Step One
First we want to stop the collar receiver from shocking the dog. To do this, you may be able to turn the shock off on the collar receiver or on the transmitter. If your system does not have this feature, wrap the prongs of the collar with masking tape to stop the collar from shocking the dog. Now place the collar on the dog.
You want to begin and end each training session by spending a few minutes playing with your dog. They need to remember that the yard is still their place to play.
Place the dog on a long leash and slowly walk toward the boundary, stopping about one yard before you reach the boundary flags. Let the dog wander toward the flags and until their collar starts beeping. If this happens then pull on the leash and quickly pull the dog back into it’s safe area and say forcefully “no, no, no.” You must be animated and have a sense of urgency. If you are like most people, you probably say “no” to your dog about ten times a day, this time they need to know that it is important. You need to make this time more memorable. You want them to learn to retreat FAST, so do it FAST but confidently.
If you have a partner to help you, have them wave the flag and also say “no, no, no” when the dog gets too close. Once the dog is back into the safe area praise the dog.
Repeat this process, using different sections of the fence each time. Do this three times a day for a week. You will notice as the week goes on that your dog starts to automatically turn away from the flags. This is what you want to happen.
Remember to end the session with a few more minutes of play, this is fun for both of you.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
The training information is helpful, since I just started underground fence training yesterday…this approach is a little slower and paced at my speed to feel comfortable knowing I’m taking longer to identify the flags/boundary to my puppy…since she didn’t get it last night, which left us both perplexed:)
I’ve had this system for over 5 years.Both my dogs died We have 2 puppies about 9 weeks old.We reinstalled new flags, turned down the collars.Is 9 weeks to young to start on the training.
Admin – Hi Nick, sorry to hear about your dogs. I would wait till the pups are about six months old to start training. Also train them both separately. When you have two dogs (especially puppies) they pay more attention to each other than on learning the system.
I have a dog that was abused by her previous owners and I rescued her from the animal shelter. She is still very skiddish and when you tell her no, she curls up and doesn’t want to move. She is not understanding the concept of flag is a no no. I’ve walked her around the yard without the collar for fear of her getting shocked all the time. She is very timid and is still very scared. How would you advice me to continue with her training? She loves her tie out but freaks out when she is placed with the shock collar.
ADMIN – Hi Kelly,
I am afraid we don’t have much experience training abused dogs. I would strongly suggest you try a few session with a local trainer with experience in these matters to help you out.
My intuition, based on just working with ordinary skittish dogs, is that you want to emphasize the positive part of training. When you pull her back after doing your no, give her lots of praise. Also be confident about the whole thing and don’t try and reassure her in any way other than by your strong body language.
Glad people like you are out there giving these dogs another chance at life.
We have a blind dog that we rescued. Is an invisible fence cruel to this animal since it cannot see the flags, and how would training differ?
ADMIN – Hi Ryan,
Blind dogs are a lot harder to train. I would get a collar that has vibration (e.g. Dogtra), and try marking the fence line with a scent so we can engage another sense.
It can be done but is a lot more effort and takes a lot longer.
I’m thinking of using this fence at a weekend home. I won’t be there for more than 2 days and an evening (Fri. night, Sat. & Sun.). Can the dog learn to stay within the fence?
ADMIN – Hi Bill,
I would like to see you give the dog a week of continuous training the first time. Perhaps you can start the next time you take a vacation up there. After that the dog would have learned the boundaries and the short stays at the vacation home will be no problem
I will be installing a system over our 14 acres but am curious if I should start with a smaller area and train to the flags then expand to cover the entire property. Thanks for your advice.
ADMIN – Hi Dennis,
I would with the full 14 acres. It is a bit confusing to the dogs every time the boundary changes and they take a while to adapt. It is much easier just to put in the final boundary layout. If installation time is an issue, just staple it to the ground at first, and if you need/want to bury it, then you can always come back and do it later.
That said, you could do it as you suggest, start with training them in a small area, then expand the boundary and move the flags. It will take a bit longer for them to learn the new area, and you may need to give them some encouragement to use the new space (e.g. spending time playing with them in that area). But is definitely doable.
We had the indoor disks first. Our old dog figured out the beep and shock with little training. New dog also figured it out quickly. That cured the inside problem, but they were escaping through the outside fence since it is wraught iron and they are very small dogs. We installed the invisible fence to stop that. The fence we chose would provide collars that worked with the indoor system and outdoor system. I went outside to take a look at the installation right before the flags were installed. The dogs followed me outside and the new dog got shocked when she ran over to the gate. Now, we can’t even get her to go outside in the yard, she runs and hides when we tell her to go outside. When outside, she stays on the patio and scratched at the patio screen door (and screen beside it until she tore a hole). I have walked the yard with her and tried to teach her the boundaries, but if the beep goes off on her collar, or the other dog’s collar, she is running back to the patio. I have to chain her outside in order to keep her off the patio and hope that she will go potty during that time.
Help! I am at a loss as to what to do now!
ADMIN – Hi Karen,
Put up the boundary flags to help her better visualize the boundary. Then, just keep taking her out into the safe part of the yard and playing with her. Project confidence and she will follow, you can help her most by showing you are not scared or concerned. For now turn off the correction and let it just beep. The overreaction to the fence is not uncommon, but give her a bit of time and she will relax and get more comfortable getting closer and closer to the boundary flags.
You are doing all the right stuff. it is just going to take a couple of weeks before she gets used to it. At first she will hang out on the patio, then she will start inching out further and further.