Blog

Tag: Hidden Fences

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.

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

How Do GPS Fences Work? What You Need To Know.

Are you considering a wireless GPS electronic pet fence (frequently referred to generically as an “invisible fence”*) to keep your dog in your yard? How do wireless GPS systems compare to a traditional wired (underground) electronic dog fence? Do they provide the same level of safety for your pet?

Overview
Most electronic pet fence systems (including a DogWatch® Hidden Fence, Invisible Fence® and other brands) feature a buried wire, typically two-to-six inches underground. The wire is connected to a transmitter mounted in your house or garage that sends a harmless, coded radio signal through this wire. Your pet wears a collar programmed to detect the radio signal (called a receiver collar.)

If your pet gets too close to the underground wire, the radio signal triggers a ‘beeping’ noise from the receiver collar that alerts the dog (or cat) to retreat away from the buried wire. Through a simple training program using flags to mark the area where it is safe to play, your pet learns to recognize where it is safe and where the alert is triggered. To reinforce the training, if your pet gets too close to the buried wire, the receiver collar delivers a brief static impulse (correction). The pet quickly learns that the correction is uncomfortable and avoids the buried boundary wire. After training, most pets stay away from the buried wire and remain within the designated safe area.

Dog staying in yard, can gps fences work for dogs

Wireless GPS pet fences, by contrast, use satellites to map a specific boundary (geo-fence) for the pet instead of using a buried wire and a fixed radio signal. Mapping the fence boundary is often done by using cellular technology. The receiver collar is connected to the GPS program that sends an alert to the receiver collar if the pet approaches the boundary and corrects the pet if it does not retreat from the boundary.

While the goals of the two systems are similar, the use of GPS technology for pet containment raises several concerns.

Concern #1 – Inconsistent Boundary
Hidden Fences with underground wires provide a consistent boundary that does not change unless the wire itself is moved.
GPS dog fences, however, do not provide that same consistency. GPS coordinates can shift and are prone to interference and changes in signal strength.
Why is a consistent boundary so important to an electronic dog fence? In a word, training. For an electronic pet fence to work properly, the pet needs to be able to understand and recognize the containment area boundaries. A boundary that is not consistent can confuse the pet and make training and containment less effective and less secure.

confused dog, Do Wireless GPS Fences Work?

Some GPS systems say they are “portable” – you can take your containment system camping, to visit friends, etc. True – you can set it up anywhere, but in addition to the inconsistency issue (and perhaps lack of power and/or satellite service), how will the dog know where the boundary is? Training (including flags, repetition and a consistent boundary) are key to successful training and a happy pet. It can be done, but it’s not as easy as advertised. And there is no way to control the inconsistent boundary.

Concern #2 – Shorter Battery Life
Battery life matters when it comes to electronic dog fences. Why? Because a dead battery means no audible alerts or corrections. As a result, the pet is much more likely to run through the boundary.

Most traditional underground electronic pet fences use a replaceable receiver battery, with a lifecycle ranging from 3 months to two years. GPS pet fences typically use a rechargeable battery to power their receiver collars. The more often you need to charge the battery, the higher the likelihood of winding up with a dead battery, which in turn increases the chance that your pet will leave the yard. Longer battery life and a battery that can be quickly changed provide more safety for your pet.

Concern #3 – Limited Uses
GPS dog fences are not recommended for smaller properties, due to the fact that the GPS boundary line can vary unpredictably (up to 10 feet). In order to keep the pet away from hazards like roads and wooded areas, the boundary line will need to be moved further away from the hazard, thus reducing the overall size of the fenced-in area.

dog near woods, Do Wireless GPS Fences Work?

GPS signals can also be subject to interference from a variety of sources, including nearby tall buildings. This further limits the use of these products. Thus, GPS fences are often not recommended for properties that are less than 5 acres or properties with potential obstructions.

Concern #4 – Cost
Finally, GPS pet fences are expensive. They can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than a traditional underground electronic fence. Furthermore, some GPS pet fence systems require an on-going monthly fee for use of GPS and/or cellular networks.

At DogWatch, we are committed to providing the safest, most effective electronic pet fences on the market. At this time, we believe wireless GPS fences do not provide the same level of safety and reliability as traditional wired systems.

For more information about the latest in electronic pet fence technology, contact DogWatch of Litchfield County.

* Invisible Fence® and Invisible Fencing® are Brand names, products and registered trademarks of Radio Systems, Inc.

Invisible Fence®, PetSafe®, Guardian®, Innotek®, SportDOG®, RadioFence®, ComfortFit™, UltraLight™, Deluxe In-Ground Fence™, and Contain N Train® are trademarks of Radio Systems Corporation. PetStop®, Wire-Free®, and Perimeter^™ are trademarks of Perimeter Technologies. DogWatch® is a registered trademark of DogWatch Inc. Dogwatch is not affiliated with Radio Systems Corp, Perimeter Technologies, and disclaims any interest in any trademarks not its own.