How It Works

CLICK HERE CANINE CONTAINMENT FAQs

This section is for those pet owners that walk their dogs and wonder how all those wonderfully behaved dogs are staying in their yard.

Maybe you've had a family member, friend or neighbor who has a system and has told you a bit about it.

Here's your chance to get your questions answered. If you have a question that we haven't answered just let us know and we will get an answer for you.

First of all - all dog fences that operate with a computer transmitter, a computer collar and wire work the same. They have the same basic technology, same potential result. There is some difference between manufacturers but the results mostly lie in the Professionals you choose to install your system, train your dogs and stand by your family for the life of your pet.

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A standard Hidden Fence starts with an assessment of your yard and needs. We have many options - some exclusive to our company. We can do all or part of your yard. We can also section off particular areas of your property for your family's convenience.

Here are a few yard layouts to get you thinking about how we can best serve you. These layouts can be modified whether you have a front entry garage, a side-entry garage, a rear-entry garage or no garage at all.

Hourglass Loop The "Hourglass Loop" keeps your pet safely contained in the areas of the yard you prefer. The most common arrangement is a two-Zone system with the back yard and front yard separate. Perhaps you prefer your dog staying in the back yard most of the time for playtime and potty breaks. The Hourglass allows for additional front yard protection in case your dog sneaks out the front door or the garage door.

The Three-Sided System The "Three-Sided System" is used when you want to restrict your pet to a particular area of the yard or you have a small area to cover. The most common arrangement is shown. We can also leave the open area at a lake front or at a neighbor fence line so your dogs can socialize (given there is no escape potential). Our technology and capabilities allows us to design a three-sided system without the restrictions of a double loop or a "banana loop".

The Full Loop The "Full Loop" is the most commonly used layout. Your pet will enjoy free access to roam the entire property. This type of loop can also be used to provide protection for gardens and landscaping.

The Three-Sided System can also work well for our 4-Legged friends that like to climb over or dig under their existing fence.

After we plan the best way to arrange your new fence we set the date. Most times of the year you can plan to have your fence ready to go within a week. Our standard subdivision-sized installation takes roughly ½ day and we usually have morning and afternoon installations available to fit your schedule. The training of your pets begins right after the installation so we do like to have you available to get the best start on the training process.

To get your system up and running, our installer will first determine the best place for the location of your system transmitter (which "transmits" the digital computer signal through the wire) and accessory equipment (Surge Protection and Battery BackUP). The standard equipment installation is near an outlet in the garage or basement. A connector wire is installed from the transmitter, out the building to the location of your pet's boundaries. Our boundary wire is typically buried anywhere from 2-5" underground depending on your soil conditions and the time of the year. It is a given that hard, rocky soil will not allow for our deepest installation. Wire in areas other than the lawn (ie. Landscaping, woods, etc) is typically anchored and covered by what is available (mulch, rock, leaves). We do install all year. If the ground is frozen we anchor the wire above ground and return to bury it at no charge to you.

Our standard installation price is based off of a machine-run perimeter. If areas of your yard require extra labor such as hand-digging flower beds, flipping fresh sod or hand-laying wire through woods, there might be an additional charge. See our Packages and Pricing for a more detailed fee schedule and a listing of our current Package options.

FAQs

1. How old does a dog have to be before starting training on a Hidden Fence?
   
   a. We can start a puppy with our gentle training as young as 10 weeks. The biggest factor in timing is the length of time you have had them in-house. Most puppies go to their new owners at 7-8 weeks of age. That is such a big change for them that we recommend a delay of 2 weeks for them to bond with your family, start appropriate potty behavior and start leash training. Your dog HAS to be walking on a leash to begin fence training. We can install at any time, but we would delay the start of training until your pet has adjusted. Even older puppies or any new addition to your family needs that transition time to settle in before beginning boundary training. During the adjustment period please walk them within the boundaries you intend to establish and only take them on leash walks out the driveway or sidewalk.
   
   
2. Can older dogs be trained?
   
   a. Dogs of all ages can be trained to obey the boundaries of their Hidden Fence. It is instinctual for them to have the alpha dog (you) dictate the home territory. In this scenario, there is no such thing as "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"! We also have the exclusive ability to train older or hearing impaired dogs with our vibration collars.
   
   
3. How do I take my dog for a walk?
   
   a. Part of the training process involves conditioning your dog to an "imaginary gate" at the driveway or sidewalk. This process comes as the last phase of training when your dog is very comfortable with their new yard.
   
   At the onset of training your dog will likely associate the leash with going for a walk. We provide a 10' training lead for containment training to distinguish fence training from going for a walk. Keep your regular walk lead only for walks or trips outside the yard and use the 10' lead only within the containment boundaries.
   
   During the training phase (2-3 weeks) DO NOT take your dog across the flag line for a walk. In that we mean DO NOT let them motor themselves on their own four legs. The first step is to take your collar off in the house. Don't remove it outside or you will be one of the many clients that place their collar on the car only to drive off later and lose it. If your dog is small - pick them up and carry them all the way out of the yard…if your dog is too large for you to safely pick up put them in the car and drive them a few houses down the street, go for your walk and drive them back into the yard. We want to break the connection in their minds that they are physically crossing the flag line themselves. Training must be consistently black-and-white. Training on an "imaginary gate" can become a grey area if done before your dog completely understands and respects the fence boundaries. It is key to wait approximately two weeks after off-leash supervision begins to begin training on the imaginary gate. DO NOT use a retractable leash for containment training.
   
   
4. What is the imaginary gate training?
   
   a. Once your dog is comfortable staying within the boundaries and you have successfully removed the flags in your yard (around 30-45 days), you are ready to start imaginary gate training (walking your dog on a leash outside of your yard). Choose one set of circumstances for your dog's entering and leaving the yard and stick with it. Either establish your "gate" at the driveway or at a front door exit or garage door exit (walking down the driveway to leave the yard). Develop a pattern of taking your dog's fencing collar off and putting a regular collar and walk leash in its place. Have a command to release your dog from the yard such as "Let's Go" or any already established "free" command. The first few times you take your dog out of the yard you will need to coax them with treats and praise. After several sessions, your dog will understand that ONLY in that one area, ONLY with a leash on, and ONLY with someone with them will they be "free" from the fence.
   
   
5. What if my dog runs through the system?
   
   a. If your dog makes a "mistake" and runs through the system you need to retrieve your dog as quickly as possible with treats, a vehicle if necessary and a positive voice and body language (or they will be less likely to respond to a "COME" command in the future). REMOVE the collar and quickly return your dog to the inside of the containment area. At that point you need to determine the cause for the run-through.
   
   Has your dog been recently introduced to the fence? Are you following the training procedures? If so, then your dog is gradually being trained to understand the boundaries and is allowed to make the "correct" choice under on-leash supervision…then drop-leash supervision…and finally off-leash supervision. Even when following the training your dog might run through once or twice when supervised off-leash before it "clicks". Proof (prove understanding) your dog under every temptation (especially if it is a new distraction they haven't been exposed to on the fence) and you will decrease the chance of run-through. Your dog needs to be introduced to distraction triggers at each phase of training. Every dog has a different set of triggers - you probably know many of them already: cars, big trucks, bikes, joggers, other dogs walking, squirrels or other critters, you leaving the property, kids playing, etc.
   
   If your dog has been trained on the system and is running through then you need to go through Troubleshooting or call our office to determine if it is a training issue or an equipment issue.
   
   
6. Will this system keep other dogs out of our yard?
   
   a. The system will only work on dogs that have on a PetSafePro receiver collar.
   
   
7. How long do the flags stay in the yard?
   
   a. It differs depending on the speed at which your dog trains to the fence. When you have reached one week of off-leash supervision it is time to begin removing the flags. They are gradually decreased over the next week.
   
   
8. Will the shock hurt my dog?
   
   a. The correction is intended to surprise your dog, not hurt him. He will have much the same Reaction that you do when shocked on something metal in the wintertime. Sure you are surprised…and you don't want to touch it again. Our lowest "chihuahua" level stimulation has never kept a dog in the yard (even a chihuahua!). It is a low gentle stimulation to combine sensation with early training. Most clients describe it as a "buzz" or "tickle". As we gradually increase the levels on the collar we are looking for your dog to choose for themselves what level is adequate without fear. We have many Great Danes at ridiculously low levels and many small terriers that we need to give all we've got. We never assume that the size of the dog has anything to do with their containment needs.
   
   
9. Will my dog always have to wear the collar?
   
   a. We hear many comments in the office that "someone told me my dog won't have to wear the collar after a few months". Well - in rare cases that can be true. Each dog is an individual. Your dog can't be compared to another dog. The largest percentage of dogs train well and even if your system didn't work it would take them 2-4 weeks to realize it. Then there is that margin of dogs floating on either end of the spectrum. A small percentage of dogs, when fully trained, only rarely need to wear their collars…on the flip side, an equivalent percentage of dogs test the system EACH TIME they are let outside. Are you going to second-guess where your dog fits in? For the safety of your pet leave the collar on when they are exposed to the fence.
   
   You also need to take the collar off of your dog overnight…most dogs aren't exposed to the fence overnight unless you have an indoor fence. This gives them needed down time. You can regularly check the neck for irritation and you can check the collar for appropriate fit and low battery.
   
   Please read the bulletin on Pressure Necrosis.
   
   
10. Should I get a Hidden Fence or a Physical Fence?
    
    a. The ONLY benefit of a physical fence over a hidden fence is that it will keep other dogs out of your yard…if that even is an issue. Cost effectiveness? For a standard 1/3 acre lot you can spend anywhere from $3,000-$12,000 on an above-ground fence (depending on materials). A hidden fence can be less than $1000 (and comes with our 110% money-back containment guarantee). Most pet owners don't realize that a considerable percentage of our business is installing hidden fences for dog owners WITH physical fences that their dogs climb over or dig under! Hidden fencing can also protect from escapes out the garage or front door (unlike a physical fence).

Our standard installation price is based off of a machine-run perimeter. If areas of your yard require extra labor such as hand-digging flower beds, flipping fresh sod or hand-laying wire through woods, there might be an additional charge. See our Products and Packages for a listing of our current Package options. CONTACT US for any pricing on customizing your fence.