The 3 Most Common Mistakes with a GPS Dog Fence (And How to Avoid Them)

June 27, 2025

Bloodhound training to the SpotOn Fence.

If you're excited to get your dog off-leash and roaming safely with your SpotOn GPS Fence, you’re not alone. But before you clip that collar on and hit “Go,” there’s one crucial truth you need to know:

The collar doesn’t train your dog—you do.

Even if it looks like your dog “gets it” right away, skipping training is a fast track to frustration. We checked in with Evan Doggett, a professional dog trainer with expertise in electronic training collars, who has trained under some of the most respected balanced trainers across North America.

Here’s how to set your dog up for long-term success by avoiding what the experts say are the three most common GPS fence training mistakes.

Mistake #1: Skipping Daily Training

Simply put, “the easiest thing to do, is also the easiest thing not to do,” shares Evan. And when it comes to GPS fence training, that thing is daily practice.

It only takes 15 minutes a day to teach your dog how to use the fence properly. But if you don’t commit to that time consistently, you’re setting yourself (and your dog) up for confusion and failure.

✅ How to avoid it

Evan recommends making a simple promise:"I will do the training."

Add it to your daily routine: before coffee, after lunch, during your evening walk. Set a reminder on your phone if you have to. That consistency is key to faster off-leash freedom.

Mistake #2: Training with Too Many Distractions

Just like trying to study for an exam at a party, training your dog in a high-distraction environment doesn’t work. Yet it’s a mistake many of us make—starting boundary training when the neighbor’s dog is out, or when kids are running around.

Dogs learn best in low-distraction settings. Once the basics are down, you can gradually increase distractions to make training stick in real-world scenarios.

✅ How to avoid it

Write down your dog’s top 5–10 distractions. For example:

🧒 Kids
🐕 Other Dogs
🥏 Toys
🦴 Treats
🐿️ Wildlife

Mistake #3: Not Prepping the Boundary

Before your SpotOn GPS Fence collar even arrives, you can start laying the foundation. Dogs don’t automatically recognize invisible boundaries—you have to show them.

✅ How to avoid it

Begin with daily perimeter walks on leash.

Use a 6–15 ft leash and walk the area where you plan to set your GPS fence. This helps your dog get familiar with the boundary before any tones or corrections come into play.

These added cues give your dog extra context before the collar’s warning tone even kicks in. If your yard is large, just start with high-priority areas (like near roads or neighbor properties).

📅 Schedule this now: Pick a consistent time to do your perimeter walks. Morning? After dinner? Write it down. Make it part of your day.

GPS Fence Training Is a Process—But It Works

There are no shortcuts when it comes to training your dog with a GPS fence. But by avoiding these three common mistakes, you’ll see faster results, fewer headaches, and a dog that confidently respects their boundaries.

And when that happens? You get the freedom and peace of mind you were looking for all along!

Need help? The SpotOn GPS Fence team is always here to support your success. Contact support anytime with questions.