Dog Guard of Illinois & Eastern Iowa
Below are links to Dog Guard's most frequently asked questions. If have a new question or would like a free quote please contact us!
Dog Guard Out of Sight Fencing is an electric dog fence system that is installed underground by burying a single wire as a complete loop along the entire perimeter of your property. This underground boundary can also include certain portions of your yard, such as a pool or garden. Your dog is safely contained within your yard with the boundaries you are comfortable with. We pride ourselves on creating a customized layout which will allow your pet access only to where the pet-owner defines.
First, a transmitter is installed in a convenient location, such as the garage or basement. Then, the wire loop is placed underground. The transmitter sends a harmless radio signal through the wire, which is picked up by the small receiver on the dog’s collar. When the dog nears the wire, the receiver in the pet’s collar picks up the signal and gives off of an audible tone and mild correction, which is customized to your dog's needs.
The correction has been thoroughly tested and proven to be harmless. It is a mild static pulsation, similar to a shock from a doorknob, yet unpleasant enough that the dog will quickly learn to avoid it. The whole purpose of a good pet containment system is to contain your pet without correcting him all the time. The Dog Guard system along with the training your pet receives ensures that your pet learns the boundary and stays away from it. Most pets will never sustain more than a handful of "full corrections" over their lifetime, but will get occasional mild corrections as reminders of their boundaries. It is important that the level of correction be greater than the level of distraction, but we work very hard to ensure that the initial warning correction is well-attuned to your dog's demeanor, and doesn't needlessly over-correct them.
The boundary is marked off with flags, creating a visible boundary line for the pet. Our trainers will perform training immediately following installation of the fence, and the dog will be off leash by the time we leave. We ask that the pet owner spend time in the yard with their dog(s) as frequently as they can. If the dog moves toward the flags, they should be told “FLAG!” When spending time in the yard after your dog has been trained, you can behave as though the fence doesn't exist, while focusing on providing positive feedback for positive behavior in the yard! Most dogs will be a little timid following their training which is easy to overcome, and is very short-term. Through repetition and constant feedback from the pet-owner, the dog will quickly learn where they now have freedom to play! Later, once the dog becomes familiar with the visible boundary, the flags can be removed over the course of 3 weeks. Remember, praise and repetition are the keys to success!
Yes! Once your dog has completed training, they can be taken outside of the yard, BUT the Dog Guard collar must be taken off before leaving the yard. We ask that you allow 1 full week of training on the boundaries of your new fence before taking your dog for a walk. Walking within the first week of training can be done with certain restrictions - we ask that you remove the Dog Guard collar and drive them to a different location for a walk.
Our transmitter has three colored indicator lights. There should be two green lights on at all times (for Power and Loop), while the yellow light (Fault) will only come on in the event of an electrical surge or lightning damage. Previous models of the transmitter will have one green light for Power, and a red light for Loop. If all lights are off, you may be having a power disruption. If you have no light for your Loop, your wire has likely been compromised, and you will hear an alarm.
We offer a rechargeable receiver for cats and small dogs, weighing up to 35 lbs. Medium to large sized dogs require a battery powered receiver, in order to be strong enough to contain them. The batteries are manufactured by Dog Guard and are proprietary. Use of non Guard Dog Batteries will void your limited lifetime warranty. The batteries have a shelf life of 4 years, so it is really up to each individual dog as to how often they need to be replaced. We send you reminder emails to check/change the battery every 4 months. Our receivers also have a light indicator that changes to RED when the battery is low. To keep things simple, we offer an annual battery plan.
Here are some facts you may want to consider when comparing our product with any other product on the market:
Everyone at Dog Guard, from the manufacturer to the dealers, has your pet’s safety in mind. From the moment you purchase a Dog Guard pet containment system, you can rest assured that your dog is in good hands with our knowledgeable dealers and trainers and our skilled technicians. From equipment support when you have questions about your system, to moral support when you just don’t know what to do with your pet, we will be with you every step of the way! If you love your dog and want to keep them safe and happy, Dog Guard is for you. Not to mention that we are a 5 STAR family-owned and operated business with thousands of satisfied customers!
Dog Guard offers a complete package, not a do it yourself kit. We come to your house, install the system, and train your pet the same day! We also spend time with pet owners to ensure their comfort level with the system prior to leaving - we will never leave a home until we are confident that your dog is safe. We offer a best-in-the-business limited Lifetime Warranty on the equipment. The wire we use in the installation of your system is burial-grade, and made to last for the life of the system. Our equipment is flexible enough to contain the smallest and largest of pets without harming them. Our signals are “smart” so that pets are not corrected unnecessarily in areas of stray signals, such as near large metal objects like air conditioning units and satellite television receptors.
If you hear of someone who had an underground fence that didn't work, it was very likely either a DIY fence or a non-professional brand. We take PetSafe, Innotek, SportDog and many other "off brands" in on trade every day, due to their lack of effectiveness. You want a system that is backed by a dealer that can be contacted whenever there is a problem. Some pets may train more quickly than others and some pets may pout for the first few days. With 32 levels of adjustment and the strongest correction on the market, we can ALWAYS ensure that the amount of correction is greater than whatever distraction may cause your dog to wander. The correction is not harmful, but it must be effective enough so your pet learns to respect its boundaries. Rest assured - we have trained THOUSANDS of dogs to Dog Guard fences, and have NEVER had a dog we couldn't contain!
The Dog Guard System is flexible enough to handle any number of pets in an area as large as 50 acres. We have MANY multiple dog systems, including one system with 10 cats!
We can offer a battery backup similar to what our competitors use, but have never found power outages to create issues with straying dogs. Because of our training and strength of our system, dogs are always wary of testing their boundaries, and won't have any clue that the power is out! In general, it will take a dog several weeks up to multiple months to figure out that there is a wire break, so having a few hours of downtime on your dog fence is never a concern!
Dog Guard costs much less than traditional fencing, such as a vinyl fence, aluminum fence or chain link fence. More importantly, a Dog Guard pet containment system has none of the maintenance and aesthetic problems. The final cost can vary, depending on the size of the property and the number of dogs on the system. However, we work directly with the manufacturer so there are no middleman costs, and the cost of your Dog Guard system may be lower than you think. We are much less expensive than our other "professional" competitors, and offer a level of customer service that is second to none!
We are happy to answer any further questions you may have and are confident that Dog Guard can work for your pet-family needs!
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