Electronic Fencing: Is it really the only way?

Ah the grass.  The trees.  The unsullied view of the mountains, or the park, or whatever else reason the HOA has for not allowing you to install a safe, secure fence for your dog.  Perhaps they told you the existing fence may not be raised, and your canine compadre just sails over the top of their four foot tall limit.....Maybe you have a rather large property, and have decided the cost involved in fencing 12 acres is just more than you care to spend...In any case, now you find yourself shopping:  Wondering which "electronic" fencing system will be most effective (and least expensive) at keeping your wandering Wilbur where he belongs.

If you go with a traditional, wired unit (meaning, there will be a buried wire, creating a perimeter shape custom to where you want the dog to stay), there are options aplenty.  You could hire a professional company to come out, inspect your property, quote you a price, install it, and show you how to "teach" your dog not to cross it.  This could cost you a couple thousand dollars, depending on the market, and the demand in your area.

The good news:  This comes with customer service, answers to your questions, and a product installation guarantee.
The bad news:  It's expensive.

You can install a wired unit yourself, usually for less than $400.  Most big box pet supply, or ranch/farm stores have them on hand, or you can hop online and order one for a bit less.  Installation is easy (relatively speaking) and only involves digging a shallow trench to lay the wire in.
The good news:  You save a bunch of money.
The bad news:  That stupid trench is not as easy as you'd think to dig, and if you don't do all the testing the manual suggests, and something doesn't work, you now have to dig it up again.

There is such a thing as wireless containment systems as well.  These are again about $250-$500, and are fairly easy to operate.  You set the unit in a "central" place, such as inside your home, plug it in, charge collar (batteries), park the radius at a distance you want it to be, and viola!  Instant fence!
The good news:  Super easy.
The bad news:   You may want to put this sort of unit on a back-up battery.  They have an internal back-up battery (as do the wired units), but in the event of a power surge, or outage, the unit will read as having collars out of range, and will shock your dog in the few seconds it takes for the back-up battery to come on-----even if he is just laying on the couch doing nothing.

 That fact alone is why my dogs will most likely never be put on a wireless containment system.

The containment doesn't stop there folks.  You can also look in to smaller radius, portable, battery operated "rocks."  These are better for keeping the animal out of gardens, or from escaping the front door.  -------------Training or an actual fence is really the best for this, buuuuut.......
They are designed to look like a rock, usually have a 3-16 foot range, and will not activate unless your dog is getting close.  You can set up multiple "rocks" and cue them to one collar, or to multiple collars.

The good news:  Fairly inexpensive; $60-$120 a piece.  Battery operated.  Light and easy to install.
The bad news:  You get what you pay for.  Check reviews.

So what IS my opinion of these units/systems?
I personally don't like them much.  They pack a punch:  Watched a guy strap one to himself and go running for the "fenceline" with the unit turned all the way up---it laid him out flat.  I would rather see your dog on an electronic correction collar, that you control with the remote in your hand, than see him running around with absolutely no boundary to speak of.  I'd rather see him behind an actual hotwire fence, to tell the truth.
They work great for some people, I know.  And yes, I do understand the frustrations with a dog who escapes via jumping the fence, but there are alternatives that do not involve shocking the snot out of him.

Most people don't take the time to properly train the dog where the boundary is, or what happens if they get too close.  They do not read the manuals (hence the reason I feel it is worth every penny to have a professional company do the install for you, as they are also taught how to teach you to "train" your dog on this new system), and I wind up explaining why your dog suddenly forgot how to be housetrained after you installed a "fenceless fence."  ~In case you are wondering, it's because you didn't set your boundary flags, or spend any time with the dog on a long line to teach him why those flags mean he should stay inside them.  Turning  him loose with a collar on, without properly showing him where is "safe," can create a fearful dog.  Now the yard is scary, and very painful in his doggy mind, so obviously the only place he feels he can poop, is in your house.

These kinds of containment systems may keep the dog in, but do not keep anything else out.  Just like a dog left on a chain, you are leaving him handicapped and vulnerable.

Predators, such as coyotes, are not wearing the containment collars.  Loose dogs roaming around are also free to go right up to your dog; not all dogs are kind to other dogs.  Your dog is also open to people walking right up to them, making them easy targets for theft, or other ill intentions.

Your dog can escape.
Yes, you read that right.  These units are not completely dog-proof.  Some dogs do successfully use these for however long they are on them, but there is a percentage (higher than you'd think) of animals who will blast right through the correction to get at what they want.  A high-drive dog who sees a rabbit and gives chase, may get so intense they go right through the boundary shock.

 A dog who is over-protective of his space, may find himself so upset about the "approaching intruder," that he rushes to scare it off, right through the correction.

yeah, I totally feel safe walking my dogs past This guy behind NO Fence.

 And you know he's not going to want to go back through it to get back in to his yard.  I have students who are opting to carry Citronella Dog Mace now because of that kind of dog.  Walking past an "open" yard, where a protective aggressive dog lives, is scary.

When I was in middle school (soooo long ago....ha ha ha) my best friend lived down the street from a lovely, fat, sweet old yellow Labrador called Maggie.  Every day after school, when the bus dropped us off, we would hear a tremendous yelp of pain.  "oh, here comes Maggie" That sweet dog loved hanging out with us so much, she'd run through that electronic fence every day.  Of course, we would always bring her home, but we waited 'til her people came back later in the day---if we returned her before that, she'd just hurt herself again trying to be with us.

My point is, that there are other ways and means to keep Wilbur from wandering.  Safer, less painful or dangerous options do exist.

And next time, we will talk about some of them.

Compassionate Grooming: Where's the Love?

Ok, yes, I get it.  You, Dear Groomer, like every other business model out there, are concerned with your bottom line. 

You want it to be as profitable as possible to run your dog grooming salon, and that means numbers.  The faster  you can get a dog done, the more dogs you can do in a day, the more money you make....But is this speed coming at cost to your canine clientele's well-being?

Before you, as a Dog Owner and Guardian, sign your pup up for a day at the spa, there are a few things to consider.  First and foremost, you have to realize that it is primarily your responsibility to teach your dog that being handled, touched, clipped (if the breed requires it), scissored, or otherwise messed with, is not only acceptable, but safe. 

So many times I watch frightened dogs thrashing and jerking around, as groomers, or vet techs, try to trim nails, take temperature, or examine an injury.  These poor dogs are scared.  They are a danger to themselves, and anyone trying to work on them.  They are snapping, biting, and sometimes urinating or defecating all over themselves in a panic.....All because You (his guardian) did not take any time to show him that being touched is a good thing. 

Some Humans don't realize you must be brushing a long, or kinky-haired dog at least twice a week in between groom appointments.  They purchase (for usually a lot of money) a cute, fluffy puppy, and think the groomer is the one who will keep them looking nice.  Or they have an older dog, never brush him, and he winds up with matting down to the skin.  This not only poses a fashion disaster, it is a huge risk to his health; the skin can't get air, the hair pulls the skin, sores break out, infection sets in...it's nasty.
 
But a good groomer can take care of all of that, right?  They are "trained" to handle dogs of all kinds, right?

Well, sort of.  Trying to clip, or scissor a dog that is jumping, and twisting and jerking away can get him cut--There have been instances of accidental ear slicing, scissor punctures (think eyeballs), clipper burns, nails being jerked clean off, paw pad injuries...you name it.  Sharp objects and tools being applied to a frightened animal can net a slew of bad news, completely by accident.

You can help your dogs grooming experience be MUCH less scary, and a whole lot less painful (have you ever tried to pull a burr out of your hair?) if you proactively participate in his coat maintenance.  If your dog has troubles with this, as in, he snaps at you, or squirms away when you try to do take care of it, you should slow down.  Accustom him to just being touched all over with your hands first.  Talk to a professional dog teacher about how you can make it more pleasurable for him, and avoid (or alleviate) his survival instincts telling him he must fight or flee in that situation.

Speaking of slowing down, let's go back to my original start of this article---The Groomer.  While it is your job as Dog Guardian to teach your dog to be handled, some of the responsibility for kind handling should fall in to the hands of the person you have hired to take care of that groom.  You wouldn't use a Human salon where  you saw a stylist two inches from a child's face, snarling "NO!  Hold Still!" while they yanked at massive tangles in the child's hair, would you?  What about if you saw that stylist using the kids ear as a hand-hold, the little girl crying and saying she didn't like it, trying to squirm out of the chair, while the stylist pinches her ear and says "NO!".....

So why is it acceptable for grooming "professionals" to treat your dog this way? 

Wouldn't it make more sense for the stylist to slow down for a nervous child?  Soothe her fears and maybe cut just a little piece of hair, then pause, and show the kid that she isn't hurt?  She isn't bleeding, nobody is yelling at her, and little by little she gets a haircut.  Yes, it took much longer.  But how much longer did it take when she was being manhandled and scared?

Finding a groomer who is willing to work with a nervous dog, and take the time necessary to show them it is not a life-threatening experience is a MUST as a responsible dog guardian. 

The first time you drop your dog off with a total stranger (yes, even the dog groomer is a stranger to your dog---and they smell like fear, and anal glands....not a good combo to your dog) you really should ask if  you can watch.

Some dogs genuinely do calm down better when mom or dad are not present, and the groomer may ask you to leave.  But honestly, if your dog is that stressed out, perhaps you could forego the idea that your dog is getting a full groom, and ask if your groomer will just put them on the table (or floor if they are huge) and simply pet them, talk to them, or otherwise soothe their nerves that visit.  Or maybe you have an older dog who just needs a slower touch....in either case, you should pay something for their time, and tip well if they are willing to work with you.

The slower approach may effect the bottom line of a grooming salon that day, as they rationalize that there are plenty of "handle-able" dogs available, but ultimately, word of mouth speaks.  And how cool do you think it is, when you hear someone saying "I just love my Groomer!  Sparky was initially afraid and jumpy, but she took the time with him to calm him down.  Nobody else has been able to touch his feet before!!! And he looks amazing!  ....Why yes, I do have her number...."

Kindness effects your bottom line too.