Larry Fry
Putting up electric fences......
Sunday, November 12, 2017, 21:19

1) The grounding rod should be buried at least 6 feet into the ground and deeper if a solid ground is deeper. How do you know? First measure with an ohmmeter from the rod to ground with your probes on the rod and the other one stuck into the ground. You should measure only a few milliohms at most! Then you have an adequate ground.
2) Electric fences are to keep things from jumping over your fence. Putting a hot wire below about 5 feet is not a good idea as you have found out. Properly installed the fence should not cause the problems that you described. It will keep deer out of a garden area. I have one installed at our house in Georgia.
3) I use 3 strands starting at 5 feet high and every six inches above the initial strand.

Be sure and install the transformer in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Hope this will help.