Innotek SD 2000 – A Good Entry Level Fencing System
Innotek, the child company of Radio Fence which also makes the gear for Invisible Fence and PetSafe, has a bare bones offering called the SD-2000 (pictured right). The SD-2000 is the cheapest reliable system on the market, but cuts a few too many corners to be really useful. This is the system to get if you are on a very tight budget.
At just over $100, the Innotek SD 2000 is the cheapest system that we would suggest anyone should use with their dogs. In terms of features the Innotek SD-2000 is similar to the more expensive PetSafe PRF-3004W. But, unlike some of the other cheaper systems like the Humane Contain, this one works consistently and reliably.
The main drawback of the Innotek 2000 is that it only has a single correction level. The correction level is progressive, increasing in intensity the nearer the dog gets to the fence wire. But, there is still only one starting point. This starting point is set for the “typical dog” but is too much for small dogs or compliant dogs, and insufficient for large dogs or stubborn dogs. You really want something that you can adjust after you see your dog’s reaction to the correction.
The other simple feature that is missing is a low battery warning light. There is no decent way to figure out if your battery is getting down, other than regularly testing it on the fence to see if it is beeping. Since nobody ever does this, the battery inevitably goes flat without anyone noticing, potentially leaving the dog’s unsecured. Fortunately, the risks are relatively low since once the dog is trained on the system they tend not to test boundaries. Still, this is a basic safety feature that really should be on all systems.
The Innotek SD-2000 Basic Dog In-Ground Fence uses a generic 3V battery that you can get in any supermarket or drug store. These batteries cost around $5 and last about two months so they do start to erode a bit of the SD-2000’s savings. They are less expensive and much easier to find than the proprietary batteries used by some systems like the PetSafe Small Dog Fence, but not quite as good as the rechargeable batteries on systems like the Innotek 4100.
The collar band is quite decent. It is a black cloth band, but doesn’t the reflective strip of the SD-2100. As you would expect, the SD-2000 lacks many of the frills like the base station battery backup and cannot be used with the Innotek wireless indoor pods. To get compatibility with the indoor pods, you need to trade up to the Innotek IUC-4100 or the Innotek IUC-5100.
Innotek offers a lifetime warranty on all it’s products, but this can be a little misleading. This really means that they will replace the unit for free in the first year and offer you a discounted repair in subsequent years. Note, that on a unit this cheap, it is a close call whether to take them up on the discounted repair or basically buy a new unit.
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