7 Best Dog Fences for German Shepherds for 2024

We see German Shepherds everywhere these days, and it’s easy to see why. These dogs are beautiful, hardworking, and irresistibly fluffy, and have proven again and again that we can train them for almost anything, ranging from being the perfect family dog to police and military work.

One thing to note about these fantastic canines is their size! German Shepherds range from 40 to 90 pounds and 24 to 26 inches tall, measuring from the shortest point of their bodies. German Shepherds may love a calm couch nap, but they aren’t a dog to take lightly. 

We also know German Shepherds can leap over 4 feet, and as a dog with a high prey drive, containing them in your yard can be a pain. To help corral your German Shepherd, we have collected a list of the 7 best dog fences for German Shepherds.

We’ll explore 5 different invisible fences for German Shepherds of any age and 2 playpen-style dog fences for German Shepherd puppies. 

Quick Summary

• We’ll be reviewing 5 invisible or in-ground dog fences as well as 2 aboveground playpen kennel dog fences for German Shepards. 

• For the invisible fences, we’ll discuss the ease of installation, if the fence can handle multiple dogs, the area coverage of the fence, and whether a remote control is available.

• For playpen-style fences we’ll go over the size of the kennel, the ease of assembly, how the kennel stores when torn down, and how durable the kennel is. 

Who Should Get These Dog Fences?

Our first set of dog fences, the invisible or in-ground fences, are perfect for families that either don’t have a traditional wooden fence or whose German Shepard has proven capable of scaling their existing fence.

German Shepherds can jump up to 4 feet high, so a 6-foot wooden fence would be the minimum height able to contain one of these dogs. German Shepherds can also climb wooden fences, so even taller fences are sometimes not enough. That’s where invisible fences come in! 

These fences use invisible barriers to dissuade dogs from crossing outside of the borders of the fence, keeping even the most mischievous shepherd inside.

The final two fences, which are the playpen kennel style of fence, are more suited to German Shepherd puppies. If you need to keep your puppy in one place while you get some yard work done or simply want to enjoy the nice weather, these playpen fences will keep younger German Shepherds safely contained. 

Each fence will have its upsides and downfalls, so make sure to read carefully to determine which fence is right for you.

Related Reading: Are German Shepherds Hypoallergenic Dogs?

Top Picks for Invisible or In-Ground Dog Fences

1. Extreme Dog Fence Professional 1-Dog System

With fantastic reviews and a kit that includes everything you need for a safe and secure electric fence, the Extreme Dog Fence Professional is a brilliant choice for German Shepherds and their owners.

Some of the perks of this kit are the waterproof collars that function up to 10 feet of depth, meaning your dog can swim in the collar without worry. It also has 7 intensity settings for even the most stubborn German Shepherd. 

Installation

Installation for the Extreme Dog Fence is straightforward, consisting of placing the transmitter and burying the wire after testing to make sure the system works. The Extreme Dog Fence is a kit and comes with all the wires, stakes, and flags necessary to install the fence yourself.

Still, if you’re planning on using all the wire that this kit comes with, expect it to take a few days to completely install.

Multiple Dogs

The Extreme Dog Fence comes with a 1 collar but can function with multiple dogs. Extra collars must be purchased separately. There is also the option to buy a kit with multiple collars instead of the base model that comes with only 1. 

Area Coverage

This dog fence has an area of coverage of 6 acres and comes with 1000 feet of wire, making it the fence with the largest area of coverage on the list, along with the 3-Dog system. 

Remote Control

There is no remote control with the Extreme Dog Fence Professional. 

2. PetSafe Stay and Play Wireless Fence

The PetSafe Stay and Play Wireless fence may have a much smaller area of coverage than others on our list, but it makes up for that inconvenience by being completely wireless! This invisible fence can also go where you go, making it perfect for camping and RV vacations.

PetSafe excels in forcing stubborn dogs, including German Shepherds, to obey the boundaries of their fence with 5 different static shock settings, as well as a warning sound only mode for more sensitive pooches. 

The collar that comes with the kit is submersible, and it comes with contact points for both long-haired and short-haired dogs. 

A few downsides of this system are that some users have reported the collar to come unclasped easily, and some extremely stubborn dogs can push past the boundary even at the highest setting.

 For this reason, we wouldn’t recommend using this system when you aren’t home to supervise your German Shepherd. 

Installation

Installation of the PetSafe Stay and Play fence is incredibly easy since there are no wires to bury. The system is completely wireless! PetSafe claims that it only takes 1 to 2 hours to set the entire system up. The collar charges in 2 to 3 hours, and a single charge lasts up to 3 weeks. 

Multiple Dogs

The PetSafe system can handle multiple dogs, but this kit only comes with a single collar. If you need additional collars, you can purchase them from the same seller. 

Area Coverage

Being a wireless system means a much smaller area of coverage. The PetSafe wireless fence covers 3/4ths of an acre in a dome shape. 

Remote Control

There is no remote control for this system, and from what we can see there isn’t an option to purchase one either.

3. SportDOG Brand Contain + Train System

Another system with buried wires, the SportDOG Contain + Train system can be more difficult to install than wireless fences, but this model comes with an included vibration setting and remote control so you can manually train your dog.

The kit comes with 1 collar for your German Shepherd, but you can expand the system for unlimited dogs if you purchase extra collars. 

The SportDOG kit comes with enough wiring to cover 1 1/3rd acre, which is disappointing when compared to some other collars on our list, but it can be expanded with more wiring to cover 100 acres!

As far as waterproofing, the collar is submersible up to 25ft underwater.

The most reported issue with the collar is the tendency for the battery to run out quickly, but this particular kit has rechargeable batteries that are more reliable than the lower level kit that uses 9v batteries.

Installation

Installation is similar to other in-ground invisible fences, consisting of burying the wires and marking the boundaries with flags. 

Multiple Dogs

The system claims to support an unlimited amount of dogs, but the kit only comes with one collar, so for multiple dog households, you’ll have to purchase extras.

Area Coverage

Included in the kit are enough supplies to cover 1 1/3rd acre, but it can be expanded up to 100 acres. 

Remote Control

Yes! The SportDOG Contain + Train system comes with a remote collar so you can train your dog manually as well. 

4. Extreme Dog Fence Premium 3-Dog System 

From the same company as the Extreme Dog Fence 1-Dog System, the Extreme Dog Fence 3-Dog system has improved on the number of dogs that can be contained within the fence. This kit includes 3 collars instead of just 1, saving you the time of waiting for additional collars to be delivered. 

Even though German Shepherds are one of the most stubborn breeds out there, the Extreme Dog Fence 3-Dog System can handle them with 7 levels of static shock that become progressively stronger the closer the dog gets to the boundary of the fence. 

Just like the 1-Dog system, it is waterproof up to 10 ft deep. 

Both of the products on our list by Extreme Dog have great ratings and very few cons. 

Installation

Installation for the Extreme Dog Fence 3-Dog system is simple but time-consuming. One of the few complaints about these systems is that the installation is difficult and having to dig up the wires to address any problems can be a pain. 

Multiple Dogs

This kit comes with 3 collars, but the fence can handle additional dogs if you purchase more collars. 

Area Coverage

The 3-Dog System has an area of coverage of 6 acres and comes with 1000 feet of wire. 

Remote Control

No remote control is included with this kit. 

5. PetSafe Wireless Fence PIF-300

An updated version of the PetSafe Stay and Play system, the PetSafe Wireless PIF-300 has improved on some issues of the previous version, offering a more reliable wireless boundary but also suffering from a smaller area of coverage.

The convenience of a wireless system cannot be overstated! If you’re renting or visiting relatives with your German Shepherd, there’s no way to install an in-ground wired invisible fence. The PetSafe PIF-300 can be taken anywhere and set up in 2 hours or less to protect your dog wherever you are.

This newer version of the PetSafe wireless fence also comes with a second rechargeable battery so you can swap the batteries out anytime one is running low, ensuring that your invisible fence is never without power. 

The downfalls of the wireless system are potentially spotty coverage and a tiny range of only ½ acre. The collar is waterproof, and they included only 1 collar with this kit.

Installation

The PetSafe collars continue to have the easiest installation of the collars on the list, consisting of setting up the transmitter and checking where the boundary lies to place the marking flags. No digging and no burying wires with this invisible fence.

Multiple Dogs

The PetSafe PIF-300 can handle multiple dogs if your German Shepherd has some canine siblings, but this kit only comes with one collar. 

Area Coverage

Unfortunately, this collar has the smallest range on the list of only ½ acre. This should be fine for suburban homes, but if you’re hoping to keep your German Shepherd free-range on your 10-acre farm, this is not the fence for you. 

Remote Control

There are no remote controls included in the PetSafe PIF-300 kit. 

Top Picks for Aboveground Playpen Kennel Dog Fences

6. VIVOHOME Heavy Duty Foldable Metal Indoor Outdoor Exercise Pet Fence

VIVOHOME has crafted a quality playpen-style kennel that is multifunctional and can be put together in multiple shapes, making it ideal for almost any outdoor space and even indoors!

These types of fences are only suitable for German Shepherd puppies because once your Shepherd is full-grown, they will easily be able to leap the height of the fence.

Size

 31.5 x 31.5 x 23.6 inches

Assembly

VIVOHOME Heavy Duty Exercise Pen consists of 吧 separate panels which can make setup time-consuming, but we can arrange the panels in any size or shape. 

Storage

This fence is completely collapsible, which is very convenient, especially if you’re dealing with a high-energy puppy!

Durability

The VIVOHOME fence is made from black powder-coated metal pieces that are both weather and rust-resistant. 

7. FXW Dog Playpen

Perfect for a large litter of German Shepherd puppies, the FXW Dog Play Pen is huge! It has a whopping 182.25 sq ft of space so even the heftiest puppy has room to run. 

It comes with 24 panels and collapses easily to save storage space. 

The FXW Dog Playpen is still not tall enough to hold an adult-size German Shepherd but would be great for puppies.

Size

26.7″ x 31.5″ x 0.6″

Assembly

We can assemble this playpen fence in any shape or size, but if you’re planning on using all 24 panels, it’s going to take some time to set up. 

Storage

The FXW Dog Playpen also folds down flat for storage and transportation. 

Durability

FXW has crafted a metal playpen fence that is powder-coated, waterproof, and rustproof.

In Conclusion

If you’re looking to keep your German Shepherd contained in your yard, our 7 best dog fences for German Shepherds are sure to provide you with what you need.

Whether you’re looking for a wireless fence, a heavy-duty enormous in-ground fence, or a playpen for a bunch of German Shepherd puppies, you can find it all here. 

Related Reading: Can German Shepherds Survive In The Wild?