HELP needed with Freedom Fence Training

[nicola_g]

Have been following the training instructions provided with the Freedom Fence.

First session went really well, started on correction level 2 but the dog crossed the boundary without being corrected so upped the level to 3 and he got one correction then respected the boundary. Walke the whole boundary and he was fine.

Second session started well but as we moved along the boundary the dog got 2 corrections then got stressy i.e., not interested in walking along just wanted to jump up and be cuddled. Removed the collar and walked the dog back to house where he ran inside and hid in his cage for a couple of hours.

This morning decided to start from scratch so put the correction level back down to 2 but dog crossed the boundary wihout getting an obvious correction although I'm sure he would have heard the warning tone. He then went all stressy again and refused to budge so I took the collar off and walked him around on his lead while I fed the horses. Left him for a few hours then went to try again, however when I went to put the collar on he went all submissive then refused to move, wouldn't even come when he saw his lead. He was shaking so I turned the collar off and left it on him to get him used to wearing it inside without associating it with the bad stuff of the fence.

As suggested in the manual I have been keeping him on his lead outside in between training session but after this morning's espisode I think he may be associating the lead with the bad stuff too.

Any suggestions as where to go from here VERY welcome as I really need him to get used to Freedom Fence, we can't hard fence the whole farm and I have already had the neighbours at the door complaining about him being out on the road. Last thing I want is for him to be runover!!!

 

[mattilda]

I have used my FF for 4 dogs and only one of them pushed her luck with it. She learned that if she ran full speed over it it didn't hurt!!
As far as training goes I didn't let them "feel" the fence until they had learned the boundaries. Switch it to audible only and walk the dog round the boundary. Every time it beeps pull him away and praise. Only when your dog associates the sound with backing off should you let him feel the fence if he crosses it. I think that because he has felt it before he really understands where the boundaries are he is now confused and anxious. Also I did not put a lead on during training. This was because I would cross the boundary ie going through gates, when they were on a lead and I didn't want to confuse them.

 

[galaxy]

My friend paid a dog trainer to come out and train her dog to it.

Please please please check the collar is working every day! One of her dogs collars malfunctioned and the dog went through the fence onto the road and got run over. (they live in the middle of nowhere... Chances of that happening were just about 0 but it did).

 

[mattilda]

One of my dogs was so good with the fence she wouldn't cross it even when she didn't have the collar on!! It's a good idea to get a trainer in as the better the training is the better the fence will work for you.

 

[nicola_g]

Thanks for the replies.

He can be a stressy little lad anyway (JRT so thinks he is way braver than he actually is) and I think you are right Mattilda about him getting shocked before he has become familiar with the boundary.

He is back to his usual active self, playing with cat so I'll take him out with me when I go to feed the horses tonight with collar turned off. Just get him used to be out in the fields again, hopefully he won't revert back to sulking when he see his lead. Willout the collar on in the morning but leave it switched off and take him for a walk off the farm tomorrow morning so he gets back his happy associations with his lead. Then later tomorrow I will set the collar to just the tone and walk the boundaries as you suggest, only thing is I really need to have him on the lead to pull him back as if he gets past the tone he will be off, perhaps I should use different lead for the training i.e., a thin long line type of thing??

I was so down after it all went wrong this morning, felt so guilty that I had upset him so much.

There is a local dog training club, if things don't improve tomorrow I will go and ask them about training him to the fence for me.

 

[mattilda]

If he's a JRT you could always carry him over the fence when you want to take him out. Mine were Rotties and ridgebacks so carrying them wasn't an option!! They just need to understand when it is OK to cross the fence and when not to. It will take time, especially if he has scared himself. I think terriers are harder because they think they know better!!

 

[CorvusCorax]

He is breaking down on you.

This is why I would always recommend an experienced person to assist when training with any kind of speciality collar, to know when to apply the stim/correction/reminder/whatever, rather than an instruction manual that can't hope to know YOUR individual dog and his temperament type.

Please consider that that some dogs are too stressy and/or drivey for these collars to work which is why it is better to have the dog assessed by someone experienced in their use to tell you one way or another.

Could he be built a dog run instead? Mine live in runs, they get plenty of exercise, they cope fine.

 

[Vizslak]

One of my dogs was so good with the fence she wouldn't cross it even when she didn't have the collar on!! It's a good idea to get a trainer in as the better the training is the better the fence will work for you.

Mine have all been like this, although there was a clear physical boundry (a low fence) They wore them for a month and never wore them again in the next four years! They all only had one or two shocks.

OP the dog should never be allowed to cross the boundry when you are training, if they end up on the other side it confuses things greatly, a they have gone where they arent allowed and b they cant get back to where they are allowed. Are you giving vocal warning with the warning beep? And pulling them back to the 'safe zone'?
Also I will add, I would never use one on Flora, shes too sensitive, I trained her to the boundry using other methods and she never left my garden in the two years we lived there. Some dogs are not cut out for this form of training, it is fairly harsh! Terriers are usually hard nuts though!
My suggestion would be to leave the collar for at least a week and call in a trainer once the dog has settled again.

 

[Vizslak]

Oh! DO NOT put the collar on him turned off! I missed you had said that....this is very confusing for him. Leave the collar off.
ETS in the house with collar on is fine but dont put collar on and take him over the boundry with it off.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I've got an add too, when I said he is breaking down, don't beat yourself up over it, these things happen, but as Vizzie said I would just leave it for now and have a fresh go with a good trainer who knows what they are doing (don't know where you are but Inky&Sunny has some good recommendations, maybe search her posts using the search facility)

My dog has broken down on me twice, during an activity that was supposed to be fun, I didn't say anything, raise my voice, reprimand him, he just felt a lot of tension coming down the line from me, mixed signals, and thought 'nope' and put his ears down and lay down. I just walk away, let us both cool down, then throw a ball for him and have a good play to relax. Some dogs are just more sensitive than others.
And my trainer nearly took the head off me! I gave him a week or two off any sort of training on both occasions.

 

[nicola_g]

Thanks for the rest of the replies, I know I always get good advice on here.

CC you are absolutely right when you say an instrcution manual can't know your individual dog and his temperament.

Viszlak I see what you mean about crossing the boundary with the collar on and turned off. He was never allowed to cross the boundary while training and I was pulling him back to the safe zone but I wasn't giving a vocal warning with the warning beep

He is back to his normal self today although he is not venturing too far from the house or my side which is good.

I will leave the training for a week or so. We are in France so Inky&Sunnys trainer recommendations wouldn't really be of use. However there is an obedience & agility club just down the road. I went to an opend day there in the summer and they seemed to know what they were doing in a humance way so I shall get in touch with them before recommencing.