🦴 Updated on July 6th, 2023
Dogs are curious animals, ready to explore their environment at the slightest chance. Even a well-trained dog or pup can still wander away. Traditional fences have been a go-to solution for keeping our canine friends within preferred confines but not anymore.
A wireless fence for dogs is now all the rage owing to its invisible nature and ease of installation.
Given the vast range of wireless dog fences in the market, it can be challenging to find a suitable one for your canine friend without the correct information. We’ve prepared a list of the best wireless dog fence for small dogs to help you.
The PetSafe Stubborn In-Ground Pet Fence came highly recommended due to its extensive coverage, ease of installation, and intense correction levels. Even the lowest static correction level is enough to train a pup not to cross the set boundary.
If you want to compare a few more options before buying our top pick, check out this roundup of the ten best invisible fences for dogs.
Best Wireless Dog Fence for Small Dogs Reviewed
Let’s get right to our favorite picks for invisible dog fences.
#1 PetSafe Stubborn In-Ground: Our Top Pick
The PetSafe Stubborn In-Ground Pet Fence is our top pick because of its ability to create a safe barrier within a ⅓-acre yard, tone and vibration modes, and adjustable collar.
The pet fence comes with a 500-foot wire, enough to create a barrier within the indicated play area, but if that’s not enough, you can buy another wire to expand the play area to 25 acres.
Two to three zaps on the lowest settings get even the fiercest dog calm and responsive to the set boundaries. What’s more, PetSafe blends vibration and tone modes which come in handy for hearing-impaired dogs.
We found the installation process somewhat tasking because we needed to bury the wire, but once it’s set up, you never have to worry about your pup getting lost. With tools like the sidewalk edger, making a channel in the ground is much easier.
If you want the wire to last longer, it’s best to use a 12 or 14-gauge braided wire. If you have an aggressive dog and are worried about keeping him within the set boundaries, you shouldn’t be. PetSafe equips this device with four static correction levels, effective even at the lowest settings.
Pros
- Adjustable collar
- Two alert modes
- Adjustable correction settings
Cons
- Flimsy wire
- Tasking installation process
#2 PetSafe Wireless Fence: Best Value Pick
This wireless fence for small dogs is a great budget buy for pet owners who don’t want to do the groundwork of setting up in-ground fences. Plugging it in without digging the yard and installing a boundary wire is appealing. This PetSafe Wireless fence collar provides the convenience that pet owners look for.
Simply install the transmitter at the preferred location and place the collar around your dog’s neck. Since it is wireless, it’s compatible with other wireless fences like the Stay+Play PIF00-12917 and the PIF-300 system.
Besides being a great budget pick, the collar has a waterproof receiver. Your pet can wander in the rain and swim while wearing it.
The collar is specially designed for small dogs but is adjustable to fit dogs with neck sizes of 6-28 inches.
Our test dog had a tiny body and a large neck area, but the collar still fitted perfectly. Previously we’ve had our little champ wear a collar with heavy receivers, which felt uncomfortable after a few days.
The reception was very different with PetSafe’s collar as he could wear it for hours without getting tired.
Like most other wireless dog fences, the collar has five static correction levels, which adjust automatically as the pet approaches the boundary. And if you’re one of many pet owners who have ethical concerns about using static shock collars, you can fine-tune the collar to use the tone-only mode.
Pros
- Compatible with other fences
- Great value
- Lightweight receiver
Cons
- Short battery life
- Too much interference if worn indoors
#3 Extreme Dog Fence: Best Premium Pick
Finding an invisible dog fence covering vast spaces is quite handy for pet owners with large yards. This second generation of eXtreme Dog Fence is one such fence that covers up to 10 acres of land.
The system comprises a heavy-duty 20 gauge wire which lasts a lifetime, a collar, and twisted wire. We loved the waterproof collar submersible up to 10 feet under without compromising the system’s performance.
The fence has five adjustable static correction levels and a beep-only mode. The static correction levels are so strong that most dogs only need the second level to correct their behavior.
It’s lighter (1.1 pounds) than most dog collars allowing your little pup to wear it for hours without feeling worn out.
And unlike most collars with three or four correction levels, the Extreme Dog Safe Fence has seven settings and a beep-only setting.
Each level has two advanced settings that adjust to a higher level as the dog inches closer to the boundary. This means you don’t have to worry about your pup crossing the border in your absence.
And if you’re worried about other neighbors who may be using invisible dog fences, you can always fine-tune yours using the Digital Frequency Encoding feature. It eliminates signal interference by allowing you to change the AM radio frequencies.
Pros
- Vast acre coverage
- Waterproof collar
- Eliminates signal interference
Cons
- Difficult to install
- Short battery life
#4 PetSafe Wireless Receiver: Most Durable Dog Fence
This wireless dog fence for small dogs stacks up pretty well against other invisible dog fences. Its wireless construction, affordable price, and ease of installation, among other features, earn it a top spot in our reviews.
The collar fits almost any small dog breed nicely and can easily be adjusted to fit larger dogs as well. It syncs perfectly with a containment system with no issues.
We love that the durable collar has an over-correction protection feature that caps the electric stimulation to 30 seconds only. This means if the dog runs through the barrier, the electric stimulation doesn’t shock him indefinitely.
The battery life of this receiver is somewhat short (two to three months), but we love that PetSafe includes a low battery warning. A red light flashes when the battery is almost depleted to alert the user to change it.
Pros
- Over-correction protection
- Partially waterproof collar
- It has a low battery warning
Cons
- Short battery life
- Sends shock signals unnecessarily
#5 PetSafe Stay and Play: Best Rechargeable Battery
This pet fence isn’t just the best wireless dog fence for small dogs but for stubborn ones. Like its name, it’s specially designed to train stubborn dogs and prevent them from crossing specific barriers at home.
We loved that this invisible dog fence creates a boundary adjusting up to ¾ acre of land. And since it is wireless, the setup process is a breeze. Look for a central location to erect the transmitter, set an appropriate boundary, and it’s ready for use after one to two hours.
With the PetSafe Stay and Play Wireless Pet Fence, battery replacement is a thing of the past as we only need to recharge it.
One feature that stood out was the rechargeable receiver. We have used many wireless dog fences before, and most of them need a battery change three to four months into use.
We tested the collar on a Chihuahua, and it didn’t take long to master the set boundary. The second auto-correction level was enough to retain him within the yard.
Thanks to the long contact points, we loved that the collar could fit our older and stubborn Golden Retriever. However, he needed higher shock levels to correct his behavior, up to the fourth correction level.
Pros
- Stable signal
- Rechargeable battery
- Long and short contact points
Cons
- Inconsistent barriers
- Collar comes off easily
#6 PetSafe UL-275-67D: Best Ultralight Dog Fence
We tried this dog collar on a Jack Russell terrier we had rescued from the shelters. Most other dog collars we had tried were either too heavy or slipped off quickly. The In-Ground Deluxe dog fence nearly solved our problems as it fit perfectly and was equally effective.
The collar is perfect for our rescue dog, which was pretty tiny when we got him from the shelters.
PetSafe UL-275-67D is ultra-light (2.5 ounces), hence doesn't feel heavy on the dog’s neck, and fits pets weighing as little as five pounds.
We loved that it has four correction levels effective on our stubborn Russell. We only needed the first correction level to correct our dog’s aggressive behavior within the first week of training. The receiver is waterproof, so we’re confident that he can wear it in any weather.
Most other collars had a plastic material which created discomfort around the dog’s neck. However, the In-Ground Deluxe has a nylon strap that is more comfortable and hardly irritates a dog’s neck. It has two contact points, making it easy to choose a comfortable point for our short-haired Russell.
Pros
- Comfortable strap
- Lightweight construction
- Compatible with other PetSafe fences
Cons
- Short battery life
- Static shocks are intense for small dogs
#7 SportDOG: Best Underground Dog Fence
The SportDOG In-Ground Fence System is the ultimate pick for pet owners with small and large dogs alike. This fence system is an excellent all-around buy with a containment kit designed to cover 1/1/3 acres of land for dogs weighing 10 pounds and over.
The installation is pretty straightforward, but you may need some training if it’s your first time. We used an edger to bury the wire and cut the trenches, and secured it using landscaping staples under the bushes. Then we set up the transmitter a few inches from the wire to test it, and it worked pretty well.
The device has seven static stimulation levels, tone, and vibration modes allowing one to choose the best for a dog.
The static stimulation levels were a little intense, so we decided to use it on our athletic German Shepherd. To our surprise, the second level was more than enough to keep him within the set confines.
Another feature that stood out was the ability to expand coverage to 100 acres without interfering with the signal. Our yard is quite large and densely wooded, which means the 1,000-foot wire wasn’t enough.
We needed up to 1,600 feet of wire, and the transmitter still sent intense signals as long as the dog was within the yard’s perimeter.
Pros
- Vast coverage
- Expandable
- Rechargeable batteries
Cons
- Extremely thin wire
- Tasking installation process
#8 PetSafe Pet Containment System: Best Portable Fence
Besides the ability to restrict dog movements, we love highly customizable wireless dog fences. This model from PetSafe is an excellent example. Pet owners can contain an unlimited number of pets using its single system.
PetSafe's wireless control mechanism means that the system is incredibly portable. You can carry it when camping, on vacations, at barbecues, and in other areas.
We found its acre coverage a little restrictive (½ an acre), but we were glad we could expand it by adding another transmitter.
We loved the intensity of the five adjustable correction levels. The lowest setting was the most effective for our Chihuahua, but our German Shepherd needed the highest setting to keep him calm. However, we couldn’t use it on our Jack Russell because it lacked short contact points.
Pros
- Easy installation
- Waterproof collar
- Supports multiple dog collars
Cons
- Too much signal interference
- Doesn’t have short contact points
#9 PetSafe Basic In-Ground: Best Bang for The Buck
We bought this in-ground system to replace an older model, and we must say it gives you an excellent bang for the buck. It has all the features (waterproof collar, short and long points, adjustable correction levels, etc.) we look for when buying high-end dog fences and works just as well.
The device pairs easily with PetSafe in-house transmission, creating a radius they can’t enter. The feature makes it easy to keep the pups out of our kids’ rooms.
What stood out was its ability to control an unlimited number of pets. We love keeping dogs and bringing in pups from the shelters, but we needed an easy way to contain them within the yard. This is compatible with other PetSafe systems except for YardMax, so we only needed to add a few matching collars.
And with up to four correction levels, it was easy to tailor them to a dog’s temperament. The second level was enough to train most pups, but some were extraordinarily aggressive and needed high correction levels.
Pros
- Affordable
- Has long and short contact points
- Can set up multiple systems
Cons
- Prong breaks off easily
- Nylon collar frays after some uses
#10 PetSafe LCD Fence: Best LCD Feature
We’ve used this wireless dog fence for a while, and it stacks up pretty well against other high-end dog fences. The LCD feature stands out as it helps us monitor our dog’s movements from the comfort of our house.
If you’re worried about replacing batteries every two or three months, you shouldn’t; the receiver has a rechargeable battery.
Setting it up is pretty easy on flat landscapes. However, we had trouble erecting it on rocky areas because the transmitter sends signals in a sphere-shaped perimeter. As a result, the perimeter is irregular, but the dog fence is still quite effective if it’s for a short while, e.g., camping.
We loved its vast acre coverage of 22-105 feet. The transmitter sends strong signals in all directions, so you don’t have to worry about the dog crossing the furthest boundary.
Pros
- LCD display
- Stable signal
- Rechargeable battery
Cons
- Has long contact points only
- Most effective on flat landscapes
Small Dog
Small Dog Wireless Fences Buying Guide
Invisible fences are an excellent choice for a dog’s safety. They remove human error (you won’t have to remember to keep the fence closed), and they can fit the parameters of your yard, no matter the landscape.
You don’t want to buy an invisible wireless dog fence that’s too big for your small dog or that wears out quickly. The following points will go a long way in helping you make an informed purchase decision for an electric fence for dogs.
Set-up Options
When setting up an invisible fence for dogs, you have two options: underground and home setups. You set up an underground fence for dogs by running a wire that detects your pup’s movement around a property.
The wire sends signals from a central location called a home base. The installation process is quite tasking because you must dig up the yard to bury the wire.
An electric fence for small dogs or large dogs with an underground setup is suitable for oddly shaped yards as they allow your dog to utilize the entire space without wandering away. What’s more, it doesn’t need human supervision once the fence is set up.
On the other hand, a wireless invisible fence uses a transmitter to send signals to a receiver on the dog’s collar. The transmitter creates a 360-degree radio frequency to prevent the dog from wandering off.
Wireless dog fences are great for square-shaped yards as they create round perimeters. Your pup can run around the yard except for the corners.
Area Coverage
Some invisible fences for dogs have transmitters that create half-acre circular barriers, while others provide barriers on areas as large as 1/1/3 -25 acres. It’s best to look for systems that allow you to extend the area coverage to give your pup more play space.
Correction Levels
Look for electric dog fences with adjustable correction levels. You can easily fine-tune the settings based on your dog’s sensitivity.
Small and sensitive dogs, for example, can respond to the lowest correction levels, while high-energy dogs may require a more substantial jolt to show them they’re making a mistake.
Control Mechanism
The primary objective of an invisible dog fence is to restrict a dog’s movement. They send signals to the dog’s collar when a dog approaches a barrier.
You can check if the small dog electronic fence allows you to send repulsive signals when you want your dog to keep off certain areas of your garden.
Battery Backup
You don’t want your dog wandering off whenever there’s a power outage, and buying an invisible dog fence with a battery backup is one way to avoid it. The devices are integrated into underground systems to provide a few days of power during an outage.
You want to check if the system is equipped with a surge protector. Lightning can fry any electrical device, and a surge protector minimizes its effect. It redirects the surge from the fence before it can damage the fence or a home’s electrical system.
Conclusion
The PetSafe Stubborn In-Ground Pet Fence is the best wireless dog fence for small dogs. Although it’s an underground fence for dogs, it creates a safer perimeter for pets.
It hardly experiences signal interferences as most wireless dog fences, and the shocks are intense even at the lowest settings. We loved that dogs with hearing-impairment problems can use it.
Two to three zaps on the lowest settings get even the fiercest dog calm and responsive to the set boundaries. What’s more, PetSafe blends vibration and tone modes which come in handy for hearing-impaired dogs.
