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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. 



May 17, 2022

Does My Dog Hate Me?

We all know that suspicious feeling, when your dog sighs just a little bit too dramatically from across the couch. He can tell I told my coworker her dog was, “the cutest little fluff ball I ever did see,” can’t he? After all I do for him—I give him food (a serving size for a dog 1.5 times his size according to our vet), I buy him countless chew toys (mostly tiny replications of things I, too, enjoy, like a Costco bottle of wine), I even put on his favorite tv channel before I leave the house (Bravo)—you would think he’d be a little more grateful. So, why does he look at me with such disdain at the end of the day? Could it be that he was bred to pull a ninety-pound sleigh for seven hours across the arctic tundra, and yet he spends most of his day wearing his sweater vest in suburban Connecticut while watching the housewives debate who stole whose picnic party planner? Possibly. However, a mismatch in desire to transport cargo is no reason to throw in the towel. A DogWatch Hidden fence can truly bring harmony to all energy levels. When you feel like kicking up your feet, while your dog feels like kicking two soccer balls, one grapefruit, and a hula hoop he stole from the neighbor’s child, that’s where we can help. Whether you need a break from your dog’s  boundless energy, or you caught spring fever and want to join in with the galavanting, your hidden fence will become as frequently used as your Netflix password.  

So, to answer the initial question… maybe? Probably not, but we can’t say for sure. Dogs are nonverbal, so until Elon Musk develops a cross-species translation device, it’s still up in the air. But one thing is crystal clear. You will never regret installing this system. Covid has kept us cooped up for long enough. And without a hidden fence, your dog’s entire life is a Covid quarantine. Take action now before they ask where their stimulus check is! Contact us with any questions or concerns. We will absolutely contain your dog (or cat!) as long as you agree to contain your excitement over your newfound time to actually brush your teeth without first asking if someone “has to tinkle” eleven times. As you’ll come to find out, DogWatch will add tremendously to your life; but, most importantly, it will spare you a few exaggerated huffs and judgmental stares from across the couch.

 

May 13, 2022

Can a Dogwatch Hidden Fence Contain a Hound?

Hounds and Dogwatch Hidden Fences
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.”

Liz the Trainer with Dogwatch of Litchfield County Connecticut has trained many Hounds and says “I have not met a Hound we can not contain. DogWatch has many tools for its Dealers that make even the most difficult dog Trainable. We even offer a 30 Day money back guarantee and we have never taken back a system. We will get them contained!

Check out DogWatch of Litchfield County

May 13, 2022

Hidden Fence Myths

Hidden fencing (a.k.a. electric dog fencing, underground fencing or Invisible Fencing®) has been in existence for a long time but has recently become more popular due to the ever increasing fence restrictions and our ability to trust more in technological advancements. There are some people, however, that are still leery due mostly to myths associated with this type of pet containment. We would like to address these myths and help educate the general public about the safety, humanity and convenience of hidden fences.
The six most popular myths associated with hidden fences are 1) the shock is dangerous and inhumane; 2) it doesn’t work on my breed; 3) my dog will never want to come outside again; 4) it will make my dog become aggressive; 5) it is too expensive and 6) store-bought systems work just as well as professionally-installed hidden fences.
Myth #1: The shock is dangerous and inhumane.
Many people feel that “shocking” a dog is harmful and an inhumane method of training. With Hidden Fences there are so many more factors involved than just a shock, or “correction.”
The correction from the collar is an electronic stimulation similar to the static shock you receive after walking across a carpet in your socks. It is briefly uncomfortable, it gets the dog’s attention but it does not injure the dog and it cannot burn the dog’s skin.
The myth that electronic collars can “burn” the skin may be the result of misdiagnosing ‘pressure sores.’ Pressure sores are caused by a collar that is too tight and/or not removed regularly. Pressure sores are not related to electronic stimulation and can be avoided by adjusting the collar if it is too tight and by removing the collar at night.
Additionally, it should be understood that a pet who is properly trained rarely receives the correction. In most cases, after the initial training, dogs do not continue to test the system and they only experience the audible warning. The audible warning gives the dog a chance to turn around before the electronic stimulation even occurs.
Myth #2: These types of fences won’t work on my breed.
The DogWatch Hidden Fences of Litchfield County team has 20 plus years of experience in pet containment, and we have successfully trained a wide variety of dogs to the fence. Sighthounds, scent hounds, Beagles, terriers of all kinds, giant dogs, tiny dogs, hairy dogs and hairless dogs – our trainers have worked with many dog breeds, including breeds with a reputation for being escape artists. With the proper training ALL breeds of dogs can be trained to a hidden fence.
Claims that these types of fences don’t work are usually due to lack of or improper training. This type of fencing does work – which is why any reputable company will offer you a money-back guarantee if they cannot contain your dog. They should also offer training assistance if you experience any sort of problems – it only makes sense to stand behind your product.
Important Note: DogWatch Hidden Fences are only intended for use with trained domestic dogs. If your dog has a history of aggressive or violent behavior and could cause harm to itself or others inside or outside the fenced premises, you should take other measures to restrain your dog such as traditional fencing.
Myth #3: My dog will be afraid of the fence and won’t want to play in the yard.
All dogs respond in their own way to Hidden Fence training. Some dogs take to it right away and others, just like humans, take a little more time to adjust. Initially, some dogs may stay close to the house or the front door while they are learning their new boundaries. For them, a little more work may be required to learn that it is safe to play in the entire yard. You just need to spend a little time with your dog playing and giving them treats to remind them that the yard is a fun and safe place to play.
Myth #4: It will make my dog aggressive.
Some people believe that dogs will become aggressive if they are contained with a hidden fence. Our customers, however, overwhelmingly report that their dogs are much happier when they have the freedom to play outside without a leash or chain.
It is rare, but if someone reports that a dog became aggressive after the fence was installed, there are usually underlying issues unrelated to the Hidden Fence. For example, a dog who has never been properly socialized may not be comfortable around strangers. After a poorly socialized dog is trained to the hidden fence, the dog may appear to be more aggressive when people enter the yard. This may be because the owner has never had the dog loose in the yard before and, therefore, has not observed that the dog is territorial around strangers. The same thing could happen if a physical fence was installed and someone tried to enter the yard.
Myth #5: It is too expensive.
Many people mistakenly believe that hidden fencing is very expensive so they never even explore the possibility of using it for their pets. The fact is, a professionally installed Hidden Fence from DogWatch Hidden Fences of Litchfield County is significantly less expensive than a traditional fence. The more acreage involved, the greater the savings, comparatively speaking.
Myth #6: A store-bought brand is equivalent in quality to a professionally installed brand.
With this myth, nothing could be further from the truth. As with any product, there are different levels of quality. Generally speaking, professionally installed systems offer more quality and reliability, more features, better customer service and better warranties.
In addition, a system purchased from DogWatch Hidden Fences of Litchfield County will be properly installed by our experienced professionals who will also ensure that your pet is trained to understand the fence, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful containment. Finally, we are always available to provide assistance and service, should you need it.
Although hidden fencing isn’t for everyone, we hope that addressing some of these more popular myths associated with it will help open your mind to the possibilities. If you or someone you know is ever in need of pet containment, contact us today! DogwatchLitchfieldCounty.com
DogWatch hidden dog fences are often mistakenly referred to generically as “invisible fences” or “invisible dog fences.” Invisible Fence® and Invisible Fencing® are Brand names, products and registered trademarks of Radio Systems, Inc.

Hidden fences by DogWatch are also known as Electric Dog Fences, Underground Dog Fences and much more. We like to call it the Ultimate Pet Containment System. 

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