Blog

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.

February 3, 2021

Can a Hidden Fence Work for a Siberian Husky?

When you picture Siberian Huskies, chances are you picture them in motion. Whether they are pulling a sled, running laps at the dog park, chasing squirrels or playing with their pack, Huskies are among the most energetic and independent of all dog breeds. They are also well known “escape artists,” and can often be found digging under or leaping over fences.

Because of this reputation, pet parents looking for a way to safely contain their dog often ask us: “Can a hidden fence really work for my Siberian Husky?”

Yes, they can! For over 30 years, DogWatch Dealers have been training Siberian Huskies, Husky mixes, Alaskan Malamutes and more to stay in their yards with our hidden fences. We reached out to our DogWatch Dealers and customers to learn more about the process of training Huskies, adjusting collars to work with their thick coats, and how adding an underground electronic fence to their property helped their smart and athletic pups enjoy their freedom!

“I’ve trained several Huskies and Malamutes on the DogWatch system,” says Jack Panter of DogWatch of British Columbia. “I find they are not so different from other dogs.” Jack does say that the breeds’ heavy undercoats do require some extra effort. He instructs his customers to “trim a couple of spots up on the side of the neck” of their Husky, to ensure that the contact posts on the dog’s receiver collar reach the skin.

Jack also has a recommendation for training Huskies (or any dog breed) with a history of wandering off the property. He recommends not letting the dog leave the property on a leash. Instead, train the dog to hop in the car whenever it is time to leave the property. (Don’t forget to remove the collar after the pet is secure in the car.)

This tactic worked well for a trio of Huskies that Jack trained recently. “I would train one while one was in the house and the other went for a car ride with the owner. We kind of broke up the pack behavior and gave them a happy distraction around the same time the training was being done.” The three Huskies went from a “pack marauding their neighborhood” to “homebodies” who love to relax in the yard (along with regular trips by car to the local park).

Togo and Nicola, Alaskan Malamutes

In addition to his customers, Jack also trained his own pair of Alaskan Malamutes, Togo and Nicola (see photo above), to use a hidden fence at home. “My Malamutes are trained to the sound of the receiver warning. They won’t even chase a rabbit or deer through!”

Troy Dykes of DogWatch of the Bay Area & Northern California, who has been a DogWatch Dealer for over 20 years, has successfully trained many Huskies to understand and respect their hidden fence boundaries. “For me, I love the mentality of the Spitz lineage, and northern latitude dogs in general (Husky, Malamute, Chow Chow, Akita, Samoyed, etc.). The closer to the wolf, the smarter (and more prideful, independent, crafty) the dog, in my opinion.” Troy has owned a Chow Chow, and currently has a Finnish Spitz named Savannah (see photo below).

Savannah, a Finnish Spitz dog

Troy echoes the importance of making sure the DogWatch receiver collar fits properly for these thick-coated breeds. These fit issues can lead a pet owner or inexperienced trainer to conclude that the dog needs a higher level of correction, when actually all the dog needs is a quick hair trim at the neck, longer contact posts, or other collar adjustment. “Increasing the level of correction can be a big mistake with these breeds,” adds Troy. “If you break their trust by being heavy-handed, they can shut down completely.”

Once you build that trust, however, training Huskies can be surprisingly simple. Troy says that Huskies are among his favorite breeds to work with. “I’d put Huskies up there with Labs, Goldens, Shepherds, Border Collies and Rottweilers as my easiest breeds to boundary train.”

To show just how effective hidden fence training can be for Huskies, Troy filmed a video of a training session with his customer’s dog Loki, a then six month old Siberian Husky. “Intelligent, driven, intuitive and…contained safely within his yard and property,” says Troy.

In addition to our DogWatch Dealers, we also asked some of our many Siberian-Husky-loving customers for their feedback. DogWatch of Upstate NY customer Gary Kuch says: “I was initially skeptical that a hidden wire would work on my over-active Siberian Husky. DogWatch assured me it would work and they were right. Recently we had what I called was the acid test; three Golden Retrievers at the end of our driveway during a recent garage sale. Our Husky saw them but never once came close to the wire perimeter. It has been that way for two months with no issues.”

Another Husky pet parent, DogWatch of Southeast Indiana customer Lori Taylor, tells us: “We have a stubborn Husky who ran off on us most everyday, she loved to swim in the neighbors’ pond and loved to chase deer…We tried other systems to keep her contained on our property but they failed, then a friend recommended DogWatch, they have been a blessing and a huge relief!! Not one time has the Husky left our property!! I’m still amazed how well this system works!! Cannot thank DogWatch of Southeast Indiana enough!!! The peace of mind is so worth it!!!”

Do you have a Husky or Malamute 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 Facebook.com/Dogwatchct ! Or if your dog could use some boundaries, give us at DogWatch of Litchfield County a call!

December 13, 2020

DogWatch of Litchfield County is Going Green with a New Electric Nissan Leaf

Our Environmental Commitment

In addition to caring about the quality of our products and our customer service, we also care about environmental responsibility. DogWatch Hidden Fence of Litchfield County has recently added an 100% electric Nissan Leaf to our expanding fleet of service vehicles. As our sales and service business continues to grow, so does our need for more vehicles. So with the environment in mind, we decided that we would try to do our part by giving an electric vehicle a try,

DogWatch Hidden Fence Systems are also lead-free and compliant with the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Initiative – a European-based initiative to reduce the amount of lead and other hazardous metals in consumer electronic products. DogWatch Receiver Collar batteries have the longest life in the pet containment industry. With our ProFence battery you will only need five DogWatch batteries in ten years compared to thirty or forty for other brands. With DogWatch you will save money and the environment!

We are all in this together, let’s do our part.

November 21, 2020

Answering the Big Questions About Underground Fencing

Seeing a happy, healthy dog playing in his own yard without a tether and without constant supervision is a joy to a dog lover, and frequently leads to a friendly chat with that well-behaved dog’s owner. More often than not, the impressed observer learns that there is an underground pet fence installed around the yard’s perimeter and the dog has been trained to respect that boundary.

After seeing the freedom and safety provided by such a fence, there are often questions about buying and installing an “invisible” or hidden fence. The answer is that there are several underground pet fence options with various features, price ranges and quality. Some are Dealer-installed while others are designed for self-installation, and it is good to do some homework before making a decision.

If you are thinking of purchasing a pet fence system, we hope you will consider DogWatch of Litchfield County! Here are some reasons why DogWatch is a smart choice and some important things you need to consider when evaluating the options.

An underground fence is a training tool that must be introduced correctly to be consistently effective. Proper introductory training of your dog assures that he is not confused or frightened by the system and that he recognizes and respects the boundaries. DogWatch is a professionally installed system that includes training for both the dog and the dog’s people plus follow-up after the system is installed to ensure the fence is working and the dog is safe and happy. Self-installed dog fence systems may provide an instruction guide but do not include on-site training or follow-up.

Consider the life of the product and the equipment warranty when making your decision. All the reputable companies offer some kind of warranty, but not all the warranties are the same and some are available only for additional cost. DogWatch outdoor systems include a lifetime warranty as a standard feature. It even covers damage if your adorable pooch chews on the receiver. With DogWatch, if you move and take the system with you, the warranty for your system continues to be valid. Read the warranty carefully and ask questions for each of the systems you are considering.

Battery cost and life vary greatly. A system that requires a proprietary battery, frequent replacement or one that must be replaced by a Dealer will add significantly to your costs. Rechargeable batteries are less reliable than standard batteries, require removing the receiver collar frequently for recharging and are expensive to replace. Batteries for the DogWatch system have longer battery life than all other systems and can be changed by the user. See a comparison of batteries and of their ongoing costs.Compare Batteries
Adjustments to the system that must be done by a Dealer are inconvenient and add to your overall cost. You should be able to do something as simple as changing the level of correction that your pet receives. A system that is adjustable by the user means no waiting for a service person and no service charge. DogWatch equipment is owner-adjustable and support is available by phone and “how to” videos on the DogWatch website. For Dealer installed systems, be sure to ask what is user-adjustable and what requires Dealer adjustment. Also know what kind of support is available if you have questions or need assistance, especially if you are considering a self-installed underground dog fence.
Consider the usefulness and value of the features of each system. Does the system alert you to a low battery? How’s your dog doing? Will you know if he has he tested the boundary lately? Does the system include lightening protection or is that an add-on? Will your pet be confused by unintended corrections when your neighbor uses their garage door opener or can you be certain that he will receive a correction only if he tests the boundary? Click Here to See how the DogWatch system compares to Invisible Fence,® (another leading pet containment brand).
In addition to choosing the system that is best for your pet, by choosing DogWatch, you are also choosing the system that is best for your community. DogWatch products are lead-free and compliant with the Reduction of Hazardous Substances initiative (RoHS). They are safe for your pet and safe for landfills. And our Dealer network is 100% locally owned, so that the investment you make stays in your community.
Hidden Fences are sold and installed only by local DogWatch Dealers who own their own businesses – no franchises or regional distribution networks. A happy customer is their best advertising, so DogWatch Dealers have a strong incentive to make sure the installation and training are done correctly and that their Customer Service is second to none.

Imagine opening your door to let your dog out, confident that he won’t roam or be in danger from traffic. Gone are the days when a dog needs to be accompanied or tethered whenever he’s outdoors. Gone are the days of worrying about open gates or fences that you dog can chew through, dig under or jump over. By installing an underground dog fence you give him freedom and safety while giving yourself peace of mind. When you take the next step and choose a hidden fence system, we hope it will be DogWatch, the most advanced and most customer-focused system on the market.