Every dog fence gets a score from 0 to 100% built from seven factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Fences are grouped by type, GPS and wireless (radio), and use the same scale in both groups.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 3-year cost | price plus 36 months of any required plan | 30% |
| Coverage | largest area or radius the maker states | 10% |
| Battery | collar runtime per charge or battery | 15% |
| Correction | tone, vibration and static options | 15% |
| Fit | smallest dog the collar is made for | 10% |
| Features | custom-shaped boundary, more than one dog, app, live location, training remote | 15% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 5% |
Where the numbers come from
Coverage, battery life, correction types, dog size, plan prices and warranty come from the maker’s product pages, plans pages and warranty terms, or from the maker’s own copy on a retail listing. Where two of the maker’s own figures conflict, the figure is left out. Prices are checked at the stores the page links to, and the lowest is used. Plan prices come from the maker’s plans page.
The factors
3-year cost is the current price plus 36 months of the cheapest monthly-billed plan the fence needs to work, on a log scale, so halving the cost always counts the same. $1,200 scores zero and $100 full marks. A fence that works with no plan counts its price only. An optional plan, such as SpotOn’s tracking plan, isn’t added, because the fence works without it. Annual billing is often cheaper than the monthly rate used here.
Coverage is the largest area the maker states, in acres, on a log scale: 1/2 acre scores zero and 100 acres full marks. Where only a radius is given, the area of that circle is used. These are open-field claims, which is why the factor carries a small weight.
Battery is the collar’s runtime per charge in fence mode, on a log scale: 12 hours scores zero and 120 hours (five days) full marks. A collar with a replaceable battery is scored on the stated battery life, counting a month as 30 days.
Correction is 30% for a tone warning, 40% for vibration and 30% for static. Vibration counts most because it gives a dog a warning that isn’t static.
Fit is the smallest dog the collar is made for: 30 lb scores zero and 5 lb full marks.
Features is 30% for a boundary that can follow a drawn shape rather than only a circle, 25% for running more than one dog, 15% for a phone app, 15% for live location on a phone and 15% for an included training remote.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: none scores zero and 3 years full marks.
What isn’t scored
Accuracy claims, such as a boundary “within 2 ft”, are maker figures with no common test, so they are listed in the product copy but never scored. Charge time, waterproof rating, neck range, number of static levels, fences stored, smallest property size, collars in the box, optional plans and release date are listed but not scored.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated. Correction and features score neutral only when none of their parts is published; a part the maker doesn’t mention otherwise counts as absent. The exception is warranty: a maker that doesn’t publish one gets no warranty counted, so that factor scores zero and is marked estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.