Installing an invisible dog fence is not a replacement to training your dog. Using a dog fence requires time and patience in teaching the dog his boundaries. Many times, an invisible dog fence system comes with training instructions and those should be followed carefully.

Teaching a dog what his boundaries are and training him to respect your dog fence is similar whether you do the training yourself or work with a professional. Even if you hire a professional trainer, you still will need to follow through with the training when the trainer is absent. Training a dog to respect an dog fence takes time and patience. The process becomes easier when your dog is closely bonded with you and when you are in tune with your dog. Depending on the dog, dog fence training can take as little as two weeks or as many as six weeks or more.

You can begin the training by putting up a line of small red flags where the cable is buried. This will help your dog learn where his boundaries are because he can see them. Then, cover up the prongs on the collar with tape so that it will not send a shock to your dog right away. Take your dog on a leash within the fence boundaries every time he has to go out. Allow him to explore the area and when he approaches the boundary, you will hear a warning beep. At this point, immediately pull him back and excitedly praise him for returning. Continue this exercise several times daily until your dog makes the association and has learned to turn back when he hears the beep.

The next step in your dog’s training is to remove the cover from the collar prongs so that he will feel the shock. Keep in mind that this shock is not painful, but it will definitely be noticed and should be strong enough to get the dog’s attention and cause him to turn back. It is similar to the static shock you get when you rub your feet on the carpet and then touch something metal. Adjusted properly to a dog’s size and response level, the shock does not cause injury. Not all electric shock collars have adjustable settings, and purchasing an dog fence that does is very important. Also, make sure and keep an eye on your dog while he’s outside to make sure that the collar is at the correct level.

Do not remove the leash at the same time that you remove the covers from the collar prongs. At this point, you should still be using a leash on your dog at all times while he is in the area where the dog fence is. Follow the same training process you used previously, allowing your dog to wander around the yard and approach the boundary. As he approaches the buried wire, you will hear the warning beep. If he ignores it, he’ll get a small shock to remind him. When he feels the shock, pull him back and give praise again, just as before. Ideally, your dog should be smart enough to be mildly shocked just once or twice and then never again. You can adjust the strength of the shock depending on how your dog responds to the training. The stronger you make the signal; the further away your dog must stay from the wire in order to avoid the shock. As a side note, dogs that like to jump fences will not be able to jump over an dog fence without receiving a slight shock.

After your dog is comfortable and respects the boundary while on a leash, the next step is to remove the leash and take your dog out for several more training sessions. Follow the same process as before. You can begin to add distractions such as a treat thrown outside the boundary, or another person standing outside and making noises or moving around. Don’t ever have anyone call the dog to come to them from outside your dog fence boundary, however.

Critical to the success of your training is to never let your dog break through to the other side of the boundary. You want him to believe that the only way to stop the correction is to turn back into the “safe” zone, not to go through it. Once you have consistent success, you can begin to remove the flags one by one.

Your dog’s training is considered complete only when you are confident that your dog’s motivation to stay in the boundary (that is, to avoid a correction) is stronger than any outside distractions he might encounter. Remember also, that you will still be held responsible by any applicable leash laws, etc. if your dog does escape from your dog fence. In order to keep your dog from forgetting any of the new training he has received, it is important that you reinforce the training with him on a regular basis.