Blog

Category: Training

July 26, 2024

Can Hounds Be Trained to Use an Electronic Dog Fence?

Hounds are famous for two things: their noses and their speed. Anyone who has ever lived with a beagle, bloodhound, greyhound, dachshund, or other hound dog knows just how fast and determined they can be when chasing prey (or the neighbor’s cat).

DogWatch® Hidden Fence Dealers are often asked: “Can an electronic dog fence REALLY work for a hound?” The answer is yes! For over 30 years, DogWatch® Dealers have been training hounds and hound mixes to stay in their yards with our hidden fences. We reached out to our Dealers and customers to learn more about the process of training hounds, their unique personalities, and how adding an underground electronic fence to their property helped their pups stay safe and do what hounds love to do – sniff, run, and play!

Lisa White’s Experience with Beagles and DogWatch

Lisa White, co-owner of DogWatch of St. Louis, has had beagles as part of her family for most of her life. She invested in a DogWatch® Hidden Fence for her family’s beagle, Bogey, back in 1995 because her family lived in an area where physical fences were not allowed. “Growing up in the same area with two beagles as a child, I knew the wandering, hunting instinct and strength of the beagle nose to follow a scent and roam – sometimes very far from home. One of my childhood beagles wandered often and was hit by a car (and fortunately survived). I worried about her, so I was pleased to learn about hidden fences.”

The previous DogWatch® Dealer in the St. Louis area trained Bogey to the DogWatch® Hidden Fence system when he was 4 months old, and Bogey picked it up right away. “He loved the freedom to explore his (relatively small) yard, roam and sniff and still run after bunnies and squirrels, but now he magically stopped at his property boundary,” says Lisa. The Whites adopted Sampras a few years later, and he also took to the fence like a charm. Lisa trusted the DogWatch® Hidden Fence so much for the freedom and safety of her beagles that she and her family decided to become DogWatch® Dealers themselves!

Training Insights from Billy White

Lisa’s son Billy White, the head trainer at DogWatch® of St. Louis, has worked with numerous beagles, dachshunds, basset hounds, Afghan hounds, plot hounds, greyhounds, and more over the years. “Scent hounds generally take to the fence very well: they love the freedom of exploring their yard off-leash and tend to enjoy running and sniffing outdoors. When they can do this, they tend to be calmer inside.” Billy, like all DogWatch Dealers, uses both the visual flags and the audible signal of the collar to reinforce training. “We have found that, in general, hounds pay more attention to the audible training than the visual,” he says.

Real-Life Examples of Hounds with DogWatch

Lisa currently has two Beagles, Winnie and Peppy, and a grand-dog Gus. (Breaking from tradition, Gus is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.) Her dogs have a pet door and a SmartFence, allowing them the freedom to use their beagle noses to explore and exercise while staying in the yard. Here’s a picture of Gus and Peppy hanging out and having fun in their yard!

But what about the bigger hounds? We spoke with DogWatch of Tampa customer Richard Jackson, whose Bluetick Coonhound Maggie uses a DogWatch® Hidden Fence. “Bluetick hounds have noses stronger than most other breeds and it is exceeded only by their desire to hunt and that means roaming,” says Richard. “With her DogWatch® receiver and my hidden fence, I know she is safe to traverse my Florida farm property without fear of wandering. I know she is safe, even when I am not there. I rely on DogWatch products for all 4 of my canine herd!”

“People always tell me you can’t train hound dogs on an underground fence,” says Michael B. Shaffer, a DogWatch of Northeast Indiana customer. “I have trained four rescued hounds, and apart from an isolated incident that is very unusual, they have full access to our yard, much to the amazement of the neighborhood!” Michael, who shared the photo at the bottom left of his two rescue hounds, adds, “Thank you, DogWatch for a great product and great company.”

Conclusion

Training hounds to use an electronic dog fence is not only possible but has been successfully done by DogWatch® Dealers for over 30 years. With the right training and tools, hounds can enjoy the freedom to explore, sniff, and play safely within their boundaries. Whether you have a small beagle or a large Bluetick Coonhound, the DogWatch® Hidden Fence can help keep your furry friend safe and happy.

Schedule a free estimate in Connecticut at DogWatchEstimate.com

September 13, 2023

School is Back in Session

Now that we’re all adults, let’s be honest with each other; going back to school totally sucks. Once August rears its humid, frizzy head, students and teachers alike feel that unrelenting tightness begin to expand in their chests. Our big box friends do their best to encourage excitement over existential dread for the season, to no avail. Target, for one, is supposed to be a safe haven for overworked parents in desperate need of a Starbucks run and a twenty-sixth throw pillow for the living room sofa. It’s supposed to be one of the only remaining brick and mortar toy stores for children to eagerly explore, and subsequently throw a massive tantrum next to an overpriced Lego set and a cardboard cutout of whoever took on the role of Batman this year. But the very second Labor Day is even a whisper of a thought, these stores turn into a living hell for both parents and students. Regardless of the number of banners displaying children quite literally jumping for joy at the thought of sitting at a desk all day and “finally getting the hang of algebra,” these campaigns are fooling no one. The kids are certainly not looking forward to returning to prison–I mean school–and the parents are definitely not looking forward to shelling out the endless amounts of money required to do so.

At Dogwatch of Litchfield County, we will be completely transparent about the reality of our products and training process. The pricing is straightforward and on our website. Our team is friendly, honest, and always takes into account your specific needs and desires for your pets. At the end of the day, we are all dog people, which is never a negative quality! When you install a Dogwatch hidden fence, you will have one less thing to worry about this busy school year. With all the time you’ll save not walking your dog, or better yet not losing your dog, you’ll be able to finally finish that summer romance novel you began way back in June. The one you swore you’d complete on your beach vacation, which actually just turned you into a combination camp counselor and lifeguard. With the addition of a hidden fence, perhaps you and your dog can finally enjoy a beautiful and peaceful afternoon in your yard together. For parents, September is the gift that keeps on giving. After all, it’s actually still summer until the 23rd 😉

April 28, 2023

April Showers Bring DogWatch

April in the northeast is an immensely unpredictable time. We experience glimpses of the hottest days of summer, followed by endless dreary days of rain, sleet, and dare I suggest… snow. Some days you can experience all four seasons in one singular day, no hormonal imbalance required! It is no wonder the notoriously ambivalent April Ludgate shares her name. When Mother Nature is feeling as erratic as she does in the spring, all we can do is hunker down and prepare for the unexpected. This leaves little room for routine, and pushes toward a life of flexibility and rolling with whatever each day has in store. You must be able to change your plans fast, and your clothes even faster.

If the weather is less “spring,” and a little more “showers,” indicating more indoor playtime, your pets will be happily contained within our indoor hidden pet boundaries. But when those idyllic glimpses of summer do appear–as shown in the various Hallmark movies they’ve been filming around here lately–you and your antsy pets will want to take full advantage of outdoor time by utilizing our outdoor hidden fence. Spring is also the perfect time to remind your pooch of his or her manners. Spring cleaning does in fact include banishing all quarantine quirks, and freshening up on how to act properly in public. There is good and bad news surrounding our collective quarantine recovery. The bad news is that we humans need to just figure it out through awkward small talk and uncomfortably long gaps of silence. The good news is, DogWatch can help our four-legged friends recover a bit easier. We have the perfect device to help your pets readjust properly to the excitement of the outside world. The BigLeash is a fantastic training tool to reinforce training commands as well as to change undesirable behaviors… nobody likes a crotch sniffer.

Don’t hesitate in reaching out to DogWatch of Litchfield County today for a free quote! I promise we are a very friendly group of people; you’ll only ever experience the spring and none of the showers.

March 9, 2023

Spring Fever

The stereotypes about March are not great. Nearly all language surrounding this time of year is… negative, to say the least. It’s always “March Madness” this, and “Spring Fever” that; followed by Mother Nature’s final attempt to trap us in our homes with her blizzardy tirade, which then instantly melts into a muddy slush from the warming weather. Try building a snowman with half-melted brown snow and let me know why all of the adults end up in tears before the kids. Plus, lest I remind you, this month we lose an entire hour of our precious weekend due to Daylight Savings. As a side note–who decided that we can just take an hour away from our weekend every year?? I’ll be starting a petition to “spring forward” at 4pm on Fridays from now on.

Regardless of these setbacks, Dogwatch of Litchfield County is here to turn the image of March around. We are here to remind you of all the wonderful things it truly represents: the beginning of spring, the sights and smells of freshly blooming flowers, days filled with more sunshine, and we cannot forget about Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March. It is also the perfect time of year to make your actual lasting improvements for the upcoming year. Out with the unfathomable goals of January, and in with the realistic ones–like installing a Dogwatch hidden fence. It will give your dog the freedom he or she has been craving all winter, while also giving you peace of mind. We are already losing an hour of our time this month, let’s not lose any more chasing our dogs through the woods.