Electric fences are not a one zap thing. There is an entire perimeter that must be learned. Some dogs will suffer the shock to chase something.

How did you go about training your dog to respect boundaries? Did you use flags? Moses learns pretty quickly and generally obeys, until something perks his interest. After that, he doesn't hear me at all. I am unsure of what to do about this. If he sees the neighbors across the cul de sac out, he will take off to their house. Or if he sees the neighbor's dog or cat, it's off to the races with him. He is the best dog ever, and only his yapping at strangers and his tendency to dart are his only annoying habits!

Please don't think I'm being argumentative... I'm trying to gather information from real life experiences. The perimeter is first outlined with small flags -- the kind the utilities people use to mark gas/elec lines. There are three weeks of specific training before the correction is even turned on on the collar. The first week is to make the dog aware of the flag boundaries; the second to learn to retreat when the collar begins to click. The retreat is accomplished by the handler pulling firmly and saying 'no'! The third week is reinforcement and a thinning of the flags. And finally, (the fence company says there's no other way) the dog is allowed to ignore the click and warnings and will receive the correction. At no time is the owner to lead the dog to the fence or encourage it in any way to exceed the boundary. But eventually, and it may take hours, days, or longer for the dog to test it, the dog will push the boundary and will get the shock, and won't have any desire to test it again.

I just wanted to be sure folks weren't thinking this is a trial and error period of the dog walking around poking his nose over the fence for weeks not knowing what was going to happen.

I mean to quote Moses Mama for his post. :)

Kaji was trained the same way he was trained to do tricks, or potty in the right place. A small correction when he went too far, and praise when he stayed within the boundary. It's easier in doors because you don't have to leash them. Outside a leash is necessary. You can try a retractable leash outside. Keep play light and really, the job is mostly yours to know what can trigger your pup. You know he likes to say hi to the neighbors, or what can spook him. You have to be vigilant and be one step ahead of the pup.

Example, when Kaji is out playing in my friends yard, the owners are vigilant. We all watch our pups and watch our surroundings. As soon as we see a trigger, we get our dogs. We either pick them up, put them on their leashes, or put them all in a sit stay. It's really up tothe owner to create a safe environment inside or out. You really can't just sit down, kick back, and put that responsibility on your dog.

I am going to unsubscribe from this thread because I simply cannot believe anyone would want to intentionally shock their pup. How depressing. I cannot stomach reading these things, so best I stay away. People who think that is acceptable need to wear a shock collar and be shocked as many times as it takes the pup to "learn" the boundaries of his yard.

If an electric fence requires that much training, why not just train the dog to stop or wait. Let's be realistic, people who are going to buy an electric fence are most likely not going to train as the fence company suggests. They want an " quick easy fix". What you posted does not sound quick.

I'm not lazy... I'm not cruel... I love my Yorkies... I don't ever want to look in hindsight for what I might have been able to do to prevent a horrible accident.

My first yorkie, Marley, was turned into my office about a year ago after he was discovered running down the middle of the state highway that runs in front of my office. A woman ran in, out of breath, holding this little dog, and said 'what town is this?... and do you recognize this dog?!' I said Jefferson, and 'no'!

She was on her way north to be with her sister who was having surgery. She said her husband saw Marley and pulled his F150 crossways of the highway to stop traffic and she jumped out and grabbed him.

Had they not done this, he likely would have been dead in minutes.

Long story short, Marley came to live with me. He was a runner... He is a runner... and he's much quicker and faster than I am. For the most part, he minds well. But a deer, golfcart, skateboard, bicycle... whatever, makes him 10 feet tall and invisible! Training is wonderful. But it only takes once.

I am going to put in the fence. If it turns out to be cruel... if it hurts more than a shot, or having his teeth cleaned, or his ears swabbed, or if it takes more than two encounters with the correction, I'll pull up the fence and forget it.

If there are any of you who have had or know of someone who has used the fence on little (under 10 pounds) dogs, I'd like to hear of your experiences.

First thing I did was 3 regular training sessions with Tibbe each day indoors - teaching him to watch me for a treat, hold me eyes for a period of time, then get a treat. Over and over. Lots of praise and short sessions. We progressed to sit, lie down, shake hands, roll over, roll over and stay on back, sit up and beg, bark, growl and whine on separate commands. Once he got used to the idea of working one on one with me, learned to listen to my voice, watch me and that all of it paid him big, big dividends of using his mind, getting my instant approval and even treats and loads of positive praise(only a noncommittal "uh oh" if he got is wrong or failed to do it), then I started working on his learning "stop", "wait" inside.

Then we did all those things outside on the leash. I next trained him to respect the open front door the same way - not to approach it until permitted and then to relax and walk slowly to it, stop in the open door until released and come onto porch and wait. Worked on that part for 5 months(he was a natural door-darter)! Then started training him outside that when he approached yard perimeter, there I was with both hands held up like stopsigns and saying "stop"(use an official but not mean or harsh tone of voice), and then physically approaching him with an "uh on" if he decided to inch forward or one way or another, hands upraised in stop position, eyes boring into his, saying nothing, just using body language and attitude/eyes to control him. I would stare him down, engage him constantly with "watch me" hand signal and he would eventually back off advancing over perimeter. It is the staying with them when you give them a command, the not veering your eyes away from them, keeping your hands up in the stop position and maybe repeating the word again to "stop" - but I use words outside sparingly and mostly go with my eyes and body language, staying right with him, slow but purposeful. Once they have done it and backed away from the perimeter, a nice high-value treat, not very exciting praise(not outside - excites them too much at first) and then going back in house for a big praise party. Just keep repeating the perimeter walking with them - you keeping to the outside of them, so you can approach, hands up, stop them, engage them with eyes, and "uh oh" or treat and praise when they react appropriately.

Soon, if you undertake training seriously and persistently, it becomes second nature for a dog to respond to what you say. You have modified their behavior to respond only to your commands. It cannot be negative or militaristic or anything. Has to be a wholly loving, patient and very positive experience or the dog will not respond the way you want - they get shy, uncooperative, uninterested. Keep it fun, regular and short and engage your dog. Most people don't engage their dogs eye to eye very long during training and it is very important to use your eyes on him! So work with him inside to get him very used to responding to your voice and doing what you say, move it to front door respect of boundaries and then take it outside.

In all Tibbe's life here, he has yet to step foot out of his property, which includes (with permission) a small portion of my next door neighbor's front yard so he can take in and smell other smells than just our yard and not "go crazy". In the 12 mos. it took to go from a wild dog as Tibbe was when he came until he was trained to stay in his yard, we've bonded so closely, our partnership has bloomed, he's learned how much fun training is - using his mind and learning new things, and I love him so much for being my little buddy! He loves to train so much he baits me to train all the time!!! Will come and rollover and sit up and beg, etc., growling in such a cute way to get my attention. If I say, "Do you want to work?", he jumps all around and yips and yips and comes and sits, ready to go! Just be sure your dog's behavior has been modified enough so that he automatically responds to your commands before you move to respecting an open door and outside training. I hope you try it as it is such a fun and rewarding hobby and you have a wonderful, happy dog when you are done and he is a safer dog because he listens first and foremost to you. Good luck!

Why not just put in an actual fence??? :confused:

:thumbup::thumbup:


"Please don't think I'm being argumentative... I'm trying to gather information from real life experiences. The perimeter is first outlined with small flags --"


instead of spending time outlining the perimeter with flags, why not just outline it with a small wooden fence!? :confused:

Tears welled up just reading your reply. I thank you so much for taking the time to write a 'how to' and not just a criticism. I think you may have a special gift for training -- not one I'm sure I have, but I'm more committed to trying. My Marley asks for his training sessions to... sometimes he looks at me like, 'give me a chance to earn something... give me a job'

But I want to ask you this question -- and you can pretend I'm looking straight into your eyes, because this is sooo important to me.

Do you think your baby would stop at your yard boundary if a deer or rabbit appeared or if a child going by in a stroller was crying?

If you believe he would, or if you have seen him do it, I will try as hard as I can. My heart would be in my throat if I saw Marley tearing across the yard with a car coming. It's not the front car that I fear as much as the cart or car coming second that I think would get him.

Thank you again for your thoughtful and well written reply.

I'm not sure who you are replying to since you didn't quote anyone. But to answer your question, No I do not think Uni would stop if a deer or child or cat or whatever ran by, that is why in the back yard we have a 6 ft high fence, and we don't play in the front yard where we don't have a fence (not allowed). If she's in the front she's on her harness or she is held.

I think he would quite honestly because he looks to me when we are outside but I would never completely trust him outside off leash totally with what he considered prey in his line of site! As his trainer, he looks to me to take his cue and he's kind of Pavlov's dog habituated to responding to my words. I have seen teenage boys walking by and hitting each other and having fun while all eating snacks, and he ran right after them, wanting to engage and party with them, and followed them all the way across our property width and into that part of the neighbor's yard as I stood mute, not wanting to say anything as I had just stepped outside in a robe, braless and ill-prepared, and let Tibbe come out, too, to get some sun, when the boys suddenly appeared. So, I never said anything, just thought I would test him and if he went beyond his border, I would speak out and go after him and call to the boys to help me, braless and all. But he stopped of his own volition at the border and came running right back to me!!! I nearly fell over dead! He got taken in immediately and praised and treated and loved on for the next 15 minutes!!!

The other night with the cat fight 2 houses down, he was tested to the max. He was tempted badly twice from the incredible and catty sounds but responded to me rather than that lure.

Would it work with a squirrel running across the yard and into the street? Don't know for sure but I think he would stop on my command and if he knew I were walking toward him to engage.

Still, with a dog you never know but training one not to go out of its yard will keep them in it in most cases if you do it right with only love, patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. It is the usual thing that attracts a dog out of his yard you train them to resist - the odd smell from across the street, the neighbor's child out playing, the piece of trash in the street - all things normally untrained dogs will go running to see about. Those things can pretty easily be neutralized by training. But potential prey? Don't bet big money or your dog's life on it. I think Tibbe would listen to me and stop because he's so habituated but will never let him get into that situation if I can help it. He's only out in the front yard off leash for training and maybe 2 other times each week for very brief - 2 - 3 minute periods, as I crane my neck and ears and look and listen for potential problems - cats, squirrels, other dogs.

Just remember that with a terrier, most likely an electric shock won't stop him anymore than your words if he's got the heat of the prey chase in him at that moment! Terriers are extremely impulsive and prey driven so don't bet your dog's life on behavior modification or an electric fence. Get a real fence for the backyard and train him not to leave the perimeter of your front yard for all those other things that can lure your dog and potentially cost him his life. Never expect a dog to be more than a dog at heart! Good luck. I wish you the best.

Thanks for writing this out step by step. It's what I wanted to say, I just didn't say it. :p but yes, truing is a never ending process. Just because the dog is taught something, doesn't mean they'll never forget. Training must be reinforced, even for small things like tricks.

To answer the question of my dog leaving his yard: I honestly don't trust him 100%, and I never will. I feel it's my responsibility to check the surrounding in an unfenced area. If I see a baby in a stroller crying, I'll pick up Kaji because I know what kind of reaction he will have to it. In a fenced area, it's a moot point because there is a barrier between us and the outside stimuli.

I agree I think before its used on the dog it should be used on the human then the human should realize they are a lot bigger then a yorkie!