Yesterday, they got the fence all set up, above ground, so the we can work out where exactly we want it before they bury it in the spring. The dogs all got fitted with the sensor collars, and the trainer worked with me on working with the dogs, all in the pouring rain/sleet.
First off, this is definately not a good time of year in western PA, to think about dog fences!
Right now we are in training stage one. The dogs have on the sensor collars, but they are for noise only. They use special rubber covers over the contact points on the collars so that the dogs get used to the noise first.
They seem to be doing pretty good, but they tire of the training quick.
Jack will give you about three tries each time we take him out, then he just flat out refuses to go close enough to the flags to make the collar beep. But I guess that’s what we want.
Lewy cowers behind you the first time you tell him to get back, he’s still a bit of a scaredy cat, and if you tell him to get back once – he isn’t going to try it again.
Woobie, flat out doesn’t care. Well, at least if it’s me out training him. Russ says he’s doing great with him, but with me Woobie could care less if his collar just keeps beeping, or if I’m even talking to him. In his world, I don’t seem to exist, unless I have food on me.
Getting him fitted for a collar yesterday was hilarious. I’m sure the trainer thinks I’m a total idiot because the dog would not come to me. He ran and hid, he climbed back into his bed and refused to come out. And when I finally gave up and drug him out of his bed, he kicked and fought the whole time I tried to hold him still for the guy. Then the trainer informed me that I have to shave his neck, or the sensors won’t ever touch him through the fur, once the rubber covers come off. But obviously, that’s going to have to be something Russ does, because Woobie will let Russ hold him.
So now we work with them for a week on getting them to back up when they hear the beep, or warning tone. Then the trainer comes back to see how you and the dogs are doing. If both owners and dogs are doing well, we move on to the next phase, which is removing the rubber covers.
And then I’m not sure what, as I can’t imagine he’ll have us drag the dogs to where they get shocked and train like we are now, as he promised me that most of the dogs will never even feel the zap, because they won’t go into the warning area once they learn that the beep means to get back.
The trainer kind of made it feel like a test, by commenting that only people who don’t bother to work with their dogs don’t move on to stage two by the second week. I sure don’t want to be the loser couple who does that!
So I guess we’ll see what happenes next week! I sure hope we pass!
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