Where were sod staples 5 years ago when I was elbow deep in my lawn trying to bury wire? That is the question that comes to mind as I look back at my experience installing my invisible fence.

At the time I had two miniature dachshunds that loved to roam. I wanted to keep them in the yard but did not want to close my yard off by adding a fence. I decided to purchase the PetSafe underground fence and started planning my installation.

I have a 1.5 acre lot and wanted to give the dogs as much freedom as possible so I knew that the standard 500 yards of wire wouldn’t do the trick. I ordered an extra 500 yards and set out to set up my fence.

Let me just stop here and reflect on what I have learned in the last 5 years about installing an underground fence.
1. I now know that PetSafe, Innotek and other companies offer ‘Sod Staples’. These handy little devices allow you to secure the wire for your invisible fence above the dirt but close to the ground so as grass a grows and dies the wire get’s buried under a layer of earth and compost. I did not know this when I installed my underground fence.
2. I now know that there are professionals that will do this job for you. They will show up on time and with the proper tools to get the job done in the fraction of the time it takes to do it yourself. They have special tools that will cut through the ground while at the same time laying the wire in the crevice that is created. I did not know this when I installed my underground fence.
3. There is poison ivy in the uncut portion of my yard where I buried my underground fence. I did not know this when I installed my underground fence.

Had I known these 3 facts 5 years ago, this would be a very different story. As it was I set out one Saturday morning with my plan, my wire and my shovel to install my underground fence. I started by using the shovel to create a 3 inch crevice. I would do this in 15-20 foot increments and then come back and bury the wire. By lunch time I was a quarter of the way done and filthy. I cleaned up ate, rehydrated and got back to work until dark. With half the yard done and some dirt under my fingernails I felt good going to bed that night knowing what I had accomplished.

I woke up on Sunday to rain and decided to postpone any further work until a dryer day. I was not able to get any work done during the week but did find on Wednesday that I had picked up poison ivy. “Hmm, I wonder where that came from?” I am not just a little allergic to poison ivy, I could be the spokesperson for it. So now I have a new dilemma to deal with; if I leave the fence buried where it is the dogs will be able run in the poison ivy and bring it into me whenever they like. If I move the invisible fence, I’ll have to go back into the tigers den and risk contact with the nasty plant again.
The week slipped away from me and the following weekend required my attendance at an out-of-state graduation party. Fourteen days after beginning the product I finally had another full Saturday to dedicate to the project. The grass was getting long so the project needed to get done. I armed myself with leather gloves long pants and sleeves and winter boots to go dig up the wire that I had buried so I could move it over 10 feet. With the wire moved I disposed of most of the clothes and put my boots in a plastic bag to sit for 6 months. Another day of hard work and I was still only half done and itchy. The next day I was able to finish the yard but not before running to the store to get more wire because I had run out.

The moral of the story is: seriously consider sod staples or professional installation of your new invisible fence. Spend your time training your dog instead of burying the wire.

Jeff Joseph
Director of Sales
www.UltraSonicDog.com
jjoseph@UltraSonicDog.com