Wireless Fence Question

[Pamela H in Texas]

We just bought a wireless fence for our dogs. I'm scared to death to use it now though.

 

See, we sized the collars and decided to leave them on the dogs a little while while the system was unplugged so they could get used to the weight of the collar, etc. Well, the kids are playing on the wii and hubby and I are each on a puter and all of a sudden one of our dogs starts yelping and running crazy and goes under the bed. Finally, hubby gets the collar off of him.

 

Why would it have "corrected" him when the system isn't even plugged in or ever turned on yet (I was going to wait til I could play with it tomorrow)?

 

Now he's traumatized and I'm scared to use the thing with him at all (and yet, HE is the one we bought it for in the first place).

 

ETA: We'll have it set up for a radius of about 45-50 feet (we have a semi-skinny acre). And he was in the house. So even if it HAD been plugged in yet, it shouldn't have "corrected" him.

 

Anyone?

[Frontier Mom]

Does a neighbor have one? There are new ones that don't have the wire, just send out a signal. This could set the collar off.

 

My neighbors across the street have a lab that they never keep on her wireless fence. When they do put it one her, she runs through before she realizes it and it shocks her. Then she comes to visit our dog and gets "stuck" in our backyard because she finally slows down enough to hear it beep.

[Pamela H in Texas]

We only have one neighbor close enough....and 2 of his dogs are penned and 2 run free (ie, in my yard all the time). Everyone here has such large yards that even if someone else had one (and I'm pretty sure no one else in the col-de-sac does), it wouldn't reach this far (everyone has 1-5 acres in our subdivision).

 

We got the wireless one (after buying the wired one and thinking different about it!).

 

My poor doggie :(

[Lolly]

Listen for it buzzing (or be really brave and hold the contacts:D jk) Try using it near the wii while it is being used. It is possible that something in your house set it off. Our tv set my poor dog's collar off every once in a while. He learned to stay a few feet away from it pretty fast.

[In The Great White North]

Try calling the salesman (or manufacturer) and asking what household appliances and/or toys could set it off. He should know the frequency of the signal and what else falls into that range.

 

If it goes off randomly (ie. from your neighbors ipod, cell phone, garage door opener, etc), it will never train your dog to stay in your yard.

[st_claire]

I think wireless fences are a bad idea. It may keep you dog in, but it doesn't keep other dogs out. This leaves your pet very vulnerable. Why not get a real fence?

[Parrothead]

If it goes off randomly (ie. from your neighbors ipod, cell phone, garage door opener, etc), it will never train your dog to stay in your yard.

 

I never thought of that. Thanks! I will pass the possibility of other electronics setting the collar off on to dh who wants to get an electric fence system. I may be able to talk him out of it now.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I'll check out the collar....and tlk to the company. I may just give up on this idea. I really am not trying to keep anything out of my yard, just don't want my dogs wondering too far.

 

Hubby will LOVE me sending him back to get a refund when I already sent him back with the other system.

 

Maybe someone else will have some ideas before tomorrow also :)

[Frontier Mom]

I was advised to go with the underground fencing because of the proximity of neighbors. However, my neighbors across the street still have the same frequency.

 

One thing I would suggest strongly if you go with the underground is a lightning protector. I had lightning run in and blow mine. I went through the website of the company because I only needed a new transmittor. I bought the part that plugs into the outlet and the wires and transmittor plug into it. It has worked great.

 

Two weeks ago lightning hit my TV, but the dog fence was fine. LOL. Now I have a special plug for the TV also.

[Marie in Oh]

I think wireless fences are a bad idea. It may keep you dog in, but it doesn't keep other dogs out. This leaves your pet very vulnerable. Why not get a real fence?

 

We have an underground system on our 6 acres. Our dog knows the boundries (we spent 2 weeks training him) and we live in a rural area where there are plenty of animals wandering on our property. He chases goundhogs, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, and other dogs off our property all the time. Before the electric fence, he was either chained up or wandering about out small town. Talking about vulnerable. One day he was spotted 10 miles away, and another he was in our local university's cafeteria being fed my all the students at dinner time. Ughh. It's amazing he didn't get hit my a car. So, I would say to the OP, try to make it work. It has really improved the quality of life for our dog.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Okay, I called the company.

 

The reason the dog collar went off was because it thought the dog was not in the boundary area (because the transmitter wasn't hooked up) so THE COLLAR disciplined the dog. After 25 seconds, it disables until pet is back in pet area (I think it's like 8 seconds).

 

As for my pets being vulnerable with other animals. We're doign this to give our dogs more freedom when we are HOME. Both dogs will be crated in the house when we aren't. So we're supervising. RIght now, they are out on 25 or 30 foot lines hooked to another line but they won't use the entire area they can and get tangled and such. They hate it so just ask to come in as soon as they finish their business. I'm POSITIVE they'd spend a little more time out with a little more freedom.

 

Anyway, so we got the thing working sorta. Anyone else wanna help? Seems the distance keeps changing and we can't figure out why one minute, the "line" will be a good 10 feet closer to the house than other times. ANy ideas?

 

I WANT this to work. I really think our dogs will enjoy it, especially my lab mix. But if I don't get it going in the next day or two to SOME reasonable degree, I'm gonna return it and get my $400 back.