Help! I have a 6 month old German Shepherd who keeps blowing past the underground fence!?

Question

We installed an "invisible fence" and it worked perfectly...for about 2 months. Now he's figured out that if he runs really fast through it, the shock is minimal and worth the freedom. My neighbors are becoming fed up and we cannot afford a traditional fence around our entire property. How can we "retrain" him to respect the boundary???
(Yes, he's had puppy training. Does great with commands unless he is out of the yard...then he just bolts and won't respect commands.)

Answer 1

Unfortunately, this is one of the problems with the "invisible fence" type containment systems. An intelligent dog with a desire to wander can easliy learn how to circumvent the system. The "fence" is now useless to you.

If you cannot afford to fence the whole property, then build him a small fenced area, or supervise him when he is outside.

Other problems with "invisible fences": Dogs have also been known to get out when the collar batteries died, or during power failures. Also, it provides no protection for your dog from animals or people coming on to the property. It is just too unreliable to trust a dog's life to.

Answer 2

He will grow out of it, is he fixed? If he's not, I would suggest fixing him - although you can leave him unaltered and he will eventually stop. Can you get one of those large playpens to use, they are usually $200 - $300 and are of fence like material. You can put them in the yard and the dog has a boundary he can see. You could try placing most of it within the fence and put one side near the area where he would be shocked, to see if he learns to stay on the other side.

Take him for more walks - or to a dog park, that will give him the stimulation he needs to keep life interesting - also play catch or something with him, both my shepherds love to get a frisbee or ball. I have one male and he is not fixed and he would wonder if he got out too, but that stopped by 1 yr - maybe a little older, but not much. Now I can take him for walks without a leash at all and he stays with me (I always take a leash with me, but I don't always have him on it).

He will grow out of it - good luck!

Answer 3

If she runs unfastened on your again backyard, she is going to most likely hold leaping the fence. Have you viewed preserving her within. She is a dog and if she sees whatever at the different facet, she is going to opt for it. You must begin dog coaching for her. Work together with her everyday. A good disciplined puppy is a blissful puppy. Training must retain into her 2d birthday. German Shepherds are identified to have hip issues....all this can't be serving to her. You must make a decision what's fine for her. Maybe she is an excessive amount of of a puppy for you.....have you ever viewed discovering her one more house. One in which she has house to run or can are living within the condo. Take Care.

Answer 4

No fool proof answer from me. No matter how you train him, you can't watch him 24/7 and once you've gone, he won't be able to resist temptation.

You might need to investigate getting a large kennel for him. One of those cage type ones you see at dog shelters. Of course he will need extra long walks and to be let out when possible, you don't want bad behaviours popping up because of boredom, but if you can't pay for a fence, what other option is there, besides being inside all day?

Please don't tie your dog up- I know some people think it's ok, but it really isn't! I have seen some horrific injuries because a dog has been tied up without constant supervision.

Answer 5

Have you made sure the electric fence is still active? I had problems with mine for several reasons: neighbor's dog would dig under and chew through the wire and on the other side, maybe a rodent chewed through it, or as it died after a storm, perhaps tree branches pierced it. I had a fence,but my dogs jumped it, so a fence guarantees nothing. I tried watching through windows with a remote and it sort of worked, but they often ran to parts I couldn't see and they wouldn't be bad in front of me. (Also, I had 2 dogs, but could only afford one collar!) I eventually had to tie them out for the times I couldn't watch them, and I built a kennel run in my basement to keep them in while I was gone. Of course this could also be built outside. They are not nearly as costly as a fence, but with a determined to escape large dog, you will likely need a secure top on it, or a 6 ft. one. (Mine jumped it in the basement, and I had to fasten chicken wire to the ceiling.) Also, did you do the "flag training" when you set it up, so he was taught the flag area was not desirable, but running to the center with you was the rewarded area? May be time to refresh this. Dogs are constantly in need of refreshing their training in all things.

Answer 6

Dog training classes might help. That, and don't be afraid to turn up the voltage. My cousin did that with his humongous dog and he was trapped in the electrical "field". If you don't touch the collar while doing so, you can actually reach in and grab the dog before he receives more of a shock. Believe me, he won't like the experience and he'll soon stop!

Answer 7

I placed chicken wire around the wooded fence and stapled it, then added the invisible fence. I added big rocks to the bottom. and, just for added efforts, put a color on his neck that I control and patroled a bit. It sounds cruel, but keeps him safe and the neighbors are much more respectful. good luck.

Answer 8

shave the spot on his neck where the collar sits. or go buy another shock collar and remote that u can use to half a mile away, and Zap His butt when he disobeys on some shock collars you can hold the button down on the remote and it constantly gives them a wave.....it sounds terrible, but if it were cruel they would out law the collars. i had to sit in my kitchen window with my remote and watch my rott Jet past the boundry flags and haul *** down the street, but wheni got the shock collar with remote when ever he would get near a flag or act to pass it id hold the button down and he would jump and thrash trying to bite the collar off and eventually give up n come home it took almost five days but after awhile it works
every few months or so i still have to pull it out and refresh his memory

Answer 9

Get him a really long chain, and chain him up when you're not able to watch him or see if you can afford to fence a small area of your yard for when you can't watch him.

Answer 10

HAHAHAhahahahah!!!!!! LMAO!!

There ya go!!! *ANOTHER* example of what a piece of USELESS CRAP that is!!!

BUILD A **REAL** pen!! AT LEAST SIX FEET high!! **REAL** WIRE!! You can get REAL fencing for **LESS** than that POS "invisible" crap cost!
Do it BEFORE your dog gets KILLED,eh???