Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit – Detailed Review

Extreme Dog Fence® is responsible for yet another fence system which we’ll be reviewing and that is the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit.

We believe that one of the things that the Extreme Dog Fence® has going for it is its specificity; that is, it only produces fence systems for dogs. However, more importantly is the fact that it carries products that are of good quality and people have noticed.

That said, the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit was created to cater to dog parents who are looking for something minimalistic and to save a few bucks. But before we get into the specifics, let’s find out….

Who Is The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit For?

Extreme Dog Fence® recommends that the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit only be worn by dogs who weigh, at least, 15 pounds. In addition, the collar only adjusts between 10 and 26 inches. So, not only is this not for small dogs, it is recommended that you not use this on your puppy if they are younger than 6 months old.

Furthermore, senior dogs and generally any dog that is not in great health should not be wearing a device that administers static shock as a correction mode.

What Are The Features Of The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit?

The following are features of the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit:

  • The transmitter with its power adapter.
  • Collar receiver and its charger.
  • Adjustable collar
  • Boundary wire
  • Training flags.
  • Collar test tool.
  • Training manual.

The Transmitter With Its Power Adapter

First off, there is an LCD display screen on the transmitter which allows you see what settings you have made to the kit.

Furthermore, there is a power light that should be on if the transmitter is properly plugged in. The transmitter comes with its own power adapter. But after plugging in the transmitter, remember to click the power button to kick things off.

There is a wall mount included in this kit for you to hang the transmitter to the wall. Be sure to mount it close to a power outlet and away from other metal objects. It makes better sense to mount the transmitter indoors, especially seeing as it isn’t waterproof.

That said, this transmitter can detect breaks in your wire. It won’t tell you exactly where it is (you’ll need a wire break detector for that) but it will tell you if there are breaks. There is a small light indicator on the transmitter tagged ‘break’ that is just for that purpose.

Finally, you can either get this kit as a 1 or 2-dog system. However, whichever you decide to go for will be able to accommodate as many dogs as you want. All you’ll need to do is get extra collars.

Collar Receiver And Its Charger

Unlike some of the other Extreme Dog Fence® receivers we’ve reviewed, this one is rechargeable and comes with its own charger. This could be a good thing in the long run seeing as how you won’t need to continually replace batteries.

Another way this receiver differs from some other Extreme Dog Fence® receivers is in the fact that they tried to make this one as minimalistic as possible. As a result, there is only one correction level and no need to calibrate any frequencies.

Aside all that, though, this receiver remains waterproof which suggests that the wearer can wear the receiver even when they are taking a bath or just swimming.

Furthermore, this kit comes with two pairs of contact probes; there is a short pair and the long pair. The contact probes are to be attached to the inside of the receiver and are responsible for sending the static shock to the wearer.

As a result, when your dog wears the receiver, be sure that the probes are actually touching their skin; not pinching, just touching. If your dog is long furred, the long pair of contact probes would be more effective and vice versa.

You also get a wrench tool which you’ll use in fixing in the contact probes. Don’t get thrown off by the wrench tool; fixing in the contact probes is really no biggie.

Adjustable Collar

The receiver will be hung around your dog’s neck with an adjustable collar. And this is something else that is different with a number of other Extreme Dog Fence® kits.

Most other collars by Extreme Dog Fence® are nylon collars but this one is made of TPU leather. So, aside being able to adjust it to fit, you could actually cut the collar to size.

That said, the adjustable collar is waterproof and uses a metal buckle for a clasp and for making adjustments.

Boundary Wire

This kit comes with 500 yards of 20-gauge wire. The wire is fairly strong but doesn’t have much of a protection against the elements. So, you’ll have to be careful there.

It is fine if the wire is buried; however, you do not want to go below 3 inches as this wire isn’t built for that. The wire should cover about 5 acres of land, though.

Now, while it isn’t advisable to put this wire on the ground or on an existing fence because of the lack of protection, Extreme Dog Fence® says you can put it in a water body, providing it is insulated in some kind of tube.

Training Flags

The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit comes with 50 training flags; that is, 1 flag for every ten-yard of wire.

Now, these training flags are small white things and the idea of them is to serve as a visual marker seeing as there is nothing else to help your dog learn where to or not go.

These flags are extremely important during the training period. However, whether or whether not you’ll leave them there after the training period is dependent on your take on aesthetics.

Collar Test Tool

This kit comes with a small plastic thing that has a little bulb inside. And this tool is for checking to see if the receiver works.

What you want to do is place the plastic thing on the contact probes (which should be on the receiver at this point) and walk towards the boundary line. If the bulb lights up, it means the receiver works.

You want to do this all around the boundary area so that you are sure that the receiver works everywhere the wire is and there are no dead spots.

Training Manual

There is a small training manual included in this kit. It is written in easy to understand English and we recommend that you refer to it as you set up your fence system.

Is The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit User Friendly?

The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit is user friendly. It is a basics kit and is basically what it says it is; basic.

There aren’t any complexities to it and there isn’t even much setting up to do. And if you happen to hit a snag, you could just refer to the training manual.

However, you must know that there has to be a training before you both (you and your dog) launch into using the kit fully. And we recommend that you involve a professional in this training process, just so that you are sure there are no accidents.

Pros Of The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit

  1. Both the receiver and the collar are waterproof allowing them to be used in water and generally wet situations.
  2. Also, whether you choose to go with the 1-dog system or the 2-dog, the system is built to accommodate as many dogs as possible. You’ll just have to get extra receivers.
  3. We consider the fact that the receiver is rechargeable a plus because you need not continuously replace batteries.
  4. Finally, this kit comes with a 1-year warranty. However, if you register your Extreme Dog Fence® Standard Grade Fence Kit with Extreme Dog Fence®, you get up to a 5-year warranty.

Cons Of The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit

  1. There is no leash ring on this one. So, your dog will have to be wearing his regular collar during the training period seeing as you’ll need to lead him with a leash.
  2. We are not exactly comfortable with the fact that there is only one correction level to this kit. While this one level could prove to be really effective for a number of dogs, it could also be either ineffective or too much for some others.

Check out these articles:

Alternatives To The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit

Consider any of the following if the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit isn’t your cup of tea:

  • Option With Replaceable Batteries: Extreme Dog Fence® Standard Grade Fence Kit.
  • More Sophisticated Option: Extreme Dog Fence® Max Grade Kit.
  • Opposite Spectrum: Extreme Dog Fence® Dual Solution.

Option With Replaceable Batteries

Extreme Dog Fence® Standard Grade Fence Kit

The standard grade is a step above our featured fence system and instead of a rechargeable receiver, the receiver uses replaceable batteries.

The basic difference between this and our featured product is that this one has 7 levels of correction and also offers the beep option if you are not comfortable with static shocks. Find out more about the standard grade here.

More Sophisticated Option

Extreme Dog Fence® Max Grade Kit

This one is even more sophisticated than the standard grade. For one, the max grade offers about 15 acres of coverage as compared to the standard grade’s 6 acres.

Furthermore, this one comes with a 14-gauge wire which is jacketed with polyethylene. As a result, you can decide to place it on the ground or on an existing fence.

Other differences include a free surge protector and a 10-year warranty if you register the product with Extreme Dog Fence®.

It makes sense, then, that this one costs significantly more than our featured product.

Opposite Spectrum

Extreme Dog Fence® Dual Solution

Our opposite spectrum is a combination training kit and fence containment system. If you’ll be using the kit for training, you’ll need the collar and the remote controller. And in this case, the system can accommodate a maximum of three (3) dogs.

On the other hand, if you are using the kit as a fence containment system, you won’t be needing the remote. And in this case, the system can accommodate as many dogs as possible.

In both cases, though, you’ll need to get extra collar receivers if you want the system to accommodate more dogs seeing as it comes with only one (1) receiver.

Comparison Table

 

Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit

 
Click here to get this for your dog!

Extreme Dog Fence® Standard Grade Fence Kit

 
Click here to get this for your dog!

Extreme Dog Fence® Max Grade Kit

 
Click here to get this for your dog!

Extreme Dog Fence® Dual Solution

 
Click here to get this for your dog!
Maximum Expandable Coverage 5 acres 6 acres 15 acres 1/3 acre
Correction Levels 1 7 7 3 for the fence and 10 for training.
Warranty 1 year 1 year but 5 years if you register the product 10 years 5 years
Twisted Wire Not included Not included Included Not included
Receiver Battery Rechargeable Replaceable Replaceable Rechargeable
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

What People Think About The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit

The reviews on this collar have been mostly positive. A number of customers are happy with the customer service because, apparently, they called in for help with installation and stuff and got a prompt and friendly response.

In fact, one customer mentioned that while they initially got a faulty kit, they were able to call in and get the faulty one replaced at no cost.

In addition, a number of customers have mentioned that the receiver holds in the charge for a decent period of time. Some others mentioned that the wire they got was just enough for them to mark their entire yard.

One customer did mention, though, that wiring their yard was a tiring thing and they never got it finished.

Our Opinion

The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit is a pretty basic kit without any frills and stuff. We consider it a good idea if you are on a budget but are still looking for something functional to keep your dog contained.

Nonetheless, do consider involving a professional as we already mentioned.

Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit — FAQs

How Long Does The Charge Last With This Collar?

The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit collar could last up to a day if it is fully charged and is in consistent use.

If, on the other hand, you use it for only a couple of hours a day and turn the collar off when it isn’t in use, the collar can hold in a charge for a couple of days.

Does The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit Come With A Guarantee?

The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit comes with a one year guarantee.

Is There A Limit To The Number Of Dogs That Can Be Added To This System?

There is no limit to the number of dogs that can be added to the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit. It has an unlimited capacity for the collars.

That said, the system does not come with an unlimited number of collars. So, if you want to add more than one dog to the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit, you’ll have to purchase extra collars seperately.

Do Other Collars Work With The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit?

Unfortunately, other collars will not work with the Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit. This fence system is specific to the Extreme Dog Fence® collar and cannot accomodate any other brand.

Is The Collar One-Size-Fits All?

The Extreme Dog Fence® Basics Fence Kit collar is a one-size-fits-all collar.

If you’ve fitted the collar for your dog and you have too much collar flap just flapping around, you could cut off the excess and burn the edge so that it doesn’t unravel.

However, before you do that, consider that your dog might grow and make a provision for that.

Is There A Monthly Charge With This Fence?

There is no charge whatsoever, monthly or otherwise. All you need to do is purchase the unit, set it up and you’re good to go.

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