National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

November 1-7 is National Animal Shelter Appreciation week. The HSCI center would not be running today if it were not for the staff whose work and success is often under appreciated. Remember that HSCI is a non-profit organization.

Take the time during the week of Nov 1st-7th to show your support with a kind word, a gesture of appreciation, or a donation to the shelter.

Visit the pet adoption center at 423 Kays Dr. Normal, IL or call them at 309-451-1000

You can make a difference! National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week is November 1-7 and the Humane Society of Central Illinois (HSCI) encourages you to make a difference by participating in our first annual Community Day.

Animal shelters serve the community in many ways: responding to calls for assistance from the public, helping families find a new animal companion, rescuing injured animals, and returning lost animals to their owners. Perhaps most compassion for all living creatures.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, make a difference by helping us continue our mission to find loving, forever homes for unwanted pets in our area. Consider donating 10% of your sales to HSCI (as Culver’s and Chili’s have recently done) or get your employees involved by allowing them to wear jeans for a day for a $5.00 donation to HSCI.

Skeeter’s story is just one example of how the money you donate to HSCI benefits local animals:

Skeeter came to HSCI as a victim of abuse… burned with battery acid as punishment. HSCI provided emergency vet care and helped him recuperate while he waited for adoption. Despite the cruelty Skeeter experienced, he was a loving dog with a kind spirit. An HSCI volunteer picked up on Skeeter’s gentleness, fell in love with him, and adopted him! His favorite spot is, of course, the bed. After the bed is made, Skeeter digs back the covers and makes himself at home with his head resting on the pillow. Looks like Skeeter has found his loving, forever home!

Won’t you help us help other pets like Skeeter? We need your support now more than ever! A not-for-profit animal welfare organization, we do not receive federal, state or local tax dollars. To supplement nominal membership and adoption fees, we rely heavily on fundraising and donations from those who have a commitment to animal welfare. And keep in mind, since HSCI is a 501(c)3 organization, donations are tax deductible!

Please contact me at (309) 287-8544 to get more information or to add your business to the list of businesses in our area that are willing to participate and make a difference in the lives of local animals. The Humane Society of Central Illinois and the pets thank you for your time and consideration!

Sincerely,

Sarah Corbin
Events Coordinator

We have been made aware by a concerned pet owner that there is an electronic pet fence company that is trying to put puppies on a electric puppy fence system as early as 8-12 weeks of age.

PLEASE, DON’T DO THIS YOUR PUPPY!

Your puppy can be irreparably harmed by allowing this to happen. Studies have shown that each puppy goes through a “fear imprint” phase from 6 to 16 weeks of age. Anything that can psychologically effect this puppy during this period can scar them for his entire life.

• This can mean a shy, timid and fearful dog afraid of people ,noises, practically everything.
• This can result in a house trained dog using the bathroom in his favorite spot in the house.
• Or this can mean that your dog can grow up to be aggressive towards people or other animals.

Fence companies that would do this know nothing about dog behavior. It is cruel. It is barbaric. It is totally wrong.   Now you understand why some people think electronic underground fencing is bad.  It’s not bad … if you do your homework.

If you decide to invest your dog’s life with another dog containment company … that is your choice. Please do not put your puppy on the puppy fence system at this age. Meet with your dog trainer or veterinarian to decide what is best for your puppy.  I trust that they will concur with our assertions.

If we can help you, do not hesutate to call.  We may not be for everyone; but, it costs nothing to find out.  One thing I can say is, we truly do care about pets.

Here is another article on our Underground Pet Fence Review series that should help you to find the best possible containment system for you and your pet.

It is easy to purchase the right fence system for your pet if you do your homework. Still; the responsibility doesn’t stop with your selection of a pet containment system.

I recommend you locate a professional dog trainer that has experience with electronic dog collars to help you work with your dog.  It can be quite traumatic to a dog if not introduced to the fence system properly. Very few pet fence companies have professional dog trainers in their workforce. If your local dog fence company does not have a professional dog trainer, hire a local trainer who is familiar with conditioning dogs on electronic dog collars. This will not cost much; but, it will greatly improve the effectiveness of the system.

Personality, temperament and drive is what makes each dog who he will become. Much like humans, each dog is a little unique. This is why we urge you have a professional trainer to assist with dog conditioning on the containment system.

This is what occurs in the conditioning process AFTER the dog evaluation occurs (Do not follow these guidelines for your dog unless you have been advised by a professional trainer. This is a general guideline of what occurs during conditioning.):

The first step in training before you let your dog loose on the dog fence system is to familiarize him to the edges of your property. You could use flags to mark the boundaries. (Your Contain-A-Pet dealer/trainer may also suggest a string and flag fence if your dog is of a certain temperament.) Once you begin using the electric dog fence it is these boundaries that your dog would have to recognize in order to keep the electronic dog collar from beeping. You have to teach your pet the boundaries of the dog containment system. You have to teach your dog that when it hears the activation tone it must run from the boundaries towards the middle of the yard. This will teach him that he needs to be within the boundary in order to avoid the toning sound and correction. This training process usually takes approximately 5 to seven days.

The next step would be to attach a long leash line to your dog and have someone walk towards the boundary and see if your dog follows along. If he tries to cross the boundary then it may mean that you will have to repeat the first step again. If your dog does stop at the boundary, he has learned the first lesson correctly.  Now you can increase testing to ensure he does not test the boundary.

Use bigger distractions like balls, Frisbees, etc thrown outside the boundary.  Watch to see if your dog tries to get them. If he does, go back to step one. If he adheres to the boundaries, shower him with praise. It is now time to set your dog free but always under constant supervision until you are sure that he will not test the boundary.

Try to be patient and be sure your dog has adjusted to the dog fence system before you allow him to run unsupervised. You can begin removing flags when you are comfortable that the dog has learned the boundary limits. If not sure, ask your trainer.

This is just a general review to the most effective training on the dog containment system. Only the ill-informed or uncaring dog owner would turn their dog out on their pet fence without training. Always ask a professional trainer the best way to condition your particular dog before you start.

Underground Pet Fence Review – How do you choose the best pet fence from you?  There are many choices.  Internet sales, catalog sales, department store sales, local pet fence installers who buy from these sources and install them for you and full-service electric pet fence companies.

I am biased; but, I believe in most situations (not all) that the most effective pet containment system is from Contain-A-Pet.  This is the first in a series of underground pet fence review articles that will help you to determine if an electronic fence for dogs is the right decision for you.

Where should I purchase my pet fence?

As a master dog trainer and an electronic pet fence owner, I would unquestionably say “No” to buying a pet containment system by any of the above sources except from full-service electric pet fence companies.

Why?

It is possible to psychologically affect your dog if the training and conditioning is not done properly.

Most pet owners  just place the pet containment fence collar on their dog, work one to two days training  and shock the heck out of their dog.  Some dogs (depending on the dog personality or dog  temperament) do adapt this way; but you scare them doing it.  You can even mentally scar your dog doing this particularly if this comes during one of the two fear imprint stages a dog goes through during their puppy and young adult life.

The correction is not what keeps most dogs at home. Proper training  is the reason they stay home.  I often hear people tell me about the dogs they see  running down the street that are on these store bought underground dog fence systems.  Training, conditioning, lack of available service  and system reliability are probably the reason this is happening.

The stubborn dogs probably believe this tingling they are receiving around their neck is just a part of every day life.  They learn to ignore it.  If they see something  on the other side of the dog containment system they want, they escape.

The only conceivable way I would buy one of these invisible “type” fence systems (by the ways brought up above)  is if I knew a professional trainer that  me.

This is true with a full service dog fence company also.  I would not assume that the  person working with my dog is qualified to train.  I would make sure!  And, in most situations I would  make sure my trainer is a real dog trainer fully capable of reading my dog’s personality and  temperament.

As a loving dog owner, where to buy a dog fence would be one my biggest concerns when researching pet fence reviews.