If you’re in a hurry to install an underground dog fence then we may have the solution. Yes, you can install it yourself with some basic hand tools and knowledge of how to bury the electric wire. If that sounds like too much work don’t worry – there are also power trenchers available that you can easily rent or buy.
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Table of Contents
- In a Rush? Here Are Our Top Picks Quick…
- Best Overall
- Runner Up – Best for Budget
- Best Heavy Duty Gas Powered Trencher
- Best Manual Trencher
- Best Multi-Trencher for Dog Fence Wire, Cutting Roots, and Multi-Purpose Use
- FAQ
- What Is An Electric Underground Dog Fence And How Does It Work?
- How To Install An Underground Dog Fence?
- How to Properly Splice Dog Fence Wire for Underground Dog Fences
- How Do You Install Your Wire Above Ground?
- How Much Time Should You Budget For Installation Using A Wire Trencher?
- Best Overall
In a Rush? Here Are Our Top Picks Quick…
Best Overall
This is a great, quiet electric model that comes at a very reasonable price. It’s just a bit more expensive than the manual shovel-based trencher shown below.
The main downside is the power cord. If you have a very large yard you’ll want to make sure to have enough extension cords or buy or rent the gas-powered trencher shown below.
- 12-amp high torque motor of the edger trimmer tackles tough overgrowth creating a defined trench
- Exclusive pull-up edge guide of the edge trimmer converts from edger to landscape trencher
- Three-position blade depth adjustment of BLACK plus DECKER edger lets you control the cut
- Built-in cord retention keeps extension cord secure
- Tool-free assembly is quick and hassle-free
Runner Up – Best for Budget
Another excellent all-electric model. We like these as they are great for ongoing yard maintenance along sidewalk and walkway edges. In reality, you’ll only use the trencher for the underground dog fence wire once. If you buy a trencher, best to have something you can use over and over again for other more common yard chores.
- [POWER LIKE THE PROS] The 12 Amp motor of the electric edger spins the 7.5” blade fast and deep at 4700 revolutions per minute, giving you professional-looking lines and edges
- [3 DEPTH ADJUSTMENTS] This sidewalk edger cuts down at 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” depending on the task at hand
- [CUTTING LINE INDICATOR] This yard edger stays on the straight and narrow with the cutting line guide—you’ll notice a difference when you’re done
- [ADJUSTABLE SHAFT] Users of any height can find a length and comfortable position that works for them with the adjustable shaft and D-grip handle of this electric sidewalk edger
- [DO IT YOURSELF. DO IT BETTER. DO IT WITH WORX.] WORX lawn edgers are engineered with cutting-edge technology, and above modern efficiency standards, so you can build a cost-effective tool collection that's been designed to last
Best Heavy Duty Gas Powered Trencher
This is the bad boy you want if you have a huge yard and don’t want to lug around a bunch of extension cords.
It’s expensive so only buy it if you plan on using it for other uses in the garden and yard.
You can also rent trenchers like this for usually less than $100.
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- EDGER AND TRIMMER - Make your yard or outdoor space look incredible with this lawn edger machine. McLane bladed edgers and trimmers use single lever blade clutch and depth control for the exact cut you want.
- PRECISE - This motorized trimmer is designed to ride on most curbs while still delivering a clean cut every time. The cutter head is precision machined uses sealed precision ball bearings on a 2” x 9” spring steel blade.
- ANY ANGLE - McLane edgers and trimmers cut vertically or horizontally, and do it smoothly thanks to wide rubber tires with ball bearing wheels. The blade can be quickly and easily tilted to almost any angle, and will trim flat at any height.
- MEET SAFETY STANDARDS - All McLane edger and trimmers meet all established safety standards.
- MADE IN THE USA - This cordless gas powered lawn edger is proudly made in the USA.
Best Manual Trencher
For those that want to save money with a tool that requires little to no maintenance and lasts a lifetime.
- Professional grade
- Kenyon is the home of specialized irrigation and landscaping tools.
- Tools for professional landscapers and irrigation contractors.
Best Multi-Trencher for Dog Fence Wire, Cutting Roots, and Multi-Purpose Use
If you want a trencher that goes beyond just installing the underground dog fence you may want to check out this model. Need to remove a tree root? Need to chop up some tough soil deep in the garden? Then this is the multi-tool for you.
Do you have a long line of underground wire to install? We recommend the gas-powered model above and to stay away from this one. Not fun on the back to use this for too long!
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FAQ
What Is An Electric Underground Dog Fence And How Does It Work?
An underground electric dog fence uses a transmitter connected to a buried underground wire that runs along the boundary wire of your property. The transmitter causes the dog fence wire to emit a small radio signal.
That radio signal is picked up by a receiver collar worn by your dog. When the receiver collar comes within a few feet of the boundary wire it emits a beep or sound function. If your dog gets closer it then vibrates or causes a small electric shock telling your dog to back away from the fence.
These fences are usually cheaper and easier to install an underground fence than above-ground fences. However, they require special training that can take a few days to two weeks.
How To Install An Underground Dog Fence?
We have a more in-depth article on burying an underground dog fence wire and installing an invisible fence system using this technology.
In short, you’ll need to do the following:
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- Charge the receiver collar battery
- Plugin the transmitter
- Run the boundary wire above ground. See our article on underground fence layout options and our other article on the double loop layout.
- Plug the dog fence wire into the transmitter. Remember to use the twisted dog fence wire method discussed in the two articles above when connecting the boundary wire back to your house where the transmitter is plugged in. Twisting the dog fence wire cancels the signal and allows your dog to cross that area of the yard while still staying in the overall property boundary.
- Turn on the charged receiver collar and set it to vibrate.
- Walk the boundary and confirm the boundary has no weak spots and that the receiver collar is working.
- Once everything looks good follow our instructions to bury the dog fence wire. You can leave it above ground or you can bury it from 1 down to 6 inches. Shallow is fine but deeper will protect it better from lawnmowers, cars, and other above-ground traffic and disturbances.
- Note that if you need to splice dog fence wire together to make it longer be sure to use waterproof splicing hardware that’s proven to last for years underground. See that section on splicing next in the FAQ and remember to use thick gauge wire (14 gauge wire) so it lasts longer!
How to Properly Splice Dog Fence Wire for Underground Dog Fences
In general, we recommend purchasing better splicing equipment than the stuff that comes in the kits recommended above. Why? It’ll last longer underground and is less likely to break due to shifting ground, cars driving over it, etc.
Check your dog fence wire to see if it’s stranded (made of lots of small copper strands wound together) or if it’s one solid piece of copper dog fence wire. Most underground dog fence wire will be solid not stranded. Also, check what gauge wire you are using and by additional lengths that match the original gauge. We recommend 14 gauge wire if you can as it lasts longer.
How Do You Install Your Wire Above Ground?
You can install an underground dog fence above ground. Simply staple it to the bottom of an existing wood fence, zip tie it to a metal fence, or use wooden stakes along your property boundary and staple the boundary wire to the stakes.
While the stake method isn’t the best-looking option, it will be a great warning for neighbors who use shock collars that your fence could trigger their dog’s collars.
Plus installing your fence temporarily above ground (without staples) is something we always recommend. You should always test the hardware and look for weak spots before burying the wire.
How Much Time Should You Budget For Installation Using A Wire Trencher?
According to Extreme Dog Fence, one of the premier brands of underground dog fences, it takes about 4 hours to use a powered trencher to install 1,000 linear feet of underground dog fence. That’s about 250 linear feet per hour.
Best Overall
Our top pick remains the Black and Decker edger and trencher. Best value for the price and ease of use.
- 12-amp high torque motor of the edger trimmer tackles tough overgrowth creating a defined trench
- Exclusive pull-up edge guide of the edge trimmer converts from edger to landscape trencher
- Three-position blade depth adjustment of BLACK plus DECKER edger lets you control the cut
- Built-in cord retention keeps extension cord secure
- Tool-free assembly is quick and hassle-free
My name is Ken and I’m one of the staff writers at Petloverguy.com. I’ve cared for pets most of my life starting with hamsters, turtles, and snakes. Then moving up to parakeets, guinea pigs, and even ducks.
I currently live with two yorkies and a chihuahua mix.