When to train dog for invisible fence

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#1
Later this month we're having an Invisible Fence installed around our rural yard, something we just have to do because our beloved dog Sophie was hit on the road last April and had to be euthanized. It's a dead-end road with only 2 houses beyond us, but one of our neighbors is new and has a business that now brings lots of cars and trucks by our house. But since the puppy is only 9 weeks old now, I would like to know if you think we could train him to the fence by (say) Thanksgiving. Otherwise we'll have to wait until the snow (which starts piling up in December) melts in April and he can see the flags. By then we will be tearing our hair out trying to keep this lively dog off the road and very tired of walking him. (A wood or wire fence is too expensive for our large yard and not really practical for our rural setting.)
 

silverpawz

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#2
I prefer to wait untill a pup is at least six months old before introducing an electric fence.

At this point, your dog is still very young and you have a perfect opprotunity to start training him right away to stay close by and to come when called. Play lots of recall games with him outside as these can work wonders at his age. Training him now will prevent a lot of problems down the road.

By then we will be tearing our hair out trying to keep this lively dog off the road and very tired of walking him.
Walking a dog comes with the territory. You should be walking him anyway even after you train him to the fence. A nice big yard to play in is great, but dogs won't play by themselves, they want to explore the world and to be with you, so daily walks are needed regardless of having an invisible fence. Best to get used to it now.

I also hope you don't plan to leave him out alone? I'm a big believer in invisible fence systems, I think they can be wonderful tools for dogs that otherwise run off, but they don't prevent other animals from coming in your yard, or from people trespassing and possibly scaring your pup or worse stealing him.

If you plan to use it simply as an extra assurance that your dog won't run off while you're outside WITH him, then great! That's the only way they should be used in my opinion.

Oh, and congrats on your new puppy. :)
 

BostonBanker

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#3
Sorry, I don't have an answer for you, as our old dog was already several years old before we put in invisible fencing. Just wanted to say "Woo-hoo!" another Vermonter!
 

sparks19

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#4
I would use a tie out lead for now if you must run him in the backyard. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be outside with your dog. NEVER NEVER NEVER leave him outside alone.... especially with an invisible fence. You will always have to be the one responsible for exercising your dog.

I would not use the fence until he is older. 9 weeks is much too young for that. use a tie out for now and in the mean time train him to have a reliable recall.
 
C

cindr

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#5
I would use a tie out lead for now if you must run him in the backyard. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be outside with your dog. NEVER NEVER NEVER leave him outside alone.... especially with an invisible fence. You will always have to be the one responsible for exercising your dog.

I would not use the fence until he is older. 9 weeks is much too young for that. use a tie out for now and in the mean time train him to have a reliable recall.
Most definitly I would not subject an young dog to that much pain as yet. sure go nuts put up the fence. But do not get him on it till at least 5 months of age. So for now I would take puppy out on leash to do his/her business. That is the safest an more conventional way for now
 
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#6
Thanks for the good suggestions. I wouldn't train him to the fence until he was 4 months (T-giving) but you're saying that's still too early. I agree that he shouldn't be left alone outside. We're retired and always in the yard. Our last dog loved to sit on the porch and watch the squirrels and birds at the feeders, so I hope Otto will, too. I don't really want to tie him outside. He's doing well with "come", so that should be helpful this winter.
 
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#7
Chloe was 3 mos when I started training her for our I.F. You can start the training on young pups but have caps on the collar prongs. In fact that is even how training for adult dogs should be started. They receive no collar correction, just the audio warning when they are too close. You train that when they hear that noise it's "Ooops, oh no, we've gotta go this other way!" in a happy voice. Work all around the fence boundary so that your pup knows where it extends.

Being so young, you'll just be doing this portion of the training longer which should really help engrain it into him - if he's smart enough when he gets old enough he'll never find out what the correction is because he's rock solid staying within the boundary just with the audio cue.:)
 

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