 | Introduction DIY Invisible Fence battery Invisible Fence pet containment systems require a new battery in the dog's collar every 3 months. Invisible Fence dealers sell battery packs for around $15. This expensive battery is a plastic case around a common CR1/3 lithium cell, readily available from any hardware or drugstore for less than $5.00. Here is how to "renew" your battery in about 1 minute! |
| Step 1 Prepare tools and supplies. You will need: - A 3V lithium cell known as CR1/3N or DL1/3N - A spent Invisible Fence battery module - A razor blade, a sharp knife or a very small shovel - Optionally, something to grasp the battery with to avoid cutting off your fingers. |
 | Step 2 Grasp the battery. Hold the battery sideways and grasp firmly |
 | Step 3 Pry off the cover With a very sharp knife, separate the cover ring from the battery housing. |
 | Step 4 Separate the cover Gently work around the battery housing until the cover falls off. Be careful with the metal contacts! Note the orientation of the cell - the new cell will go in just like this. |
 | Step 5 Pull out the battery assembly Gently pull out the cell by the metal contacts. |
 | Step 6 Separate the battery Remove the cell from the metal clip. Discard the cell in the most environmentally-friendly way available. |
 | Step 7 Insert new cell Put the metal clip around the new cell. Make sure the positive side of the battery only (the metal can) is in contact with the metal clip. Gently insert into the plastic housing, aligning the metal clip with the grooves on the inside of the housing. |
 | Step 8 Check battery and clip positioning Make sure the cell is all the way in and is oriented correctly. |
 | Step 9 Replace plastic cover It will snap into position between the 2 metal contacts. You are done |
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pet Fence Training: Step Four
Introducing Off Leash
Now start to allow your dog to be in the yard off leash. Keep the sessions short and supervised at first, but if the dog observes the boundary then extend the sessions, and start to go inside for short periods and leave the dog unsupervised for a few minutes. Peak through your window and see what happens.
If you get any breakouts, then you will need to do some more training on step 2.
Now start to allow your dog to be in the yard off leash. Keep the sessions short and supervised at first, but if the dog observes the boundary then extend the sessions, and start to go inside for short periods and leave the dog unsupervised for a few minutes. Peak through your window and see what happens.
If you get any breakouts, then you will need to do some more training on step 2.
Pet Fence Training: Step Three
Now we will test to see how well the dog has learned the boundaries by adding some distractions. Put the receiver collar on the dog and put the dog on a long leash.
Take the dog on the leash about a yard from the boundary flags. The dog should see the flags and not cross the boundary. If the dog does cross, then you need to do some more work on step two.
Now take the dog back from the boundary and play with them with a favorite toy, like a tennis ball. After a couple of minutes once they have got into the game, throw the toy over the boundary and see what your dog does. A well trained dog will quickly spot the flags and not follow the toy over the boundary.
In a second session have a neighbor walk their dog close to the boundary and see if your dog attempts to cross.
In a third session, a member of the family should walk over the boundary (not paying any attention to the dog) and test if the dog follows or stops at the boundary.
If your dog gets distracted and crosses over the boundary for any of these tests, then you need to do a bit more training on step two until your dog can pass these three test.
Take the dog on the leash about a yard from the boundary flags. The dog should see the flags and not cross the boundary. If the dog does cross, then you need to do some more work on step two.
Now take the dog back from the boundary and play with them with a favorite toy, like a tennis ball. After a couple of minutes once they have got into the game, throw the toy over the boundary and see what your dog does. A well trained dog will quickly spot the flags and not follow the toy over the boundary.
In a second session have a neighbor walk their dog close to the boundary and see if your dog attempts to cross.
In a third session, a member of the family should walk over the boundary (not paying any attention to the dog) and test if the dog follows or stops at the boundary.
If your dog gets distracted and crosses over the boundary for any of these tests, then you need to do a bit more training on step two until your dog can pass these three test.
Pet Fence Training: Step Two
Now we introduce the correction. Reactivate the shock on your collar, either by adjusting the control box or removing the masking tape you added. Place the collar on the dog, ensure that it is tight enough for the two contacts to be touching the dog. If the contacts are not touching the dog they will not receive the correction. You want it tight enough that you can insert two fingers between the collar and the dog. For a small and compliant dogs, put the shock on medium-low, for a medium size dog put it on medium-high and for a large or stubborn dog put it on high.
We know there is a temptation to set the correction very low, in an attempt to avoid hurting the dog, but the opposite is true. If you set the correction low the dog will learn that it is not too bad and try exploring past the boundary … they may end up on the street and they could really get hurt. Turn it up high and they might get shocked a couple of times but they will quickly learn to avoid the boundary. The dog should never learn that they can cross through the boundary and that there will be no shock on the other side. Err on the side of a higher shock. If during the training the dog does not seem to care much about the shock you have it on too low and need to turn it up. If there is no reaction at all to the shock, then you have probably not got the contacts pressing against the dog properly, you may need to trim a bit of hair for long hair dogs or tighten the collar to get it in contact with the skin.
As before we start and end all training session with play time to keep it fun.
As in the first step, you are going to put the dog on a long leash and take them about a yard from the boundary. As before you never want to lure the dog over the boundary, let them wander over by themselves. It may take a few minutes. When they cross and the beeping starts, wait till they receive their correction. This may take a second or so. You will know the dog got the correction because they will visible flinch or recoil. Then pull the dog back into the safe area saying “no, no, no.” When they retreat praise them. When they retreat do not baby them. The dog got a shock and it is no big deal, it was just like the static shock you sometime get on carpet (if you are in doubt try it on yourself – we have been shocked scores of times and it is no big deal, more surprising than hurtful). You are the dog’s leader, if you panic they will panic and they will not learn, if you act like it is not a big deal it will not be a big deal and they will learn that the shock was simply the consequence of crossing the boundary.
If the dog doesn’t cross the boundary, praise them. Watch their body language. You will often see the dog heading toward the boundary, but then stop when it shifts it’s vision to the flags. You will often see a dog spontaneously turn their back to the flags. You want to praise this type of behavior.
Repeat this activity three times a day for another week. Make sure your dog does not get shocked more than once a session. You do not want them to find this training an unpleasant experience. If they get shocked during the session, simply switch off the shock (or wrap the receiver contacts collar in masking tape) and continue on with the training.
We know there is a temptation to set the correction very low, in an attempt to avoid hurting the dog, but the opposite is true. If you set the correction low the dog will learn that it is not too bad and try exploring past the boundary … they may end up on the street and they could really get hurt. Turn it up high and they might get shocked a couple of times but they will quickly learn to avoid the boundary. The dog should never learn that they can cross through the boundary and that there will be no shock on the other side. Err on the side of a higher shock. If during the training the dog does not seem to care much about the shock you have it on too low and need to turn it up. If there is no reaction at all to the shock, then you have probably not got the contacts pressing against the dog properly, you may need to trim a bit of hair for long hair dogs or tighten the collar to get it in contact with the skin.
As before we start and end all training session with play time to keep it fun.
As in the first step, you are going to put the dog on a long leash and take them about a yard from the boundary. As before you never want to lure the dog over the boundary, let them wander over by themselves. It may take a few minutes. When they cross and the beeping starts, wait till they receive their correction. This may take a second or so. You will know the dog got the correction because they will visible flinch or recoil. Then pull the dog back into the safe area saying “no, no, no.” When they retreat praise them. When they retreat do not baby them. The dog got a shock and it is no big deal, it was just like the static shock you sometime get on carpet (if you are in doubt try it on yourself – we have been shocked scores of times and it is no big deal, more surprising than hurtful). You are the dog’s leader, if you panic they will panic and they will not learn, if you act like it is not a big deal it will not be a big deal and they will learn that the shock was simply the consequence of crossing the boundary.
If the dog doesn’t cross the boundary, praise them. Watch their body language. You will often see the dog heading toward the boundary, but then stop when it shifts it’s vision to the flags. You will often see a dog spontaneously turn their back to the flags. You want to praise this type of behavior.
Repeat this activity three times a day for another week. Make sure your dog does not get shocked more than once a session. You do not want them to find this training an unpleasant experience. If they get shocked during the session, simply switch off the shock (or wrap the receiver contacts collar in masking tape) and continue on with the training.
Dog Fence Training: Step One
First we want to stop the collar receiver from shocking the dog. To do this, you may be able to turn the shock off on the collar receiver or on the transmitter. If your system does not have this feature, wrap the prongs of the collar with masking tape to stop the collar from shocking the dog. Now place the collar on the dog.
You want to begin and end each training session by spending a few minutes playing with your dog. They need to remember that the yard is still their place to play.
Place the dog on a long leash and slowly walk toward the boundary, stopping about one yard before you reach the boundary flags. Let the dog wander toward the flags and until their collar starts beeping. If this happens then pull on the leash and quickly pull the dog back into it’s safe area and say forcefully “no, no, no.” You must be animated and have a sense of urgency. If you are like most people, you probably say “no” to your dog about ten times a day, this time they need to know that it is important. You need to make this time more memorable. You want them to learn to retreat FAST, so do it FAST but confidently.
If you have a partner to help you, have them wave the flag and also say “no, no, no” when the dog gets too close. Once the dog is back into the safe area praise the dog.
Repeat this process, using different sections of the fence each time. Do this three times a day for a week. You will notice as the week goes on that your dog starts to automatically turn away from the flags. This is what you want to happen.
Remember to end the session with a few more minutes of play, this is fun for both of you
You want to begin and end each training session by spending a few minutes playing with your dog. They need to remember that the yard is still their place to play.
Place the dog on a long leash and slowly walk toward the boundary, stopping about one yard before you reach the boundary flags. Let the dog wander toward the flags and until their collar starts beeping. If this happens then pull on the leash and quickly pull the dog back into it’s safe area and say forcefully “no, no, no.” You must be animated and have a sense of urgency. If you are like most people, you probably say “no” to your dog about ten times a day, this time they need to know that it is important. You need to make this time more memorable. You want them to learn to retreat FAST, so do it FAST but confidently.
If you have a partner to help you, have them wave the flag and also say “no, no, no” when the dog gets too close. Once the dog is back into the safe area praise the dog.
Repeat this process, using different sections of the fence each time. Do this three times a day for a week. You will notice as the week goes on that your dog starts to automatically turn away from the flags. This is what you want to happen.
Remember to end the session with a few more minutes of play, this is fun for both of you
Installation: Finding and Fixing a Wire Break
Every now and then you will get a break in the wire for your dog fence. You will know this because the system will stop working and the transmitter box will sound an alarm or display an error light. Here are two methods for finding the break, starting with the easiest method.
Finding a Break by Visual Inspection
The most common cause of breaks is someone running an edger, aerator or other digging device across the wire. These breaks can usually be found by walking along where the wire runs and looking for spots where there has been recent digging.
Also check the connections between the wire and the transmitter as well as all the wire joints as these are common break locations.
Finding a Break using an RF Choke
First, buy a “100 µH RF Choke.” You can get one at Radioshack (catalog number 273-102). It should cost you less than two dollars. You will also need an AM radio tuned to 600.
Now, go to the dog fence transmitter box and disconnect the two wire leads where they connect to the transmitter. In place of each wire lead, connect one end of the RF Choke. Now turn up the transmitter signal strength to full. The transmitter box should now be showing that there is no break in the signal. Next take the two wire leads and wind the insulated section around the each of the legs of the RF choke with the uninsulated end touching the leg of the RF choke. (Note if the legs of the RF choke are too short, lengthen them with some wire.
Get the radio and walk along the path of the wire. You should hear a throbbing noise where the wire is intact and an absence where the break is located.
Fixing the Break
Once you have found the break, strip a half inch of insulation off each side of the broken wire and then use a weatherproof wire nut to connect the two sides. If the break is large, you may need to splice in some extra wire so that the two sides can meet.
Finding a Break by Visual Inspection
The most common cause of breaks is someone running an edger, aerator or other digging device across the wire. These breaks can usually be found by walking along where the wire runs and looking for spots where there has been recent digging.
Also check the connections between the wire and the transmitter as well as all the wire joints as these are common break locations.
Finding a Break using an RF Choke
First, buy a “100 µH RF Choke.” You can get one at Radioshack (catalog number 273-102). It should cost you less than two dollars. You will also need an AM radio tuned to 600.
Now, go to the dog fence transmitter box and disconnect the two wire leads where they connect to the transmitter. In place of each wire lead, connect one end of the RF Choke. Now turn up the transmitter signal strength to full. The transmitter box should now be showing that there is no break in the signal. Next take the two wire leads and wind the insulated section around the each of the legs of the RF choke with the uninsulated end touching the leg of the RF choke. (Note if the legs of the RF choke are too short, lengthen them with some wire.
Get the radio and walk along the path of the wire. You should hear a throbbing noise where the wire is intact and an absence where the break is located.
Fixing the Break
Once you have found the break, strip a half inch of insulation off each side of the broken wire and then use a weatherproof wire nut to connect the two sides. If the break is large, you may need to splice in some extra wire so that the two sides can meet.
Installation: Connecting and Testing
Last step. Connect the wires to the control box and power on the system. Hopefully you will get a green light from the system telling you that everything is working. Hoorah. Do a quick celebration jig! (We have done a whole heap of installations and seeing that green light is still a whole lot of fun) Bask in the glow of your victory!!!
If you are getting a broken wire error from the control box, don’t fear. Nine times out of ten the break is at one of the splices where you joined two pieces of wire. Check all the joins. If that didn’t fix it skip to the section on finding a break in the dog fence wire and hunt down that break.
Now the last part of the installation is setting up the boundary flags. Adjust the boundary width on the control box so that the boundary reaches the desired width. Make sure the boundary is at least three feet wide on either side of the wire, much narrower than that and it will be hard to train the dog. It is easier to start wide, then narrow the width after the dog is trained to give the dog more space than to try and train them with a boundary that is too thin.
To test the boundary width, take the collar (making sure you are touching the probes), and hold it at approximately the height of the dog’s head and get closer to the boundary wire until you hear it beep or see the collar light flash. Now using the collar as your guide set the boundary flags at the point where the collar begins to beep and/or flash. Try to space the flags no more than two yards apart, preferably closer.
In places where you cannot plant the flags in the ground such as the driveway, lie the flags down on the ground.
Congratulations. Take a breather. Then when you are ready, lets get started on the most important part, training your dogs to use the system.
If you are getting a broken wire error from the control box, don’t fear. Nine times out of ten the break is at one of the splices where you joined two pieces of wire. Check all the joins. If that didn’t fix it skip to the section on finding a break in the dog fence wire and hunt down that break.
Now the last part of the installation is setting up the boundary flags. Adjust the boundary width on the control box so that the boundary reaches the desired width. Make sure the boundary is at least three feet wide on either side of the wire, much narrower than that and it will be hard to train the dog. It is easier to start wide, then narrow the width after the dog is trained to give the dog more space than to try and train them with a boundary that is too thin.
To test the boundary width, take the collar (making sure you are touching the probes), and hold it at approximately the height of the dog’s head and get closer to the boundary wire until you hear it beep or see the collar light flash. Now using the collar as your guide set the boundary flags at the point where the collar begins to beep and/or flash. Try to space the flags no more than two yards apart, preferably closer.
In places where you cannot plant the flags in the ground such as the driveway, lie the flags down on the ground.
Congratulations. Take a breather. Then when you are ready, lets get started on the most important part, training your dogs to use the system.
Installation: Driveways and Pathways
When you have to lay cable accross driveways or pathways you have two choices, cutting through or tunneling under. Both are time consuming, but sawing through is by far the preferable method. We would tunnel under only when there is a narrow ornamental pathway that you just cannot cut through.
Saw Through Method
The saw method is the fastest and easiest way to get accross a driveway. You should budget about an hour for a driveway and about half that time for a pathway. The pro’s use this method.
Tools Needed:
Circular Saw with concrete cutting blade
concrete repair compound
caulking gun
First find a location and prepare it to be cut. Look for an expansion joint or seam that is already in the driveway or path. Cutting a concrete driveway or path at the seam will result in a much easier and neater cut, but if there is no convenient seam, you can cut anywhere you please, just be sure to mark out a line before hand to keep the cuts neat. Clean out the area, seams and joints have often accumulated debris over time and may have weeds growing in them. A high pressure washer works great if you have one, otherwise you can use a stiff broom.
For the second step you will need a circular saw. (a cheap $30 model is fine) You will also need a blade for cutting concrete. Cheap masonry blades are available for under $5 and will be good enough for most cuts. But for some tougher jobs, you may need a diamond tipped masonry blade which will set you back about $15. Now use the saw to make your cut. The cut only needs to be an inch deep, although deeper is not a problem. When cutting go slow letting the saw do all the work and take breaks every couple of minutes to prevent your saw from overheating. Always wear safety glasses when making the cuts as debris will be thrown up. If you need to make lots of cuts. consider renting a concrete cutter from you local home improvement store. (about $50)
Next lay the wire in the cut you just made. You may need to clear out some of the debris or poke the wire down. You can do both of these easily with the warning flag poles that came with you dog fence system.
Finally caulk over the wire with a concrete sealant. You can buy cans of quick drying concrete at your local home imporvement store, they will cost about $3 a cannister. We like using Liquid Nails brand Concrete Repair. Cheaper brands are available in the $1.50 range, but we think the Liquid Nails brand is worth the extra in this instance because it tends to be more durable. Most caulks require a caulking gun for use, if you don’t already have one then you can buy one for less than $5 home imporvement store.
When caulk go slow and be neat as the caulk will be visible on your driveway. If you are not confident, use masking tape to cover the driveway on both sides of the cut and remove once you have finished caulking for a neater finish.
Tunnel Under Method
Tunneling under is tougher but neater. You will be creating a passage under the path or driveway. This avoids putting any cuts through the path and may be useful if you later decide to put in a sprinkler system or outdoor lighting. The downside is that it is time consuming, you will need to budget two hours for an average width pathway. Doing a driveway is a labor of love.
On the positive, tunneling under is something you would be unlikely to get if you hired professionals. If you are willing to put in the time, you can get a dog fence with no scarring of your driveway or pathways.
Tools Needed:
PVC pipe (3/4 inch diameter)
hack saw
Cut a length of PVC pipe the length of the required tunnel. Now cut the end of the pipe at a 45degree angle to make a sharp point. Dig a hole on one side of the driveway about a foot long and a bit deeped than you want the tunnel to be.
Use the PVC pipe to bore through the soil and create your tunnel. Go only half a foot at a time then remove the PVC pipe by twisting it and empty the soil inside the pipe.
Saw Through Method
The saw method is the fastest and easiest way to get accross a driveway. You should budget about an hour for a driveway and about half that time for a pathway. The pro’s use this method.
Tools Needed:
Circular Saw with concrete cutting blade
concrete repair compound
caulking gun
First find a location and prepare it to be cut. Look for an expansion joint or seam that is already in the driveway or path. Cutting a concrete driveway or path at the seam will result in a much easier and neater cut, but if there is no convenient seam, you can cut anywhere you please, just be sure to mark out a line before hand to keep the cuts neat. Clean out the area, seams and joints have often accumulated debris over time and may have weeds growing in them. A high pressure washer works great if you have one, otherwise you can use a stiff broom.
For the second step you will need a circular saw. (a cheap $30 model is fine) You will also need a blade for cutting concrete. Cheap masonry blades are available for under $5 and will be good enough for most cuts. But for some tougher jobs, you may need a diamond tipped masonry blade which will set you back about $15. Now use the saw to make your cut. The cut only needs to be an inch deep, although deeper is not a problem. When cutting go slow letting the saw do all the work and take breaks every couple of minutes to prevent your saw from overheating. Always wear safety glasses when making the cuts as debris will be thrown up. If you need to make lots of cuts. consider renting a concrete cutter from you local home improvement store. (about $50)
Next lay the wire in the cut you just made. You may need to clear out some of the debris or poke the wire down. You can do both of these easily with the warning flag poles that came with you dog fence system.
Finally caulk over the wire with a concrete sealant. You can buy cans of quick drying concrete at your local home imporvement store, they will cost about $3 a cannister. We like using Liquid Nails brand Concrete Repair. Cheaper brands are available in the $1.50 range, but we think the Liquid Nails brand is worth the extra in this instance because it tends to be more durable. Most caulks require a caulking gun for use, if you don’t already have one then you can buy one for less than $5 home imporvement store.
When caulk go slow and be neat as the caulk will be visible on your driveway. If you are not confident, use masking tape to cover the driveway on both sides of the cut and remove once you have finished caulking for a neater finish.
Tunnel Under Method
Tunneling under is tougher but neater. You will be creating a passage under the path or driveway. This avoids putting any cuts through the path and may be useful if you later decide to put in a sprinkler system or outdoor lighting. The downside is that it is time consuming, you will need to budget two hours for an average width pathway. Doing a driveway is a labor of love.
On the positive, tunneling under is something you would be unlikely to get if you hired professionals. If you are willing to put in the time, you can get a dog fence with no scarring of your driveway or pathways.
Tools Needed:
PVC pipe (3/4 inch diameter)
hack saw
Cut a length of PVC pipe the length of the required tunnel. Now cut the end of the pipe at a 45degree angle to make a sharp point. Dig a hole on one side of the driveway about a foot long and a bit deeped than you want the tunnel to be.
Use the PVC pipe to bore through the soil and create your tunnel. Go only half a foot at a time then remove the PVC pipe by twisting it and empty the soil inside the pipe.
Installation: Burying the Wire
There are four ways you can bury the wire:
1. Hire a trencher, that will automatically dig a trench, lay the cable and bury the cable. A trencher is what the pro’s use to lay cable and REALLY speeds up the job, allowing you to lay cable at about 3 yards a minute. You can hire a trencher with a cable laying attachment for a day for around $50 at most tool supply houses, it is money well spent as it will let you halve your installation time. If you are laying less than 300 yards of cable, you can get away with hiring the trencher for half a day. For detailed instructions for using a trencher click here.
2. Use a power edger to dig a shallow trench, then manually lay the cable and bury it. If you don’t already own a power edger, your neighbors probably do, so take a six-pack next door and see if you can borrow it. Alternatively, buy a cheap power edger for around $50 or hire one for even less. For detailed instructions click here.
3. Manually. If you want to punish yourself, this is a really good way to bury the cable. You will need to dig a narrow trench, then manually lay the cable and bury the cable. This is really only a good choice for doing small areas where you cannot use the trencher or power edger. For detailed instructions click here.
4. No Dig Method You can simply lay your cable on the surface of the ground and staple it in place. If you have very light traffic areas, then the cable does not need to be burried. Particularly in wooded areas, over time the vegetation will grow over the wire and bury it for you. For details click here.
1. Hire a trencher, that will automatically dig a trench, lay the cable and bury the cable. A trencher is what the pro’s use to lay cable and REALLY speeds up the job, allowing you to lay cable at about 3 yards a minute. You can hire a trencher with a cable laying attachment for a day for around $50 at most tool supply houses, it is money well spent as it will let you halve your installation time. If you are laying less than 300 yards of cable, you can get away with hiring the trencher for half a day. For detailed instructions for using a trencher click here.
2. Use a power edger to dig a shallow trench, then manually lay the cable and bury it. If you don’t already own a power edger, your neighbors probably do, so take a six-pack next door and see if you can borrow it. Alternatively, buy a cheap power edger for around $50 or hire one for even less. For detailed instructions click here.
3. Manually. If you want to punish yourself, this is a really good way to bury the cable. You will need to dig a narrow trench, then manually lay the cable and bury the cable. This is really only a good choice for doing small areas where you cannot use the trencher or power edger. For detailed instructions click here.
4. No Dig Method You can simply lay your cable on the surface of the ground and staple it in place. If you have very light traffic areas, then the cable does not need to be burried. Particularly in wooded areas, over time the vegetation will grow over the wire and bury it for you. For details click here.
Installation: Mounting the Box
The transmitter box is the main control unit for the dog fence. It will need to be mounted close to a power source and near a power point.
Screw the transmitter box to the wall using the supplied mounting screws. If you are mounting onto drywall or masonry, you will need to use the appropriate wall plugs.
Connect the transmitter box to the power supply and switch it on the transmitter box.
Screw the transmitter box to the wall using the supplied mounting screws. If you are mounting onto drywall or masonry, you will need to use the appropriate wall plugs.
Connect the transmitter box to the power supply and switch it on the transmitter box.
Installation: Laying out the Wire
First we lay out the wire above ground and connect it to the transmitter box to check that everything is working before we start burying the wire.
Start by laying out the sections of wire along the path indicated in your plan. As you lay out the sections of wire, Leave about 20% extra wire to allow for burying. Use twisted pair wire in the twisted pair wire sections, and ordinary single strand boundary wire for the boundary sections.
Now splice all the sections of wire together and connect them to the transmitter box. Power on the transmitter box. The transmitter should should show that everything is ok (usually indicated by a green light). If the system indicates there is a problem (usully an alarm or flashing light), check that all the sections of wire are properly joined so that current can flow and check the wiring layout to make sure the wire forms a loop.
Now test the system using a collar to double check that everything is operational. When you approach the boundary the collar should beep.
When everything is working, power off the system, disconnect all the sections of wire and proceed to the next section on
Start by laying out the sections of wire along the path indicated in your plan. As you lay out the sections of wire, Leave about 20% extra wire to allow for burying. Use twisted pair wire in the twisted pair wire sections, and ordinary single strand boundary wire for the boundary sections.
Now splice all the sections of wire together and connect them to the transmitter box. Power on the transmitter box. The transmitter should should show that everything is ok (usually indicated by a green light). If the system indicates there is a problem (usully an alarm or flashing light), check that all the sections of wire are properly joined so that current can flow and check the wiring layout to make sure the wire forms a loop.
Now test the system using a collar to double check that everything is operational. When you approach the boundary the collar should beep.
When everything is working, power off the system, disconnect all the sections of wire and proceed to the next section on
Installation: Planning
Marking Utilities and other Obstacles
The first thing we need to do is have your underground utility lines marked so you know where to be careful when digging. 811 is a free service that alerts water, sewer, electricity, cable and gas suppliers to mark your property with the route of any underground utility lines. Simply call 811 and the utility companies will mark their underground utility lines with either flags or spray paint. It can take up to a week so you will want to call now. If you have privately installed any utilities like a septic system or lines for gas cylinders you will want to mark these as well. Most utilities are deeply buried (over a foot deep) and you will only be burying the cables a few inches deep so usually underground utilities are not an issue, but it is better to be safe than sorry and dig carefully in areas where utilities are located.
If possible mark the location of any sprinkler system lines or low voltage power lines for any outdoor lighting system you have had installed. If you can’t determine the location of these lines, make your best guess. Damaging a sprinkler line or a low voltage power line is not a big deal, both are easy to fix. Just be sure to shut off the water and power before you start digging.
Sketch a Diagram
On grid paper, sketch a rough map of your property showing any buildings, paths, driveways, garden beds, underground utilities and other obstacles. Figure out which parts of the garden you want to give your dog access to and which parts you want to block access to.
Decide where you will locate the transmitter box. The transmitter should be located near a power outlet and protected from the elements. Inside a garage or electrified shed is ideal.
Now determine where you will run your fence. The fence needs to make a complete loop starting and ending at the transmitter box. You will use a pair of wires twisted together in places where you want the dog to be able to cross the wire safely. FOr more details on twisted wire, see here.
Some things to keep in mind when deciding on the placement of wires:
1. Cross utility lines at right angles – you want to avoid running wire close to a utility line for an extended stretch because, in some rare instances a boundary wires running close to a utility wire can induce a signal in the utility wire making part of your home wiring trigger the collar receivers.
2. Round corners - boundary wires should turn corners gradually, avoiding sharp 90 degree turns.
3. Separate parallel boundary wires – Boundary wires emit signals that will cancel each other out, so you want any boundary wires that are parallel to each other to be at least six feet apart. Similarly, if your neighbors have a dog fence, keep your wires about six feet from theirs.
4. Sample Layouts
5. Perimeter Layout
6. The most popular layout runs along your yard’s perimeter. This layout allows your dog access to the entire property.
7. The twisted wire joins the house transmitter box to the boundary wire. This enables the dog to safely walk over the twisted wire path.
8. Where possible lay the boundary wire two yards back from the road to give a good safety buffer for you dog and to allow a space for pedestrians. Also try to allow three yards between the boundary wire and the house on at least one side to allow the dog room to pass between the front and back yard
9. Hourglass Layout
10. The hourglass layout contains the dog in both the front and back yard, but does not allow the dog to cross between the front and back yard. This is great if you want the dog with you in the front or back yard but do not want them crossing between them.
11. Note that the two loops are connected to each other on the left hand side of this diagram and that they both connect to the transmitter box on the right hand side
12. Backyard Only Layout
13. To enclose only your back yard you need a double back to complete the loop. Note that the two wires are connected on the left hand side of the diagram.
14. The two loops must be separated by at least six feet to avoid the signals from one loop from interfering with the other. If they are too close you will not get a nice strong signal along the boundary
15. Exclusion Zones
16. You can also add small exclusion zones to keep your dog out of small areas within your property. For example you may want your dog to have full access to your yard except a small garden bed.
17. To do this you loop some boundary wire around the area you want to protect and join the loop to the main loop with some twisted wire.
The first thing we need to do is have your underground utility lines marked so you know where to be careful when digging. 811 is a free service that alerts water, sewer, electricity, cable and gas suppliers to mark your property with the route of any underground utility lines. Simply call 811 and the utility companies will mark their underground utility lines with either flags or spray paint. It can take up to a week so you will want to call now. If you have privately installed any utilities like a septic system or lines for gas cylinders you will want to mark these as well. Most utilities are deeply buried (over a foot deep) and you will only be burying the cables a few inches deep so usually underground utilities are not an issue, but it is better to be safe than sorry and dig carefully in areas where utilities are located.
If possible mark the location of any sprinkler system lines or low voltage power lines for any outdoor lighting system you have had installed. If you can’t determine the location of these lines, make your best guess. Damaging a sprinkler line or a low voltage power line is not a big deal, both are easy to fix. Just be sure to shut off the water and power before you start digging.
Sketch a Diagram
On grid paper, sketch a rough map of your property showing any buildings, paths, driveways, garden beds, underground utilities and other obstacles. Figure out which parts of the garden you want to give your dog access to and which parts you want to block access to.
Decide where you will locate the transmitter box. The transmitter should be located near a power outlet and protected from the elements. Inside a garage or electrified shed is ideal.
Now determine where you will run your fence. The fence needs to make a complete loop starting and ending at the transmitter box. You will use a pair of wires twisted together in places where you want the dog to be able to cross the wire safely. FOr more details on twisted wire, see here.
Some things to keep in mind when deciding on the placement of wires:
1. Cross utility lines at right angles – you want to avoid running wire close to a utility line for an extended stretch because, in some rare instances a boundary wires running close to a utility wire can induce a signal in the utility wire making part of your home wiring trigger the collar receivers.
2. Round corners - boundary wires should turn corners gradually, avoiding sharp 90 degree turns.
3. Separate parallel boundary wires – Boundary wires emit signals that will cancel each other out, so you want any boundary wires that are parallel to each other to be at least six feet apart. Similarly, if your neighbors have a dog fence, keep your wires about six feet from theirs.
4. Sample Layouts
5. Perimeter Layout
6. The most popular layout runs along your yard’s perimeter. This layout allows your dog access to the entire property.
7. The twisted wire joins the house transmitter box to the boundary wire. This enables the dog to safely walk over the twisted wire path.
8. Where possible lay the boundary wire two yards back from the road to give a good safety buffer for you dog and to allow a space for pedestrians. Also try to allow three yards between the boundary wire and the house on at least one side to allow the dog room to pass between the front and back yard
9. Hourglass Layout
10. The hourglass layout contains the dog in both the front and back yard, but does not allow the dog to cross between the front and back yard. This is great if you want the dog with you in the front or back yard but do not want them crossing between them.
11. Note that the two loops are connected to each other on the left hand side of this diagram and that they both connect to the transmitter box on the right hand side
12. Backyard Only Layout
13. To enclose only your back yard you need a double back to complete the loop. Note that the two wires are connected on the left hand side of the diagram.
14. The two loops must be separated by at least six feet to avoid the signals from one loop from interfering with the other. If they are too close you will not get a nice strong signal along the boundary
15. Exclusion Zones
16. You can also add small exclusion zones to keep your dog out of small areas within your property. For example you may want your dog to have full access to your yard except a small garden bed.
17. To do this you loop some boundary wire around the area you want to protect and join the loop to the main loop with some twisted wire.
Installation: Introduction
You should set aside about ten hours for the whole installation project. The first and second steps will take about an hour. Burying the wire will take about four hours (if you use a trencher or edger. Doing the driveway will take an hour. And if everything goes according to plan the final connection and testing will take another hour. (The extra three hours is for the unexpected challenges and the much needed breaks that accompany any DIY task)
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