogs as you want on all the wired systems including the PetSafe Stubborn without performance being affected.
I was wondering if this system would be appropriate for getting rid of my wife's cat. Weighing in at approximately seven pounds, I am hoping that by placing the collar firmly around the cat's neck and setting it to a maximum correction level that it will induce cardiac arrest upon being triggered. Is this system powerful enough to accomplish this task?
ADMIN – Hi Stephen,
I regret we have little experience in the ancient art of feline assassination. I would urge caution, both cat and wife are species known to be vengeful.
I was thinking about buying a PSDF-HD+ Petsafe Stubborn Dog Fence since I have a dog that eats holes through our fence and has climbed out our windows by punching out the screen (when we left the window open by mistake). If I run the ground wire in the front of my house adjacent to a window (where I have a problem with my dog trying to get out of it), what is the distance that it transmits off of the wire. I'm wondering if this would prevent my door from getting near the window inside the house or will the dog not get a shock until he reaches the wire line outside the window. If this is the case, then I need to get an indoor reciever, right?
Same thing applies to me placing the wire on the exterior (outside- near street) part of the fence. Would the dog not even want to approach the fence or should I place the wire inside the interior fence to make it more effective? Please advise. Thanks
ADMIN – You can set the distance the signal transmits from the wire by adjusting a dial at the control box. Usually you will set it so that the dog gets the correction 3-5 feet from the boundary wire. By running the wire close to the front of your house you could set up the system so that it stops getting near the front walls or windows.
Generally, I would put the wire on the fence itself. This is generally a lot easier than running it inside the interior, since you can just zip-tie it in place instead of burying it.
I am thinking of one of these systems for my new house. We will be on 5 acres unfenced in a rural horse area…. I want to 'dog fence' area of about 3 1/2 acres… my question is are these systems a continuous wire underground? this seems cumbersome for such a large setting?
ADMIN – Hi Christine,
The system does indeed require a continuous loop of wire starting and ending at the base station. The wire does not however need to be underground. You only really need to bury it in mowed areas to protect the wire from the lawnmower. Many people will staple the wire to the ground in say wooded areas or attach the wire to a fence where there is one available.
Does the Stubborn system have a vibration setting? Also, does it beep when the dog gets close to the boundary?
Thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Jasmine,
The PetSafe Stubborn both beeps and vibrates to warn the dog as they approach the boundary.
I have 2 english mastiffs, about 160 and 175lbs. I have seen the recomendation of this fence for them but they are so skiddish I am concerned too strong. The female turns the the other direction when i walk her way, and often will do the same even if I am holding a milk bone. The male is not much better. They are large but not at all aggressive. Thanks for your input.
ADMIN – Hi Kevin,
My concern with some of these bigger guardian breed is not that they are aggressive, so much as that they are often breed to be very pain tolerant or to have a very low sensitivity to the pain. These dogs often will not feel anything. They aren't being aggressive they just aren't feeling anything significant enough to refocus their attention. You will sometimes find the meekest and shyest dogs that have low sensitivity just not reacting to the correction.
The closest test is their response to other painful situations. If you have ever observed them accidentally running into something, or have accidentally trod on a tail or paw.
As the owner, you will have much better instincts about your dogs than us. So if you think they are going to sensitive, start the correction down low and work your way up if you need to. I would still suggest the Stubborn system. You don't need to use all that power, but it will be useful if you need it. You could also go with another system, and if it is not powerful enough we would be happy to exchange it within the first 30 days. It should be very clear once you start the second week of training whether the correction level is.
And of course with a skittish dog, always be extra careful during the training to exercise confident leadership. And make sure they don't get overwhelmed during the training. Don't let them get more than one correction a day, and make it fun using more positive reinforcement than negative.
We have a Husky and will be installing a fence soon. Huskies can be stubborn and need to be contained for there own safety. I've seen the Petsmart Stubborn fence in stores. Petsmart uses a Husky on the box. See that and knowing our dog we thought the stubborn fence was needed. After reading these comments and your answers.I think is my not be the best breed to show on there box. Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Mark,
Completely agree. I think changing the picture on the box would be a good idea. Also, I would rename it the "PetSafe Low Sensitivity Fence" (catchy isn't it). Stubborn is misleading, because a high powered color is really for dogs that have a high pain threshold. It is not that these dogs are stubborn, just that their genetics are such that they do not feel the correction when it is on low settings.
I live on a rural unfenced acreage and have a 3 year old Siberian Husky. He is friendly and can be sociable but does not come when called when he is outdoors(he knows the fun would end) and if allowed would run loose and play unsafely all hours of the night. We have tried a hand me down "shock collar" in the past and he has not even responded (though was not formally trained). I have hopes he would respond to training and the stubborn pet fence though am concerned that even with training he may impulsively run "through" the fence line in order to chase a rabbit or go socialize with a visiting dog. How likely is it for a fence-trained, but stubborn dog to run "through" the fence impulsively? Thanks, Kelly
ADMIN – Hi Kelly,
Huskies tend to be very sensitve to the correction. If the collar worked, the likely culprit was the prongs not being in proper contact with the dog's skin. Without contact with the skin, the dog does not feel anything. This is particularly trick on a husky with their thick undercoat. You may want to trim some fur with scissors. Then attach the collar so that you can only slip in two fingers. Then use your fingers to move the fur out of the way so you can actually feel the prongs contacting the skin. Then the next time you need to use the training collar for correction, I think you will get a very different reaction.
The Innotek IUC-4100 and IUC-5100 have a nice little feature that lets you know if the collar is fitted correctly that is very useful with "big fur" dogs.
You will not need the power of the Stubborn with a Husky. While they are stubborn dogs, they also tend to be big babies and tend to be very sensitive to the correction. If you do use the Stubborn, it is very important that you keep it turned down. Many times, the dog is not getting the correction because the prongs aren't contacting, so people crank up the power to full. Then randomly the collar prongs are touching the dog and it gets a really big correction that is completely inappropriate for a sensitive dog like husky.
A properly trained do will not realize they can run through the fence. When you do the two weeks of training, it is rare that a dog is not properly contained even under extreme temptation (like a cat for a husky).
Hello, we plan on installing the stubborn dog system soon. My questions is about the wire used. We have 10ac and would like to fence as much as we can. We will be installing above ground with stakes. Q: Can I use any type of wire, and if so is stranded better than solid, also, is copper mandatory or can aluminum/stainless steel work with the fences?
Hi Mike,
You can use pretty much any copper wire that is insulated. I would not use steel or aluminum they are not great conductors compared to copper. Stranded and solid core wire both work. Solid is slightly better than stranded because it will not corrode as fast if the insulation gets compromised .. but the difference is not enough to justify getting the solid core if you already have stranded.
The PetSafe Stubborn is good to 10 acres, but when you are close to the limit, I like to go up to a higher capacity system. Consider the SportDog SDF-100, it is good to 100 acres and is effectively the same price when you factor in the extra wire it contains. It is also compatible with the PetSafe Stubborn collars if you need them for some of your dogs.
I am getting ready to install my stubborn dog fence. I would like to know if i need to make any additional steps or parts for having the system protected from lighting thanks
ADMIN – Hi Chris,
You need to add in the lightning protection module, to protect the system if lightning strikes the boundary wire. The module acts like a fuse and protects the system in case a surge of electricity comes back through the wire.
This video shows you how to hook up the lightning protection: http://www.dogfencediy.com/installation/mounting-box/
This is where you can get the module: http://dogfencediy.com/store/accessories/lightning-protection.html
We have two, 2 year old English Mastiff siblings that weigh approx. 180 lbs.
We want to contain them in the back yard from eating our shrubs and flowers.
Looking for advice on the best system. Wireless would be cool, but doesn't appear as reliable as underground. Thanks
ADMIN – Hi Rick,
Definitely the PetSafe Stubborn. With that weight and breed, you are likely to need the higher strength correction levels of the Stubborn.
Avoid the wireless dog fence systems, they really aren't very reliable. The wired systems are a bit more work for the installation but you will be glad you did it.
We inherited a 8-10 mo. sheperd/great dane mix puppy in the fall. We put up chain link fence at the cost of $5,000 to keep him in the yard, not really knowing anything about his past. He has now discovered he can jump the fence and does it every time he is outside. We have had to put him back onto a long tether. There is an elementary school down the road from us and although he's never been violent with us, he has inflicted some substantial scratches/bruises on us from his toenails while being playful. Is it feasible to place a wireless fence under or adjacent to a chain link? and would he be a good candidate for this type of fence?
ADMIN – Hi Sandy,
I would run the containment fence wire along the chain link fence (you can either weave if through the chain links, or zip tie it in place). The PetSafe Stubborn is a good choice for a German Shepherd / Great Dane Mix, the size and low pain sensitivity of the German make it useful to have the higher correction levels of the Stubborn (although you may find you don't need it). If you do the training regularly I think you will be pleased with your results.
We have taken in a Boxer for a friend for the next 2 years. We have an acre of land that is fenced in but she constantly gets out of the yard. I have to assume she's climbing or jumping the fence since there are no holes in at the fence. She's 3 years old, weighs about 80 lbs, is very stubborn and does not respond to any commands or training. We have been cited by the city twice because of the leash laws. She is now on a 25′ dog run which doesn't give her much room for exercise, and she's always getting tangled in bushes, trees, etc. Invisible fencing may be our only option. Do you think the PetSafe Stubborn Fence is the right option? Will it work for a dog that climbs fences? How easy is it to install?
ADMIN – Hi Tamara,
The PetSafe stubborn is a good choice for a boxer. They can be less sensitive to the correction, but are otherwise easy to train. The climbing will not be an issue, because we are going to stop her from getting too close to the fence, and she certainly won't have time to attempt an ascent of Mount Fencistan. Installation is easy if you already have a fence in place. Just attach the wire to the existing fence using staples, or zip ties, then get right into training.
I have an Anatolian Shepherd who has decided that even when we are outside in the yard with him and have a neighbor dog over playing with him, the Newfoundland puppy across the street looks like more fun and zip, zip, bang! He's gone over the fence to the neighbors. Is this the system for us? He's a sweet dog, but not very mentally mature yet and I'm afraid he will get hit by a car.
ADMIN – Hi Mary,
The stubborn dog system is the best choice for an Anatolian, many of them need a strong correction to refocus their attention back to the boundary once they have something else (like the neighbour's puppy) in their heads. They are definately harder to train than say a lab, but it is very doable. Just be consistent with your training, and you should get good results.
I'm considering this fence over the sportdog because of the ability to match different sized dogs. We plan on getting a golden retriever and a cockapoo (or other similar sized dog). We live on 5 acres and plan on above ground applications. Would this be the best system? Also there are areas were farm tractors might run over the cable, can we have some areas above ground and some areas underground? Or would it just be best to bury it all?
ADMIN – Hi Craig,
You can have some sections above ground and other sections below ground. It is not a big deal. The only thing to watch out for is that it makes the boundary a little thinner in the areas you bury it compared to the unburied section, so set your boundary width accordingly. The Stubborn is the better choice for your situation because of the ability to mix in the other PetSafe collars. The stubborn collar would work well on the retriever (but you should keep it on the low settings and get the long prongs); and you can use either a PetSafe Little Dog collar on the cockapoo. A SportDog SDF-100 collar would be too big for the cockapoo.
I have a the stubborn fence. Had it for a year now and my German Shepard is now going thru we trained him I though very well he had never gone thru until now. We cant keep him in now its on max. Any ideas for a dog that was trained and did well and now for some reason has stopped noticing the shock. Please any suggestions. I couldnt say enough good things about this fence I loved it until now but I dont blame the fence I just want to enjoy it again like I did before.
ADMIN – Hi JJ,
Two likely culprits. The first and most common reason is that we start to be less careful when we put on the collar so we are not getting contact with the dog's skin, and thus the dog is no longer getting the correction. It takes a while for the dog to notice there is no correction but now that he has learned he basically ignores the beeping and vibrating. The second reason, is that the collar is not working any longer or the correction is not properly set. You can test this for yourself by using the tester that came with the system to make sure the correction is still working.
i have the regular petsafe sytem for my two labs but now have a malmamute huskie and the reg collar doesnt seem to even phaze him, he actually lays down right where the wire is buried and i checked to make sure the collar works and it is working, any ideas?
ADMIN – Hi Larry,
Hi Larry,
I strongly suspect problem is the dog not getting the correction because the prongs are not making contact with the skin. Both the malamute and husky are very sensitive to the correction, even on low they will not like it and will let you know. However, with that thick coat and undercoat you need to be careful in fitting the collar to make sure you actually do get contact between the probes and the skin. If you don't have the long probes, you should get them. Then, trim a little fur with scissors (just a little), put the collar on, and use your fingers to move the fur so you are getting contact. It will be tricky the first few times. The collar also needs to be tight enough that it stays in place, a good rule of thumb is that you should be able to slip in two fingers, but not three.
FOLLOW UP QUESTION – will the stronger petsafe stubborn shock collar help?
ADMIN – Using a higher strength collar will not help if there is no contact. It will also be completely unnecessary for a husky. You really want to keep it on medium or low for them. They have a reputation for stubbornness, but they are very pain sensitive critters.
I have 2 pitbulls. They both lesson very well, but they have high pain tolerance. And they will chase a cat or people walking down the road if they think they are to close. What kinda of fence ( other than chain link) would you recomend? I really want them to be outside with out me. Is there a fence that will keep shocking them after they have crossed the line? And what kinda of cost would be normal for this type?
ADMIN – Hi Zack,
The PetSafe Stubborn dog is the best choice for a pitbull. I would not assume however that they need the high settings, and would start low. With the training, you should be able to get them contained, but as always you are going to want to test them and make sure they are compliant even when there are strong temptations.
All the in-ground fences only correct the dog for a set width on either side of the wire and will not correct the dog indefinitely, hence the importance of training.
A properly trained dog thinks the only way to escape the correction is to turn and retreat. Cost is $186 for the system and $70 for an extra collar.
I have a foxhound that I got as a rescue dog. We currently have the petsafe collar fence system that is not for stubborn dogs. She has been trained on the system and will follow it most of the time, but still gets out when she wants to roam the neighborhood (about 1/week). She can jump fences about 5 feet high and appears to just be running through the shock. Would this be a good choice for her?
ADMIN – Hi Jackie,
Most of the time for an issue like that it is (a) training, (b) the collar is not on right so the dog is getting the correction. The next thing I turn to is the correction being insufficient. When the dog is going through the field
I am thinking of putting in the petsafe stubborn fence. However I only need to fence my front boundary and don't like the idea of having a double loop going across my front boundary and front drive way (concrete) as this then means digging two tracks in order to get back to my transmitter. 2 wires across the driveway isnt ideal. Am I right that to loop back I will have 2 runs of the wire a few feet apart as otherwise there will be interference. Any way around this and stopping possible interference?
ADMIN – Hi Nick,
Unfortunately, you are either going to need to double back on yourself (six feet apart), or run the wire around the entire perimeter. I am afraid there is no avoiding having a complete loop.
I have the stubborn dog in-ground fence system, and am wondering if the collar from my system will work with the petsafe wireless system?
Thanks for your help!
ADMIN – Hi Kim,
It will not work with the wireless. It will work with any current Petsafe in-ground fence.
I am considering getting the PetSafe Stubborn for my German Sheppard mix. With these systems, is the shock progressive as they get closer to the boundry line? Or does it start once they break that line and stop as soon as they have passed it? I'm just wondering if my dog will put up with the shock for a second and break free.
Thank you,
ADMIN – Hi Connie,
Hi Connie,
The stubborn is not progressive. The correction starts a few feet before the dog gets to the wire, and continues for a few feet after (you set how far). Properly trained, the dog will not run through because they will not realize they can run through, you will teach them that the only way to escape the correction is to retreat.
I have a large boxer shephard mix (8 months) and a medium pittbull, lab, weiner mix. We bought this system inntially for the pittbull mix, and it works great for her. The boxer mix, however, we are having a harder time with. We've tried 3 different petsafe collars with him, and the correction "zap" doesn't affect him. We bought the stubborn dog collar today, which uses the 9 volt battery, and he still doesn't act like he feels it. We even used the longer prongs. I would appreciate any help you have to offer.
ADMIN – Hi Amy,
The boxer german shehard mix probably has a high pain tolerance so it could be that. But my leading hypothesis is that the prongs aren't making contact with the skin. I would thin out the hair a little with scissors then put the collar on the dog, then use your finger to move hair out of the way till you see prong to skin contact.
Hi Guys,
I have two dogs: German Shepard and Black Lab, both like to chase deer to my neighbors dislike now. They have run free for 3 years. I have 8 acres and there is 300 acres around me woods and open fields. Would the PetSafe for Large Stubborn dogs work? Fencing the back and side would require over a 1000 foot of fencing, not a small investment $$$.
Thank you,
ADMIN – Hi Phil,
The PetSafe Stubborn would be a good choice for the German Shepard. They can have very high pain thresholds and some German Shepards will need a strong correction for them to even notice. The Lab doesn't need a Stubborn Dog Collar. You could use one of the regular PetSafe collars (e.g. PetSafe Deluxe) on him, or the Stubborn Collar (turned down to low).
I am just getting a Great Dane puppy and am wondering if this is the right fence for that dog. Also when should I start training him, he's currently only 8 weeks old and 20 lbs now but will be 150+lbs in a year or so.
ADMIN – Hi Bill,
This system is a good choice for a Great Dane given their size. I would however start on one of the lower correction levels, while they are big dogs they tend to be pretty compliant and most will not need the higher levels.
When to start the dog on the training is more a function of their cognitive abilities rather than their size. You want a dog that can focus on the training. I like to start them at six months. I am reluctant to start them earlier, but will do it if the dog can comfortably do a "sit", "stay", and "come."
I am very interested in this system for my 6mo M pit. He is extremely social, and would only be free to roam while we were home (kennel time while at work). We also have a 2yr F yorkie/pom who rules the yard with an iron paw. Is there a system that works with two different collars. Could I get this stubborn collar for the pit and the small dog collar for the yorkie with the same transmitter and wire?
ADMIN – Hi Brian,
You can mix-and-match any of the current PetSafe in-ground dog fence system collars with this system. A good choice for the Yorkie would be the Petsafe little dog collar.
I have a small dog (10 pounds) and was wondering if this system would be too much for her?
ADMIN – Hi Angie,
This would be much too strong for her. The petsafe small dog would be a much better choice. The collar and correction strength are more appropriate to a small dog.
We have a 3 yr old, energetic Weimaraner, neutered, loves people. We are moving to a home with no fence and are curious about the invisible fence option. We've gone through dog training twice and also private lessons and he is definitely stubborn about some things, like walking on a leash. Regardless of method (choke, pinch, gentle leader, harness, shock collar) he will not stop pulling. He has a very strong prey drive for squirrels, cats and birds. He does "sit", usually "comes," and will stay for short minutes. What would be your opinion on an invisible fence for him? We never leave him out when we are gone and we do exercise him a lot but it would be nice to turn him out on his own for potty breaks or laying in the sunshine.
ADMIN – Hi Donald,
As long as you are diligent about the training (15 min, 2-3 times a day for two weeks), containment is rarely an issue even for harder to train and strong prey drive dogs. The method of training, where the dog is first instructed what to do, immediately rewarded for obeying and immediately corrected for disobeying is really effective.
If there are special temptations like cats or neighborhood dogs, I would spend a little time using a neighbour's cat (or dog) working on those distractions to be sure he learns that the rules apply even when he is in an excited state, but I think you will be fine.
Just remember this is one of those things where regular diligent training for those first two weeks really pays off. You will get many long afternoons together in the sunshine as a reward!
My question is I have a big mastiff rhott that can be aggressive but is allright at knowing her boundaries and mostly lays around, but we have a church next door and a dumb neighbor with kids and they tie a dog up out there she dont like.. i wanna use minumum volts obviously but afraid she will run ouy of yard. I sthis system the better choice? I cannot afford a real fence so electric is the way to go for me. What would you advise?