You installed an underground dog fence so your dog can move around the yard, and move around freely – safely. When your dog plows right through it as if it’s not there, it’s more irritating. It’s a safety risk.
You’re not alone if your dog keeps running through the invisible fence or the underground fence is not working for your dog. One of the most prevalent problems for pet owners in Michigan and throughout the nation. The good news? The solution is usually possible – and it doesn’t necessarily imply that your system is broken.
Here are the most common reasons dogs break through underground pet fences, and how to correct each, as well as when you should contact an underground fence installer.
Why Dogs Run Through Underground Fences: The Core Reasons
Knowing why your dog is breaking through is crucial in order to get the best solution. Here are the most frequent offenders.
1. Improper or Incomplete Training
That is the #1 reason dogs break through under-ground fences. An electric dog fence cannot set it and forget it – it must be trained over time with a clear program for success.
If your dog has not been introduced to the boundary flags, correction levels and warning noises, they don’t know what it is. If the motivation is sufficiently great (a squirrel, a child across the street, another dog), they will do it without hesitation and in spite of any sore spots.
The Fix: Go back to the beginning of the underground fence training and repeat it. The majority of ground fence systems employ a training regime of 2-4 weeks, which consists of:
- Using boundary flags for the dog to see the area
- Leash walking near the border and hearing the warning tone from the dog
- To teach the dog to go back from the warning area, not push through
- Progressing towards off-leash supervised sessions
A lot of Michigan underground fence companies provide expert coaching assistance for packages. If it didn’t, you should consider scheduling a refresher session.
2. The Correction Level Is Too Low
Every dog can handle varying degrees of sensitivity. If the static correction setting on your dog’s receiver collar is too low, your dog may feel a mild tingle – but not enough to deter a motivated escape.
This is particularly prevalent when used with:
- Large or thick coated breeds (German Shepherds, Huskies, Labs)
- High-drive working breeds
- Dogs that are extremely distracted or excited
The Fix: Ensure receiver collar correction level settings. Many underground fence systems have adjustable correction levels. Slowly bring it up to a point where your dog clearly moves away from the lines and responds to it. The point isn’t to hurt your dog, it is to establish just enough of a deterrent that your dog will learn to understand the boundary.
3. The Collar Fit Is Wrong
Even the best of underground fence systems will be ineffective if the receiver collar is not installed correctly. A loose collar will not ensure that the point of pressure remains in constant contact with your dog’s coat, particularly with a thick coat and will not provide effective correction.
The Fix: Practice ‘two finger rule.’ There should be room for 2 fingers between the neck and the collar. The contact points need to be snugly placed on your dog’s neck. Do check the fit periodically, particularly if the puppy/dog is growing and/or loses/regains weight in a particular season.
Check the contact points for any corrosion or wear and replace them if necessary.
4. The Underground Wire Has a Break or Fault
If your system was in normal operation and your dog suddenly escapes, it may be due to a break in the buried wire. If the wire loop is broken, then the system is no longer able to properly transmit the signal – or it no longer sends any signal.
Wire breaks can happen due to:
- Lawn aeration or digging
- Landscaping projects
- Tree root growth
- Freeze-thaw periods (particularly significant in Michigan winters)
- Accidental cuts from shovels or lawn equipment
The Fix: Use a wire break locator (available at most pet supply stores or from your underground fence company) to find the point of the break. Upon finding it, use a suitable waterproof wire splicing kit to connect the wire. If you have no idea how to do it, you should hire a professional underground fence repair service to do it for you in no time.
5. Dead or Weak Collar Battery
This one may seem self-explanatory, but it is often forgotten. When the battery is dead or dying in your receiver collar, your dog is not corrected – which means the underground fence is totally useless.
The Fix: Check collar battery regularly for testing and set up a plan for battery replacement. The average lifespan of receiver collar batteries is 1-3 months based on usage and brand. Some new systems will have rechargeable collars that will remind you when the battery is low.
6. Your Dog Has Learned to ‘Blow Through’ the Fence
Some dogs (usually high-drive or escape artists) learn that if they can run quickly through the boundary zone, the short amount of discomfort is worth it when they’re released. There is no correction on the other side of the line and the reward is greater than the deterrent.
This is known as ‘bolting’ and it’s one of the more challenging behaviors to address.
The Fix: This will take a combination of a higher correction level and boundary training all over again. Apparently, some professional trainers suggest using methods called ‘pattern interruption’ which involves changing your dog’s focus at the instant it shows interest in the boundary. A certified underground fence trainer will be able to assist in creating a plan.
7. The Boundary Zone Is Too Narrow
By making the underground fence boundary zone (the width of the correction field around the wire) too narrow, dogs will not have enough warning time before they enter the correction field. Blowing is possible with fast dogs which may prevent them from registering the signal.
The Fix: Make your transmitter’s boundary width larger. The larger the area, the more time your dog has to hear the warning tone and then move away. Most dogs will benefit from a correction zone of 3-5 feet, usually.
When to Call a Professional Underground Fence Company in Michigan
If you have gone through the above checklist and your dog still escapes, then it’s time to take the help of professionals. A professional underground fence company can:
- Discover and fix wiring issues accurately
- Adjust your transmitter and collar settings
- Offer practical retraining for recalcitrant escape situations
- If your dog’s system is too weak, suggest upgrading it
Here at Underground Fence Michigan, we are experts in installing and repairing underground pet containment systems throughout Michigan and provide training support. You can either own another system or build a new one from scratch, but we can help you achieve consistent, reliable results.
Quick Troubleshooting Checklist
Take this quick checklist with you before calling for assistance:
- Does the receiver have a clean collar battery?
- Are the contact points making proper skin contact?
- Is the correction a level that you think is suitable for your dog’s size and temperament?
- Has the dog been properly trained to the boundary?
- Does the boundary zone extend to a sufficient width?
- Has the wire recently been disturbed (landscaped, aerated, dug up)?
- Is the transmitter plugged in and showing a solid signal light?
If you are ticking ‘no’ to several of these, you are probably onto the right track to your problem.
Final Thoughts
One of the best, least intrusive ways to allow your dog to enjoy the great outdoors safely is with an underground fence – provided it is set up, maintained, and trained properly. When it comes to your dog running through your underground fence, it’s almost always a mix of equipment inspection, fence settings, and some training reinforcement.
Don’t let a fixable problem put your dog at risk. Whether you need expert assistance with installation, troubleshooting or training, Underground Fence Michigan can help you with your pet fencing needs.
Contact us today at undergroundfencemichigan.com to schedule a consultation or repair visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Distraction thresholds are typically associated with inconsistent escapes. Your dog may obey the limit when he is not excited or on the chase, but is not obeying the correction when he is both excited and chasing. This usually means a higher correction level is required or training sessions need to be deepened to develop good boundary skills without distraction.
Yes, this can happen: it’s called ‘habituation.’ Repeated exposure to the same correction level over time can cause a dog to become desensitized to that level. This is typically done by raising the correction level or re-stabilizing the boundary association by restarting the training protocol.
Buried wire can be hard on the freeze-thaw cycle in Michigan. We suggest at least 1 – 3 inches of depth of the wire to avoid lawn equipment injuries, but still allow for frost movement. Some repairs may be more difficult if the hole is too deep.
Yes, actually, this is a positive sign of training. It requires your dog to know and respect the boundary. As long as they’re not attempting to push through, this behavior is perfectly normal and shows the system is working.
Underground fences are effective with most breeds, but some high-drive, high pain tolerance, and/or high prey drive breeds (such as Huskies, Beagles, or Jack Russell Terriers) may need more training or a higher level fence. A vet consultation will help to determine the best steps for your individual dog.
We recommend doing a monthly collar battery check, a weekly collar fit check, and a complete system test at the beginning of each spring following the winter frost heaving season in Michigan.