Have you ever been on a walk through your neighborhood, and a barking door comes full speed towards then stop as if he was stuck? That’s because he was inside the perimeters of an invisible containment system- commonly referred to as an invisible fence. A dog on the lose can pose a huge safety risk to your neighbors and your dog. This a very popular choice for dog owners who live on a property without a physical fence and choose not to build one because of the high cost of supply, or limited area.

The first thing one might wonder is, are these systems compliant with leash laws? While we advise that you check with your individual county laws before purchasing one- they are legal in most of the counties we checked. In fact, many animal control officers recommend them since, unlike the conventional fence, the perimeter cannot be breached without consequence unless it was installed incorrectly. Even if a physical fence is too high to jump, dogs will dig under and find gaps to go through and the owner could be none the wiser.

Wired vs Wireless

There are two different types of Invisible containment systems. Both types function with the same premise- the dog crosses a boundary and a unit on a collar they’re wearing will send an electrical shock to the dog’s neck. Some may feel as those these are inhumane, but the animal learns very quickly not to cross their boundary. The real cruelty would be letting a pet roam freely where they could injure someone or be struck by a car, or attacked by another animal.

The most popular containment system is the wired version. These are the less expensive option, and are highly effective. A wire is hurried around the perimeter of the property and a transmitter sends a radio signal to the wire- if the dog comes too close he will receive a beeping warning, and then a shock if he crosses the wire. A wireless system works the same way but does not have an adjustable perimeter. This is a better option for a house on a larger property since it can’t be adjusted and may allow the dog to wander off your property.

Dog Owner Considerations

As a pet owner, you have to be cautious about visitors when you have a dog contained in an invisible fence. It is essential to post signs visible from the driveway, warning people of a dog within an invisible fence. If at possible, owners should post flags to show the barrier in which the dog will stay within. Not warning people could result in a brutal attack on innocent people who were unaware of the dog’s presence. Victims of dog attacks as a result of an invisible fence frequently include meter readers, utility workers, and even police officers.

Summer vacation is quickly approaching, and many of us will be making long trips in the upcoming months. For some families, the dogs will stay with a pet sitter or family, but others choose to bring their pet along. In order to ensure a safe and stress free trip for the dog’s owner and the dog some considerations need to be made first.

Traveling by car can be uncomfortable under any circumstance, especially if man’s best friend is tagging along. Restraining the animal is the only way to travel safely in a car. It may seem cruel to isolate him, but it’s for the safety of you and the canine.

Not only can a hyper dog be a major form or stress in a car, they can pose a huge safety risk to you and the other motorists on the road. A dog can very easily cause the driver to become distracted, and even get in the way of the steering wheel and pedals.

In the event of an accident an unrestrained dog will likely be injured or killed. Sudden impact will cause them to smash into seats, people, and even the windshield. We all love seeing images of the friendly, smiling dog hanging his head out of the window, taking in the open road – but it’s for his own good to be contained/restrained in some way.

The easiest way to secure an animal is to put them in a crate. Make sure it is big enough so they can stand up and turn around. Also, make sure you put the crate somewhere safe – and the dog gets proper air circulation and won’t overheat. Never mount the crate the roof of the car!

Another method is to use a canine seat harness. This attaches to the built in safety restraint hooks found in most cars. It allows the dog to sit with the family without being free to travel the vehicle.

Make sure you make adequate plans to take care of the animal on the road. Provide fresh water, and feed him at his normal meal times. Plan stops for dog walks to ensure he has no accidents in the car. Make sure he will also be a welcomed guest at the hotel or resort you are staying with beforehand to avoid a major headache on arrival.

Also, keep the dog’s shots up to date so he won’t pick up a disease while visiting rest stops on the road – this is a place where hundreds of animals visit every month, and one sick animal can leave behind illness for days.

Have you ever noticed that when you enter a dog’s territory, his eyes are on you? Or when you give a dog a command, he seems to have the eye contact as if to acknowledge that he understands? Eye contact is a powerful tool used by trainers and pet owners to gain control over the animal, and to communicate commands.

Many people are surprised to learn that the way a human processes eye contact, and the way a canine process eye contact are very alike -it’s a powerful type of non-verbal communication.

Making eye contact with a dog can be perceived in a variety of ways. When you look at dog in the face with training, it establishes that you are the alpha, and helps to communicate that you are in control of the animal. If you fail to make proper eye contact with a dog, they will think that you are submissive, and will not follow your commands.

Most dogs avoid making eye contact with people if they are not properly socialized, this may be an easy way to spot a dog that is a bite threat. On the other hand, dogs that are fixed on someone and waiting for the human to make eye contact back may be looking for a challenge- another way to spot a bite threat.

Eye Contact with Aggressive Canines

This can be a little tricky for people who work in positions that require them to come in close contact with unfamiliar dogs. If a dog is showing aggression, it is important to make eye contact, stand tall, and use command language. Tell them to “SIT” or “STOP” in a strong tone.

Keeping eye contact is also important to read the dog’s next move; you will see signs of an impending attack before he has a chance to strike. At that point, it is important to put an object in between you and the dog, and never turn your back on the canine.

While it is sometimes unavoidable, people should avoid close encounters with canines and should not make eye contact with aggressive dogs if they are not already facing an attack. According to the New Zealand Medical Journal, children who make eye contact with dogs are far more likely to be bitten – this is because dogs are rarely threatened by a small child, and will always see them as submissive.

The goal of the Management Level Dog Bite Prevention Workshop is to train corporate safety, operational and field leaders to become the company’s local experts for establishing and managing on-going occupational dog bite safety programs.
They will gain an understanding of pre-attack avoidance techniques, post-bite issues as a result of incident-induced trauma, and create their own training and safety plan.
Bulli Ray live dog training affords in-field employees with the tools and training to successfully evaluate and assess risk of attack, defend against single dog and pack attacks, identify breeds that pose a threat, and effectively identify and report dangerous dog attack and potential attack situations. To assist leadership in understanding the environment their employees consistently face, the Management Level Workshop also uses live dogs to allow the participants to experience the impact of a real attack.

www.bulliray.com/curriculum.html

Webinar – Dog Bite Safety – June 23rd 2011 2pm EST

Bulli Ray would like to thank everyone who attended our Dog Bite Prevention Demo in Chicago. Great Conference! Awsome city…

Occupational Dog Bite Safety Webinar!  June 5 2011 @ 2pm EST

We are renting dogs in the cities we train. For over 15 years Bulli Ray has transported our own dogs from coast to coast. If your company has had the Bulli Ray team into your location you might remember Goose, Rosie, Baron, Irk, Cartouche, Bo, Bjork, Athos or Eloes. We will always have dogs but they will no longer travel outside of Florida.
We are now calling on my fellow dog trainers that are involved in dog sports, like I once did with Bulli Ray. They are happy to use their dogs to help train your employees and get paid for their time. This will defiantly bring variety to our training programs.

Winter is here but it will be spring soon enough.  Maybe not soon enough for some parts of the country!  Loose dogs will be escaping their yards looking for females in heat.   Dogs that are able to jump their fences will be out looking for trouble.  Watch for the unfamiliar dog on your way to your next job.
Families will be home preparing for spring break and vacations.  As you know this becomes a dangerous time for the field worker. Garage doors will be slightly opened, allowing a perfect hiding place for that attacking dog.
Unfortunately the Pit Bull is becoming more and more a problem.  This is a shame since there are so many great Pit Bulls. I personally have had several of these dogs over my 30 some years of training dogs. They are stubborn but usually super sweet to friends and family. Employees want to believe that every Pit Bull they encounter will be aggressive. This can’t be further from the truth! Remind your workers that all dogs on their routes should be evaluated individually. No breed can be considered ALL BAD OR ALL GOOD!!