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March 5, 2018

Moving with a Dog

Moving to a new house is always a strenuous, stressful process. Now imagine if you’re a dog going through it, and you have no idea what’s going on. Where are the couches going? Where are my people going? What do you mean this is my new house?

Dog runaways during a move are very common because doors are left open and there’s lots of chaos. So in the process of moving out of one house and into the next, first and foremost keep your dog safe. Put her in a room with her bed and toys while the front door is open and people are coming in and out. Similarly, bring her to the new house along with her familiar possessions after the big items are inside. She’ll stay safe inside and recognize things like couches and shoes in the new place.

The next priority is making your dog comfortable in the new place. Close off parts of the house so she can get accustomed to a couple rooms at a time. But make sure in the first few days she gets to see all the rooms so she knows they’re all part of home. If a dog doesn’t spend any time in the basement, for example, she may think it’s a place to relieve herself.

Just like in the house, slowly introduce your dog to the yard starting near the house and venturing outward as time passes. Always keep her contained so she doesn’t run off towards an unfamiliar neighbor dog or a new critter. If your dog is a walker, get her out in the neighborhood as soon as possible. That way if she ever loses her way, she’ll be more likely to know how to get home.

If you’re a DogWatch customer and you’re moving with a dog, it’s simple to bring your dog fence with to the new place. The transmitter, collar, and other components can move and then get hooked up to a new wire at the new house. Just list your house as “wired for a dog fence” instead of “includes a dog fence” when it’s time to sell.

February 19, 2018

DogWatch Dog Story: Kipper

Kipper is a wonderful French Brittany Spaniel with a cool story. His family consists of two parents and three adorable kids from Canada. He was born in Canada too, and then the whole family moved all the way to Poland. Kipper spent three years there and learned all about a dog’s life in Europe.

And then in 2016 the family moved to Chanhassen. Kipper instantly loved the rolling grassy yard with the occasional squirrel. But sometimes he also loved following his nose and romping around the neighborhood while his family wondered where he went.

Not long after arriving on American soil, Kipper got a DogWatch dog fence. He continued sprinting across his yard and sniffing after squirrels, but his family could trust that he was just a call away. He is one of the most obedient dogs we’ve ever worked with. Like many Brittany Spaniels, he’s a very smart guy with a little streak of independence and stubbornness. Because of that set of traits, Kipper learned the boundaries of his dog fence in just a couple days, but he needed a high correction level to keep the stubborn side at bay.

He got up to level 4 like most dogs do, and then a squirrel tempted him through the fence. So he needed to be bumped up to a level 7. That way the family would be sure he wouldn’t leave the yard, even for the most mischievous squirrel.

February 5, 2018

Will it Really Work for My Pet?

Many of our customers are skeptical before getting their DogWatch hidden fence because they wonder, “Will it really work for my pet?” People wonder if their dog is too dumb or too stubborn or too old or too small. But all dogs and cats are capable of learning their boundaries with a hidden fence. In 29 years, we’ve never had a dog fence not work!

Our 4-day training plan teaches dogs and cats where to go and where not to go with their new DogWatch fence. The visual reminder of flags, starting at a low correction level, and teaching your pet with repetition allows her to slowly learn these things: watch out for the flags, the rest of the yard is safe, and if you feel a correction turn back towards home to make it go away. Sometimes dogs excel more in one of those areas than the others, but in time they all pick up all three. Old and less-smart pets are no exception.

If your pet is more stubborn or has a higher tolerance, there are higher correction levels to ensure she stops at her boundary. Most dogs end up at a level 4, but there are 7 levels in case you need them. For smaller dogs and cats, we have an R7 Mini receiver collar that is very small and lightweight. Smaller dogs and cats don’t usually have a lower tolerance, so there is no difference in the intensity of the correction, just the size of the box on the collar strap. In fact, cats tend to have a higher tolerance than dogs.

To help ease your mind even more, our receivers have AutoMemory and FastReact. If your pet challenges the boundary, the correction level automatically goes up for 24 hours to. And even if your pet is running, they receive a warning and a correction before he reaches the wire, not while traveling over it.

January 29, 2018

DogWatch Dog Story: Bunk

Bunk is a sweet, loving yellow lab from Plymouth, MN. He has lived with his dad his whole 7 years, and they have always been best buds. Last year, Bunk got a mom when his dad got married. At first it was hard for Bunk to share his dad’s attention, but now he loves being part of a family of three.

Bunk and his dad used to live in Minneapolis, where Bunk had a small fenced-in yard. When they all moved to Plymouth, the yard was much bigger but his parents worried that Bunk wouldn’t know what to do without a physical fence. They kept a close eye on him for the first couple weeks, but Bunky followed his nose and ended up in the neighbor’s yard a couple times.

A physical fence would have blocked a beautiful pond view, so the family decided on a DogWatch hidden fence. They worried about Bunk learning a new skill at 7 years old. Could he figure out where he needs to be without a physical boundary? But he picked up the new rules within a few days of training. Now he stays in the un-blocked yard, even when his dad crosses the street to get the mail.

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