PetSafe PIF00-12917 Stay And Play (Wireless) Pet Fence Review

PetSafe PIF00-12917 Stay And Play (Wireless) Pet Fence Review

Setting up the fence:

Plug in the portable transmitter into a standard 120 volt outlet, someplace where it is not near freezing temperatures or water. It should also be kept away from large metal objects such as refrigerators since metal interferes with the conduction of it’s electromagnetic signals.

To set the boundary, plug in the transmitter and select the on button, turn the boundary switch on to high and turn the boundary control knob until it reaches 8.

Now that the transmitter is set, install the batter on the collar receiver by aligning the points indicated on the device and turning until it locks into place. The indicator will blink a certain amount of times depending on which correction signals are used: one blink for the lowest correctional signal. The options include only audible signals, or static correctional signals that deliver a harmless electric shock through the contact points. To adjust the correctional signal, remove the clear plastic cover and press the button on top of the device.

To set the boundary, ask a friend to control the transmitter while you walk to the points where you’d like the boundary to lie in your yard while holding the collar with receiver. Hold the collar with the receiver at the height of your dog’s neck, and stop where you’d like your dog to stop in the yard. Your friend inside should turn the dial down from eight, stopping when the colored light on your collar receiver begins to beep.

Mark your new wireless fence by carrying the collar and receiver from the middle of your yard toward the perimeter. When the collar begins to beep indicating the perimeter, place a flag in the ground at the point where the beep began. Then retreat back to the center of the yard and walk again out towards the barrier area at another point, stopping when the collar beeps and placing another flag. Do this until you have placed flags every few steps all along your wireless fence, creating a visible boundary with the flags. You will keep these flags in place for the first week or more while your dog learns this new boundary.

Now it is time to fit your new collar to your dog. line the contact points up with the underside of her neck and be sure they are able to touch her skin. Snugly tighten the collar strap until you are able to fit one finger between the end of the contact points and your dog’s neck. Periodically clean these contact points to be sure they contact and work properly.

Also remove the collar at least every 12 hours and check for any rashes or annoyances to your dog’s skin. If you do notice any problems, see your veterinarian immediately.

Dog training with the wireless fence

The Stay And Play (Wireless) Pet Fence allows a safe place for your pet to enjoy the out of doors when you are home and when you are away at work or vacation.

It is so important to be consistent when training your pet with this new system, and to hold plenty of patience for your pet during this time. Refer to the manual as well, which includes lots of training tips.

My puppy Molly is learning to use the new wireless fence I set up this weekend. She has a long fur coat, so I used the longest contact points with her collar. The product manual includes a great guide for setting up and switching out different contact points with the collar. Check it out to make sure you use the right fitting for your dog. It will make all the difference!

It is best to train a dog in short, 10-15 minute sessions to help them stay engaged. Trainers often use treats to reinforce the dog’s work.

If a dog tucks his tail or lays his ears back, this is a sign that your dog is feeling stressed and needs a break. Use this time to offer a toy or a treat as well as water and rest before training again the same day, or come back again to it tomorrow.

When you are ready to train your dog on the new system, place little flags along the borders of your wireless fence so that your dog has a visual along with the warning signals sent through the collar.

Begin training with the collar on the first setting, the tone-alone level. To check and change the level, press the button on the back of the collar until the light blinks once. This is level one. During training, leash your dog and walk he about within the fenced area, being careful to not cross any borders. Then walk her near one of the flags until the warning signal beeps on her wireless collar. Allow for two to three beeps before retreating back into the wirelessly fenced “safe” area, where the warning signal stops. Aim to repeat this three or four times with a different flag each time, within each 10-15 minute training session. Without crossing the wireless fence at all, repeat this session around three times per day. Follow up each session by praising your dog. Pet her and give her a treat and speak kindly to her, telling her how great of a job she did.

On training days two through four, practice with the collar on level two. This level uses tone and the lowest static correction level. Walk to the flag, past the beeping warning zone, and allow your dog to enter the static correction zone. If your dog does not turn around when the static correction is delivered, make sure that the collar is fitting properly. After readjusting, if your dog still does not turn back after receiving a static correction, increase the receiver level by one level and try again. Some dogs require a higher correction level than others depending on their temperament, so observe your dog’s responses and adjust the the necessary level for him. Once he receives and responds to the static correction by retreating from the flag, lead him back and praise him in the safe zone and give him treats. Attempt the same flag at least three more times, or until he retreats from the flag after a correction without your initiation.

On days 5 through eight, introduce some distractions. For example, through or stow a toy outside the boundary. If your dog resists following through the boundary to retrieve the toy, praise him and give him treats. But if your dog goes for it, allow them to go through the static correction, retrieve the distraction, then lead them back into the safe zone and give them praise. Do this multiple times until your dog chooses to leave the distraction alone.

On training days 9 through 14, you can let your dog off leash in the fenced area. Give yourself something to do within the area at the same time so that you can keep a close eye on her. As long as your dog is staying within the zone, give her plenty of praise.

After approximately two weeks of training, your dog may be ready to run freely in the fenced area. Go ahead and allow this but keep a close eye, checking in on him consistently.

Once you are satisfied that your dog is following the boundary guideline, remove every other boundary flag, one every four days until all the flags are removed. Your dog may follow the boundary without correction even without the flags, but if she doesn’t, replace some flags for a few days and remove again until she follows the boundaries.

After training, when you would like to take your dog outside of the boundaries area, you can either take the receiver collar off of her and cary her across the boundary, or if she is a larger dog, remove the receiver collar and lead her through with a regular collar and leash. Either way, always remove the receiver collar so that she understands that this is a proper time to follow your command and leave the boundaries area. Encourage her further by saying something like “it’s okay,” or “let’s go,” to communicate that only when you invite her is she allowed to cross this line.

Be sure to remove the receiver collar from around your dog’s neck every 12 hours since it is easy to develop bed-like sores from the collar rubbing against his skin. A great routine might look like removing the collar every night just before putting your dog to bed, then putting it on again before eating in the morning.

The Stay And Play (Wiresless) Pet Fence is an easy-to set up dog collar and wireless fence

that keeps your dog within its boundaries without much effort to assemble.

This system works by emitting a frequency from the transmitter module plugged into an outlet, and that frequency is detected by the receiver in the collar worn by your dog. This frequency creates a boundary line like an invisible circular fence. When your dog nears the wireless fence a warning tone is emitted through the collar alert system. When the dog crosses the boundary she is either corrected with louder tones or a safe, immediate electric shock, depending on your settings.

Check carefully because there are quite a few things to keep in mind before buying any wireless, long-range dog fence.

First, look at your yard to determine whether or not a wireless fence is a good addition to your style. Wireless fences come with transmitters that are kept inside of your house, and since the transmitters are interrupted by large metal objects, it will not suit you well if you live in a house with, say, a metal roof. Also, if your home is in a densely forested area, the trees may also obstruct the electromagnetic signal. However, if your transmitter spot is not located near metal, and you do not have any large obstructions in your yard, then this might be a great option for you!

The dog’s age will determine how well the fence will work. Dogs older than two or three months old mind an electric wireless fence well, but younger than this and the puppy will not respond well.

The weight of your dog and the size of her neck will determine what type of wireless fence with collar will fit the dog. Check the weight recommended by the manufacturer of any wireless fence prior to purchasing. The PetSafe fence can withstand dogs weighing five pounds or more.

Every system’s goal is to provide safe collars. Collars are made to withstand sweat and rain, and are chargeable so as to limit battery use. This PetSafe collar is also waterproof, so is a good fit if you anticipate the collar getting wet while your dog wears it. The transmitter that you plug into the wall, however, must be kept dry just as any other plug and outlet should also always be dry.

be aware that this collar comes with a battery that must be recharged every so often, approximately every 6 hours if used non-stop. This means every night if you choose to let your dog wear the collar all day long, or you can split the wearings up into increments and charge less often. Either way, this is not a set-up and let-alone system, even though it is very simple indeed to set up.

Here are some facts to know about this system

The wireless fence is a virtual fence boundary established as large as a circular 3/4-acre, by a transmitter that is set up in your home or your RV or campsite. Many homes have yards approximately the size of one acre and this fence will protect your dog in the yard’s general space. Since the fence is portable, on a camping trip the space can be downsized to keep your dog within your small campsite.

The collar can be adjusted to correct your dog by electric shock or tones. Electric shocks are further adjusted to five different levels according to the temperament of your dog. This collar works best with dogs who weigh five or more pounds, and who’s necks are 6-28 inches.

PetSafe is an exceptionally well-known manufacturer of this type of system. It is also a large beneficiary of wireless dog fence promotions since it is related to the Radio Systems Corporation. According to Radio Systems Corp, the electric shock emitted by wireless dog fence collar receivers are designed to turn a dog’s attention, but does not harm the dog. The sensation is described as a tingling sensation similar to those electromagnetic nodes used in medical laboratories and physical therapy clinics by professionals to heal pain in humans. The signal emitted to correct dogs then is startling, and that helps them remember to change their behavior. If you still feel uncomfortable with this electric emission, the PetSafe system allows for a tone-only option so that no electromagnetic shock is delivered ever. For these reasons, PetSafe chooses to use the term static correction instead of shock collars since they claim their product is a safe corrective devise quite unlike some dangerous shock systems.

It is worth consideration that the PETA and Humane Society groups consider static correction and shock collars as the same thing, and that they have caused skin burns and mental problems in dogs that ends up leading to increased aggressiveness rather than positive behavior reinforcement.

If you are concerned about any static correction product, there are other options for training your dog in a similar way, either with collars that use sprays or citronella oil diffusions, devices that make a clicking sound instead of any electromagnetic emissions, whistles, or physical fencing.

Things to watch out for with this pet fence include:

The boundary adjustments you can make to the fence are only circular. Square or other shapes of fence boundaries are not possible The range of the fence depends on the topography of the area and obstructions, since metal objects and drastically uneven ground might reduce the range. Adjust the boundary by turning the dial on the transmitter, and the boundary will extend in a circle with the midpoint being the place where you choose to plug in the transmitter.

The transmitter must be plugged into an electrical outlet to work. The dog collar contains a receiver that receives radio frequencies that are sent from the transmitter. If the dog passes the boundary space set up by the transmitter, the collar delivers an electric shock.

Some tips I’ve gathered on using this fence:

I think PetSafe offers great customer service. If you need any further help setting up or diagnosing a problem with your pet fence, PetSafe is available by phone during the week and on Saturdays for free over-the-phone support.

Trainers recommend marking the invisible electric fence boundary with flags while training your dog in its location. When your dog nears the flags and the boundary, she will hear a warning tone from her collar and if she passes the zone, she’ll receive either the electric shock or the tone depending on your settings. After a few training sessions with the new fence, your dog will understand the boundaries and will follow them even if you remove the flag markers.

Some feature benefits include:

First of all, this product comes with everything you need for set up and to train your dog in its use.

• A waterproof, adjustable collar with receiver
• A collar receiver charger
• Collar receiver contact points, including short and long depending on the length of your dog’s coat
• Wrench for contact point
• A transmitter along with its power adapter
• A rechargeable battery for the collar
• A light-test tool to make sure the collar works right
• Product manual and a guide for training your dog to use this new system
• White training flags (50 of them) to place at the boundary while training with this new system
• Warranty for 1 year

• Adjustability: The ability to adjust the alert system to five different shock levels depending on his temperament is most useful when you choose to use this system with multiple dogs, each with a different alert level. You can easily adjust each dog’s collar receiver to the right place for him or her, and each of your dogs will have the same boundary to play within and with the level of correction that pertains to him.
• No wire fence! So many people love that this system doesn’t include any physical fencing to set up or look at in the yard. It’s super great to have your dog(s) stay within your yard or campsite without the hassle of putting up wired fencing.
• Lots of space! This fence can boundary nearly one acre (3/4 of an acre, or a diameter of 210 feet), enough to provide ample running space for your dog around your home.
• Collar flexibilities: The adjustability of the collar size allows you to begin using this same collar once your dog weighs at least 5 pounds, and while she grows into a full-grown dog.
• Additional dogs: The fence supports additional collars, so if you have more than one dog you can buy additional collar straps that will all work on the same system. Even if you have many, many dogs, this system will support a limitless amount of collars! Reviewers report using this collar for up to eight dogs without trouble. The collars that are compatible with this arrangement include the PIF-275-19, PIF00-12918, and IF-275.
• Effective! Reviewers report that the static correction on this collar is strong, and especially useful on large dogs that have a strong temperament. Beware though, as it is easy to set the collar too high for small dogs. Start low, reviewers suggest, and err on the side of caution especially with smaller dogs.
• Water proof: Since the collar is water proof, your dog is safe to play in water like lakes and in the rain. This is super nice, especially if you live in areas of the country where the weather is unpredictable and you would like the flexibility of allowing your dog to go out and play by himself rather than taking him out on a leash. If it is raining, you can stay inside and he can go out! This is also super useful near campsites with bodies of water where your dog would like to play but where you cannot set up another sort of fence to control how far he swims—feel free to allow your dog some free swim time with this electric fence that extends out into the lake so that he does not swim too far away!
• Alarm system: If the alarm system fails and the signal is improperly transmitted, an alarm will sound continuously to alert you of the problem.
• Portability! Since this fence is portable, it’s convenient for families who need to stake out a boundary around the home for their dog, but who also adventure in their RV frequently and want to bring their dog and have a boundary set for their campsite—they can use the same system!

Problems that I’ve noticed and that other reviewers have reported

• Rechargeable! The collar runs on a battery that recharges. Reviewers find that their dogs spend approximately two hours every day in the boundaries play area, and this amount of time allows three days of battery life before the batter needs recharging. The battery charges quickly, within two or three hours. However, the need to recharge at all seems a hassle, and can cause restrictions in when the dog is allowed out in the wirelessly fenced yard since if the battery is still charging from last time, she must wait two to three hours until she can go out to play. If this isn’t timed right, it could get annoying.
• Electric interruptions: If there are any electrical fields near the boundary, such as cars, refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioner units or furnaces, the performance of the fence is not as clean and perfect. Perhaps in the case of a campsite, this would not be such a problem.
• Collar discomforts: Some reviewers report that this collar with its receiver is quite heavy and very disliked by some dogs. The batter on this collar also would do better to last a longer amount of time, reports some.
• Inconsistent boundary: Once the boundary is set, it can change or drop out randomly. This causes obvious problems with keeping your dog safe and contained in a secure and consistent area.
• Metal incompatibility: This wireless system does not work well around metal objects, especially metal roofing. If there are plenty of metal objects in or near the area you hope to fence, this product is probably not the one for you!