Help
FAQS
Have a question about the SpotOn System? Our trainers and staff have put together a comprehensive list of answers to questions about setup, training and tracking your dog, troubleshooting common issues, and more. Click below to visit our FAQ page, give us a call at 1.603.488.1504 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm EST), or email us at support@spotonfence.com.
Find out moreSET UP YOUR NEW SPOTON FENCE
Ready to jump right in with your new SpotOn Virtual Fence?
View the setup overview (a quick read) or review the user manual.
MAKING MAPS
The SpotOn System allows you to create a virtual smart fence of nearly any shape and size, in most places on the planet with a clear view of the sky. Use the SpotOn System's unique capabilities (such as the handy “Pause” feature) to make safe play areas for you and your pup.
Watch the videoMap-Making Tips & Tricks
Use Pause Mode for large or challenging areas
For large properties or properties with portions of unwalkable terrain, like water or thick brush, pause mode allows you to create multiple boundary points and snap straight lines between them. Simply press the “Pause” button while walking your perimeter, then press “Resume” when the terrain allows you to continue your path. Learn more about Pause.
Enable Forest Mode in areas with dense tree cover
If your dog is in an area with dense tree cover, the collar will sometimes think it is indoors and will turn off tones and static correction. Turning Forest Mode on keeps alerts active while enhancing GPS sensitivity. Learn More about Forest Mode.
Stay connected to the sky
Hold your SpotOn Collar with the antenna facing up at chest height to keep GPS connection. For optimal fence performance, avoid walking too close to buildings or overhead structures when creating maps. Start and stop the map a minimum of 80' from the structures, so the collar's antenna can view as much of the sky as possible.
Give your dog room to roam
Ensure your fence is at least 80 feet wide at it's narrowest location. Why? This way your pup has plenty of room to roam! Since SpotOn tones begin about 10 feet from the fence's boundary, this will give your pup plenty of space to move within his fence. If your fence is too small, your dog can hear the tones throughout the entire area, and can become confused—this makes learning difficult, and will result in less effective containment.
The SpotOn System works best when the property is at least 1/2 acre but can be situated on smaller lots depending on the property's layout. If you are unsure if SpotOn is right for your yard, give us a call or send us a screenshot of your property and we can provide guidance on the best way to situate a map.
Set your perimeter at least 15' away from off-limits areas
Create your virtual smart fence at least 15' away from hazardous areas to create a buffer zone between the intended boundary and the off-limits area. This will account for any slight movement in the boundary due to natural GPS shift.
Setting your perimeter at least 15' away from hazard areas ensures that, in the event of the occasional shift, your dog will remain contained in a safe area.
Stay at least 80' away from tall structures
Never create a boundary within 80' of the side of a home or other tall structure (such as a wall). Due to slight variations in GPS accuracy and performance, a perimeter set too close to a structure could wind up cutting your dog off from a portion of your yard or other containment area.
Create an instant circular perimeter
If you don’t have time to walk a detailed perimeter map, or just need a quick way to keep your pup close to you, use the SpotOn Collar’s “Perimeter” feature to set a circular perimeter around your current location. Circles can range from 20 to 1,000 meters.
Learn more about creating circle maps.
Ensure your fence is effective
CONNECT TO BLUETOOTH
Connecting to Bluetooth allows you to update your maps, adjust the collar’s static correction level, and more. You can even use Bluetooth to share maps from collar to collar.
Note: If you’re not using Bluetooth for a few minutes, it will time out and automatically disconnect.
Instructions for connecting to BluetoothSOFTWARE UPDATES
Stay up-to-date with the latest software to ensure your SpotOn System is functioning to its maximum potential.
Click here for PC/Windows | Click here for Mac.
HOW TO CONNECT TO BLUETOOTH
1. Ensure that both Bluetooth and Location Services are enabled on your smartphone.
2. Power on your SpotOn Collar (and exit out of any notifications received when powering up the collar). Note the white “BT” in the upper left-hand corner of the collar display.
3. In the SpotOn App, select the Bluetooth button in the upper left-hand corner of the home screen (this will be a blue circle with white “B”).
4. Select “SO-SPOTON” (or “SO-[your dog’s name] if tracking is activated) from the device list. NOTE: Once your device is selected, you will be returned to the app’s home screen.
5. Select “Training” from the app’s home screen. The icons should now be displayed in color (they are grey when disconnected). You should now be able adjust your static correction level. Ensure connectivity on the collar by noting whether the “BT” on the display has changed from white to blue.
6. Test out your connection. Select the left yellow icon to sound the alert tone. Select the right orange icon to sound the warning tone. Select the red bottom icon to initiate static correction. NOTE: The tester, when pressed firmly on the static correction points, will light up when the red icon is pressed.