Spring is here, and the warmer weather beckons you outdoors. Stepping out into the fresh air, you notice it—the remnants of winter on your yard. Add in a dog or two, and you’ve got a mushy lawn in need of attention. Spring is the perfect time to catch up on those outdoor projects, including breathing new life into your winter-worn lawn. Many people start with aerating their lawns to promote growth by providing more oxygen to plant roots.

But before you begin aeration, remember to do this first: Mark your underground pet fence line.

If you have an underground fence boundary to keep your dogs inside your yard, you’ll want to make sure it stays intact while you’re aerating. Most underground pet fence systems are placed between 3-4” below the surface, and the average depth for lawn aeration is 3” deep. If you’re not careful while aerating, the fence wire can get severed and Fido will be on the run. The most common wire breaks made during aeration are around trees, so be mindful of these areas. Over time, the roots push the fence wire up toward the surface. When the aerator is pushed down, the wire gets trapped between the core and the tree root.

How to Mark Your Underground Fence Wire

To find your underground wire, keep Fido inside and remove his collar. Make sure you are not touching the probes during the following steps:

1. Take your receiver to the transmitter normally mounted in the garage and test for audible tone. The number displayed is the distance the collar/receiver will go off from the wire.
2. Take the collar/receiver out to the yard and walk toward the wire, listening for the audible.
3. Place a flag or marker where you first hear a tone. Do this in several locations around the yard.
4. After placing your markers, go back to the transmitter and lower the number on it to 2 or 3; this will let the collar/receiver activate closer to the wire.
5. Repeat the flagging/marking process.
6. Once you’ve finished marking the wire, go back to the transmitter and change the number setting back to its original position.
7. Notify your landscaping service of the underground pet fence and remind them to stay 12” away from your markings.
8. Remember to put Fido’s collar back on before you let him outside!

You’ll need to mark your underground fence wire any time you’re doing yard work that can potentially create a break in the line. Edging, installation and maintenance of in-ground sprinkler systems, landscaping and tree removal are some additional ways underground can be damaged if not marked properly prior to beginning the work.

If you’d prefer to have a professional mark your underground fence line, St. Louis Dog Fence can help. Our professionals will come out, locate and mark your fence boundary line for you.

Control Your Underground Fence System from Your Phone

An underground pet fence system is a great way to contain your pet while maintaining your yard’s aesthetics. The system is more cost effective than traditional fence options and eliminates the need for trimming or mowing around a physical barrier.

And now, your underground pet fence system is more convenient, too! LinkTM lets you monitor your pet’s behavior right from your smart phone. Link sends you a notification if a setting needs to be changed, and lets you adjust the setting on your dog’s collar directly from your smart phone. This breakthrough technology gives pet owners access to real-time information including if your dog’s collar needs to be charged and whether an adjustment needs to be made to one of the more than 1,000 available settings. It also sends this information to your Pet Stop Dealer.

View the video below to see Link in action!

Link is the latest advancement from Pet Stop, the leader in underground pet fence technology for over a decade. Link is only available through St. Louis Dog Fence. Call us today for more information at 314-324-7084.