Humane Contain HC-8000

The HC-8000 has a couple of very promising features. The base station is waterproof and therefore can be safely mounted outside. This convenience allows you to position the base station almost anywhere. Similarly the collars are waterproof and boast an external waterproof speaker to give you a nice loud warning beep.

The HC-8000 has an optional rechargeable battery for the base station, although at $40, we find it to be overpriced.

The HC-8000 also includes thicker boundary wire than standard systems.

Where Humane Contain really fails with the HC-8000 is the low quality. We hear lots of complaints about the reliability of these units and have experience their temperamental nature in person. The units often stop working or start working unpredictably.

We have heard that customer service is woeful and that the company is slow to replace defective products. The company's Better Business Bureau listing is littered with complaints.

Another problem with HC-8000 is that it only has a single correction level. The correction level does adjust as the dog gets closer to the boundary but this is not as effective for larger dogs who need a higher correction level as a deterrent.

The collar battery is not rechargeable which is not unreasonable at this price point. The batteries last only one to two months and cost around $6 each making them a very expensive proposition. (You can extend battery life significantly if you take the battery out when the collar is not in use)

We advise against this product. At this price there are better more reliable alternatives. For example the IUC-2000 is cheaper and comparably featured. Alternatively, the IUC-2100 is more expensive but features rechargeable collars.