Reckon you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Guess again! Whether you’re training a young puppy or a senior hound, it’s perfectly possible to introduce your dog to an invisible fence system.
But the effectiveness of training really depends on several factors. First, what kind of training methods does your dog best respond to? What breed of dog do you have? And what level of training has your dog received in the past?
Regardless of these factors, every dog can be successfully introduced to an invisible fence system. Here are some of our top tips for pet owners introducing their dog to an invisible fence system provided by Hidden Fence Central Coast and Hunter:
- Teaching recall
If your dog knows to come to you when called, you’re one step ahead! Teaching recall to your dog can be done using a long leash and rewards.
- Use flags along the Hidden Fence line
Using flags along the invisible fence line is a great visual aid for dogs, especially when placed correctly so when sniffing them the warning tone on their collar is also emitted. Once the flags are gone after a few weeks they will remember the warning tone helping them understand where the Hidden Fence lies.
- Familiarise your dog with the perimeter
Now it’s time to introduce your dog to the perimeter and get them familiar with the idea of staying within the flags. You can do this by turning off the electric stimulus and walking your dog around the flags, recalling your dog when the audio warning is triggered. Reward your dog with a bit of love when it comes to you after recalling it.
- Test your dog with distractions
Once your dog seems to understand the idea of staying within the flags, it’s time to test your dog with distractions. This might involve throwing a ball on the other side of the fence, seeing whether they can respect the boundary. Alternatively have a friend walk by your property (outside the flagged area), with their dog and observe your dog is respecting the flags.
- Allow corrections
Corrections are necessary for dogs to understand the boundary of a Hidden Fence. Adjusting the stimulation level on the collar to the right level for your dog breed. Then after a couple of instances of ignoring the warning tone and receiving a corrective stimulation, retreating to the safe zone, most dogs understand not to cross the boundary.
- Give Love
Here’s the fun part: giving love! When your dog responds to the warning tone and recalls to you, give him or her some love to positively reinforce they have done the right thing.
- Finish each session with play and praise
Training sessions should be short and sweet, finishing with lots of praise and 5 minutes of play within the fence’s boundary so that your dog is happy and comfortable.
The best way to get your dog up-to-speed with his or her new Hidden Fence is to let the professionals at Hidden Fence Central Coast and Hunter to conduct training sessions with your dog. Not only do we install professional-grade fencing systems, we also train you and your dog/s so that they’re completely comfortable with their new Hidden Fence. We tailor our training to your dog’s personality, ensuring that every dog receives effective Hidden Fence training. Get in touch with our team to learn more today.