A Guide to Training Your Puppy to Use a Wireless Fence
Congratulations! You’ve just brought home a new bundle of fluff and you’re eager to get him out in the yard and acclimated to your SpotOn Fence. Maybe you already have another pooch who has free reign of the backyard and you’d like them to be able to bond, romp together, and enjoy their time off-leash… but hang on! There are a few things you’ll need to take into account when it comes to training your puppy on a virtual system.
When Can You Train a Puppy on an Electric Fence?
Puppies will grow… sometimes a lot!
"Dogs grow 'up' for the first year and then 'out' for the second,” says dog trainer, Nicole Skeehan. "For the first 12 months, they are all gangly and legs. But the second year, they start to thicken up and put some weight on." So, keep in mind that a collar that fits your pup now may not fit them in 12-24 months' time.
The latest SpotOn GPS Fence, the Nova Edition, is designed to make sizing simpler for growing dogs. The SpotOn GPS Fence is one-size-fits-most and fits dogs with neck sizes from 10-26 inches. An extender is also available for dogs with necks up to 29 inches.
Welcoming a new puppy? SpotOn is recommended for dogs 5 months and older, once their neck size and training readiness are more developed. If you’re purchasing Nova for a growing pup, you can trim the strap for a better fit on a smaller neck, then purchase replacement straps as your dog grows. The one-size design gives most puppies room to grow without needing a full replacement device.
For help getting the best fit, check out our Nova fit guide.
Training
Before you jump in and train your puppy on the SpotOn Fence, you’ll want to make sure you’ve taught them some basic obedience skills first. The SpotOn Fence should not be a pup’s first experience with training. According to the American Kennel Club, basic puppy training should consist of five basic skills: come, sit, stay, lay down, and loose-leash walking. While it’s true that young puppies have short attention spans and a lot of energy, that doesn’t mean they can’t be trained! In actuality, it’s a great time to begin.
It used to be thought that you shouldn’t begin training a dog until they were six months old or older, but that’s not the case. "Puppies are capable of learning much from an early age," says Debra Horwitz, DVM. "...delaying training means missed opportunities for the dog to learn how you’d like him to behave."
You can begin gently training a pup as early as seven weeks of age! Keep training sessions brief — five minutes is a good length — and aim for about 15 minutes of training per day.
Check out our training videos for come, sit and stay, and loose-leash walking.
Static Correction
We do not recommend training a pup on a virtual fence until they're over five months of age. If you'd like to use the SpotOn Fence with your pup before they've reached this point, you can train them to the fence using "target" or "touch" training. "Target," or "touch," means that an animal should touch a predetermined body part to a particular object — in this case, they should touch their nose to the SpotOn home base target, or to another object in the center of your fence.
"Touch" can also come in handy in many real-life scenarios, like when you need to redirect your pooch from distractions on a walk, want him to ring a bell to let you know he wants to come in or go out, when your pup is greeting someone new, or when you need to help take their mind off of scary things.
Ready to Give Your Dog More Freedom?
With the right fit, age, and training foundation, SpotOn can help your dog safely enjoy more time off-leash. When your pup is ready, purchase the SpotOn GPS Fence and start building a flexible, wireless boundary that grows with your adventures.