How to find a dog trainer

[Libby]

I know I've probably shared this or something like this before but this great advice and incite into the dog training world! I've always gathered information from all types of trainers because like he says in the article, you never know what will work on what dog.  You also never know what a dog will teach you.

https://www.claystopdog.com/training/thi...ner-wrong/

[LPC]

The site owner seems to have restricted access to USA only (maybe Canada, too - I don't know. Catherine?). I cannot view it directly.

However, here is a workaround for anyone not living in the USA:

Copy the website page address (ignore the error message on the page itself). Paste the address into Google search box (not the browser address box). Use Google.com, not your local country Google. When the search result appears for the correct page, click on the dots and choose "Cached". It is then possible to view the page from Google's cache.

The article is interesting, so it is worth seeking it out. The site owner is doing herself/himself no favours in limiting geographical access to a good webpage. The advice could apply to any country.

Thanks for the link, Libby.

[Libby]

It seems to be a dog trainer here in the US, so it makes sense it would be restricted. I didn't realize it was a trainer, but it is good information. This quote kept bouncing around in my head as I was talking to a friend, "The only thing two dog trainers can agree on is that the third trainer is wrong!" I googled and found that article. I shared it with my friend and had to share it here too. I like how he brings up the dog trainer toolbox too.

What brought this up. I had a friend who was upset about a new GPS invisible fence by a company called Halo. This friend has no experience with that type of training, while I have trained 6 dogs since 2007 on my mom's Invisible fence. I'm no expert, but I know what the shock feels like and the ins and outs, so I explained and researched the Halo GPS collar as well to give some insight. I also have experience with clients' different brands.

I explained there is a 6-week training period where the dog learns what it all means. There's a warning beep that gives the dog time to back up. The dog rarely gets shocked once they learn the barrier. Dogs might get a correction once every few months or once a year. The Halo seems to have different level settings including a vibration-only setting. Other systems have caps you can use on the prongs, so it's just a vibration rather than a shock. My friend's main concern with Halo was that it is moveable and feared the dog wouldn't learn the ever-changing locations and barriers. Once the dog learns the system, all the owner would have to do is walk the perimeter in the new place before letting the dog loose. This shows the dog where the collar beeps. It opened up her eyes that even though it may not work for her dog, it could work for other dogs. That being said, with any tool, there is a right and a wrong way to use it. If misused or trained improperly, it could cause harm. Not every tool is for every dog either!

[Catherine]

I can't see the article either. It is blocked for my area. I can try looking it up directly.

(The best I can do is find a Facebook page. I did find the quote about the two dog trainers.
I have tried different things and I just can't get to the article.)

I guess like everything dog training has different opinions on how things are done. 
I have never seen an invisible fence in use. I would assume that different brands are different in the way they work. 
Having one that could be moved would have its uses. You could take it places and set it up. Is that why they created a moveable system?

So it works because you walk the perimeter with the dog and teach the dog where the fence is.  There are lots of dogs that are smart enough to do that.
There must be dogs that can never use an invisible fence, because they just don't remember where the fence is. 
There must be dogs that just don't care. If the shock is small they would ignore it? Does that happen?

[LPC]

We use simple link fencing, nothing electric. This keeps Forgy inside, although to be honest he doesn't want to leave our land, anyway - except when we go for walks on a lead. Similarly for the alpacas: just simple link fencing with recycled PVC posts (which never rot).

[Libby]

Some breeds with thick coats or thick skin like basset hounds will often just take the shock and go. Which is how we got one of our basset hounds when I was a kid. Bailey ended up on a busy road multiple times before she came to live with us. We had a chainlink fence back then.

Depending on the fence there are two basic types, wire and base. The wire works through a parameter wire and when the collar gets within a specified range it will trigger the collar to send the beep and if the dog keeps going they get the shock. With a fence base type when the collar gets too far from the specified distance, it will trigger the beep and then shock if the dog keeps going. The Halo system you set up a perimeter from your phone using GPS. But same concept you just don't need a base or wire. Older dogs can't hear the beep sometimes and like I mentioned dogs with thick skin and coats can't feel the shock if the shock is not high enough. You want the ability the adjust based on the needs of the dog.

The biggest issue I have with these fences is that while it can keep your dog in the yard, it doesn't keep other dogs out. This is why I like my basic chainlink fence. It's not perfect but it does keep our dogs in and other dogs out. I really want a privacy fence so the dogs can't see out when people walk by the house and bark like crazy. Maybe I will get a privacy fence when I move!

[Catherine]

Quote:We use simple link fencing, nothing electric. This keeps Forgy inside, although to be honest he doesn't want to leave our land, anyway - except when we go for walks on a lead. Similarly for the alpacas: just simple link fencing with recycled PVC posts (which never rot).

Sometimes simple and basic is best. The important thing is that the fence works.

Quote:The biggest issue I have with these fences is that while it can keep your dog in the yard, it doesn't keep other dogs out. This is why I like my basic chainlink fence. It's not perfect but it does keep our dogs in and other dogs out. I really want a privacy fence so the dogs can't see out when people walk by the house and bark like crazy. Maybe I will get a privacy fence when I move!

I never thought about other dogs getting in.

It ois beginning to look like a simple chain link fence is still the best.

[LPC]

We are lucky here, as we had a thick hedge all along the road when we moved in 17 years ago. This gave privacy but it wasn't dog-proof - so we added chain-link fencing on the inside. This has stood the test of time since then...

[Catherine]

As usual, the simple solution is the best.