Wireless invisible dog fence: best GPS containment picks

The PetSafe Stay + Play system uses a central transmitter plugged into an AC outlet to broadcast a circular radio frequency boundary. The receiver collar delivers a tone warning as the dog approaches the boundary, followed by correction when crossed. Correction intensity has 5 levels for adjustment to each dog's sensitivity.

Setup requires placing the transmitter centrally, selecting the boundary radius (adjustable from 15 to 90 feet radius), fitting the collar and training the dog to associate the warning tone with the boundary. PetSafe's included training guide covers a 2-week introduction protocol.

At $199, the Stay + Play is the most accessible full-featured wireless fence in this guide.

The SpotOn GPS fence uses the collar's GPS receiver to track the dog's location in real time against a user-defined boundary polygon. The boundary is drawn on a map in the app using GPS coordinates, allowing any shape: rectangular, irregular, multi-zone or wrapping around structures that should be excluded from the dog's access area.

GPS coverage extends across hundreds of acres, making SpotOn the appropriate system for large rural properties, farms and acreages where radio frequency transmitters do not have the range.

At $799, the SpotOn GPS fence serves owners whose properties or boundary requirements exceed what radio frequency systems can accommodate.

The Halo Collar 2 combines GPS boundary containment with a built-in training curriculum accessible through the app. The training program was developed in partnership with Cesar Millan and provides structured behavior training alongside containment.

Up to 20 separate zones can be configured per collar, allowing different boundaries for home, a second property, a friend's yard or any location the dog visits regularly. Each zone is defined by GPS coordinates on the map in the app.

At $999, the Halo Collar 2 is for owners who want the most complete GPS collar training and containment system available.

The PetSafe Free to Roam provides a smaller coverage area and lower price than the Stay + Play, serving as the entry point for wireless radio frequency containment. The circular boundary radius is adjustable from 15 to 80 feet, covering most small yards and outdoor areas.

The receiver collar is waterproof and rechargeable, with 5 correction levels and a tone-only mode for initial training. PetSafe's 2-week training protocol applies to this system as it does to the Stay + Play.

At $159, the Free to Roam is the most affordable wireless fence in this guide.