MuttFence.com Blog

We have a friend who has a particularly stubborn dog. We guess he’s a Catahoula/Mastiff mix because of his size and looks. He’s a sweet and loving family pet, but outside the fence, there’s no doubt that he can be a bad boy! His favorite tricks are chasing ATVs, cars, and cyclists and generally making a nuisance of himself. He’s over 100lbs and possibly the fastest dog I’ve ever seen!

Our friend has a wood fence, but the dog in question is also an escape artist. He would be out there in the yard, she’d turn around, look back and he was gone! She asked us what we recommend and we suggested an Innotek IUC-5100 Contain ‘N’ Train which is a combined dog fence and remote trainer.

She is happy to report that the dog has responded well to both the fence and trainer. Best news is that it is over 6 months since he last escaped!

I was thinking today about those dogs that attempt to rush through a fence. Sometimes people call us to ask for the “most powerful” system we have. While it is true that we do sell a Stubborn Dog Electric Fence, it is so important that you observe some basic guidelines. We know your dog can misbehave, but they can’t talk, so their communications skills are a little limited!

If you have a misbehaving dog, we suggest you contact your veterinarian to find a behaviorist, or look up a local dog trainer. It is possible you may be trying to punish your dog into compliance, or to put it another way, you are using pain compliance.

• Train your dog in a positive way
• Make him aware of the flags and the fence boundary
• He should be rewarded for doing the right thing
• Let him know that there are penalties for doing the wrong thing
• Give him enough exercise – 45 minutes, twice per day
• Don’t loose your temper
• Get her/him spayed or neutered
• Take him for walks outside the fence boundary (take the receiver collar off first)

The last bullet is about getting him socialized in the neighborhood. This way you introduce him to the sites, sounds and smells, while he is on the leash, under control and in what Cesar Milan calls a “calm submissive” state. This is just an introduction, so if in doubt, consult a professional.

What is it you do to keep your dog safely contained in your own yard? How do you keep him well behaved outdoors?

Question:

I hear the phrase “stationary bark control”. What does that mean?

Answer:

When a product is marked as stationary bark control, it usually means that it is a product that uses ultrasonic sound to correct a dogs barking. The unit will typically have an enclosure containing a microphone, electronics and an ultrasonic emitter. The microphone detects your dog barking and the control circuitry causes an ultrasonic sound to be emitted.

These sounds can be heard only by your dog, not you, and are unpleasant but not actually painful or damaging to your pet, so it acts as a great barking deterrent. The enclosure can be made for either indoor or outdoor use.

Question:

I hear about Radio Systems Corporation, but you don’t sell any products with this brand. Why is that?

Answer:

Radio Systems Corporation is the parent company of the Innotek and PetSafe brands. You won’t see products sold directly under the Radio Systems name. We stock of full lineup of Innotek and PetSafe products, and we are an authorized retailer for the Innotek, PetSafe and SportDog brands.

Question:

I hear about “Authorized Retailers”, what does that mean.

Answer:

It is important you buy your product from an authorized retailer. This means that the retailer has registered with Radio Systems Corporation, has agreed to abide by certain guidelines, and will represent the products in an ethical and accurate manner. Look for logos like the following:

This is an important thing to look for. This assures you, the purchaser, that you will be properly supported by the manufacturers warranty and can make a product return for example. Note that MuttFence.com is an Innotek, PetSafe and SportDog authorized retailer.

When MuttFence.com was launched, it was our intention to build a one stop shop for Electronic Fences, Remote Trainers, Trackers, No-Bark Collars and other electronic dog containment products. We are pleased to announce that we have approximately doubled our range of electronics, with more updates coming over the next few months.

Of course, they all come with the same great service. Got any suggestions for what we should carry? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do.

It is terrible how many homeless animals there are. Just yesterday, I drove past somebody selling Dachshund puppies at the side of the road. Now, we are having a heat wave is South East Louisiana with scorching sun and the heat index well above 100 degrees. I don’t know about you, but I would rather people stop breeding, go and find a local animal shelter and adopt.

Our parent company, NOLA Retail, is proud to support our local animal shelter, the St Tammany Humane Society. Don’t breed or buy, while shelter animals die.

When we say multiple dogs, we mean more than two. I used to joke that the big difference is going from one to two dogs, and any more just turns into a slightly bigger pack. That was until Hurricane Katrina hit, and we spent much of September 2005 rounding up stray dogs and finding homes for them all. We could for the little’uns, but not the big’uns, so we ended up with nine, big dogs! I digress …

If you have multiple dogs and need a trainer, you are confronted with two choices: 1) use a hunting dog trainer, or 2) use a two-dog trainer with multiple remotes. If you are not sure if you need a hunting dog trainer, then you probably don’t. They are more complex, and have a long range – over 1,000 yards – and consequently are more expensive than a regular trainer.

That leaves you with the option of the two dog trainer and multiple remotes. We know how expensive it is to feed the pack and take care of vet bills, so you’re on a budget, right? (How did we guess!) A great trainer for this purpose is the Innotek BT-502A Two Dog Remote Trainer.

Although the remote only controls two dogs, more units can be purchased. The trainer knows which remote to talk to via an ID and it is possible that the ID number of your new trainer will match the ID number of the orginal. In this case it is an easy fix: there is a process for resetting the ID number in the owners manual.

So, there it is. Help could be at hand. We know what it is like when the inmates try to run the assylum!

Question:

I see some of the products say “NiMH Battery”, like with the Innotek BC-200 No-Bark Collar.  What is that and why do I care?

Answer:

NiMH stands for Nickel Metal Hydride. According to Wikipedia, NiMH batteries are used in the fuel cells for electric vehicles! For our application, they are used in many of the rechargeable collars, such as the Innotek BC-200 No-Bark Collar you mention. Most of the collars that contain these batteries include a charger that you plug into the wall. I guess you care because it means – no batteries to buy!

Question:

What’s That Included in the PetSafe PBC-102 Bark Control Collar Kit? The thing on the left with the wires sticking out of it.

Answer:

That’s a good question, the picture is below:

That is a collar tester that lights up to tell you whether the collar is ready to work. There are connection points on the collar which you touch the wires against. It lights up to show you that the collar is working.