Installing an Invisible Fence

I bought a house and moved this past week. My excuse for not blogging.

Where we were living, Ebony, my dog, was spoiled with the freedom to run in the woods. Although my house is on a half-acre, I decided this time that she needed to be contained to the property. An invisible fence, also know as an in-ground fence, was the answer.

They are amazingly easy to install and it was accomplished in a few hours even making a mistake which had to be re-done.

First, I laid the wire on the ground circling the perimeter of the property. In a few places I tacked it to the ground with large staples. It is very important to twist the wires together tightly when returning to the house and the electrical box. I learned the hard way and had to undo everything and retwist the wires. When they are too lose they do not cancel the electric current in each other. Thus, the dog would not be able to cross this line and circumnavigate the house.

The directions for the installation of the electrical box are very easy to follow. You can set the range in which the collar will beep in warning before the dog crosses the line. There is also a vibration mode. Next, you use the tester with the collar to make sure everything works.

Flagging is the last step before the teaching begins. It is suggested that you heavily flag in the beginning and then gradually remove some flags when the dog learns the boundaries.

I believe Ebony knew exactly what I was up to. She was trained to an invisible fence as a puppy and it worked great. It is important to teach the dog the boundries by pointing out the flags and using a command when the collar beeps. I walked the line, pointed, and said "flags." She got the message very quickly. I think her little brain retrieved the memory of puppyhood because she has not crossed the line even when I leave the property. Amazing device!