Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

How to keep a dog from breaking out of or escaping a Invisible Underground Dog Fence

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There are a lot of reasons a dog may break his fence boundary. The first thing I would look at is the dog fence collar. Is the battery good, most batteries are good for four months give or take. Some electronic collars malfunction and will start to eat the battery as soon as two days after it has Benn installed.

In the case the dog fence collar is killing the battery you should contact your local office. Most professional pet systems will have a local office. If there is no local office contact the manufacturer. After you verify the underground invisible dog fence has a good battery check the fit. The fence collar should not be loose both metal posts must make contact with the dogs skin. Thick hair may also prevent contact if that is the case you may need to thin the neck area out a little.

Ok you have checked all that and the dog escapes. Most underground dog fence systems has two adjustments. First is the signal field adjustment, if this is to small most dogs can run out in many cases with out a correction at all. Most dog fence systems have a short delay and if your fence transmitter is only set up to a two foot signal field it needs to be turned up. I would suggest at least six feet on a average size property of a half acre. If there is two or more acres fenced then there is no reason not to have at least a ten foot signal field.

Next is the underground invisible dog fence receiver. Most fence systems can be adjusted for a stronger correction. This means a stronger shock and removing the delay. Some containment systems will have a adjustment on the transmitter or the fence receiver itself. See owners manual for your brand they are all a little different. Invisible dog fence brand is not adjustable by the transmitter or on the receiver you will need to have a tech come out or visit the local office.

If the dog is still leaving the containment area after these adjustments find out where. Most dogs will leave the fence area in the same spot, the driveway is the common. I have found that a tie out in the area where your dog is leaving is very affective. For a period of about two weeks tie the dog out with the fence receiver on. Leave the slack in the tie out long enough to almost get out of the containment area but not all the way out. I know you got the fence so you don’t have to use a tie out but a couple of weeks of this is what I have found to be the most affective to break the dogs bad habit and keep your pet at home.

Thanks for reading from the dog fence pro. Visit my blog for more dog fence installation, repair or training tips. http://www.dogguardnorthwest.com/dog-fence-repair-tips.php

The Bouvier des Flandres

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History and origin of The Bouvier des Flandres:

The Bouvier des Flandres was developed in Belgium in the 19th century.  This working breed was used for herding, herd-guarding, and cart pulling.  He has also been used for tracking by the police and military.

Description:
The Bouvier des Flandres stands 23.5 to 27.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 65 and 95 pounds.  His body is large, powerful, and thick-boned.  The tail is docked.  The shedding coat is weather-resistant, shaggy, and somewhat harsh, with a soft undercoat.  The dog has a beard, a mustache, and bushy eyebrows.  He needs daily brushing to prevent matting, and should be clipped every three or four months.  Show dogs must be hand-stripped to preserve the texture and luster of the coat.  However, the coat can be kept in a shorter clip to reduce maintenance.  The color may be black, salt-and-pepper, gray, brindle, or fawn.

About The Bouvier des Flandres:

This Belgian cattle dog is strong, alert, trustworthy, easygoing but aloof, and tends to be moody and serious.  Though affectionate with his owners, the Bouvier is very suspicious of strangers and will serve well as a watchdog for your home and property.  Training can be difficult due to his stubborn, dominant nature.  Passive resistance is common, and aggression is possible when the dog is annoyed or threatened.  Training should be patient and firm but not overbearing.  The Bouvier learns slowly and can be defiant.  The “Down” and the “Come” can be the hardest commands to teach this controlling breed.   The Bouvier has a high prey drive and may be very dog-aggressive.  He may want to chase cars, joggers, and bikes.  Though good with his own family’s children, he may be intolerant of visiting children, especially if they are running around.  No roughhousing or chasing should be tolerated.  Spoiling can encourage dominant, controlling, nippy behavior in this breed and may promote timidity.  Overbearing training techniques may elicit fear-biting.  Confident, firm leadership and early socialization are crucial to successfully owning a Bouvier.  He needs daily exercise and tends to bark and may be destructive and noisy if left alone too long.  He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and bloat.

Feeding:
Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of a high-quality meaty product with biscuit added or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.

Ideal home:
A house with a fenced yard is important.  The owner of a Bouvier des Flandres should be a firm, strong, active leader who desires a reserved, protective dog.  Mild or nervous owners as well as the elderly and the disabled may have trouble establishing dominance over this breed.  The Bouvier needs daily exercise, but should not be jogged with over long distances because of his heavy structure and predisposition to hip problems.  Time to train, socialize, exercise, and groom the Bouvier des Flandres must be made available.

Is A Professional Dog Obedience Training Necessary?

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Obedience training for your dog is an important part of responsible pet ownership.

While common puppy behavior problems and housebreaking are discussed in many books and publications, here we’ll discuss your options for basic obedience training and whether you want train your dog yourself or hire a trainer.

Training can begin as early as three to four months if yon train the dog yourself. Most trainers believe puppies aren’t mentally or socially developed enough to benefit from group obedience class until they are six months old.

Any sincerely interested dog owner can train his or her own dog, provided your dog hasn’t already acquired a lot of bad habits.
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Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside – Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using,
check out –
The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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You and your dog may want to attend a couple of lessons at a good training club. You may also want to arm yourself with a good dog training book.

Wait until your dog is six months old before taking him to a group obedience class, which is a popular option for many dog owners. Obedience groups not only provide an excellent
source of training, but also helps socialize your pet with other dogs.

When you first visit an obedience training class, make sure the instructors treat their pupils kindly – no punishment or yelling should be taking place or be permitted by those in charge. Your local parks department or school district may sponsor an obedience group.

If you’re having trouble finding one, ask your veterinarian.

Professional training is a good option for some larger breeds or for dogs that have acquired bad habits. If you are looking for a professional obedience trainer, find one who favors working with your dog in your own home.

No matter how appealing it may seem to send a problem dog away to be trained, the reality is that this often is a waste of time and money.

The dog may behave perfectly with the trainer and then ignore you once it arrives home. A professional obedience trainer will
equip you with the knowledge and confidence you need to train your dog.

The best way to find a good professional trainer is through a veterinarian or breeder’s recommendation.

Also, if you have any family or friends that can refer you to a reputable trainer then this would be the most ideal option. Arrange for an exploratory meeting with the potential trainer, you, and your dog.

Then, make your decision.

Training takes time and patience and a capable trainer will stress this fact. Length of training depends not only on your dog’s intelligence, temperament, and age, but also on how many bad habits he has acquired.

Obedience training requires you to take the lead, both as teacher and enforcer. After your dog has been trained you must not let him drift back into bad behavior patterns.

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