Wireless fences: teaching when it's on/off?

[T. Byrne]

I I never thought I would be an owner who used an invisible fence. I hated the idea of shock collars. Then I got Brandy. She's one of the best dogs I've ever owned. Everyone that knows her urges me to get her to be a therapy dog. But this wonderful dog of mine just cannot except the thing call a FENCE! We have 6.5 foot fences. She climbs them. We have a deck - she jumps off it. We have latches - she undoes them. Eventually after trying everything short of a roof over the entire dog run (it's essentially the size of a normal backyard) which I just cannot afford, I ended up buying a wireless fence. She only needed to feel the shock once at the lowest setting and the warning sound has since sufficed. She remembers where her area is. The problem is, I wish I could get her to understand when it is on and when it is off (the collar that is) because she sometimes gets nervous when we take her out to play in the big yard and my heart breaks at her being scared.

Does anyone have any training ideas to teach her to connect the collar to the invisible fence?
I was thinking about attaching something like a bell to her as a sound difference like bell = no boundary. But I'm worried she couldn't know the difference between the warning sound.
I thought of having her wear a skinny collar so that she'd feel the difference when we put the wireless one in, but I also have a PetTracker that I use when we go hiking and stuff and that needs a thicker collar.

So I guess I'm just hoping someone has had a similar issue and might have some tips for me!

Thanks a bunch!

[Donna, Emma, Bender & Busby]

We have a wireless fence around the perimeter of the property, not sectioned off, so I can't say specifically what to do in your situation.  I have my guys trained so that they know when I take their fence collars off and put their leashes on, they are safe to walk with me across the driveway line.  I'm not sure how it would work on a backyard run, though.  Seems to me the "off limits" area should always be off limits without variation.  In your circumstance, it seems that with her collar on Brandy is confined to a specific area in the yard, but the boundaries change if you want to play with her with her collar off.  If this is the case, then yes, she would be very confused.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Mine are never allowed to cross the boundaries - ever. It would create too much confusion. If we leave to go on a walk, we go out the other entrance of the house, where they don't physically cross the boundary. 

i am trying to imagine your setup and am having a hard time. But I do agree with Donna about areas being off limits - they need to always be off limits.

[T. Byrne]

So my set up is like this: the dogs have a yard and a deck that is all their own. In theory the wireless fence should keep Brandy within this area. But because it is a radius and doesn't conform to the fence lines she can jump off the deck and get into an area that isn't really hers.
When we bring her to play she can SEE the deck and the small side area that she can escape into. It's not as if I am taking her collar off and asking her to step PAST the threshold. When we go play in the big yard I take them out a different door. But SOMETIMES when she catches sight of her deck she thinks she's done something wrong (before the invisible fence I was left constantly bringing her back in from escapes). In that case she will hug the side of her fence (that she used to climb over) and not want to leave its closeness.
If she weren't so observant I don't think we'd have this issue but I am really looking for an obvious signal to her that says "you're supposed to be here right now". Eventually she realizes it but I feel bad that she doubts herself at all. We're on 11 acres of farm land if that helps visualize the situation. They have a yard with high fences then we have another 1acre yard with normal 4ft fences. I am not afraid to spend a lot of time teaching a concept I just wondered if anyone had done this before because I don't want to teach her something that doesn't work as well as it something else might have. She never forgets a rule (although clear she has no qualms breaking fence rules) and so I have to get it right the first time with her or she will just be more confused.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I understand what you mean but I only have a tiny backyard and can't really offer any help.  I do applaud you for wanting to train her right and looking for help.  Hopefully someone will have some suggestions for you.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I did just think of something.  What if you took her out to the furthest part of the fenced 1 acre area to play so she would be as far away from her containment area as possible?

[T. Byrne]

That may be an idea. If I lead her out on a leash and use a landmark to signal the difference.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Here is what i do--I say "collar" when i put the collar on or off--but that doesn't really do it--I put on a leash after the collar is off and walk them along a path and over the line. When we arrive at the place where they are crossing the line, I stop and say "OK" and they walk over it--it is the only place they ever exit the fence line and they will not cross it in any other location of the yard.

If you start that, she will get it eventually and then you can walk her on leash to the area you want to play in and release her. I think that is what you meant--that you have another area that she is allowed to go into with you but is afraid to cross the line to get there--just find a pathway that will serve multiple purposes--getting into the car, going for a walk, going to the bigger play area-- and use that pathway to get to all of those other areas. It works...

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I agree with this - that makes sense Ginny.  Now I can picture what you are meaning, T!  I agree with the OK. But pick one place, and one place ONLY where she can do that.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I only let my doodles out to the back yard thru the back door, they only go out (walks, car ride) thru the front door.  I NEVER take them to the back yard any other way except thru the back door.  I never walk down my driveway and let them in the back yard, I think it is too confusing for them.  The know the only way out for a walk or ride is thru the front door. 

 

You may want to get the flags and use a visual for her so she knows the area is marked where she uses the collar.  she will learn after a while of where she can go, they are so smart .

[T. Byrne]

Erm I should have also mentioned that she thinks those little flags are great fun and takes them all up. I actually sprayed the grass with white paint when I taught her.