GPS Fencing on a Working Farm
Lessons from a Livestock Guardian Dog Owner
Managing a working farm comes with a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to keeping livestock safe and dogs where they need to be. For farmers and homesteaders, traditional fencing isn’t always practical, affordable, or flexible enough to match the demands of daily life.
That’s where GPS dog fencing is offering a different approach.
We recently sat down with Louise, a sheep and goat farmer in eastern Ontario, to understand how she uses SpotOn GPS Fence with her livestock guardian dogs (LGDs). Her experience offers a practical, boots-on-the-ground look at how GPS fencing performs in real farm conditions, from rotational grazing to predator protection.
Why Traditional Fencing Didn’t Work
Like many farmers, Louise didn’t start with GPS fencing. She initially relied on a traditional invisible fence system but quickly ran into limitations.
"Our last system only allowed us to have 18 acres… this system allowed us to have unlimited access."
- Louise deVries, SpotOn User Since 2023
When Louise and her family moved farms, the cost and logistics of reinstalling an in-ground, buried wired system became a dealbreaker.
"We were expecting… an additional $5,000 to have the fence transferred."
And that was just the beginning. Fully fencing the property physically would have been far more expensive.
"We’d be looking at over $100,000 to do that, and that’s just not a feasible option for us."
For small-to-mid-sized farms, this is a familiar reality. Large acreage, varied terrain, and evolving layouts make permanent fencing difficult to justify.
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A 60-Acre Farm with Real Complexity
Louise’s farm isn’t a flat, open field. It’s a dynamic landscape with multiple zones and limited visibility.
"We fence… a good 60 acres for the dogs."
"When we are in the front half of our yard, we can’t see anything at the back."
This kind of layout introduces real risk, especially when dogs are responsible for protecting livestock across large, partially wooded areas.
"We needed to have something where they could patrol year-round…
Keep coyotes away, keep birds of prey away."
GPS fencing gave Louise the ability to create flexible boundaries across the entire property without installing physical infrastructure.
ROTATIONAL GRAZING REQUIRES FLEXIBLE BOUNDARIES
For farms that practice rotational grazing, static fencing quickly becomes a limitation.
Louise rotates her sheep and goats across multiple environments: pasture, bush, and silvopasture.
"We’re utilizing not just the front of our property, but also the back… bush, flat pastures, silvopastures"
With SpotOn, she can adjust boundaries as needed without moving fencing or equipment.
This flexibility is critical. Not just for livestock management, but also for ensuring dogs stay aligned with where they’re needed most.
Training Working Dogs: A Practical Approach
Training is often the biggest concern for farmers considering a GPS fence, especially with independent breeds like Great Pyrenees or Anatolian Shepherds.
Louise developed a simple, repeatable system:
"I focus my training on our 4-acre pasture… I find that I’m able to more so control the dogs."
"I do it in about 10–15 minute sessions… you don’t want to overstimulate them."
"During that week period… they are not allowed to wander."
Her key insight?
"You’re training not so much on the perimeter. You’re training on the tone and the vibrate."
This distinction is critical. Instead of memorizing a physical boundary, dogs learn to respond to cues, making it easy to adjust fence lines without retraining.
Real-Life Farm Scenarios Where GPS Fencing Shines
What makes Louise’s story especially valuable is how she uses the system in everyday situations.
1. Adjusting Boundaries Instantly
"I wanted to just pull the fence in a little bit… it took 2 seconds."
Whether it’s neighbors walking nearby or temporary changes on the property, she can update boundaries in real time.
2. Managing Problem Areas with Keep-Out Zones
"Willow likes to get into the compost area… I set up a keep-out zone."
"We’ve also used it… for the chicken coop."
Keep-out zones allow her to prevent unwanted behavior without physical barriers—ideal for high-risk or sensitive areas.
3. Different Dogs, Different Roles
Not all working dogs have the same job and Louise takes full advantage of that.
"Willow has access to the whole farm… the other dogs are in one area."
This level of customization is difficult (or impossible) with traditional fencing systems.
4. Working Dogs at Night
For livestock guardian dogs, nighttime is when the real work happens.
"I do not take collars off at night because my dogs are working at night."
Instead, she charges collars during downtime in the day, maintaining continuous coverage when it matters most.
Rural Reliability: No Wi-Fi, No Problem
One of the biggest concerns for rural users is connectivity. Louise’s property includes dense bush and areas with limited signal.
"We have… a really, really deep bush… and we have no issues."
That’s because SpotOn’s containment system relies on GPS satellites—not cellular or Wi-Fi.
"You just need to be connected to the satellite… we always have 26 or 28 satellites connected."
This makes it especially well-suited for farms, remote properties, and off-grid environments.
Peace of Mind Near Roads and Beyond
Louise’s farm sits close to a major highway—a high-risk factor for any dog owner.
"We live… near the major highway… it has given me so much peace of mind."
Because her dogs are trained to respond to tone and vibration cues, they rarely approach the boundary.
"They just stay where they need to be."
For farmers balancing livestock, land, and safety concerns, this reliability is invaluable.
Durability That Matches Farm Life
Farm equipment has to withstand tough conditions and GPS collars are no exception.
"My collars are filthy… there is so much wear and tear on them."
"Winter, rain, pond, swimming, we’ve really had no issues."
For working dogs that spend their days in mud, water, and brush, durability isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Why SpotOn Stands Out for Complex Farm Use
Louise’s experience highlights something important: GPS fencing isn’t just a convenience. It’s a solution to real operational challenges.
From large acreage to rotational grazing, from predator protection to property safety, SpotOn offers capabilities that traditional systems simply can’t match:
- - Unlimited, customizable boundaries
- - Instant fence adjustments via app
- - Multiple dogs with independent zones
- - No need for Wi-Fi or cellular for containment
- - Reliable performance in wooded and rural terrain
- - Training built around behavior—not fixed lines
For farmers and homesteaders dealing with complex land and working dogs, flexibility is everything.
Louise’s story makes that clear.
"It’s such an awesome app to use… that’s probably the number one selling feature when I tell anybody about the system."
Final Takeaway
GPS fencing isn’t just about keeping dogs contained. It’s about giving farmers control over how their land is used, how their animals are protected, and how their operations evolve.
For properties like Louise’s—large, varied, and constantly changing—SpotOn isn’t just a fit.
It’s a fundamentally better approach.
If you’re managing livestock, working dogs, or acreage where traditional fencing falls short, GPS fencing may not just be an alternative. It may be the upgrade your farm needs.