Consider a Wood Dog Crate Instead
Most crates are usually plain, or just plain ugly. Hard plastic buckets and wire crates don’t measure up to the style afforded by a wood dog crate. While both provide the same service of creating a space that belongs specifically to your dog, the wooden version is much nicer to look at.
A wood dog crate resembles a piece of finely made furniture more than a crate. Available in a variety of styles, woods, and finishes, you can certainly add some custom touches by contacting the craftsman. Predominantly available online, you can find a selection of makes that will blend in with your décor, allowing you to welcome your dog into any area of your home, without creating an eyesore.
Unlike the wire and plastic crates, the top of a wood crate can be used just like any other table surface. If your dog’s crate is the size of an end table, there is no reason not to place it at the end of the couch and set a lamp on top. Doing so adds to the “disguise” factor of the crate. If you place the crate in your bedroom, let it serve as your nightstand.
Wood dog crates come with removable front slats that can be easily inserted if you are heading out and need to confine your dog to the crate. While they are beautiful, they are also heavier than a portable crate and are not practical for traveling. If you do a lot of traveling you will want to invest in a portable crate as well.
Getting an Invisible Fence for Your Yard
One of the best ways to fence your yard without blocking the view or impacting the landscaping is to invest in an invisible fence. These fences are rendered invisible by being placed under ground. Simple enough to be installed by most homeowners over a weekend, they can also be set up by a professional installer if time is of the essence.
Doing the Job Yourself
Before investing in an electric fence, make sure to assess your dog’s temperament. A particularly aggressive dog or one that is very enthusiastic will not do well with an invisible fence. On the other hand, if your dog is more mild mannered, then search online for a good kit.
A kit should come with enough transmitter wire to run around the perimeter of the space you desire to fence, a power box, flags, directions and a collar for your dog. To set up the system, simply mark the area in which you wish your dog to remain and dig a trench about 6-inches in depth. Place the transmitting wire in the trench and cover it back up, making sure to leave enough wire at the ends to allow you to pass it through the garage wall and hook it up to the power box.
Lastly, set up the power box inside the garage and connect the wire ends as directed. Plug in the box and use the collar to check the perimeter to make sure the system is live. Plant flags around the perimeter at a distance of about six feet apart. With the collar fully charged, the flags in place, and the wire live, you are ready to begin training your dog.
A Professional Set Up
Many companies now provide invisible fence set-ups. A trained professional will come to your house, assess your site, discuss your options, and when a desired boundary is established, will proceed to set up your new system. A good company will also assist in training your dog and teaching you how to maintain the training.
Training
Training your dog should take about a week or so and should consist of walking him up to the fence line on a leash and letting him hear the warning beeps that the collar gives off. This will let him know how far he can go before he receives a corrective shock. Sharply pull back on the leash and say, “no!” Once he is used to this, let him off the leash and see if he goes beyond the warning zone into the shock zone. If and when he moves away from the flags, reward him.
When your dog has learned to turn back from the flags after hearing the warning beep, you can start to remove the flags. Periodic retraining may be necessary, but eventually you should reach a point where your dog will remain within the set boundaries regardless of distractions and enticements.
An invisible fence is a wonderful tool, if installed and used properly. Take a look to see what kinds of systems are available online, as they are less expensive than anything you would find in a store and may come with discounts or coupons for other products, like indoor dog gates, as well.
How to Use Shock Collars Effectively
If you want to use shock collars to train your dog, you can’t just put a collar on them, stand back, and shock the heck out of the animal. All that will accomplish is making your dog paranoid and confused. Yes, you can stop an action such as digging in garbage cans, but overall behavior problems need a comprehensive plan. Incorporating an electronic dog training collar in such an endeavor can be very helpful.
To train a dog to obedience involves more than just collar training, it involves collar literacy. This means that the dog understands that by staying at your side and obeying verbal commands, regardless of attractive distractions, is the right way to behave. To do this you need to engage in a step-by-step approach that encourages your dog to follow your directions. The first step is to accustom your dog to return to your side when you call them–promptly and consistently.
Using a retracting leash with the e-collar on your dog’s neck, you let your dog go out to the end of the leash's length and call them back. If your dog fails to return immediately, activate the collar, and call again. As soon as your dog starts moving in your direction, stop activating the collar. When they get to you, praise them and reward them. All this should happen without the dog seeing the remote.
Once your dog returns to you immediately every time you call, start including distraction in their training. Toys or friends calling them are good choices. If your dog responds to the distraction above your command, again you activate the collar until the dog learns to remain with you. Continue this line of training to include sitting and staying from a distance. When you have accomplished this, your dog has reached a level of understanding; they recognize that obedience is rewarded and that you are their safe haven. At this point further training is quick and easy.
Dog Tracking Collars for Your Best Friend
Dog tracking collars allow you to know where your dog is, even when you can’t see them. Using the wonderful technology of GPS, a collar equipped with a radio is placed upon your pet, allowing you to track them for a distance of several miles. Particularly useful for people who hunt in the wood and might lose visual track of their pets in the brush, these collars are now used by many who just want to know that they can find their pet at any time.
If your dog has an inclination to roam, this collar will let you find them. The radio transmitter and receiver on good units have multiple channels, reducing problems with interference. The hand held receiver has two modes, a distance one and one for close up. With a range of about 10-12 miles in line of sight and about 4 miles in hilly country, the distance mode will help you track down the general direction your dog has taken. The close mode is best used when within half a mile of the animal. Some receivers can track up to 1000 dogs at a time, and have a behavior circuit that gives you some idea of what your dog is doing; particularly useful if you are using this technology in hunting.
The transmitters come in bright colors, increasing your dog’s visibility. Many sport small antennas that position behind the dog’s head, so as not to interfere with running, but low enough to the body so there is no risk of getting caught in the brush. Some models have an internal antenna. Dog tracking collars are a really practical application for GPS technology.
Throw the Pet Door Open to Freedom
Pet doors are designed to give your pet freedom of movement. No pet wants to be locked inside on a beautiful day, but neither do you want to have to open and shut the door all day long. The perfect solution is to install a pet door that allows your pet to enter and exit when they wish.
Any pet will need a bit of training to use a pet door. If they have never seen one before take the time to introduce your pet to the new door slowly. Let them adjust to the sounds the door makes as you open and close it several times. Then let them sniff about the door and hold it open so they can see that the door opens to the outside. If needed you can gently push your pet through the door a few times, so they see how it works. Normally, once they see that they can get outside they quickly accept the new situation. To get them back inside you can set their food bowl just beyond the entrance, so they need to enter fully to use the door.
If you have pets, especially dogs, which you need to leave at home while you are at work, a pet door will reduce your concerns about accidents. Even if you get caught at work on an extra assignment, you know that your dog can get out into the yard and take care of business. Dogs will also use the door to get outside and “protect” their property, reducing the odds of intruders while you are out of the house.
Cats use their doors to get out into the sun and to explore the yard. Combined with an electric fence the pet door is a wonderful way to allow your cat some freedom without the worry of having it wandering the neighborhood. Cats like to move about as much as dogs do, but due to their more reserved nature they don’t seem to need the freedom. While you want your cat to be safe, it is nice to allow it some time outside. Again, a pet door is an ideal solution.
Pet doors come in a variety of sizes. Get a pet door that is large enough for your pet to move in and out comfortably, but doesn’t have too much extra room. If you purchase an electronic pet door you will have a radio collar to add to your pet’s normal collar. The advantage of these systems is that your pet can trigger the opening mechanism of the door when they get close enough, but the door will stay closed against other animals and intruders.
Pet doors offer both pets and their animals a freedom that no other product allows. With pets able to go in and out they experience less stress when left at home and don’t need to be confined to a kennel. For owners the knowledge that their pets are happy and won’t have unintentional accidents is peace of mind. Consider installing a pet door and experience this for yourself.