Our GS is 6 months old and we've just started training him on an Innotek electrical fence. We're doing the training gradually as per the instructions, it's gone really well. We have it on a pretty low setting, and he got zapped 4 times so far. He seems to recover well, but today, he is starting to show sign of shyness: wants to stay way far from the flags (16ft or so), when called, runs and stares at the flags, etc. We've decided to increase the level some so that the warning beep happens early enough (on very low setting, that beep happens pretty much at the same time as the zap so he can't figure out when to turn around). I'm concerned this is too much for him, and I wonder if anyone can tell me what they think. Or is this about normal and he will adjust, relax and find his boundaries with time?

Have you read (re-read) the instructions that came with your fence? And seen (and re-seen) the instructional video that may have come with your fence.

I know the reason the fences do NOT work is because most of the time we owners rush the TRAINING that is necessary with these fences. Because the fence is not a true physical barrier, it's the MONTHS and MONTHS of hands on consistant training the make the fence work. It frequently seems that our dogs get it very fast, are obviously rocket scientists and much smarter than OTHER dogs, so we don't have to continue with the training.

The fact that your dog has already been zapped 4 times is a warning to me. I know I only had to have mine experience the activation of the collar once, and then it was all about using the leash/collar, my reaction when nearing the fence, and following the directions.

Course my dog was a rocket scientist, I did NOT follow the directions, I left her alone in the yard way too soon, and.............................she got out. Then I just followed the directions again, she seemed to get it again, and knowing she was so much smarter than other dogs, left her in the yard alone again and....................................she got out.

So the fencing ended up not working, not because of her, but BECAUSE OF ME!

Ok, we followed the instructions pretty closely, watched the DVD 3 times, did the intro phase with just walking him around for one week, then did the real collar slowly. I think that we are doing it right, and I agree with you that it may take a lot more training. We've decided that playing with him a lot and putting him on stay close to the boundary would make him relax and learn he can move around. We'll see, I"m sure it takes time.

Train for a couple weeks either holding the collar or put it on upside down. Prongs out so he can hear the beep but no correction. On a leash go to different areas of the fence when you hear the beep give him a check and run back away from the fence 3 or 4 feet. When he follows then give him praise and treat. Spend a couple minutes 4 or 5 times a day doing this before you really set him loose. He needs to associate the beep with doing a 180 and a treat. He has to understand what you want him to do when he hears the beep and that it`s safe just a couple feet back.

Listen to Roger, particularly about the TIME element. And some dogs take longer (but don't take if for granted with less time like I did). I am sure you did follow the specific directions BUT without the 'time' element involved your pup didn't really 'get it'. And the fact he's been shocked 4 times already, and afraid of the fence, shows this. He doesn't get the 1) if I go to close to the flags there will be a beep and 2) if I CHOOSE to go closer I will get a shock and 3) THAT HE HAS CONTROL OF THIS BY CHOOSING TO STAY BACK.

It's the dogs ability to understand the 'cause and effect' that takes the time. Right now he just is getting the 'effect' and thinks the WRATH OF GOD is coming down periodically when he's in the yard, for no reason what so ever. And it's a scary thing.

I just want to share a little something regarding the collars that beep as a warning before the electrical stim.

I trained my dog to the invisible fence at around 6 months of age, and she has never left the yard - not once - without being with me and hearing the 'release word'. That applies to all three houses I've lived in with her, and camping trips as well, where I would just take the flags and put them up around our campsite so I didn't have to tie her up (I never left her there alone).

The collar would beep as a warning, and if she continued forward, she would get the electric shock. She has not worn that collar for probably 2 years, but every time she hears something beep -- it can be a watch alarm, the microwave, the ADT system saying low battery, ANYTHING -- she ducks her head, tucks her tail, lowers her ears, and immediately whirls around and heads off in the opposite direction. Last summer when I fostered a dog, he would bark when I left the room. I got a sonic bark collar that woud beep when he barked. Gypsy would run out of the room every time it went off, and try to hide someplace. Now when the ADT system beeps because of a low battery (which I still haven't figured out because if I just go push buttons it will stop for a while, and it's powered by electricity anyway), she won't even go into the kitchen, or if she's in the basement she will not come upstairs because the keypad is in the hallway between the kitchen and door to the basement stairs.

The second collar I got for the fence (because the one with the beeping feature was crap) would vibrate as the warning, instead of beeping. I much prefer that feature to the beeping. I use a Dogtra 200NCP collar now, and use the pager feature as her off-leash recall and it works wonderfully with no ill effects at all. No head ducking, tail tucking, or stressed behavior.



I've tried desensitizing her to the beeping, but have so far been unsuccessful. I've tried starting out using a clicker, and then transitioning to a beep meaning the same thing the clicker does. Nothing. I've tried praising and playing with her when she hears something beep. Nothing. I've tried ignoring it, or keeping her from running away. Nothing.

Just something to think about.

Never thought beeps in the house could bother a dog on an e-collar, I can see their point though! We'll see what our dog thinks.
After much thought, we've actually decided to go back to the rubber prongs for a good while, and increase the level so that the beep resounds much earlier and he knows that means no go. My husband did a training session this morning with treats, play and praise and apparently little Malik was fine after a shy period. I agree, we must teach him that the flags mean zap and the beep means stop. That make take a while but I think the fact that he got zapped a few times is an advantage as he knows what lies beyond.
I'll add more in the future to report on progresses.

 Quote:

I've tried desensitizing her to the beeping, but have so far been unsuccessful. I've tried starting out using a clicker, and then transitioning to a beep meaning the same thing the clicker does. Nothing. I've tried praising and playing with her when she hears something beep. Nothing. I've tried ignoring it, or keeping her from running away. Nothing.

Desensitizing this is very difficult. Every time the dog runs from the beep and the stim doesn't come, the dog is rewarded by NOT getting stimmed. Even if the beep comes from a phone or a wrist watch, it doesn't make any difference, the dog is able to beat the stim. It's a good example of self rewarding behavior and another reason I'm not fond of using "warning tones" with Ecollar training.

I don't think it's necessary with the IF either. The dog can be taught that approaching the flags brings the stim and staying back from them keep him safe from it. Then there's not any problems with beeping wristwatches.

Lou, I TOTALLY agree.

I am thinking about adding one...

I live across the street from a cow pasture (yes, that smell, that smell!) and the temptations are outrageous for my 16 month old shepherd...obedience training has helped, through when he has no prong on, he seems to well know it.

Every so often, when no one is looking, he bolts for the cows. The property is just way too large for a fence.

My question is this: does the electric fence have to be installed over a driveway? I know this sounds like a stupid question, but the property gets hit by plows very badly. Last winter, the wall of snow in one corner reached roughly 20 feet...a mountain of snow...
If I even tried to put a fence up, they will ruin it. They routinely KO fences, mail boxes, shrubs, etc, and every Fall, the town sends out a notice letting you know that they are not responsible for any damage!

thoughts on the e fence in my situation?