Product Review: Pet Playgrounds Non-electric, Low-visibility Fencing

After a long wait, I finally got my backyard fenced in for my dogs last week.  I chose a non-electric, low visibility fence by Pet Playgrounds, a local installer here in CT.  They ship to anywhere in the US, but are based in West Haven, so we opted to have our fence professionally installed. 

Choosing a fence proved to be a hot button issue in my house.  My husband wanted chain link or stockade, but I felt those options were too costly.  Electric fences are non-obstructive in terms of your view, but they have several cons.  Let's look at the traditional options first:

Chain link fence:

This option proved to be very costly.  We were quoted on average $6500 to $7000 for 300 linear feet.  I also personally dislike the look of chain link fence.

Stockade fence:

This option also proved to be too costly for us.  We were quoted at $5500 for wood stockade fence.  Maintenance is an issue as well.  Wood rots over time.  Vinyl was out of the question in terms of cost.  

Electric fence:

This option is low cost, and does not obstruct any view.  However, there are several cons to electric fences that I have encountered as a pet dog trainer.  I have met dogs who are afraid to go out into their yard at all due to the possibility of the shock.  I have met dogs who are afraid to leave their yards at all for the same reason, meaning they wouldn't leave the yard at all, not even for a walk.  Some wouldn't even get into the car to leave.  Electric fences do not keep other animals out of your yard either.  Stray dogs, coyotes, etc. can wander in.  I have met dogs who were attacked this way.  I have also met dogs who have opted to take the shock and cross the electric fence line, because whatever was outside the yard (squirrel, other dog, etc.) was worth it to them.  I have also met dogs who have become dog or human reactive from running along the fence line when people or dogs pass by.  For these reasons, and because I personally prefer not to use shock collars on my dogs, electric fencing was not an option.

Pet Playgrounds poly fence was the perfect solution.  At half the cost of chain link, it was within our budget including installation.  The fence is sturdy, and can be installed over any terrain.  The fence is designed to stake into the ground with several inches of excess,  which prevents digging.  The fence is six feet tall, so there’s no worry that a particularly athletic or intrepid dog would jump or climb out.  The fence blends in wonderfully with the woods behind our house.  We are extremely pleased with the results, and so are our dogs!  You can see the fence in the background of the picture below.  It blends in, but is sturdy and safe.  If you are ready to fence in your yard, I highly recommend Pet Playgrounds!

Check out the Pet Playgrounds Blog here, and see my dogs enjoying their new fenced in yard, as well as find out how to contact them for a free estimate.  I'm extremely satisfied with the product, and highly recommend it.  

Think Small, and Big Things Happen

 Think Small, and Big Things Happen

Meet my rescue sheltie, Mika.  Here she is in the pic to the right, and she's the sable colored dog chasing the little guy in the picture below.  Her ‘gotcha day’ is November 16th.  It will be one year since she joined our family.  She was turned in to rescue due to her original owner’s unforeseen health issues, and was in at least two fosters prior to joining our family.  Needless to say, she’s lived in a few different environments, with different people, who certainly handle and train differently. 

When Mika came to us, she was very dog reactive, meaning she would bark and lunge, and make a ruckus when she saw another dog.  Mika gets along quite well with other dogs (she has two ‘brothers’ in my home),  after she meets them.  It’s just that when she saw them, and was on leash, she would react as I described because she felt either an intense drive to chase them, or because she was worried about their presence.  (Sometimes it was both.)  Now, I was hoping to teach her agility, and eventually have her compete.  In fact, the rescue recommended her as a great potential agility dog.  So, you can imagine how I felt at the time.  How could I ever expect my new dog to compete in agility, or even be in class, if she couldn't calm herself around other dogs?

It’s the little things….

You may be thinking, I must have embarked on a complex, time consuming, and lengthy behavior modification program to stop this behavior and get Mika under control.  The truth is, a little bit of training and a little bit of relationship building everyday were the keys.  I began teaching Mika her agility skills, which she thought was a game.  I also spent a little time each day working on her reactivity.  I began in January, after she had some time to adjust to her new home.  On October 3rd, Mika successfully competed in her first agility trial!  Remember that behavior change takes time, but if you stick with it and take those small steps each day, big things do happen.

 

 

Getting the Behaviors You Want: Using Distance to Teach Good Habits

One of the things I hear owners say quite a bit is that their dog behaves wonderfully when there are no other dogs/people/other animals around, but as soon as they see another dog, person, etc, they go bonkers.  After I ask a few questions, I find out they have an adolescent dog who has only just begun his education.  Adolescent dogs (typically age six months to two years) are more distracted the environment than puppies and adult dogs tend to be.  In addition, all dogs who are new to training need to be taught how to focus and perform even the simplest of behaviors when around something very distracting.  It is up to us to make sure this crucial part of their education isn't left out.  This is the second of a series of posts about getting the behaviors you want in real-life situations that are typically a bit challenging.  Read the previous post here about the importance of playing with your dog and how that relates to getting behaviors.

Be the Treat!

Do you have a dog who doesn't always come when you call him?  Is it hard to get your dog's attention when you're out and about or in a distracting place?  Does your dog forget you're there when other dogs are around? All of us with young dogs or excitable dogs can answer yes to at least one of those questions.  If you can as well, then this week's training tip is for you!

Welcome!

"Welcome" is a great title for the first post on Pawsitive Partners' new blog.  First, I'd like to welcome you, and I hope you'll check back regularly.  This blog will feature canine training tips and demos, wellness topics, and experiences in the life of a dog trainer.  So, welcome!  Sit back, relax, and enjoy talking about a life with dogs.  

I would also like to welcome trainer Fran Zelladonis, CPDT-KA, to Pawsitive Partners!  Fran will be joining me as a trainer on private lessons and in group classes.  Fran is a graduate of UCONN and Animal Behavior College, and is a nationally certified pet dog trainer.  I'm really looking forward to the creativity and insight Fran will bring to our training program.  Welcome aboard Fran!  

Find out more about Pawsitive Partners by visiting our website.  You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.  Happy training!