Welcome to Our Invisible Fence - Frequently Asked Questions Page.

Q: Will it work in my yard?
A: YES. Our PetSafe Invisible Fence works in yards of all sizes, regardless of layout.

Q: Is my dog too big (or too little)?
A: Our PetSafe Invisible Fence has been proven safe and effective for all dogs over 5 lbs. The adjustable collar allows you to create a perfect fit for your pet.

Q: Will it hurt my pet?
A: NEVER. The mild “correction” pulses delivered when a pet approaches the boundary are designed to get your pet’s attention, but not punish him. This method has been proven safe and will not harm your pet.

Q: Can my kids get hurt?
A: NEVER. The mild correction pulses are connected to the pet’s collar, not the fence. So even if your child is holding the pet when it crosses the boundary, he or she will never feel a thing.

Q: I have a small dog and a large dog. Will this work for me?
A: YES. Our PetSafe Invisible Fence is effective for all the dogs in your family. The kit includes one collar; additional collars are available separately.

Q: Is this complicated?
A: From installation through training, the enclosed easy-to-follow manual walks you through every step. Plus, if you ever have a question, our customer service center is here to help. Also a training video is now included with each of our PetSafe Invisible Fence Systems.

Q: How old does a dog have to be before starting training?
A: This is somewhat breed-dependent but most breeds should be at least 16 to 20 weeks of age.

Q: During training, an owner observes his dog sitting in the correction zone. The owner has touched the probes and has determined the collar is working. The owner can see the dog's skin flinch so he is sure the dog is receiving the correction. What should the owner do to prevent this from happening?
A: Retrain the dog by putting him on a long leash. As soon as the dog is observed entering the correction zone, he should be pulled out and redirected to the "sit" and "stay" command.

Q: Once a dog is trained to the system, what is the best way to take the dog out of the boundary?
A: Create what is called an "invisible gate" and take the dog out only through this gate. This is covered in detail in the owners manual.

Q: Once a dog is trained to the system, how does the owner implement the "invisible gate" concept?
A: Place a long leash on the dog. Turn the system off. Remove the dog's collar. Redirect the dog to the "sit" and "stay" command near the area that will become the "gate". The owner walks out of the yard and asks the dog to "come".

Q: If a dog is running through the system at only one spot in the yard, how is this corrected?
A: Set him up at this location. For example, have him on a long leash and then have someone else walk by that spot or walk his dog by that spot. When the dog attempts to leave, pull him back with the leash and then redirect him with the "sit" and "stay" commands. You might also try the following retraining tips:

If your dog is starting to test his PetSafe Invisible Fence boundaries or running through the system, the following retraining options have proven to be effective:

- Tie-out Training - First, make sure the probes are making good contact with the skin; without good contact with the skin, the dog will not feel the shock. Also, make sure the battery is at full strength. Once a battery loses half its voltage, the receiver will no longer shock properly. If the receiver is working properly, try the following training suggestion.

- Try using a tie-out that has enough rope to allow your dog to get to the shock area but no farther. Once your dog reaches the shock area, there is no choice but to come back into the yard. Let him out on the tie out for the next several days. At some point, a distraction will tempt him to leave the yard and he will get a shock and have no choice but to return to the yard. This should get your dog trained to the boundary even when distractions are present.

- Field Fluctuation - During the training process, make your boundary wider than your normal setting. Be sure to always pull your dog back as soon as his collar begins to beep (regardless of how close he is to your "normal" boundary). This will help your dog understand that the "beep" means turn around and come back towards the house. NOTE: Do not make the boundary narrower than your normal setting.

Q: Can an owner use the PetSafe Invisible Fence to train other dogs from coming into the owner's yard?
A: Only if the other dogs are wearing a receiver collar.

Q: What is the dummy collar effect?
A: This is a procedure where the collar is eliminated as a factor in learning. In other words, the dog wears the collar without it being activated for 3 to 5 days. This way the dog does not learn that the collar causes the correction, but rather that getting too close to the yard boundary causes the correction.

Q: How long should an owner take to create the dummy collar effect? How many days should the dog wear a deactivated collar before receiving the correction for the first time?
A: On the average, it will take at least 3 days and as long as 7 days.

Q: Should the dog be on or off a leash the first time the dog receives the correction ?
A: On the leash. This way the owner can easily redirect the dog to the appropriate behavior.

Q: What is the purpose of having the dog on a leash the first time he receives the correction?
A: In the event the dog becomes confused, the owner can easily direct him to the appropriate behavior.

Q: How long should the owner leave the flags up?
A: The flags should remain for at least 2 weeks but in some cases, as long as 30 days.

Q: What is meant by the "safe zone"?
A: This is the area where the dog can roam freely without getting a correction.

Q: Does the correction cause pain or harm to my dog?
A: Absolutely not. The correction is safe, painless and humane.

Q: Is this a humane way to train a dog?
A: Absolutely. While the correction is unpleasant, it is harmless to your pet. Electronic training devices require interaction and training from the owner to achieve the desired results. Therefore PetSafe provides comprehensive training manuals with each training product. These tools were developed with veterinarians and animal behaviorists to ensure safety and peace of mind for you and your pet.

Q: Can I use this system to train my dog to stop jumping over or digging under wood or metal fences?
A: Yes. In fact approximately 40% of those buying a PetSafe Invisible Fence already own an existing physical fence.

Q: How do I prevent one dog from chewing on the collar of another dog?
A: If you see one dog chewing on the other dog's collar, pull him off and redirect him to "sit" and "stay". Also, a daily spraying of Lysol on the dog's collar will help repel the other dog.

Installation Questions

Q: How deeply should I bury the wire?
A: We recommend that you bury the wire 1 to 3 inches underground to give it protection from possible damage caused by small rodents or surface traffic. It is not vital to the operation of the system that the wire be buried. You can also bury the wire more deeply (up to 6 to 8 inches) if you are concerned about damage caused by aeration, etc. The wire can be attached to an existing fence, hedges or other items if it is not going to get damaged. In wooded areas, you should run the wire through PVC or rubber garden hose.

Q: What is the best thing to use to dig a trench for my wire?
A: We have found that the quickest way to dig your trench is with a straight edged spade or shovel or a power lawn edger or trencher is ideal for larger installations or hard soil conditions.

Q: How do I cancel the signal in certain areas of my boundary?
A: Our PetSafe Invisible Fence signal can only be canceled by twisting wire together. The wires must be part of your continuous loop and must be traveling in opposite directions. The tighter the twist, the better your cancellation will be. However, you must be sure not to over-tighten the wire and cause a break in the wire's outer insulation. We recommend at least 10 to 12 twists per foot.
Example: Start with one end of the wire attached to your transmitter. Take wire out to the edge of your boundary, make your loop which encloses your property, then come back to the transmitter. When you are coming back to the transmitter to close the loop, twist the wire with the wire that you started with initially. This will cancel the signal over the wire that connects your transmitter to the outer edge of your boundary. This same principle can be applied to enclose pools, ponds, gardens, outbuildings, etc.

Q: Does it matter where I mount the transmitter?
A: Yes. The transmitter should be mounted INDOORS ONLY in an area where it will be dry at all times. This is because exposure to moisture can damage the electrical components inside the unit resulting in poor fence signal and risk of electrical shock or fire.

Q: Why do I need to have rounded corners along my boundary?
A: It is important that the corners on your loop are rounded with at least a 6' radius. Any sharp turns or angles in your loop can cause complete signal failure or just intermittent signal conditions along your entire boundary. This is because the signal that is radiated off the boundary wire cancels itself out if it crosses with an opposing signal. Since wires in a sharp corner or angle allow the signals to cross each other directly, they cancel each other out. A rounded corner will prevent direct crossing of the signals and your PetSafe Invisible Fence will function properly.

Q: How can I install the wire across hard surfaces like my driveway or sidewalk?
A: If you have to cross concrete, asphalt, brick or other hard surfaces, either lay the wire in a convenient expansion joint or use a circular saw with a masonry blade to create a groove. Place the wire in the groove and cover with an appropriate patching compound. Your local hardware store can help you choose the right compound for your type of driveway.

Q: What can I use to give the wire additional protection?
A: In areas that may experience particularly high traffic, or areas prone to small animals digging or chewing, we recommend that you run the wire through a PVC pipe or rubber garden hose, then bury it 3 to 4 inches deep. This will not affect the signal, but will give the wire additional support in areas prone to breakage. NOTE: Do not use metal piping or garden hose that contains metal strands in the weave.

Q: Why do I need those little flags?
A: The flags are absolutely vital to the success of your system. They form the "visual boundary" that your pet will learn to associate with the warning beep given by his receiver collar. Without a visual boundary, your pet will only be confused by the warning beeps and training will take much longer. Once the pet is trained, you may remove the flags. This is described in the training manual that comes with your kit.

Q: Where do I place the flags in relation to the buried wire?
A: The boundary flags must be placed on the inner edge of your boundary, at the point where the warning signal on your pet's collar begins to activate. You never want to place the flags further into the middle of his "warning zone", because by doing so, you are telling him that it is OK to be in areas where the warning signal and shock are present. The boundary flags should be placed a maximum of 10 feet apart from each other along your entire boundary. Also, it is important to make sure the boundary is at least 5' from the buried wire.

Q: How do I find a break in the wire?
A: 1. Connect both ends of your twisted boundary wire to the first terminal on your transmitter.

2. Measure and cut a new piece of boundary wire that is 1/2 the length of your boundary loop.

3. Connect the new wire to the second terminal on the transmitter.

4. Locate the half-way point along your boundary loop.

5. Cut your boundary loop at the half-way point.

6. Connect the free end of your new piece of wire to either side of your boundary loop at the half way point.

7. Turn the system on and check the range of this smaller loop with the receiver collar.

8. If there is no improvement in the performance of your system, you may assume that there is a break in this portion of your boundary. Because there is a small chance you have more than one break in your loop, you should also try the same procedure for the other side of your loop.

9. Once you determine a section of your boundary loop has a break in it, find the middle of that section and cut the wire. Be sure to re-splice the first cut that you made and make it waterproof by caulking with silicone.

10. Connect the new wire to your boundary loop at the point at which you made the cut in STEP 9.

11. Turn the system on and check the range of this smaller loop with the receiver collar.

12. Repeat STEPS 8 - 11 until you find the damaged section of wire.

13. Replace damaged wire with new wire. Remember that all wire in your boundary loop must be the exact same size and type.

Q: Can I splice the wire?
A: Yes. Splicing is not a problem as long as it is done properly. It is vital that moisture be kept out of any splices or wire connections. Be sure to always use the same type and size wire, and also be sure that the splice is completely waterproof. To ensure a waterproof splice, we recommend the 3M-316 irrigation splice. The appropriate number of PetSafe approved Waterproof Direct Burial Splices is included FREE with each PetSafe Invisible Fence purchase.

Q: Why is it vital that my splices be waterproof?
A: If moisture gets into your wire, it will cause corrosion resulting in signal failure. Also, be sure to note the location of your splices for future reference because almost all breaks in the system are located at splices. We ship each PetSafe Invisible Fence with the appropriate number of PetSafe approved Waterproof Direct Burial Splices required for your installation at no additional cost.

Q: Does my boundary wire have to form a complete loop for this system to work?
A: Yes.

Q: What can I do to protect my boundary wire and transmitter from damage by an electrical storm?
A: Even though our PetSafe Invisible Fence systems have built-in lightning protection, we recommend that you get our Invisible Fence Lightning Protection Module if you live in an area prone to thunderstorms. This is the only way to have 100% protection from lightning damage.

Please contact us at help@acornpetco.com with any questions or for more information. Thank you.