Step Two
Now we introduce the correction. Reactivate the shock on your collar, either by adjusting the control box or removing the masking tape you added. Place the collar on the dog, ensure that it is tight enough for the two contacts to be touching the dog. If the contacts are not touching the dog they will not receive the correction. You want it tight enough that you can insert two fingers between the collar and the dog. For a small and compliant dogs, put the shock on medium-low, for a medium size dog put it on medium-high and for a large or stubborn dog put it on high.
We know there is a temptation to set the correction very low, in an attempt to avoid hurting the dog, but the opposite is true. If you set the correction low the dog will learn that it is not too bad and try exploring past the boundary … they may end up on the street and they could really get hurt. Turn it up high and they might get shocked a couple of times but they will quickly learn to avoid the boundary. The dog should never learn that they can cross through the boundary and that there will be no shock on the other side. Err on the side of a higher shock. If during the training the dog does not seem to care much about the shock you have it on too low and need to turn it up. If there is no reaction at all to the shock, then you have probably not got the contacts pressing against the dog properly, you may need to trim a bit of hair for long hair dogs or tighten the collar to get it in contact with the skin.
As before we start and end all training session with play time to keep it fun.
As in the first step, you are going to put the dog on a long leash and take them about a yard from the boundary. As before you never want to lure the dog over the boundary, let them wander over by themselves. It may take a few minutes. When they cross and the beeping starts, wait till they receive their correction. This may take a second or so. You will know the dog got the correction because they will visible flinch or recoil. Then pull the dog back into the safe area saying “no, no, no.” When they retreat praise them. When they retreat do not baby them. The dog got a shock and it is no big deal, it was just like the static shock you sometime get on carpet (if you are in doubt try it on yourself – we have been shocked scores of times and it is no big deal, more surprising than hurtful). You are the dog’s leader, if you panic they will panic and they will not learn, if you act like it is not a big deal it will not be a big deal and they will learn that the shock was simply the consequence of crossing the boundary.
If the dog doesn’t cross the boundary, praise them. Watch their body language. You will often see the dog heading toward the boundary, but then stop when it shifts it’s vision to the flags. You will often see a dog spontaneously turn their back to the flags. You want to praise this type of behavior.
Repeat this activity three times a day for another week. Make sure your dog does not get shocked more than once a session. You do not want them to find this training an unpleasant experience. If they get shocked during the session, simply switch off the shock (or wrap the receiver contacts collar in masking tape) and continue on with the training.
Our Most Popular Pages
wireless fence reviews ~ dogtra ef 3000 gold ~ sdf100 ~ smart dog ht-023 ~ dog fence for small dogs ~ stapling dog fence wire ~ pig00 10777 ~ dog fence trencher ~ wireless pet containment system ~ high tech pet ~ perimeter wifi dog fence ~ perimeter dog fence ~ prf 304w ~ outside dog fence ~ iuc 4100 2 ~ sd 2100 ~ dog fence driveway ~ petsafe instant fence ~ best dog fence ~ innotek ultrasmart iuc 5100 ~ innotek 3000 ~ petsafe reviews ~ dog fence installation ~ innotek 2000 ~ petsafe electric fence ~ dig dog fence wire ~ dog fence training diy ~ dog fence wire ~ hidden dog fence
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
We purchased the SportDog system a few weeks ago from you all and put over 6,000 ft of wire down to encompass 45+ acres. Our dog was incredibly sensitive immediately to the lowest setting on the collar – just beeping. He appeared to catch on to the flags and the wire itself as it is just laid on top of the ground mostly through wooded areas. From the first day of training to the present when he can see the flags he stops 10-30 feet from the fence and refuses to move toward it. As we have a large space and a lot of fence to train him on we were able to train him in new areas with the leash pulling back when he heard the beeping, but once we had encountered that area he remembers and refuses to go near it again.
So our problem with the second phase of training is that we can not get him near the fence to experience the shock correction ( I now have the collar on setting 3) Today we skipped a little into the third phase by bringing over a friend with a puppy to offer an enthusiastic distraction, even throwing sticks over the fence thinking the competition would get to him. No he is stoic at a safe distance. Our dog is a hound so I suspect that he can smell the plastic of the flags and perhaps even the wire – if this is possible. Because he is a hound his scent tracking instinct and thrill of the chase is what we are trying to interrupt and I understand why he needs to feel the correction and train his response so he does not run through the fence.
How will we get him to feel the correction?
ADMIN – Hi Diana,
That is a good problem to have! It is not uncommon that after week one, the dog gets the message and does not want to cross the fence despite never having got the correction. It is most common in dogs that have had another type of correction collar. I do like the dog to get the correction at least once in a controlled setting to make sure that have that right instinct of turning and retreating when they get the correction.
You have the right idea in using various temptations to get them to consider crossing, and of course you want them to cross of their own will (and not lead them across). Usually what works best is to get the dogs super excited so they are no longer paying attention. For some dogs this is a game with a ball, or playing with a neighbor’s dog. For scent motivated dogs, I may lay down a scent trail leading to some smelly raw chicken (i.e. well thawed out and not frozen) or if there is a dead animal carcass, that works great.
Very worst case, and after a week of trying I can’t get them into the correction field. Then I will get someone else to lead the dog into the correction field (not the dog’s owners). If the dog strongly resists even that, I will let it go … even if they have not got a correction if they still will not go through even when led through that tells me they are rock solid trained.