Invisible Dog Fence Trencher and Wire Machine

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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In a Rush? Here Are Our Top Picks Quick…

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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.

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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.

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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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Best Manual Trencher

For those that want to save money with a tool that requires little to no maintenance and lasts a lifetime.

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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:

1. Charge the receiver collar battery
2. Plugin the transmitter
3. Run the boundary wire above ground. See our article on underground fence layout options and our other article on the double loop layout.
4. 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.
5. Turn on the charged receiver collar and set it to vibrate.
6. Walk the boundary and confirm the boundary has no weak spots and that the receiver collar is working.
7. 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.
8. 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.

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