The complete day-by-day plan for teaching your dog to respect their invisible fence boundaries—safely and confidently, without fear or confusion.
Dogs don't learn through fear—they learn through clear, consistent communication. Our training method builds confidence, not anxiety.
We begin at correction levels so low most dogs barely notice them—just a mild tingle. This lets your dog learn the beep means "turn around" without any stress or fear.
Every time your dog hears the beep and retreats, they get praise and treats. They're learning a new skill, not being punished. The correction is just backup.
Over 7-10 days, we slowly increase correction levels only as needed. Most dogs never need high levels—they respond to the beep alone within days.
Follow this plan exactly as written. Consistency is everything. Most dogs are reliably trained within 7-10 days, though some learn faster and a few need more time.
Days 1-2 • 2-3 short sessions per day • 10-15 minutes each
Your goal is simple: teach your dog that the beep means "turn around and come back." At this stage, the correction is set to the lowest level—barely perceptible.
Put the collar on your dog and attach a 15-20 foot leash. Walk toward the boundary flags. When your dog hears the beep, use the leash to gently guide them back toward the safe zone. The moment they turn around, give enthusiastic praise and a treat.
Tip: High-value treats work best. Use something your dog doesn't get at other times—small pieces of chicken, cheese, or freeze-dried liver.
Days 3-4 • 2-3 sessions per day • 15-20 minutes each
Now we add mild distractions. Your dog should be starting to turn away from the boundary on their own when they hear the beep. If they're not responding consistently, don't worry—keep practicing.
Continue on-leash, but give your dog a bit more slack. Have family members walk on the other side of the boundary. Roll a ball toward (but not past) the flags. Watch how your dog responds.
Important: Do not allow off-leash freedom yet, even if your dog seems to understand. It's too early.
Days 5-6 • 2-3 sessions per day • 15-20 minutes each
Time to test your dog's understanding with real-world temptations. This is where training gets challenging—but it's essential. A dog that respects the boundary with no distractions may still chase a squirrel right through it.
Still on-leash, introduce stronger distractions: have someone walk a friendly dog past the boundary, toss a ball outside the flags, or time your session when you know the mail carrier is coming.
Tip: If your dog consistently ignores the beep when a specific distraction appears (deer, neighbor's cat), contact us. We may need to remove the half-second delay or adjust settings.
Day 7+ • Multiple supervised sessions • Gradually longer
Your dog should now be self-correcting consistently—hearing the beep, turning around, and coming back to the safe zone without leash guidance. Time for the first taste of off-leash freedom.
Remove the leash but stay outside with your dog. Watch closely. If they approach the boundary and self-correct, praise them. If they hesitate at the boundary, calmly call them back. Keep initial off-leash sessions short (10-15 minutes) and stay present.
Don't rush this step. If your dog still needs occasional reminders, go back to Step 3 for a few more days. It's better to train for 10 days than to have a dog run through the boundary.
Days 10-14 • Gradual removal over 3-5 days
Once your dog is reliably trained, start removing the boundary flags gradually. Don't remove them all at once—your dog has learned to associate the flags with "stop here."
Remove every other flag on day one. Wait two days. If your dog still respects the boundary, remove half of the remaining flags. Continue until all flags are gone.
Long-term tip: Store your flags somewhere accessible. If you ever need to retrain (after a long absence, a move, or adding a new dog), you'll want them again.
These are the errors we see most often. Avoid them and your training will go much more smoothly.
Your dog seems to get it, so you let them off-leash on day 3. They chase a squirrel straight through the boundary. Now they know they can escape.
You want to get it done, so you train for 45 minutes straight. Your dog gets exhausted, frustrated, and starts ignoring the boundary.
You figure the collar should always be on for safety. Your dog develops pressure sores on their neck from the contact points.
Your dog crosses the boundary, so you scold them or drag them back. Now they're afraid of the whole yard.
You train on Monday, skip Tuesday through Thursday, then try again Friday. Your dog forgets what they learned.
You want to make sure your dog "gets the message," so you start at a high correction. Your dog becomes afraid of the entire yard.
Things don't always go according to plan. Here's how to handle common issues.
This usually means the correction level is too high, or training moved too fast. Your dog has associated the yard with discomfort instead of learning where the boundary is.
Either the correction level is too low for your dog's temperament, or the distraction is too tempting. This is common with high-prey-drive dogs chasing wildlife.
Some dogs become over-cautious and stay far from the boundary, shrinking their safe zone unnecessarily.
The dog is associating the collar itself with the correction. This is a sign training may have been too intense.
Still having trouble? Call or text us at 855-364-3362. Training support is free, forever. We've trained nearly 2,000 dogs—we've seen it all.
Some dogs are more determined than others. If your dog has high prey drive, is a known escape artist, or has a stubborn personality, training may require extra steps.
Every dog is an individual, but we see certain breeds more frequently in the "challenging" category:
These dogs often have strong prey drive, independent thinking, or were bred to work away from their owners. They can absolutely be trained—they just need a firmer approach.
A dog that will ignore mild discomfort to chase a deer is different from a dog that stops the moment they hear the beep. For determined dogs, the correction needs to be noticeable enough to interrupt their focus, even when a squirrel is running past.
Since 2009, we've only had 5 dogs out of nearly 2,000 that we couldn't contain. All of them were extreme cases (attack-trained or severely traumatized dogs). If you follow the training and work with us on settings, we'll find a solution that works for your dog.
Good news: puppies often learn faster than adult dogs because they don't have escape habits to unlearn.
We can start training puppies as young as 12 weeks old (about 3 months), depending on their size and temperament. Smaller or more timid puppies may benefit from waiting until 4-5 months.
Puppies start at correction level 0—just the beep, no correction at all. We increase the level more slowly than with adult dogs, typically every other day instead of daily. The goal is gentle, consistent exposure to the concept of boundaries.
Puppies have short attention spans. Keep training sessions to 5-10 minutes. You can do more sessions per day to compensate.
Puppies are highly food-motivated. Use lots of small, high-value treats. Make every retreat from the boundary a celebration.
Puppies may "forget" lessons overnight. Don't worry—this is normal. They'll get it with repetition.
Puppies grow fast. Check collar fit weekly and adjust as needed. The contacts should touch the skin but not dig in.
One advantage of training puppies: they grow up respecting the boundary as a normal part of life. Dogs trained as puppies rarely challenge the fence as adults.
Dogs thrive on routine. Training at consistent times helps your dog anticipate and prepare for sessions.
Always end sessions with a successful retreat from the boundary, followed by praise and a treat.
Everyone who interacts with the dog should understand the training. Mixed signals confuse dogs.
An over-excited or over-tired dog won't learn well. Train when your dog is alert but relaxed.
Track which distractions challenge your dog and what correction level you're at. Patterns emerge.
If something isn't working, don't wait. Call us on day 3, not day 10. Early adjustments prevent frustration.
Training support is free, forever. Don't hesitate to reach out—that's what we're here for.
We answer calls and texts 7 days a week during business hours.
Training questions don't cost extra—support is included for life.
Most dogs are reliably trained in 7-10 days. Puppies and high-drive dogs may take 2-3 weeks. A few dogs learn in just 4-5 days.
We include initial training on install day. If you need additional in-person sessions, we offer follow-up training for a fee. Your first revisit within 30 days is free.
Dogs of any age can learn. Older dogs may take slightly longer, but we've successfully trained senior dogs many times.
Usually not, but if your dog has been away for several weeks, do a few refresher sessions before leaving them unsupervised.
Remove the collar before leaving. Your dog will learn: collar on = boundary active. We teach you an exit routine during installation.
Train them separately at first so you can focus on each dog's progress. Once both are trained, they can be in the yard together.
No. Remove the collar whenever your dog is inside or supervised. Dogs should only wear the collar when they're in the yard unsupervised.
Not from scratch, but go back to on-leash training for a few days. Figure out what caused the escape (distraction? low correction?) and address it.
Our professional installation includes hands-on training to set you and your dog up for success.
Get Your Free QuoteAlready a customer? Need training help? Call 855-364-3362