Curious about how to train your dog on an electronic or invisible type of fence? In the following article, I will go over the basic concept of how the training takes place and highlight the important elements for a successful experience for you and your dog.
Is Training Important?
Regardless of what system you get, who installs it, how smart your dog is, or what breed your dog is; the training is the most important element that will determine the success or failure of your underground dog fence. Even the most expensive system used on the world’s smartest dog from the smartest breed will definitely fail without proper training. On the converse, the least expensive system, installed by an amateur, and used on a less intelligent dog will almost always work if the training is done properly.
Every company has slightly different techniques they will show you when you get your fence installed. If you search the internet, you will probably get a dozen different techniques. Here is a secret … almost all of the differing techniques will be effective. Trainers get used to a certain way that has worked well for them and they may believe their way is the “only” way. In basic terms – if an unpleasant thing happens to a dog when he goes to a certain area it’s fairly easy to train a dog to stay away from those areas.
As the owner of Derby’s Pet Fence, I have heard all kinds of techniques that have been used. Most have worked on most dogs. But, as a professional company that does this for a living, we are striving to achieve 100% effectiveness on all dogs. As a result, we have developed a very specific technique that has been tweaked based on our many years of experience. The techniques we use today are different than what we used when we started in the early 2000s. Therefore, our customers get the benefit of all of our years of experience. We were very effective in the beginning also. But, the changes we made over the years have improved the experience for the dog and the owner. Specifically, we are able to give the dog fewer and more mild corrections to achieve the same result. In addition, we have made it possible to contain the very rare dog that would continue to run through a boundary with techniques that are effective on 99% of the dogs. Between the modifications we have made and some new hardware that we had specifically designed for our use, we now contain 100% of the dogs. No other company can make that claim and we are very proud of this achievement. Of course, part of this result is because we know how to modify the training to accommodate the different dogs and how they react and need to learn.
Is it Cruel?
The idea of a dog getting a correction from a collar sounds a bit mean or harsh. Of course, it is preventing potentially a far worse experience and may prevent the possible death of your dog. Before I got into the business, I had the perception that these systems were cruel. I naively thought dogs got a harsh shock from the collar every day! I was so wrong! The good news is that dogs will typically get 4 to 7 corrections during the first two weeks while they are in training, then they are likely to go several years without getting another correction. Yes, you read that correctly. Many dogs go several years without getting a correction. Dogs are smart and will stay away from the boundaries once they understand where they are.
The correction from the collar is adjustable (in our case anyway) and we start the dogs at a very low correction level. Many dogs don’t even feel the first few levels. And, with our hardware, they always get a warning tone before the correction is given. Therefore, with training, the dog will back up when he hears the warning and before ever getting a correction.
Make no mistake, however, the correction level needs to be adjusted to the first level that gets the dog’s attention to the point that he will want to avoid it. Otherwise, it can’t save his life if it isn’t something he wants to avoid. Most of our collars have 10 to 30 levels of correction. Some dogs need higher levels than others. We are able to set it to just the right level without going higher than necessary.
The Basics of Training
When the installation is complete, flags need to be laid out in the yard where the dog will be hearing the warning tone (not where the wire got buried). Then, the dog must be on a leash when they are outside during the training period. There is a simple routine that is followed and typically takes place two or three times a dog. This routine shows the dog the boundary and the consequences of what happens if he crosses the boundary. How the owner does this routine is critical to the success of the system. We show our customers exactly how to do it, how to respond to the dog, and how to modify the routine based on the dog’s reaction. There are typically 4 or 5 different ways a dog will respond to training and we can easily modify the training once we meet the dog and give the first session.
After several days of this routine, the owner will slowly remove the flags so the dog has a chance to remember where they were. In addition, once the portions of the training that require a leash are completed, we want the dog to be observed for a few days to be sure he doesn’t think the removal of the leash will allow him to go through the boundary.
If your system was installed by us, we are available 7 days a week to answer questions. If there is a rare dog that we need to make a return visit for, we can do that also.
When training is complete – you will have complete confidence that your dog will be safe. My two German Shepherds have a dog door and 2 acres to play. I am able to leave my house for hours at a time, knowing they will be safe. My son even drops off his dog every morning so he can enjoy the freedom and safety of our fence while he is at work! Underground or invisible fencing is far more effective than any physical fence you could install for many reasons. But, this is predicated on the training being done correctly.
If you are in Louisville, Lexington, Southern Indiana, or any of the surrounding areas, Stephen Baralt is the owner of Derby’s Pet Fence and will be happy to help you with your electronic pet fencing. We are a local and independent company. We have a real live person answer our phone 7 days a week! We give free quotes right over the phone. In addition to installation of new fences, we are happy to service and repair any brand of fencing, regardless of who installed it. Call or text us at 502-314-7398 / 859-327-7760, or visit our site at www.DerbysFence.com. Prefer email? Steve@derbysfence.com