Hey everyone, we wanted to let you know that the office will be closed on Saturday and Monday for Memorial Day Weekend. Enjoy the holiday, and remember our troops!
Blog
Rainy Days
It’s raining today on Long Island, and most of the East Coast it seems! It’s been a long hard winter for much of the country and if you’re feeling a little stir-crazy, just imagine how your dog is feeling by now.
Dogs need exercise to be happy and healthy – just like we do. If you’re stuck inside because of the rain like us here at Fido’s Fences on Long Island, it might seem like the last thing you’ll want to do today but consider pulling on your rain gear and taking at least a short walk. Your dog will feel much better and likely be better behaved after burning off some of that extra energy.
If a rainy walk is just too much (we understand about wet dog smell, really), at least make some extra time for indoor play. You might have to get a little creative but your dog will appreciate it. If you have a treadmill at home and you think your dog is up to it, you can even train him to use that for an easy indoor exercise solution.
What indoor exercise solutions have you invented with your pets during the long winter and stormy spring? Share your best indoor exercise photo with us at mail@fidosfences.com! We’ll select our favorites to post here – winners will receive a 10% discount coupon for their next online order. (Contest ends April 19th 2011)
Communicating With Your Dog
Ever feel like your dog knows what you’re thinking? That’s not exactly the case – your dog may not understand that you’re upset because you had a really bad day at work today, but he is likely to stay close by and try to comfort you anyway. That’s because your dog understands your emotions, and is always responding to them.
It really is a case of not what you say, but how you say it. Shouting at your dog is never productive because dogs tend to interpret loud, emotional vocalizing as a sign of instability. Since your dog can’t understand the words, he can only respond to the tone – and the most likely response to shouting will be fear. A frightened dog is not going to respond the way you want him to.
By staying calm and in control with your dog at all times, you will reinforce your status with the dog as a leader – even when it’s your dog’s turn to reassure you, after a rough day.
It’s Spring!
Happy Spring! It’s still pretty chilly at nighttime here at Fido headquarters on Long Island, but the days are getting longer, the pollen count is getting higher, and all of our dogs are getting a little cabin fever. Your dog is probably spending more time outdoors, and may be starting to test the fence boundary as they get distracted by the sounds and smells of springtime. Taking a few preventative steps now might help you avoid some headaches with your pet containment system.
1) Collar Adjustment
– Make sure your dog’s collar fits properly. In our experience, 90% of the time when dogs escape their boundary, it’s because their well-meaning owner loosened the collar to keep them more comfortable. For your pet containment system to work properly, the metal probes of the receiver collar must be in contact with your dog’s skin at all times – even when he lowers his head to smell something.
2) Fresh Batteries – You might not have thought about battery replacement over the winter when you were not relying on your pet fence quite so much. Doublecheck your batteries by holding them close to the fence boundary (remember to hold it at dog-height, not your height!) and listen for the warning beep. That will let you know your battery is still working for now. In any case, if it’s been more than 3 months, you need a new battery. Contact us for a replacement or to sign up for our convenient battery subscription plan.
If you have any questions or if you’d like one of our obedience trainers to work with your dog, please call us! We’re happy to help with all of your pet questions. Monday through Saturday, you can find us at 516 922 7272 between 9am-
5pm Eastern.
Surge Protectors
We had some thunderstorms here at Fido’s Fences headquarters on Long Island over the weekend. The beginning of spring thunderstorm season is a good reminder how important a Fido’s Fences brand surge protector can be.
The wire for your electronic pet containment system of any brand is safely buried out of sight and more or less out of mind – until lightning or an AC surge damages your system. Our inexpensive, easy-to-install surge protector can help prevent this.
Fido’s Fences Universal Surge Protectors are compatible with all of the in-ground pet containment systems including Invisible Fence®, Dogwatch®, DogGuard®, Innotek®, Contain-A-Pet®, Pet Stop®, Perimeter Technologies®, Radio Fence®, and all others. Visit the Store page to place your order.