How to Train Your Dog to Use a Pet Fence

No matter the type of dog fence you purchase for your pup, the most important factor that will decide the failure or success of that fence is training. This might come as a surprise to many first-time dog parents but making a dog use a pet fence effectively involves much more than simply setting up the pet fence, putting the receiver collar on your pet, sending them outdoors, and expecting them to understand everything that is going on. As a responsible dog parent, it is your responsibility to train your dog to use a fence in the most efficient manner. Here is how:

Step 1: Carefully Read the Instruction Manual for Your Dog Fence

It is essential to fully understand how the dog fence you purchased works before you start training your pup to use it. Always read the instructions manual provided with the product properly and follow all given directions to avoid any unnecessary hassle. If you have any concerns regarding your specific fence system, get in touch with the customer service helpline to get answers.

Step 2: Position the Training Flags at an Appropriate Distance

Electric dog fences include training flags that are used to help dogs understand where they need to stop and when they need to turn around. It is important to position the training flags at an appropriate distance (as mentioned in the instructions manual) from the fence as well as from each other.

Step 3: Avoid Attaching a Leash Directly to the Electric Collar

When you attach a leash directly to an electric collar, it can harm your pup’s health. The prongs may end up exerting too much pressure on your furry friend’s neck. For this purpose, it might be best to place a non-metallic collar that fits your pup well right next to the electric one. Make sure that the collar fits snugly; it isn’t too loose or too tight. It is crucial that you use a non-metallic collar; otherwise, there may be some signal interference from the fence to the original electric collar.

Step 4: Attach the Electric Collar

Put the electric collar around the neck of your pet dog carefully using the directions provided by the manufacturer. Make sure that the collar is positioned properly and isn’t too loose or tight. You can look at the diagrams provided in the instructions manual for reference. Next, put the non-metallic collar on and attach the leash to it.

Step 5: Keep the Training Sessions Short

Use 10 to 15-minute intervals to train your dog to use the pet fence. Like most other pet animals, your dog will respond to frequent but short training sessions. Sweet and short training sessions can prove to be more fruitful than prolonged ones. It is always recommended to reward your dog for everything it does right. You can praise it with physical gestures and offer plenty of treats to make the experience more enjoyable and fun for your furry friend.

Step 6: Teach Your Pup about the Warning Signal

It is very important to teach your pup about the warning signal. Hold the leash attached to your dog and slowly walk with your pet animal to the training flags. Next, wait for and listen to the warning signal. As soon as your dog reaches the flag, the signal will go off.

Step 7: Train Your Dog to Stop and Turn Around

After your pet and you hear the signal, immediately stop, turn around and return to the center of your backyard. When your dog does the same, provide it with lots of affection and praise to help it form the habit of stopping when the warning signal goes off and turning around. Make sure never to walk beyond the training flags, as that can result in your dog getting a shock.

Step 8: Repeat the Process

Until your pup stops on its own and understands that it has to turn around, keep repeating the process.

Step 9: Get Help from a Familiar Person

Ask a family member or a friend that your dog is familiar with to walk out of the fence’s boundary. Make sure to keep your dog in the collar and on the leash during this step. Moreover, ask the person not to turn around or call out to the pup. This is the first step to helping your dog learn how to resist temptations and distractions while staying aware of the warning signal.

Step 10: Let Your Dog Make Decisions

This is a major step in your dog’s training. Allow your dog to make decisions. If your pet friend follows the person out of the boundary and past the training flags, it will experience a small shock. If your pup stops at the flags and turns around instead, give it plenty of treats and praise.

Step 11: Let Your Pet off the Leash

The last step to training a dog to use a pet fence is letting it off the leash and indulging in some exciting, supervised playtime with it. Teach your dog how to use the fence on its own. Keep the electric collar on but remove the leash. Next, leave your pup unsupervised for a few minutes and watch from a distance. If your pet dog tries to escape, resume training while keeping the leash on as your dog may require a little more practice.

Bottom Line

We hope that with all the aforementioned information on training your dog how to use a pet fence, you found something worth your while. Even though keeping a dog inside a pet fence at all times is cruel, it is important to safely contain it in the outdoors to keep it safe from external dangers. Therefore, it is highly recommended to understand how an electric fence works and train your dog with the same knowledge to keep it safe from harm’s way!

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