We have two pet goats who roam freely on our property whenever we’re outside. We’re not worried about them running off — they’re very herd-bound — but we did struggle to keep them out of certain areas like flower beds, the garden, and even the front entrance.
To solve this, we installed an in-ground “invisible fence” system typically designed for dogs. It works by burying a wire around the desired perimeter to create a loop. Each animal wears a collar with a receiver: when they approach the boundary, they get a warning beep, followed by a vibration and/or static correction.
This is the system we used:
SportDOG Rechargeable In-Ground Fence Systems
The SportDOG system is more expensive than many generic options on Amazon, but after doing a lot of research, we found it had consistently better reviews. Most of the other brands seemed hit or miss in terms of reliability and effectiveness, and since installing the system takes time and effort, we wanted to invest in something that would last. A couple of years in, we’re still really happy with our choice — the system has worked flawlessly.
Planning the Boundary with Google Earth
We used Google Earth to map out the boundary and estimate how much wire we’d need.
The kit we usedcame with 1,000 feet of wire, which was enough to cover about 1⅓ acres. Since our boundary is just under 2 acres, we also purchased an extra reel of wire.
One big advantage of the SportDOG system is its range — it supports up to 100 acres, which is far more than most other systems. While we’re currently fencing just 2 acres, it’s reassuring to know we can expand it easily down the road.