Blog

Category: Training

June 16, 2022

Let’s Get Invisible

You may be wondering, why should I get a hidden fence over a regular old standard fence? Aren’t things that are visible much more appealing than those that are not? And to that, all I have to say is, I have yet to see The Tooth Fairy in person; but if I did, that would definitely make the entire process of losing a tooth far less magical, and far more creepy than the faceless routine currently in existence. Unlike The Tooth Fairy, you can gladly keep all of your teeth in exchange for a Dogwatch of Litchfield County hidden fence. The perks of our fences are seemingly endless!

What are the benefits to a Dogwatch of Litchfield Country hidden fence over a traditional fence?

More Cost Effective
A hidden fence is undoubtedly less expensive than a traditional fence. We also have a wonderful warranty program to ensure you are satisfied with our product and services. Even compared to other hidden fence companies, with Dogwatch of Litchfield County, you will save incomparable amounts of money on through utilizing our two-year batteries for our collars. We are happy to discuss how you may get a quote for your particular yard, today!
Quicker Installation
Installing our hidden fence takes only a matter of hours! Even the largest yards can be completed in one day of installation. This is much faster than a traditional fence, which could take several weeks to install. Your fence can be installed, and your dog can be fully trained, in less time than it takes to solely install a traditional fence.
More Flexibility in Fence Placement
There are very few constraints around where we can place the underground wire. We can even make garden loops to keep your pets out of your more delicate spaces! Let us know where you would like the wire placed, and we will work to accommodate your needs. Book an estimate for your yard here.
Will Not Obstruct Your View
There is nothing worse than living in a home with a beautiful view only to block it with an unappealing containment fence. With a Dogwatch of Litchfield County hidden fence, you can keep your views perfectly clear, while keeping your pet safe. We work on waterfront properties regularly!
Better Containment for Your Pets
A Dogwatch of Litchfield County hidden fence is much more reliable in containing your pets than a traditional fence. Dogs cannot dig under, or jump over, our boundaries. Each boundary is set to your pet’s particular tendencies and needs. Even if you lose power, there is an automatic battery backup to ensure that your pet is always safe.
Zero Hassle for Humans Crossing Over
A hidden fence allows your pets to remain contained, while the humans in your life are able to move about freely. People can easily cross the boundaries without any hesitation. This eliminates the fear of someone leaving a gate open and allowing a beloved pet to escape!
Deters Intruders
Nothing seems less appealing than messing with a home with a seemingly loose dog running around. By giving your pets the ability to roam free throughout your yard, you may keep your home safe from any funny business!

In choosing a Dogwatch of Litchfield County hidden fence, you are choosing a lifetime of reliability and ease. We will work with you one-on-one to tailor our products to your specific needs. See which outdoor hidden fence suits your needs best here. Grab your phone, your sweat bands, and your leg warmers, and let’s get invisible! Free Cute funny Yorkshire Terrier with fluffy muzzle playing with ball Stock Photo

May 25, 2022

Can Hearing Impaired or Deaf Dogs be Trained on a Hidden Fence?

In the United States alone, about 5-10% of dogs are deaf. Chances are that at some point in your life, you may encounter, or perhaps even own, a hard of hearing or deaf dog. Deaf dogs are technically considered disabled; however, because the disability is not physical, it is often overlooked. Being deaf does not mean that your dog’s quality of life will be diminished in any way. Your dog will continue to live a perfectly normal and happy life. In fact, it is best to accept your dog’s limitations sooner rather than later, or you’ll be sounding a lot like a Verizon commercial from the early 2000s.

What causes deafness in dogs?

Just like humans, dogs may be deaf for a variety of reasons. Advanced age often results in diminished hearing. Chronic ear infections may negatively impact a dog’s hearing. Similarly, if a dog experiences a traumatic injury, this may also affect their hearing. On the other hand, some dogs are born deaf due to a genetic defect called congenital deafness. This is the most visually recognizable form of deafness, as it is associated with an all-white, or mostly white, haircoat. This is not to be confused with being albino, which is the complete loss of all pigment. Dogs with congenital deafness do have color in the irises of their eyes, and may even have some color in their haircoat.

Congenital deafness is most commonly experienced in the following dog breeds:

Australian Shepherds

Scooby and Haven are our two most recent Australian Shepherd graduates!

Dalmatians

Here is beautiful Lou, our most recent Dalmatian graduate!

Great Danes

This is Jinx, our most recent Great Dane graduate!

Welsh Corgis

Believe it or not, this is Corgi, our most recent Welsh Corgi graduate!

How do I test for deafness in my dog?

There are several simple tests that you may perform in order to test your dog for hearing loss, or deafness. These tests include:

Rattling your keys
Squeaking a toy
Stand behind your dog and clap your hands
Ring a bell from across the room
Start singing the, U Can’t Touch This by M.C. Hammer, and see if they immediately leave the room
Whistle

Will a DogWatch of Litchfield County hidden fence work for my deaf dog?

Our typical system works with an auditory signal, which alerts your dog that he or she is approaching the boundary. For obvious reasons, this is not the best option for pets who are hard of hearing, or deaf. Instead, DogWatch of Litchfield County offers Vibration Receiver Collars. The vibration works as the warning signal for the dog before he or she reaches the hidden wire. This provides both hearing and non-hearing dogs with the same exact benefit of a warning prior to correction. In our experience, deaf dogs catch on to the training just as quickly as hearing dogs. As always, whether your dog can hear or not, the more training they have prior to the installation of a DogWatch of Litchfield County fence, the quicker they will catch on to the new training. Think about how difficult it is to get your children to complete their reading over the summer after a few months off from school… not exactly an easy feat!

DogWatch of Litchfield County also offers a driveway sign that alerts drivers and visitors of a potential loose dog on the property. Deaf dogs cannot hear cars or people approaching them, so this type of warning is especially crucial for our hard of hearing customers. Plus, as someone who has questioned why their car won’t start without their keys in it one too many times, we can all use a gentle reminder to pay a little more attention in life.

February 8, 2021

Can My Dog Escape a Hidden fence?

Can My Dog Get Out of the Hidden Fence Containment Area?
One of the questions DogWatch Dealers are frequently asked is “Can my dog get out of the hidden fence containment area?” The answer is that if the initial training was done properly, this will rarely happen. If it does happen, it is usually for one of the following reasons. The first reason accounts for approximately 90% of all incidents.

1. Loose collar
The contact posts on all hidden fence collars (such as DogWatch®, Invisible Fence® and other brands) need to touch your dog’s skin in order to work. All quality containment systems give an audible (or vibration) warning to alert your dog that it is close to the containment boundary. The dog is trained to retreat when it hears (or feels) this warning. If the dog travels further, he will receive a mild but safe stimulation (also called a “correction”) from the receiver collar. Through a training program, your pet learns to recognize his fence boundaries and learns to stop at the warning signal. If your dog’s hidden fence collar is too loose, all you have is an expensive noise maker. It does not matter if your dog has just started using the hidden dog fence or if it has been on for years. If the collar is loose, the dog will figure it out eventually.

2. Dead Battery
All DogWatch Hidden Fence receiver collars have a battery life of 6 months to 2 years. Other dog fence collars have batteries that need changing every 2-3 months, or worse, have a rechargeable battery. The more often you need to change or charge the battery, the higher the likelihood of having a dead battery, which in turn increases the chance that your pet will leave the yard. Making sure your hidden dog fence has a long battery life, plus an indicator to let you know when the battery is low, will greatly reduce the chance of your dog leaving their containment boundary. DogWatchBatteries.com

3. Lack of or improper training
Most reputable hidden dog fence companies include training with the installation. Not all companies are alike, however, when it comes to training, the most important part of the pet containment system. Just because a company offers a “certified trainer” does not mean that trainer has a lot of experience. There is no national, standardized certification program. A better indicator is how long the company has been in business and, more importantly, what other customers have to say about the training that is provided. Most quality hidden fence companies offer on-going training assistance and some kind of a performance guarantee. The training should also include the pet owner who has a responsibility to continue the prescribed training instruction. With good training and follow through from the pet owner, most dogs will learn to stay in the yard. Always keep your pet containment provider informed of any difficulties your might be experiencing and do not be afraid to ask for help. If your provider is not willing to help, then they are not the right company for you.

4. Faulty equipment
Your dog’s fence collar goes through a lot of wear and tear. Even expensive, high quality equipment can stop working. The most reliable way to ensure this does not happen is to regularly check to make sure the collar is functioning properly. Your hidden fence provider should provide you with the means to easily test your equipment. Also, make sure your pet’s receiver comes with a true Lifetime Warranty. Read the small print.

As long as you keep your pet’s containment collar nice and snug, make sure the receiver is functioning, the battery is fresh and you follow through with the training prescribed by your hidden fence provider there should be no reason why your fur baby would leave the safety of your yard.

The following blog post was adapted from a post written by Pat West, co-owner of DogWatch of Columbus.

April 4, 2020

Can a hidden fence work for a hound

Hounds and a Hidden Fence
Hounds are famous for two things: their noses and their speed. And 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 Dealers are often asked: “Can a hidden 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, 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 (below, with Bogey) 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 a DogWatch Dealers themselves!

Lisa’s son Billy White, who is 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 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.

Lisa currently has two Beagles, Tigger and Winnie, and a grand-dog Gus. (Breaking from tradition, Gus is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.) Her dogs have a pet door and a SmartFence so they have great freedom to use their beagle noses to explore and exercise and still stay in the yard. Here’s a picture of the adorable trio!

But what about the bigger hounds? We spoke with DogWatch Sarasota customer Richard Jackson, whose Bluetick Coonhound Maggie (below right) 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 Northern 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.”

Do you have a hound that uses a DogWatch Hidden Fence? Send us a email with your story and a photo of your pet(s), and they could be a future DogWatch Dog of the Day on our Facebook and Instagram! Or if your hound could use some boundaries, check out DogWatch of Litchfield County Dogwatch corporate site