Sometimes the dog actually enjoys the shock if the settings are too low, Street said. But if the setting is correct, the dog will be reminded of the mistake. The shock is supposed to be included in a comprehensive conditioning program, said Stephen Neary, vice president of Miltronics, the parent company of Freedom Fence, another pet containment system. Shocks without reinforcement are useless, he said. Installers place flags along the perimeter of the property or the flower bed to serve as a visual aid for the pet.
Owners then walk the dog around the edges, letting the dog feel the barriers.
That initial five minutes of training is 90 percent of the training. The whole process takes about a month to condition the dog, Street said. Some pet owners let the dog discover the system on its own, and that is a mistake. Smaller dogs often are surprised by the systems. You try to put limitations on a baby that has been spoiled for a couple years, I've seen dogs go neurotic for a couple weeks.