Training •

August 13, 2024

PetSafe® Expert

PetSafe® Guest

Why is dog boundary training important?

Yard training for dogs can seem like an intimidating responsibility, but the rewards are well worth the effort! As pet parents, we want our dogs to be healthy, safe and happy above all else. Effective dog boundary training methods allow you to achieve all three of these goals:

Keep your dog healthy: the ability to exercise off-leash in your yard is priceless when it comes to your dog’s health and vitality

Keep your dog safe: containing your dog within the safety of your yard protects them from the dangers beyond, like busy roads

Keep your dog happy: the freedom and joy of off-leash play in a safe yard is one of the best gifts you can give your dog

There are several approaches you can take when you’re ready to teach your dog to stay in the yard. They vary by degrees of time, effort and cost, but they’re all safe yard training techniques for your dog. We’ll break down how to train your dog to stay in the yard and provide effective dog training tips along the way.

Understanding Dog Behavior

There are many reasons why your dog might try to leave the yard. Dogs don’t typically acknowledge things like property lines, woodland edges or roads that we might take for granted as natural boundaries around a space. When a dog leaves a yard, its often simply because the dog doesn’t understand that the yard is any different from the surrounding environment. Here are some of the most common reasons that a dog decides to wander:

Other pets

If your neighbor’s dogs across the street are constantly outside, there’s a good chance your dog wants to come over to say hello.

Territoriality

If your dog is protective of their family or territory, they may feel motivated to chase any perceived threat (like the mailman) off and away from your property.

Wildlife

Local critters like deer, raccoons and more may tempt your dog to leave the yard and give chase.

Other people

If your dog is friendly with your neighbors, they may be tempted to leave your yard and drop by for a visit.

High energy

If your dog has a lot of pent-up energy they need to burn off, they are more likely to leave the yard and explore their surroundings.

Instincts

If your dog is not spayed or neutered, they may be naturally inclined to leave your yard in search of a mate (this is one of many reasons why vets recommend that dogs and cats are spayed and neutered!)

Understanding why your dog tries to leave the yard can be helpful when you’re developing a yard training gameplan. Reducing exposure to distractions like other dogs, other people, wildlife and more is important during the training process, and may be a viable long-term strategy depending on your situation (for example, a privacy fence can keep wildlife out of your yard, so your dog is not tempted to chase.) And of course, knowing your dog’s motivations (play, food, social gratification, etc.) is critical to productive training in any context.

Training Techniques

Outside of physically restricting barriers like wood fences or tie-outs, all other tools and methods for keeping your dog in your yard rely on training in some form or another.

Voice commands

Training your dog to respond to your verbal commands is an invaluable way to ensure your dog stays safely where they should be while you’re around. And furthermore, if you establish a strong repertoire of verbal training cues with your dog, that will set you up for success for nearly any future training goal, such as teaching your dog to respect an electronic fence boundary. When it comes to training your dog to stay in the yard, these traditional verbal training commands are priceless additions to your toolkit:

Recall

A fundamental of off-leash training, recall means teaching your dog to return to your side immediately, from any distance, with a quick signal. Recall is indispensable for preventing off-leash dogs from straying out of sight or from entering dangerous situations like busy traffic.

Heel

This is one of the first commands taught in many professional training regimens. This command trains a dog to ignore any distractions and position himself at your feet, giving you their full attention. In addition to preparing the dog for additional commands, this puts a dog in the ideal position to receive a treat for good behavior!

Sit

This basic command is meant to stop a dog in their tracks, teaching them to immediately sit down and wait for further instruction.

Stay

This indispensable command teaches a dog to remain in place no matter what else is going on, even if you’re walking away or you appear to be leaving the area.

Rewards

Rewarding your dog for the behaviors you want to see, also called positive reinforcement, is fun for you and for your pup. Who doesn’t love giving their buddy a treat or a pat on the head for a job well done? Every dog is unique, and just as there are many reasons your dog might try to leave your yard, there are many different motivators that you can try to reward your dog for training success. Once you discover your dog’s favorite motivator (think of it as your dog’s “love language!”), you will unlock a whole new level of training power for your pup. Below are the three main categories of reward motivators. Chances are that your dog responds to one or more of these:

Food and treats

The classic training reward is a treat. Often referred to as food-motivated, many dogs will do just about anything for a bite of their favorite snack. Treats are a very useful training reward because it’s easy to “level up” with what professional trainers refer to as high-value rewards. A high value treat can be something special that your dog doesn’t get very often, like a chunk of cooked chicken breast, or it could simply be a small handful of treats instead of one. For some dogs, the strategic use of these high-value rewards can help you show your dog when they’ve done an extra-good job at whatever you’re training them to do, like staying in the yard. Keep in mind that treats add up, so make sure you’re aware of the calorie content of the treats you’re using and adjust your dog’s diet accordingly.

Toys and Play

If your dog isn’t food-motivated, they may be more interested in playing. Tossing your dog their favorite ball or chew toy might be the perfect reward! Other dogs respond best to a brief bout of chasing or tug-of-war. If your dog prefers to play with another pup, you can also use this as a reward by letting your dog off leash to run with their buddy for a bit. Play as a reward can be a very useful training tool because it makes training extra fun, and it’s great exercise too!

Attention and Praise

Some dogs just want love! Verbal praise, pets and head scratches are enough for these affectionate pups. If your dog values your attention and praise above all else, you can use these to your advantage when you’re teaching your dog to stay in the yard. Not only will training be effective, but you’ll enhance the bond you share with each lesson.

Consistency

Regardless of the rewards and other tools you use to train your dog, remember the #1 rule of dog training: consistency is everything. Being in consistent in how you respond to your dog’s behavior is the most critical key to teaching your dog what behaviors are desirable and what behaviors are not. Training for complex behaviors like staying in the yard goes beyond formal training sessions. You should keep training in mind every day, any time you’re in the yard with your dog. Making training a part of your everyday routine is the best way to ensure you make a lasting impact on your dog’s behavior. Likewise, be patient! This is the other key to successful training. If you don’t feel like your dog is making progress with one tool or reward, try another one and see when your dog responds best. Remember, training only works if you and your dog work together – and this often means learning together!

Tools to Aid Training

There are a variety of tools available today for anyone who is looking to train their dog. These range from simple, time-tested handheld items to more complex electronic systems that use the latest technology to tap into your dog’s behavior. Whatever tools you choose, it’s important to understand how they work and how to use them responsibly to ensure successful training for you and your pup.

Handheld Tools

These are traditional training tools that you can take anywhere. They’ve been around a long time for a reason – they work!

Clicker

These handy little items produce a consistently distinct audible “click” sound when pressed. The clicker is valued among pro trainers for its consistency and the way the sound can carry a good distance to a dog’s sharp ears, both features that make it superior to voice commands. Clickers are inexpensive, lightweight and fit in your pocket. They’re versatile, too. They can be used to mark desirable behaviors or to mark undesirable behaviors, depending on how they’re used and what other tools and techniques you use in conjunction.

Short leash

Another classic training staple, a basic short leash (4-6 feet) is indispensable for training, especially for when you’re training your dog to stay in your yard off-leash. That’s right – off-leash training must start somewhere, and that’s typically on the leash! A short leash holds your dog close to you to keep them safe and focused as you establish the fundamentals of training. With enough training, the next step is often to graduate your dog to a long leash before finally going off the leash altogether. Short leashes are also invaluable when you’re teaching your dog boundaries with an electronic fence. Walking the boundaries on-leash is a critical step in the fence training process.

Long leash

Often an intermediate between short-leash and off-leash training, a long leash (15-30 feet) gives your dog more freedom to move around while still giving you the security and control that a leash offers. A long leash is a valuable tool for when you’re testing your dog’s recall and stay behaviors, or experimenting with teaching your dog boundaries, but before you’re confident in your dog’s response to those commands and cues.

Remote trainer

A remote trainer is a simple electronic training system consisting of a handheld remote and a collar your dog wears. Buttons on the remote can be pressed to produce an adjustable stimulation in the collar to get the dog’s attention and instantly interrupt any potentially distracting behavior. Remote training collars are incredibly versatile and can help redirect a variety of unsafe behaviors and help reinforce good behaviors. When used responsibly, a remote training collar can help you cultivate a relationship of mutual trust and respect with your dog. When training your dog to stay in the yard, a remote trainer can be used like the manual equivalent of a pet fence, teaching your dog where it’s safe to go and where it’s not.

Electronic Pet Fences

Electronic pet fences are true lifesavers, prevent thousands of accidents each year by keeping dogs out of the street and safely within their own yards. A traditional pet fence system consists of a collar and a transmitter that generates a radio signal forming an unseen barrier around a home, yard or other area. Some GPS fences, the newest type of electronic dog fence, use a collar that communicates directly with satellites in orbit around the earth to define the boundary around an area. No matter the type of electronic fence, they all work in the same basic way: when your dog tries to cross the boundary, the collar produces a stimulation like static, vibration, a tone, or a combination of these, reminding your dog to turn safely away and back towards home. After several weeks of training, most dogs learn their new boundaries after a few weeks of training and no longer try to leave their yard. Here are the main types of electronic fence:

GPS dog fence

A customizable, no-dig wireless GPS fence that works in larger yards over ¾ acre, with no maximum size limit. Some GPS fences are fully portable and can create and store boundaries anywhere you go!

Wireless dog fence

Circular wireless fences use a radio transmitter (“base unit”) you plug in inside your home. This base unit forms the center of the circular boundary and transmits radio signals directly to your dog’s collar. Circular wireless dog fences work best for smaller yards under ¾ acre. These fences are quick and easy to set up and are great for renters.

In-ground dog fence

A traditional favorite for a reason, In-Ground Fences® use buried wires to define a boundary around your yard. The wire transmits a radio signal to your dog’s collar when your dog gets close to the boundary. In-Ground Fences are the most customizable fence type in size and shape, for small or large yards, often allowing you to create off-limits areas inside your yard, like flower beds, swimming pools, etc.

Electronic fences have many benefits over physical fences like wood, vinyl or chainlink:

Cost: Unlike physical fences that tend to cost thousands of dollars, electronic fences are very affordable, especially for large properties or for locations like rental homes where building a fence is just not an option

Simplicity: Setting up an electronic fence can take as little as a couple hours for wireless and GPS fences, up to just a couple days for In-Ground Fences; this contrasts greatly with physical fences which can take weeks of labor to build and install

Reliability: Believe it or not, for many dogs, an electronic fence is actually more effective than a physical fence, which can be jumped over or dug under; this is because an electronic fence is not just a barrier – it’s a training tool that changes your dog’s behavior, so your dog is no longer motivated to try to leave the yard

Setting Boundaries Without Fences

Yard training without an electronic fence will rely on teaching your dog visual landmarks around your yard that define the boundaries of where your dog is allowed to go. These landmarks can be things like landscaping, bushes, or trees. Teaching your dog to respect these boundaries can be challenging, which is why we recommend trying an electronic fence. The risk to your dog’s safety if they leave the yard is simply too great to gamble. Whether you’re using an electronic fence or not, boundary training flags can be a very helpful tool to help you and your dog both visually identify the boundaries you’ve chosen.

Safety Tips

To keep your dog safe while you’re teaching them to stay in the yard, always use a leash or train in an enclosed area until you’re comfortable with your dog’s off-leash recall abilities. Moving from a short leash to a long leash and finally to off-leash is a common approach to this process. If you use an electronic fence, off-leash recall training is not necessary – just be sure to keep your dog on a leash while you’re training your dog on their new electronic boundaries. Electronic fences come with step-by-step training guides to ensure that any dog can learn safe boundaries, regardless of their training level.

Common Training Issues

The training tips and tools above are meant to help you teach your dog new boundaries in your yard, but they are not intended to train a dog not to be aggressive. If your dog is motivated to leave the yard with aggressive behavior, such as attacking people or dogs who walk by, please consult with your veterinarian or a professional dog trainer to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Further Reading

To learn more about how to train your dog to stay in the yard, how electronic fences work, and how to choose an electronic fence, check out the links below!

• How to keep a dog from escaping the yard
• Which fence is right for you?
• PetSafe® Dog Fences
• The Best GPS Dog Fence
• Wireless or In-Ground?

Conclusion

Off-leash freedom is one of the best gifts you can give your dog. But only if it’s safe! Teaching your dog to stay in the yard is critical to a lifetime of healthy outdoor fun without the restraint of a leash.

Yard training for dogs can seem intimidating, but if you take it slow and pay attention to your dog’s behavior, the tips, techniques and tools we’ve shared here will help you be successful. And if you’d like some extra support, the PetSafe® Customer Care team is always ready to help!

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PetSafe® Expert