Training Your Dog using a PetSafe Electric Dog fence – Week 3
If your dog has successfully completed Phases 1 & 2, he is now ready to be off the leash while you are constantly supervising him. DO NOT leave your dog unattended during this phase. It is not uncommon for your dog to associate the training with his leash, or to the trainer, and he may leave the yard when these conditions change. If that happens, retrieve your dog, remove his collar and return to the yard. Many times, the dog will run back into the safe area of the yard by himself. If you are unable to retrieve him immediately, turn the transmitter off so that he can return without receiving a correction.
After six days of constantly supervising your pet while off the leash, you can begin to leave him unattended for short periods of time. Gradually, over the next week, begin building up the time your dog is left unattended.
Some dogs will want to stay near the house or may be hesitant to go outside. It may take a few days before your dog is confident to do so alone. If so, take your dog to the safe area and give him some meat treats, play with him and give him lots of praise to show him that it is safe to be outside.
Remember, if your dog is not properly and fully trained to the electric dog fence – it will not work. You cannot progress from one stage to the next without being certain that your dog has fully understood the previous stage. If you are unsure, spend the time to add a few extra days on a stage before proceeding. Remember – these electric dog fences are NOT a miracle cure, they cannot physically restrain a dog from leaving a yard. Your dog must be properly trained to the system (up to 30 days) for the dog fence to work. If you are hesitant or unsure about training the dog yourself, we recommend consulting a reputable Professional Trainer who has experence with electeronic dog fences. Or, your local PetSafe Professional dealer.
FINALLY – Two weeks after your pet can safely be left outside unattended, you may begin removing the training flags. Pull every other flag each day until all of the flags are removed. Once the flags are gone you can teach your dog how to safely walk over the boundary – this is called “Doorway training”. Remove the dog fence collar and place him on a leash using a flat or slip collar. Encourage your dog to follow you by reassuring him and praising him. Most dogs will be reluctant, but you must be persistent. DO NOT allow your dog to “bolt through” the signal field. Teach him it is safe to cross with you while he is on a leash. Use a release word such as ” FREE” . Be consistent and both exit the yard and re-enter it at the same point each time. Eventually your pet will associate the leash with leaving safely.
Training Your Dog using a PetSafe Electric Dog fence – Week 2
During Phase 2 Your dog can now experience the higher correction levels of the dog fence collar. Walk your dog within the containment area of the yard and praise + feed meat treats to him. Allow your dog to proceed toward the training flags. When your dog enters the signal field, he will experience an uncomfortable, but harmless, static correction. Since this correction may startle your dog, he may jump and yelp. This is normal. Make sure when this happens, you quickly pull your dog back into the containment area. The entire time you will need to have a smile on your face and praise him – make sure to feed a small hot dog bite. Play in the safe area and do not allow your dog to run back to the house. NEVER PULL OR CALL YOUR DOG INTO THE SIGNAL FIELD. Let him decide to enter or stay within the safe area.
You will need to begin to incorporate “set-ups” in your training sessions. A “set-up” is a situation that would normally tempt your dog to leave the yard, such as a person walking by and crossing the boundary, or another pet outside the boundary. These will teach your dog that he needs to pay attention to his whereabouts, regardless of the situation. Until now, the training has not been tested under conditions where your dog has a heightened level of desire. You may begin this training by having a family member walk out of the yard. Your dog should still be on a long leash and wearing his dog fence collar. Remember, DO NOT call your dog out of the boundary!
If your dog refuses to follow the family member, praise him warmly. HE IS LEARNING. If your dog decides to follow the family member, allow him to enter the signal field and receive a correction. Again, your dog may respond by jumping and yelping. Quickly pull him back into the safe area of the yard while smiling and praising on the way. Repeat the process with other “set-ups” such as other pets, a ball, a stick, etc… in various places around the yard. Use something that really excites your pet. Sometimes with dogs that have a high food drive, you can throw some lunch meat or a hot dog just past the flags. This process will cause your dog to make a choice and it is a critical point in his learning process.
If your dog is not responding when he enters the signal field, it is usually due to the dog fence collar being too loose, or his hair is to thick to make good probe to skin contact. If the dog fence collar is fitting properly and your dog does not respond when he enters the signal field, this usually means that the correction level is set too low. Adjust to a higher level. To help adjusting your Petsafe dog collar click here: http:www.discount-pet-superstore.comoutdoordeluxe.htm
Before proceeding to Phase 3, be sure your dog is happy to run and play in the safe area of the yard and is avoiding the training flags, if not, spend an extra day or two on Phase 2.
Training Your Dog using a PetSafe Electric Dog fence – Week 1
It is important to have as little disruption as possible during your pets’ training sessions.
During the training process it is VERY IMPORTANT that you do not let your dog run off lead in the yard with or without wearing the dog fence collar. If you do, it will confuse him and you may have to re-start the entire electronic dog fence training process. It would be best to keep him on a leash during the first week. But, never walk your pet over the boundary line on a leash. This may confuse him in the beginning. Eventually, you will be able to take him with you over the boundary on a leash – this is called “Doorway Training” and we will talk about this later. But for now, if he needs to leave the yard, place him in the car, or carry him well over to the other side of the signal field. Don’t forget to REMOVE HIS ELECTRIC DOG FENCE COLLAR before taking him from the yard by either of these two options, or he will get corrected as he leaves.
To allow your dog to become accustomed to the collar probes on his neck remove the collar after each training session during the first week. After that, remove the dog fence collar each night for the next three weeks. Eventually he will be able to wear the dog fence collar all the time, but it may take some time for him to develop a tolerance to the probes on the receiver. Clean both the probes and the dogs neck every evening for the first 30 days.
The training flags are there for two reasons. First, to give your dog a visual boundary and secondly to help you with the training process. The flags should be installed about 12″ to your yard side on the dog fence wire in the ground. All of the flags will remain in the yard for about 30 days.
Remember the PetSafe electric dog fence training should be fun, and not stressful at all. If other family members are assisting in the training sessions, it is vitally important that everyone follows the exact same technique. Make each session short and upbeat (5 to10 minutes max). Many dogs have extremely short attention spans and training can be very tiring for them, so don’t get discouraged if he doesn’t “get it” at first – they will eventually learn.
Days 1 to 3 Place a leash on your dog using a flat collar or a slip collar, Never place the leash directly on the receiver collar. Prior to placing the dog fence collar on your dog, turn the dog fence collar to the lowest power setting. Your dog needs to first be taught how to respond to the flags. Walk with your dog within the containment area of the yard and praise and play with him.
Now, proceed towards the training flags. As your dog head passes the flags, give a quick horizontal or downward “jerk and release” correction on the leash. Bring your dog back about 10 feet into the containment area and praise him. The “jerk and release” is the only negative reinforcement your dog needs. There is no verbal correction needed. The PetSafe dog collar will be giving your dog a warning tone before the very light correction he is getting at the flags. You should tailor the corrections to your pets’ personality, temperament, size and breed.
Each training session should only last about 5 to 10 minutes. Enter the containment area at various places and focus on areas that the family typically would leave the yard ( ie: driveway, sidewalk or path your dog uses now to leave). Soon you should see your dog turn to avoid the flags. This shows that he is learning. Make sure you play with your dog in the containment area to show him time spent in the yard is a pleasant experience. This will prevent your dog from becoming timid or afraid going into the yard.
Remember, keep him on a leash during this first week, even to go outside to the bathroom. Some dogs will “pick up” the training faster than others. Before proceeding to Phase 2, be sure that your dog is happy to run and play in the yard, generally avoiding the flags. If not, spend an extra day or two flag training. Training is simply following the building blocks – you cannot proceed to Phase 2 without first completing the flag training.
Are you doing some dog obedience training to fix your dog’s behavior problems? If you are, then you must use hand signals in addition to verbal commands that you want your pet to follow. The hand signals work most of the time, especially when your pet cannot hear you. Actually, these are more effective ways to ensure your dog pays close attention to you even from a couple of meters away, as long as it can see you.
And these are what trainers of agility dogs and hunting dogs use to control the actions of these dogs while in the field. By using the right hand signals during dog training, they can make the dogs turn left or right, go fast, stop, or stay put. Now, you can also do these to your pet without using verbal commands. Learn these first three hand signals and teach them to your dog while doing dog obedience training.
1. For the “sit” command, here’s the hand signal: bend your arm upwards at the elbow and then raise your hand with fist closed up to your head’s side while you command your dog to sit simultaneously. Keep on doing these hand movements while commanding your dog to sit. Later on, your pet will soon learn how to associate the hand signal with your vocal command. Now, if you are not able to get your dog’s attention the first time you try the hand signal, don’t punish it. Instead, keep trying or better yet, make sure you have a leash in your left hand.
2. For the “down” command, the hand signal is just like when you are asking someone to sit down at the same time saying, “Have a seat.” To teach your dog the hand signal for down, you need to hold your arm out towards your pet and then lower your hand, on which your palm faces down towards the floor. While doing this, give the “down” command, and your dog will follow your hand signal into the down position. Just like in the sit hand signal, keep repeating this until your dog learns to associate the lowering of your hand towards the floor as part of the “down” command.
3. For the “stay” command, first, put your dog into the sit or down position. Afterwards, hold out your arm towards your pet, with your palm’s position similar to that of a policeman who’s using hand signal to stop traffic. And just like in the previous two commands, do this at the same time command your dog to “stay”, with your firm tone of voice. If at first, your dog does not follow, try it again until he recognizes that hand signal means “down”.
Using hand signals can really do a lot when training your dog. Although you may find it difficult to make your dog obey at first, don’t give up, but instead keep repeating the signals until it understands what you are trying to communicate. Take note that if you are consistent and thorough in showing your pet those hand signals, the faster it will respond.
Adopting a dog is also being prepared to provide training. There are varieties of methods to conduct dog training. In fact, there are as many dog-training methods as there are dog trainers. Each will not agree on training approaches and specifics. Include the D I Y training that many dog owners do and the methods are multiplied. All dog-training methods, no matter the techniques used fall basically into two categories, the positive reinforcement, and the negative reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement is a very old philosophy based on the premise that reinforcing good behavior is more pleasant to both the dog and the owner aside from not resulting into developing undesirable characteristics in the dog. Positive reinforcement creates trust. It creates a structure for more definitive behavior rewarded when pleasant responses are achieved. It motivates dogs to obey more readily and more eager to learn. The results of positive reinforcement are more permanent and lessen aggressive behavior. For both people and animals, chemicals are released in the brain creating pleasant associations when positive reinforcement is used. Basically, positive reinforcement is rewarding a dog whether by food, by a hug and embrace, and by play.
On the other hand, negative reinforcement is an older technique that basically uses punishment based on the idea that the dog will remember better what it is not supposed to do when it will be potentially be harmed as a result. Negative reinforcement uses yelling, choke chains, confinement, direct harm, electric shock, and electric fences. Negative reinforcement has its appropriate uses. For the most part though, negative reinforcement results to either fear or aggressiveness.
Dogs for the most part are treated like members of the family. They offer semblances of love and are loved in return, they trust and are trusted, and they are loyal. Because of these qualities, the popularity of positive reinforcement in dog training grew, one of the reasons is that it is never pleasant to have an animal in the house that only obey based on fear. The dog need to fear its owner from time to time, but mostly it does not create very strong bonds. It is often more recommended to build that bond out of mutual love, not fear.
Recent researches by animal behaviorists also showed that animals do not really learn much from negative treatments. It obeys true but often, only to the extent that it is avoiding the pain that results. Another danger to negative reinforcement is that once the dog owner starts using pain as a deterrent for bad behavior, the temptation to resort to harm often gets stronger especially when the dog refuses as dogs do from time to time. It also makes the dog more melancholic and lethargic.
There are different dog type and breeds. Different dogs respond differently. While patience in dog training is a must, positive reinforcement does not totally undermines the negative. Sometimes, negative reinforcement has to be used. If ever a negative reinforcement is required the ratio of use is about 99:1 where you apply 99% of positive reinforcement in training the dog.
Pet health insurance is gaining popularity because of the drastic changes it has gone through in the past years. One of those changes is the cost of the policies. Right now pet policies are very affordable and very competitive plus the fact that the coverage of the policies is becoming more and more comprehensive. More pet owners are opting to insure their pets.
Because of the popularity it has been gaining in the last few years some people are asking questions that need to be answered by the industry to quell all doubts of its policyholders. If you are one of those who are planning to get a pet health insurance, ask is there is:
- a discounted plan that still offers a comprehensive coverage? This may vary a lot especially on the company that you are getting it from. Some companies offer policies that allow multiple pets to have basic accident coverage while some companies offer a high rate for a premium plan. To know more about plan coverage shops around for different providers.
- a number of accredited veterinarians? Since these plans and policies are pretty much patterned after the ones humans use, the accreditation of vets is highly dependent on the plan and the company.
- a set waiting periods? Just like a regular insurance policy there is a waiting period before your policy takes effect, you would have to bear in mind the start and end dates of your coverage.
- a set of exclusions in the policies? Commonly, the exclusions of pet insurance policies are prevailing health disorders, hereditary diseases and long term trauma but there are still those who do not include these conditions. It is better to choose the latter because you will never know what the pet will experience later on.
- coverage on routine wellness? There are policies that include routine checkups, vaccination and testing for heart worm which can be the case for some animals.
- neutering and spaying? Many companies offer policies that include reproductive health and population control for your pets, however, these are the most utilized service of pet owners.
- prescription coverage? This is just as important as all the other pet services that can be covered by a policy since the technology for caring for your pet is also increasing in demand. Of course, like all prescription coverage it can be very costly to the owner.
- deductible to be paid? Since pet health insurance policies are pretty much like a human’s there are deductibles that you would have to pay eventually. Just look into the details of the policy to know exactly how much the deductible is and remember that the smaller the deductible the higher the premium.
- kinds of caps in pet insurance? Usually there are certain “caps” or limits to the kind of illness or incident that your pet may get into that a company will pay for. For example a broken bone may have a slightly higher cap that a non-fatal poisoning or vice versa, it all depends on your policy. Check the details from your company to know the different caps.
- a number of reliable pet health insurance companies? The best thing to do is to research about it and to ask around from different pet owners for recommendations. There is no straightforward answer to the question because no company provides a definitive solution to your pets needs. They all vary in the coverage. The best thing to do is to research on different companies that provide pet health insurance and look into the reputation that they’ve built with their policyholders.
To get or not to get a pet health insurance
Nowadays, you can insure almost everything and anything. People can insure their lives, their body parts, their equipment, their homes and yes, even their pets. Pet health insurance has really been making a statement over the past few years. Celebrities, politicians, tycoons and regular citizens have been self insuring their pets to avoid financial turmoil in the future but do you really need to get one?
Well, in a nutshell yes. Because of al the benefits and you are getting it’s ridding yourself of futures worries that you may encounter about your pet in the future. But don’t just jump in and get the first one you’ll see. Know the facts and get help from people who know. Here are some tips on choosing what is right for your pet.
Tips for choosing pet insurance
To ensure that you will be getting the right kind of insurance for your pet without putting so much toll in your budget, here are some useful tips to get by:
1. Comparing the different prices. The very first thing that you would have to consider when planning to enroll your pet in a pet insurance policy is the price. Some companies may offer the same price as the other but the coverage may vary greatly. There are some low cost comprehensive policies that are wiser to get.
2. Excesses cost you more than you may know. Some people who are newbies to pet policies often fall prey to the excess. The excess is the amount that you have to pay when making a certain claim. Some companies lessen their expenses on claims by having high excesses. Now if you go for a cheap policy that has high excess pay you may end up paying more than what you intend to in the first place.
3. Lifelong coverage. Lifelong coverage is a term in insurance that is a little difficult to understand, but one thing is for sure “lifelong cover” does not mean Covered for life. To understand this concept better here are a few general ideas of it.
- Time capped. These are often the low cost plans, time capped means you are only covered for a certain condition for the first year and the rest is on your shoulders. Let’s say that your pet developed a heart condition, you can claim the amount of money stated in your policy for your pet’s first year of treatment, but after a year no more. The treatment for your pet’s condition will be on your shoulders for the remainder of its life.
- Financially capped. Some companies call financially capped as lifelong cover but the truth is it really not. It’s not even close to it. Financially capped is when the company agrees to pay your claim for X number of years but for a fixed amount. Let’s say your dog has developed diabetes and you made your claim from the company. They will pay out a fixed amount, let’s say 5,000 dollars. They paid 2,000 dollars on the first year, another 2,000 on the second year and 1,000 dollars on the third year but after that no more. After that, all of the succeeding expenses for your pet’s treatment will be on you.
- Lifelong cover. In pet health insurance, this happens when the insurer pays you for your pet’s treatment with a fixed amount, every year, for as long as the disease that it has plagues your pet.
Having a dog is a lifetime commitment. Or at least a commitment you should keep as long as your dog lives. When you adopt a dog, it becomes your responsibility, whether you are in the mood to take good care of it or not.
Not a few dog owners leave their dogs tied to their chains unattended, day in, day out. Imagine how bored you would be if you have nothing to do, nowhere to go, every day, for the rest of your life. It isnt fun. It’s not fun particularly for pets who love to run around, play around, and have fun.
Before adopting a dog, there are plenty of things you should think about. These ensure that your dog’s life with you is a pleasurable experience.
Are you committed to taking care of a dog?
Many people who adopt dogs do so just because they woke up one day wanting to have a pet. That’s irresponsible, not to mention very selfish. Dog adoption is not something you can decide overnight. It needs thorough thinking.
If you are considering to adopt a dog, it is highly advisable to first think it through. Dont decide yet. Analyze first all the things that need to be considered before going to an animal shelter. In fact, talk yourself out of it and see if that changes your opinion. Remember, dog adoption is not something you can take very lightly. It is a major decision as it does not only affect you, it affects the life of the dog you are about to bring home.
Is it the best time for you to adopt a dog?
Maybe you are a die-hard dog lover. Maybe you are committed to giving a good life to a dog. But, is it really the best time for you to be adopting a dog?
In general, people are discouraged from adopting a dog if they are going through some major life events. These include getting married, changing job situations, pregnancy, moving to another place, rocky relationship, financial concerns, new limits on leisure time, disagreement within the family, sickness, death, and other concerns.
If you are undergoing or anticipating to undergo these tough situations, it will be better that you dont adopt a dog yet. Many dogs have been surrendered to animal shelters because their old families didnt have the time to take care of them or the leisure to pay them some attention.
Dogs need ample attention during their first few weeks of stay at your home. So if you dont think you can give a dog that, it is best that you delay your decision for a time.
Are you ready for a new financial obligation?
Adopting a dog has its costs. Taking care of a dog adds additional financial responsibility. You will have to shell out bucks to pay for the dog, for spaying or neutering surgery, for the initial obedience and socialization classes, and for the initial shots of vaccines. Then you will have to pay for ongoing expenses like food and treats, licensing costs, grooming, travel costs, regular vet checkups on top of paying for its health maintenance.
As pets, dogs are not only meant to be confined at home. There are chances when you have to take them out for a walk or bring them to any destination. Even more, the dog needs to learn the proper behavior despite being kept at home. Socializing is one skill that he has to be trained with. Thus, let him undergo dog obedience training.
You see, all of your family members should feel safe and at ease with your pet. There are dogs that seem to be agitated and such behavior can definitely threaten your family’s safety. While training him may be quite a daunting task, you will realize that it will be all worth it. Sooner or later, you will appreciate your efforts.
The Real Scope of Dog Training
Obedience training is composed of several areas. It ranges from the simplest one up to the most advance instructions for your dog. The basics often include the simple commands that should make your dog respond. Included are come, sit, stand, roll over, stay, down, and the likes. The advance training includes giving directions for fetching something and many others. There are techniques used as well like positive reinforcement, clicker training, collar and leash, and the rewards given for any positive and likeable behavior.
Dog obedience is a training that is often recommended for the wild and unruly animals. But in your case, a new pet will be more in his best foot if given the proper training.
The Importance of Obedience Training
As a dog owner, you should understand the significance of training your pet to obey. A trained dog is very suitable to bring around friends and other people without fear of attacking anyone. It is then like tagging along a well-behaved human being. You don’t like your dog to be misbehaving and causing nuisance, right? Therefore, allow him to absorb a kind of mentality that emphasizes the need to act accordingly in different situations.
Dog Obedience Training by Yourself
Although professionals are more into this thing, it will be a rewarding experience for you and your dog if the training is conducted personally. The training sessions will not only serve as educational but also suffice for your bonding moments. Doing so will establish a closer bond between the two of you.
Training your dog calls for more patience on your part. It will be hard on your dog’s part to process your commands and will take time to execute them. There will be moments when you feel like giving up and snapping but don’t punish your dog without any reason. This may agitate him. Keep in mind that your dog needs to adjust and learning doesn’t happen overnight.
Positive reinforcements are likewise very essential. They will boost your dog to do better. It will speed up his learning process too.
Dog obedience training is therefore a very important thing to attend to. So, enjoy the moments with your pet the way he will enjoy his time with you.