Petsafe IF-100 vs PIF-300

(PetSafe Wireless Containment System PIF-300 VS. PetSafe Fence Transmitter IF-100)

Responsible pet owners know that having a safe and effective containment area for their pet to play outside in, at their home, is imperative for the well-being of pets as well as their owners. However, having proper containment set up for a pet at their permanent place of residence is not always the only containment issue that pet owners are faced with. Have you ever gone camping or on vacation with your dog, or even gone to visit a friend who does not have a fenced in yard, and found yourself wishing that you had some sort of portable containment option for your furry friend to use on the go?

If the thought of something like this happening to your beloved pet causes you distress, a portable, wireless pet containment system might be a great option for your on-the-go containment needs. Deciding which of the numerous wireless pet containment systems that exist within the market today is the best option for you and your pet, can be a truly daunting task. But fear no more, help has arrived in the form of a review of what is considered by both experts and consumers to be one of the best wireless dog containment options within this market, which is the PetSafe Wireless Containment System PIF-300. Following the product review section for this wireless containment system and a review of this system’s additional transmitter option, are sections that are written about “Must Know Facts and Common Questions,” as well as “What to Watch Out For” and the “Critical Tips” for using a wireless fencing system, in order to make sure that users know everything that they need to know about the ups and downs, ins and outs, and pros and cons of using wireless fencing systems for the containment of their beloved pets.

Why Choose PetSafe?

PRODUCT: PetSafe Wireless Containment System PIF-300 

Key Features:

• Low battery warning.
• Completely wireless and portable.
• Containment shape is circular and adjustable.
• Fence transmitter can be plugged into a power outlet.
• Five levels of static shock correction and a tone-only option.
• Fits dogs 8 pounds or more, with neck sizes of 6 to 26 inches.
• Covers up to a ½ acre of containment area (up to 180 feet in diameter).
• Comes with a 2-pack of PetSafe brand RFA-67 batteries (non-rechargeable).
• Has an over-correction feature that will not allow your dog to be shocked for more than :30 continuous seconds.
• Has a safety feature that will not shock your dog when they reenter the containment boundary, should they escape.
• Has run-through protection, which is a feature that uses a high intensity static shock to correct your dog should they run through the containment boundary.

Pros:

• Over-correction feature that will not allow your dog to be shocked for more than :30 continuous seconds.
• Batteries have been reported to last up to two months, if your pet does not set off the boundary warning-tone often.
• If your pet escapes the containment boundary, he or she will not be shocked upon reentering the containment area.
• Five different levels of static shock correction, as well as a tone-only option for pets who do not need to be shocked in order to stay within their containment area.
• This system is completely wireless and portable for pet owner’s on-the-go containment needs, such as camping, traveling, and visiting friends who don’t have fencing.
• Quick to install, because it is wireless, users do not have to take the extra time to dig trenches all the way around their containment boundaries in order to bury boundary wire.

Cons:

• Some users report that the receiver collar fails to shock their dogs when it is supposed to.
• Users must have fairly flat terrain in the area they would like to contain, this system is much less effective, or entirely ineffective in terrains that slope.
• Users have reported malfunctioning in the system resulting in pets being shocked when they are within the containment area, and also shocked without a warning beep.
• Receiver collar is not rechargeable and replacement batteries are expensive and recommended by PetSafe to only be purchased through their company because they make special batteries for the system that they claim keep the system working well, for longer.
• Users have reported that if a car, or any large metal object is located nearby it interferes with the wireless signal and causes large gaps in the invisible fencing boundaries, and some users report that any object will interfere with the boundary, not only metal objects.
• Users report that the invisible boundary lines change by as much as 2 to 3 feet, without moving or adjusting the transmitter in any way, making boundary lines inconsistent and therefore impossible to train pets to stay within, this has also been reported to cause pets to be traumatized to the point of not wanting to be in the yard due to unpredictable and unwarranted shocks that they receive while they are within in the containment area.

PRODUCT: PetSafe Instant Fence Transmitter IF-100

Key Features:

• Completely wireless and portable.
• Containment shape is circular and adjustable.
• Covers up to a ½ acre of containment area (180 feet in diameter).
• Can be powered by batteries or plugged into a 120-volt power outlet.

Pros:

• • Wireless and portable.
  • Can be powered by batteries or a 120-volt power outlet.
  • Allows pet owners to expand their current containment area by up to ½ of an acre.
• Can be purchased separately as a replacement wireless fence transmitter for the PIF-300 PetSafe Wireless Containment System, without having to buy the entire containment system again, if your PIF-300 transmitter stops working.

Cons:

• Does not work well with sloped containment terrains. 
• At $189.00+, the extra transmitter is quite an expensive addition to the system.

• Metal, and other objects have been reported to interfere with the radio signal that the transmitter emits, causing inconsistencies and breaks in the containment area boundary.

MUST KNOW FACTS AND COMMON QUESTIONS

How Does the PetSafe Wireless Pet Containment System Work?

The PetSafe wireless fence transmitter box emits a radio signal that is capable of reaching up to 90 feet in any direction. Pet owners use the boundary control dial that is located on the transmitter box to set the radio signal range that the transmitter emits to the number of feet that they would like the containment boundary to reach in all directions around the transmitter box. This creates a circular boundary area around the transmitter box, based on the amount of space that has been selected. Users place boundary flags around the containment area’s boundary lines to act as a visual que for their pets of where their containment area ends (i.e., where they should not go beyond). Pets wear a receiver collar that has metal probes attached to it that sit on your pet’s neck. When your pet enters the predetermined boundary zone, which can be set anywhere from two to three feet from the actual boundary line, the receiver collar that he or she wears will issue a warning tone in the form of an audible beep. If your pet does not retreat back into the designated containment area upon hearing the warning beep, he or she will receive a static correction shock at the intensity level that you have selected. Should your pet stay in the boundary area, or continue to wander beyond the boundary lines and not retreat back into the containment area, they will continue to receive static shock correction to their neck. However, the receiver collar that comes with the PetSafe PIF-300 Wireless Containment system does have an over-correction safety feature that will not allow your pet to be shocked for longer than :30 continuous seconds, even if they remain outside of the containment area for longer than that amount of time.

PLEASE NOTE: Transmitter boxes must be kept out of the elements and placed in a shaded area that is two to four feet above the ground, in order to work properly. The radio signal is capable of transmitting through walls, but the product’s training manual makes it clear to users that the transmitter box should not be placed in a closet or any confined space, because this could cause the transmitter to overheat and stop working.

Are Innotek and PetSafe the Same Company?

While PetSafe and Innotek are owned by the same company, which is Radio Systems Corporation, they are not the same company in and of themselves, and each company has their own, different and separate systems, features, and branding.

Are Innotek and PetSafe Fencing System Products Compatible?

Not all of the Innotek and PetSafe equipment is cross-compatible. In general, Innotek products can only be used with other Innotek products, and PetSafe products can only be used with other PetSafe Products. For example, the Innotek UltraSmart system only works with Innotek UltraSmart parts and the PetSafe system only works with PetSafe parts.

Are All PetSafe Collars Compatible with All PetSafe Transmitters? 

Are Invisible Fence Collars Interchangeable?

Some invisible fencing collars are interchangeable and some are not. In general, the compatibility of the receiver collars depends on if they work with wireless or wired systems that are buried in-ground, as well as what company manufactures the fencing system and receiver collars, and what radio signal the fencing system transmitter emits. Because the radio frequency that the wireless system transmitter emits is different than the radio signal that the wired system transmitter emits, users must be certain that the receiver collar that they use picks up the specific radio frequency that is emitted by the transmitter that they use. In terms of the actual Invisible Fence trademarked brand of invisible fencing products, there is a third-party company named Pet Stop that manufactures receiver collars and replacement parts that are compatible, and therefore interchangeable with all of the products and parts that fall under the Invisible Fence trademarked brand. Pet Stop claims that their receiver collars and replacement parts are as good, or better than the receiver collars and parts that come with the Invisible Fence brand systems, but cost customers only a fraction of the price of the Invisible Fence brand replacement parts and receiver collars. You can click here to get to the Pet Stop website, where you can find further information about the company and their products.

What Are the PetSafe Transmitter Frequencies?

The transmitter frequency that is omitted by the PetSafe Wireless Containment System PIF-300 transmitter that is discussed in this review is 18 kHz. PetSafe wireless fencing system frequencies cannot be changed, and can be negatively impacted by interference from neighboring wireless fencing system frequencies. If this happens you will need to adjust the containment diameter, or move the containment area to a place in which there is not an interfering frequency from a neighboring system. If neither of these options are possible, please discontinue use of this product as it will be inconsistent and ineffective.

NOTE: If you cannot find the answer to whether specific fencing system transmitters and receiver collars are compatible, your best bet is to call the customer service number that is provided for your system, in order to determine if the specific system(s) and part(s) that you have are compatible or not. The customer service number can be found in the instruction manual that is included with your containment system, or online.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR 

1. A low battery in the transmitter or collar can cause the system to malfunction. Do not use the system if the battery is low, and make sure the low battery indicator light is working properly.
2. When you set up your containment system be sure to test out the boundary area, shock intensity, and frequency before training your dog. NEVER put the collar on your dog before testing each of these things.
3. It is impossible to know how your dog will react to being shocked. Some dogs will become afraid and refuse to leave the containment area, even when you would like them to, or refuse to reenter their yard should they escape. Experts and pet behaviorists warn that your dog may start to distrust humans due to being shocked. Dogs who are receiving shock training are reported to be more likely to become aggressive with their handlers.
4. You will still need to keep an eye on your pet when using this system, and beware of the fact that these kinds of containment systems are reported to be approximately 70% effective. Dogs can escape if they really want to, because this system does not create a physical, solid boundary. Some users report that smart dogs are able to use the beep-warning to determine where the boundary of the yard is that causes the beep, and proceed to set the beep off until the collar battery dies, then simply cross the boundary. And some dogs will run through the boundary, and are not deterred by the shock that they receive.

CRITICAL TIPS

1. The receiver collars that are used with these systems are not meant to be worn all of the time. It is recommended that you reposition the collar on your dog’s neck every one to two hours in order to avoid the metal shock prongs causing painful sores and open wounds on your dog’s neck that can easily become infected. Never allow your pet to wear the collar for more than 10 to 12 hours in a 24-hour period. Receiver collars need to be taken off of your pet whenever they are safely inside.
2. You cannot simply set these kinds of systems up, and let your dog loose. When using wireless pet containment systems, it is imperative that you take the time to train your pet appropriately. There are training instructions included with the PetSafe PIF-300 Wireless Containment System, and pet owners should be prepared to complete at least three, 10- to 15-minute training sessions with their dogs each day, until their pet has fully adapted to, and understands the containment system. Training can take much longer than this and can be time-consuming and ineffective. Even with the appropriate training, some users of wireless fencing products have reported that their dogs are not effectively contained, either because their dog is stubborn or because of a product malfunction.
3. Due to the inconsistencies and malfunctioning that have been reported in this wireless system, it is important to make sure that the containment transmitter and shock receiving collar are working properly at all times, and that the containment boundaries are not moving, or being impacted by any objects that are around them. Make sure that the receiver collar will not shock your pet when he or she is within the designated containment area. And make sure that you leave the containment area with the receiver collar and test light tool in your own hand (instead of on your pet), in order to ensure that the collar is working as it should if your pet wanders out of the containment boundaries. Stay outside of the containment area long enough to determine if your dog would being shocked by the collar for longer periods of time, or more frequently than they should be.

CONCLUSION

For on the go containment needs, a wireless invisible fencing system might work quite well for you and your pet. And within the rather large market of wireless fencing systems, PetSafe is one of the most well-known, longest standing, and trusted brands. Some users report that the PetSafe Wireless Containment System PIF-300 does, indeed, keep their pet contained. Which is really great. Especially in the case that a pet owner is camping or traveling somewhere that does not have any kind of containment area available for their dog. In these situations, using the PetSafe Wireless Containment System PIF-300 is not a terrible option. Especially of the area in which you would like to contain your pet: 1) has fairly flat terrain and a strong and consistent wireless internet signal, 2) has no cars or trees or large objects anywhere near the containment boundary perimeter, and 3) you are not worried about wild animals or other dogs entering your pet’s containment area, as a wireless system will do nothing to prevent this.

Even with its downfalls, using a wireless pet containment system is certainly safer that tying your pet up to a stationary object. So, if your only options are tying your dog up to a stationary object or using a wireless containment system, I hope that you will always choose the wireless containment system option. However, responsible pet owners must also weigh the cons of using a fencing system that does not provide an actual physical barrier, in order to keep their pet safe. When your pet does not have an actual visible, above ground fence to keep them from escaping, they are more likely to leave their containment area either due to the invisible system malfunctioning and allowing them to get through the boundary without receiving a shock. Or by simply being smart enough to sit in the warning zone until the battery on their receiver collar dies, or by not being deterred from leaving the containment area by being shocked.

Potentially the biggest problem with using a fencing system that trains your dog to stay in their containment area by way of shocking them is the fact that being shocked may cause your pet to become fearful and distrustful of their owners, other humans, and of their own yard. Some dogs have been shown to become aggressive with their handlers, as well as strangers, in response to being shocked. This is due to the fact that the random shocks that the dog receives can confuse them and teach them to perceive everything as a threat. And there is no way to know how your dog will react to being shocked.