# Scary Invisible fence moment!!



## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

So Maddie is over a year and has always been great with the invisible fence, if she sees something outside of the invisible fence she will drop to the ground (like if a ball gets thrown out) until I retrieve the item for her. She is never left outside unsupervised though ... and we had a scary moment today. 

I've been starting to trust her more and she didn't want to come inside, so I thought I would leave her out a bit longer. I was watching her from the window in the family room and I noticed her trotting up the driveway - I expected her to stop but she went right through the boundary (picking up speed when she got shocked) 

I ran out of the house in my socks and then realized I didn't have a leash once I got to her. I didn't want her to get zapped going back in the boundary so I took the collar off and held on tightly to the ruff of her neck. It was very scary! I think that I'm going to work on reinforcing the boundary with her around the driveway area ... I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't been watching her through the window!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

That must have made your heart skip a beat. I'm glad you were watching. Besides working on her training I'm sure you will make sure the fence is working properly.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Oaklys Dad said:


> That must have made your heart skip a beat. I'm glad you were watching. Besides working on her training I'm sure you will make sure the fence is working properly.


It sure did! I will definitely make sure it is working properly, I know her collar has new batteries and I heard it beeping/zapping in my hand when I walked her back over the boundary.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Scary! That is exactly how a Golden owned by a friend got out-he went right up the driveway.. Unfortunately, he was hit and killed before they could get him back into the yard. Another friend's Wheaten Terrier would routinely leave the yard and then refuse to come back for fear of the zap. He too was hit and killed.

Thankfully you had a happy ending!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Thank goodenss you were watching. That is one reason I dont trust them, Bama gets running and playing so hard he would probably go right over it without blinking when shocked.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

That is horrible! I'm very nervous about it now and she definitely won't have the opportunity to go outside by herself. 

I wish I could fence in a small area of the yard, but I live at home with my parents right now and my dad doesn't like fences (and there's 3 acres so I think it would be really expensive). Once I get my own place it will definitely have a securely fenced in yard ...


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

BeauShel said:


> Thank goodenss you were watching. That is one reason I dont trust them, Bama gets running and playing so hard he would probably go right over it without blinking when shocked.


I know! I can't even imagine what would have happened if I wasn't watching. We have a long driveway off the road thankfully, but it is on a busy street.

When I was younger probably like 8 or 9, our springer spaniel ran out of the yard and I walked up the driveway. He was across the street and when he saw me he ran across the street and got hit by a car. He was thankfully ok, but had seizures for the rest of his life. It was terrifying!


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

How scary! What kind of fence is it? Do you have the longer prongs on the collar?


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Maggies mom said:


> How scary! What kind of fence is it? Do you have the longer prongs on the collar?


It's the Invisible Fence brand and the prongs seem pretty long. She definitely felt the shock because I saw her increase her speed ... she's very sensitive and she probably was only zapped twice during the training and she understood it. 

I asked my dad if the strength can be increased because I remember when the woman came out to train her she said it was on the lowest voltage.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I would move the settings up to the highest level. Make sure the prongs arent the shorter ones. I have found with goldens and there neck fur the shorter prongs dont work well.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Ok thanks I will mention it to him again and I'll check the settings tomorrow. Do you know how long the long prongs are? I just measured hers and it looks like they are almost an inch long.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

marieb said:


> Ok thanks I will mention it to him again and I'll check the settings tomorrow. Do you know how long the long prongs are? I just measured hers and it looks like they are almost an inch long.


Its sounds like the longer ones. I had my fence setting upped to the highest level and he got shocked once and never tested it again.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

I have the Invisible Fence brand at my house in GA..my golden never went through it, but my daughte's mix would..she didnt care about the shock. My golden, Sandy just got shocked once or twice during training and thats all it took.
How scary that must have been for you..glad Maddie's ok!!


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## Brady's mom (Dec 20, 2007)

We have an indoor Invisible Fence (installed in the crawl space) and it worked great til a few weeks ago. Now Brady just runs really fast, collar or no collar, past the barrier to reach the stairs. The fence also protects the sofa and constantly beeps when he's on it, so he'll get off the sofa real quick. But the barrier to the stairs...forgettaboutit. There's no way I'd trust him outside with this.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Thanks everyone, I'm very glad she's ok too! I'm going to look into making the voltage higher tomorrow and then try and refresh her memory about the boundaries ...


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

We have the Innotek and have had no problems. 

I think it depends on the dog, Brady is very intuned to the beep. A few weeks a ago, my husband was digging in the yard and wanted to make sure he did not upset the wire. He took the collar off Brady and brought it to the boundary, even though Brady was about 20 feet away from the collar, when he heard the sound he cringed, and ran towards the house. My trainer trained Brady to run towards the house when it beeps.

Unfortunately, I was told that if they do ever go through the fence, it is difficult to keep them in.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

cubbysan said:


> We have the Innotek and have had no problems.
> 
> I think it depends on the dog, Brady is very intuned to the beep. A few weeks a ago, my husband was digging in the yard and wanted to make sure he did not upset the wire. He took the collar off Brady and brought it to the boundary, even though Brady was about 20 feet away from the collar, when he heard the sound he cringed, and ran towards the house. My trainer trained Brady to run towards the house when it beeps.
> 
> Unfortunately, I was told that if they do ever go through the fence, it is difficult to keep them in.


I was thinking that maybe she just forgot about the driveway? Then once she heard the beep/got shocked, she was scared and kept going. It's so strange because if she's playing in the yard and she hears the beep/thinks she is close to the boundary she will literally drop to the ground and wait for me to go get her ball or whatever. 

I'm going to try upping the voltage and trying to work around all the boundaries again. I really hope that she won't keep going through!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

marieb said:


> I was thinking that maybe she just forgot about the driveway? Then once she heard the beep/got shocked, she was scared and kept going. It's so strange because if she's playing in the yard and she hears the beep/thinks she is close to the boundary she will literally drop to the ground and wait for me to go get her ball or whatever.
> 
> I'm going to try upping the voltage and trying to work around all the boundaries again. I really hope that she won't keep going through!


You might want to increase the size of the boundary. We have ours set at the smallest size, probably only a couple feet. Maybe you should also put the flags back out. On the driveway, we actually had a couple flags laying flat across the driveway. Brady will not go near anything that looks like a flag.


Also, I never walk Brady off the property. I always drive him over the fence line - it is a pain in the neck when I want to take him for a walk - but I thought it was better for him to never walk off the property without his collar. Did not want him to get any ideas. 

I would probably also call up the invisible fence company to come out and retrain her. Don't they guarentee the fence will work??


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

cubbysan said:


> You might want to increase the size of the boundary. We have ours set at the smallest size, probably only a couple feet. Maybe you should also put the flags back out. On the driveway, we actually had a couple flags laying flat across the driveway. Brady will not go near anything that looks like a flag.
> 
> 
> Also, I never walk Brady off the property. I always drive him over the fence line - it is a pain in the neck when I want to take him for a walk - but I thought it was better for him to never walk off the property without his collar. Did not want him to get any ideas.
> ...


I didn't even know the boundary size could be changed! I will have to ask my dad about that too. I think I will also definitely put some flags back up and putting them over the driveway is a great idea.

They trained her back in July I think it was. She's done fine until now ... so that's like 9 months later. Do you think they will come back out again? I'm hoping her mistake was just a one time thing though and it can be easily fixed. Thanks!


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

We've had our fence for 4 years and I won't let them out unsupervised (yes I tend to be a bit paranoid). My older golden is so sensitive that hearing the beeps sends him running for the house so he has the rubber protectors over the collar so he won't get zapped. My Berner will get zapped, but I'm not sure with him it registers as a punishment. It's funny how different dogs react. I have a friend who has a dog that has tested the boundary every day for the last 7 years. 

For us the driveway is kind of a gray area since that's where we take them off the property if we're going for a walk. The flags weren't there for long during the training either.

I'm glad you were watching when she got loose.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Is your fence the kind that is set so that first the dog hears a tone, then would get the correction? I ask because when we sold Invisible Fence (the brand name) that product did have that feature. During training, the dog hears the tone, and then learns that if they proceed (the tone began occurring approximately eighteen inches from the boundary line) that the shock will come next. We leaned that very smart dogs learned that there is a window, and that if they timed it just right, they could move through it without getting the correction. We watched these dogs do it, and they did move faster, because they HAD to, or they WOULD get shocked. They were all moving through it without the correction. It could be set so that there was no delay, which we did for those "special" dogs :no: who had figured it out.


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## kjarv24 (Nov 7, 2008)

Wow, that must have been VERY scary!!! 

& WOW PG, what smart puppers!! 

We actually don't have a fence or a invisible fence at the moment  We just moved here recently and we plan to have our fence up by may! So, Jake just has a long tie out, But he gets a free run every day that it isn't raining. We live with in walking distance of places where he can be off lead for a good romp though. I have to say I have never trusted the Invisible fences, but it has seem to work for some people..so I guess I can't say much. But I would never have one I dont think, I would be even more paranoid than I am now! Jake has shown no interest in chewing his tie out at all, which is a plus. Although I have 99.9% confidence right now if Jake got loose hed be at our back door wanting inside, but it only takes that .1% to be killed! 
I would also worry about other viscious animals or not so nice people coming into my yard bothering Jake. So when Jake goes out he's watched from my Back door or I'm out there with him encouraging a fast potty lol so he won't come in soaked from the rain! I'm really looking forward to our fence, I am hoping that my husband agrees on a Privacy fence with me! We are still battling with the chain link or privacy, either way it has to be 6' since we are getting a dane in the next couple years.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I've used an invisible fence for 4+ years, but when I got home Sunday the boys were gone.
We live in a remote area so traffic is not a concern. They just headed up the mountain for a hike. I checked the fence, tightened Copper's collar and sure enough when I got home yesterday they were gone again. They came home both times when I called, but .....
My younger bassettX does not wear the shock collar since he has never left home as long as Copper stays home - one mistake that will be remedied.
I use the longer prongs but once Copper decides to take the shock (he's done this a couple of times before) I also trim the hair under his neck so the collar gets better contact and I make a triple loop (S shape) or double loop of wire at his exit point so the shock range is much larger ( 6 - 12 feet)and he can't just "bow up and take it". You have to keep the wire loops about 3' apart so they don't interfere with each other when you make loops. If you want to try that and don't get what I'm trying to explain, e-mail me and I'll send you a diagram.
Some dogs are just more stubborn than others. My last Golden never approached the fence again after the initial training, but Copper is a bit hard headed so he needs to be refreshed. I've been slack about reinforcing his training so it is my fault not his.
I've just recently started taking him for hikes out of the back yard. We always took horseback rides out of the yard before and I think that taking him on the hikes has helped cause this problem.
That said, I'm off to remind him to stay in the yard and reinstall the triple loop (I took it out when reconfiguring the fence recently - another mistake on my part)!


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> Is your fence the kind that is set so that first the dog hears a tone, then would get the correction? I ask because when we sold Invisible Fence (the brand name) that product did have that feature. During training, the dog hears the tone, and then learns that if they proceed (the tone began occurring approximately eighteen inches from the boundary line) that the shock will come next. We leaned that very smart dogs learned that there is a window, and that if they timed it just right, they could move through it without getting the correction. We watched these dogs do it, and they did move faster, because they HAD to, or they WOULD get shocked. They were all moving through it without the correction. It could be set so that there was no delay, which we did for those "special" dogs :no: who had figured it out.


Yes there is a tone before the correction. That's very interesting ... she is really smart I wonder if she figured it out. My dad is going to look into making the voltage higher and maybe I'll call the invisible fence company and ask them about the delay too. Thanks!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I upped the voltage on my collar yesterday, tightened the collar and added a triple loop to the exit point and made sure Copper got the correction when he attempted to go through yesterday. The triple loop increases the shock zone to 9+ feet instead of just 2 - 3 feet. After the third time he turned around and headed back to the house. Both dogs were in the yard when I got home from work and they had left both days prior to go for a hike.
He is quite stubborn about going where he wants to. I've had him for 4+ years (he was an adult rescue) and he has gotten out of every confinement we tried. Even peeled the chain link kennel at the vet's. As long as I am diligent about everything working on my invisible fence, he stays in the yard but I do have to reinforce it periodically.
Good luck with your girl.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

coppers-mom said:


> I upped the voltage on my collar yesterday, tightened the collar and added a triple loop to the exit point and made sure Copper got the correction when he attempted to go through yesterday. The triple loop increases the shock zone to 9+ feet instead of just 2 - 3 feet. After the third time he turned around and headed back to the house. Both dogs were in the yard when I got home from work and they had left both days prior to go for a hike.
> He is quite stubborn about going where he wants to. I've had him for 4+ years (he was an adult rescue) and he has gotten out of every confinement we tried. Even peeled the chain link kennel at the vet's. As long as I am diligent about everything working on my invisible fence, he stays in the yard but I do have to reinforce it periodically.
> Good luck with your girl.


How do you make a triple loop at the exit point? I tightened her collar, stuck some flags on the driveway and we went up for a little refresher. The first time she did get quite close to the boundary but she did turn/run around when she heard the beep and I gave her a treat. We did it a couple more times and I couldn't even get her to budge towards the driveway.

I called the Invisible Fence people and they told me that the only way to increase the shock/voltage is to have the people come out and they change it in the computer. Do you have the Invisible Fence brand too? I'm really disappointed that it's not something that I can change ...

He sounds smart! Maddie is quite smart too. Good luck to you also!


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

We have a self installed radio fence. We put it in for Sam back in 1995. He learned it immediately and never crossed the line, collar on or off. He wouldn't even cross with my permission unless I put a leash on him. Fast forward 12 years and Ike is introduced to our radio fence. He learned it immediately and also learned that he could hover near the perimeter chirping like a baby bird until he wore the battery down, then he'd leave the perimeter. Luckily, we live in a secluded neighborhood with minimal traffic. I've had to go get him from my neighbors house twice now. I'm either outside with him or watching from a window, but he's fast and gets away before I stop him. He hasn't tried to leave lately, but I know he knows that he can. When he does leave, he jumps like a deer when the shock hits him, it's pretty funny to see. He'll come back through it the same way. I'm now also using a hand held remote and collar that I can beep at will. He's much better at respecting the perimeter now.


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