The amount and gauge of underground fence wire depends on the system, some come with a little more wire than others and some come with a wire of a lower gauge (increased thickness) wire. Unless you are doing a small and simple installation, the wire included with your system likely won’t be enough and it may not even be the best electric dog fence wire for your particular installation.

The underground fence wire that comes standard with in-ground electric dog fence systems is referred to as factory grade wire. It’s a generic weather resistant wire coated in non-waterproof vinyl. By contrast, pro-grade electric dog fence wire is completely waterproof – coated with a 45-millimeter polyethylene jacket.

While the factory-grade wire is generally reliable and is successfully used in many installations, upgrading to pro-grade wire could prove to be a smart long-term investment. Pro-grade underground fence wire is thicker and therefore more resistant when it comes to breakage from things like edgers, weeders, and wild animals. Pro-grade wire is also waterproof rather than water resistant like the factory-grade wire that comes standard in your dog fence kit. Factory-grade electric dog fence wire has a thin vinyl covering that leaves it susceptible to corrosion over time. Pro-grade underground fence wire, on the other hand, has a thick and completely waterproof coating of polyethylene. This coating protects it from the surrounding soil and keeps it safe from corrosion and sharp objects like rocks and roots that can damage underground fence wire.

Pro-grade wire is recommended for all water installations (whether including or excluding the body of water), installations in areas of high precipitation, colder regions where frost and frozen ground may present wire break issues, and heavily treed or very rocky areas.

Electric dog fence wire is an important component of your electric dog fence system. Wire breaks leave your dogs unprotected and finding and repairing them can be time-consuming at best and darn near impossible at worst (like when they are under 3 ft. of snow and the ground is frozen!). Upgrading to professional grade electric dog fence wire safeguards your investment and your time by preventing wire breaks.

Avoid the searching, digging, and fixing headache caused by a wire break by getting it right the first time with professional grade underground fence wire.