A friend visited me tonight,told me that her neice took her 3 labs out 6pm on christmas eve,let them out of the car so they could have a good run,all of a sudden one of them has run into a electric fence,she saw the sparks ran over to the dog whom was frantic,the dog just kept running,she and others are still looking for him,somone told her that he will keep running until he collapses.She is devastated.    Sheila.

You do surprise me! An electric fence is not something I would touch out of choice although I have in error more than once. I've seen quite a few dogs touch them including my Anna (Only once, she learned after that!) Normally they will cry out and pull back away and it's all over. I once saw a Springer jump over the electric fence and get between the pen and the fence. He had to jump back out and got a fair old jolt before realising.

Incidentally, they won't cause a spark, the older ones are powered by a car battery but newer ones are only powered by dry batteries, our smallest by two U2 batteries.

Regards, John

I would be contacting the farmer who owns the land if there really were sparks!  I agree with John - electric fences aren't ideal to touch (and make you think twice about doing it again) but there are many of us who have touched them and have dogs who don't learn that quickly.  It's no more than a small jolt but as John says 'it's all over'.  I've just asked a farmer friend and he says "never sparks".

Is this lab particularly nervous? 

I do hope he turns up safe and well.  Keep us posted.

We have electric fence run off the mains round our horse field and land owners Border Collie has caught herself a couple of times on it.
She just gave a yelp and ran a few steps then stopped.
You do here a crack  when it is touched, I know it has caught me many times LOL. but you would only get sparks if metal on the dogs collar has touched it.   Most electric fences are run off battery as there is no mains handy for connection and they are not as powerful.
I do hope the dog is found soon, but I am concerned that someone would just let thier dogs out for a run where they don't know the area.  The fences are only up for a reason usually to keep in livestock so letting 3 dogs out loose to run there was a little silly.  If the dogs are close by you or you know the area you would no of or see the fence and act accordingly.
I know mistakes do happen but I feel very strongly on this issue as although I have my dogs we have had our horses terrorised by dogs in the past when with thier owners being exercised.
Sorry if I have got this case wrong and my little rant is now over.

That's a really good and valid point Bev.

Update.  I was told that the dog was found in a field the day after,sadly he was in a bad way,a crushed vertibrae,so he was pts.I dont know the owner but i hope she has learned a lesson for the poor dogs sake.
Sheila.

Obviously something else has happened here then Sheila, because a crushed Vertibrae could not possibly have come about as a result of touching an electric fence. I'm sorry for the dog and for that matter, sorry for the owner. We none of us would want anything to happen to our dogs. But as you say, I hope she's learned her lesson. Electric fences will not do any long term damage to a healthy dog but it would give it a fright. No problem if you have a good recall, and of course, these fences are normally only used where there is livestock so no one should be anywhere near without a good recall.

Regards, John

That's very sad. :( Obviously the poor dog had suffered a trauma other than the jolt from the fence, because there's no way an electrical discharge of any magnitude can crush a vertebra.

Indeed. I use electric fencing and the horses don't get a shock through their rugs - thats how minor it is. Its not pleasant to touch, but its certainly not something that could do that damage. Also have to agree - the farmer (assuming it was a farmer) would be using that fencing for a reason and unless its straight across a public footpath without a "gate" your friend has no comeback. And even if it was the dogs shouldn't have been off the lead on someone elses property.

I believe the dog was hit by a car,i know accidents can happen,however i feel it was very stupid of her to let her dogs out of the car off a lead in a area like that.
Sheila.

True Sheila but people do these things, us all included! The most common phrase must be, "It seemed like a good idea at the time!"

Regards, John