[milles2]

I am a big fan of the electric fence. I'll shae some tips about training and my experience.... it will be a bit long and maybe one sided!

I had DogGuard company come and install the underground wire/electric fence summer 05 when Tucker was 6 months old. I live in the country, my property is just over an acre w/ woods and a creek. I have a very busy road in front of my house. I made the decision for wireless fence for vanity reason + I thought it would be best for Tuck. I live on a lake and there are no fences in sight. No oridinance against it but would look teribly out of place. As for Tuck, if I had fenced in an area, I could never afford to fence in the whole property. Tuck can go in the front yard, side yards, down in the creek, up in the woods, in back. Neighbors walking come up the driveway to say hello to him! And it has been wonderful for him. Truthfully, it is rare that he is out there ever w/o me. Usually I am nearby working, sitting on the porch, etc.

He is the Lord of the Manor. He has been playing in the creek or in the woods and got too close to the "perimiter" and get the shock. He comes running and usually runs to the porch and stays there for awhile. When he gets the shock, he acts the way he does when he gets stung by a bee. (Tuck has this thing for bees....)

If you want to take the dog for a walk, the fence company advises you select a "safe spot" and always leave your yard w/ them on leash thru the same exact spot. And they advise making it not an obviuos spot like the end of the driveway or sidewalk, etc. For example, when I want to take Tuck for a walk I cross the side yard the juts up against a dirt road, walk thru the "perimiter" then out to the main road. Of course I take the electric collar/receiver off him, but when we cross the "perimeter" I either pick him up or pull him very close to me and say "stay by Mom" and he gets to learn that it is safe to walk thru the perimiter ONLY if he is on leash w/ me. Any other time he tries to apporach the spot (w/collar on) he would get the shock if he went to the perimiter.

That being said, he went trhu the fence once last spring. I walked down the driveway carrying the kayak, turned to him and said "stay" then proceeded to cross the road to my waterfront to launch the kayak. Doesn't the little devil walk over to his ":safe exit spot" (instead of following me down thje driveway)and walk thru the perimiter/fence. He has his collar on so he gets the shock, freezes in place getting the shock for 3-4 seconds, then comes running across the road to me. Thank God no cars were coming. It could have been a disaster.

But that is the only time he went thru the fence. Is it worth the risk? I think so. Knowing Tucker, having access to the full property is best for him. He is master of his unioverse and he HAS TO know everything going on. Being fenced into the backyard would not be the same.

The training: The fence company places flags 6 inches to 1 ft from the buried wire. The collar is set up to make a beep when the dog reaches 6 inches from the fence line. If they go past the point where they get the beep and reach the fence line, at the line they will get a shock. So the company trains yout to have the dog on leash, when they reach the flags where they hear the beep, you gently jerk the leash and pull them away from the point where they get the beep. Praise them, tell them great job, then try it again in another spot. What happened with both Tuck and Lulu is that after 2-3 times of getting the jerk on their leash, they plant their butts and will go no where near the flags. At some point they are supposed to go past the flags, get the shock, you yank them back and praise again, then they know that first they will hear the beep and if they keep going they will eventually get the shock. I had a hard time getting them to the shock. They wouldn't go near the flags because they didn't want to get the jerk on their leash.

At some point you have to feel comfortable they understand the flags mean "stop, you can't go any further". Then you are told by the company to test their understanding. Walk thru the perimeter leaving them. During training Tuck "got it". You throw a ball thru the fence line. If they get the shock, they leanrn"no, you can't cross past the flags to get your ball". Tuck would NEVER go near the flags.

Eventually you start taking up the flags and the dogs learn that even though the flags are gone, they still can't cross "the perimiter". They still get the beep sound where the flags used to be. They learn where their boundry line is.

Tuck did great. Lulu has been a problem. I can't get her near the the flags. She plants her butt and won't go near it. Great! If she won't go near the flags she must understand that there is a boundry there. But I don't see it in her face that she really understands. W/ Tucker, there was an understanding.

So I am giving Lulu a break and will try the training all over again next week.

A very interesting thing: Tucker learned the "perimiter", not to cross the boundry and really (with the one exception) has done great with the fence. The flags have been gone for over a year. When I got Lulu's collar, I had them put new flags out. Tuck took one look at the flags, must have remembered the training, then suddenly wouldn't leave the front porch! He's gotten better and is now again using the full yard.

If I had a fence I suspect Tucker would dig under it. He loves to dig. We don't have wandering dogs in the area so I don't worry about it. We do get things like turkeys (and their "spurs") and I worry about a coyote or bear but I have never seen one. Again, I don't leave him outside alone for long periods of time and 98% of the time, I'm outside w/ him.

So I am a big fan of the fence. If either of my pups go thru it and get hurt I will never forgive myself. But seeing Tucker running free, happy, playing, lording over the neighborhood, I am convinced it is the right decision for me and Tuck. I hope I will feel as confident w/ Lulu but the jury is still out.