Problem Solving Radio Collar Dog Fences

The Boundary Wire

The activation distance varies along the boundary:

• Make sure you are testing the collar distance exactly as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  Put the collar into training mode. (Never use containment mode for testing distance.) Hold the collar at the same height and angle that is worn by your dog. The front of the case must face toward the boundary wire. The radio antenna inside the collar “looks” through the front of the case. In other words, the collar is looking in the same direction as your dog and will cease to see the signal if the collar turns away from the boundary wire. Slight variations in distance are usual so do not try to define a line over which your dog can’t pass. The aim is to produce a no-go area, not a boundary line. .
• At corners the distance is slightly increased because the signal adds together from two directions. The user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...This is because the radio collar calculates the distance by measuring the strength of the radio signal. At corners the signal is detected from two directions at once and this additional strength causes the no-go area to round off on the inside corners. If the containment area is small, you may want to reduce this effect. You can achieve this by gradually raising the wire to the top of the fence at the corner. Start at about 2m to 4m from the corner. Ramp back down over the same distance after the corner. describes how to reduce this effect.
• We do not recommend that you raise the boundary wire above dog height as this can reduce the distance over that section with unpredictable results.
• If the boundary wire is run next to a steel object, the steel may absorb some of the radio signal and cause a slightly shorter distance in that section. A concrete driveway, for example, will have a shorter activation distance because of the steel inside the concrete. Move the wire further inside the property so the collar activates sooner. OR, increase the collar's activation distance to proportionally increase the distance everywhere. OR, rewire the boundary as described in the "Customized Boundary" section of the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  "Customized Boundary" - Page 3
  "Wiring Techniques" - Page 4 .

The activation distance is low everywhere:

• Make sure you are testing the collar distance exactly as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  Put the collar into training mode. (Never use containment mode for testing distance.) Hold the collar at the same height and angle that is worn by your dog. The front of the case must face toward the boundary wire. The radio antenna inside the collar “looks” through the front of the case. In other words, the collar is looking in the same direction as your dog and will cease to see the signal if the collar turns away from the boundary wire. Slight variations in distance are usual so do not try to define a line over which your dog can’t pass. The aim is to produce a no-go area, not a boundary line. .
• Select a longer activation distance inside the collar.
• Check the boundary wire for kinks. If you find one, the wire may be partially broken inside the insulation. This could reduce the activation distance. Cut it out and rejoin the wire using the Sureguard repair kit.
• Always cut the boundary wire to length. Do not leave excess wire on the spool.
• The maximum activation distance on long boundaries is reduced. Compensate by increasing the collar's distance setting. An 800m boundary is about 30% less. A 1500m boundary is about 50% less.
• Installing the collar protector (chew guard) will reduce the maximum activation distance by about 30%. Compensate by increasing the collar's distance setting.

How can I easily locate a break in the boundary wire?

• Follow this procedure: download.[Click to download this file]
  

The Transmitter

The solar transmitter has a low battery (power+fault light flashes):

• If you have recently installed or altered the location of the transmitter then verify the solar setup as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...1/ When installed, the mounting post must be vertical. (See illustrations).
  2/ The solar panel MUST FACE NORTH in Australia. To check the North direction, stand behind the post and transmitter at 12-noon (1pm during daylight saving). With the shadow of the post at your feet, you are facing north.
  3/ It is vital that NO SHADOWS fall on the solar panel between 9am and 3pm. Dappled sunlight is unsuitable. Prolonged operation under such conditions will reduce the battery life. .
• If the fault started in winter your solar setup may be slightly wrong. Verify the solar setup as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...1/ When installed, the mounting post must be vertical. (See illustrations).
  2/ The solar panel MUST FACE NORTH in Australia. To check the North direction, stand behind the post and transmitter at 12-noon (1pm during daylight saving). With the shadow of the post at your feet, you are facing north.
  3/ It is vital that NO SHADOWS fall on the solar panel between 9am and 3pm. Dappled sunlight is unsuitable. Prolonged operation under such conditions will reduce the battery life. .
• Continuously cloudy weather for more than 7-10 days will cause the low battery warning to trigger but the transmitter will operate beyond this time. The transmitter might switch off automatically over night if the power gets too low. If you have a spare rechargeable battery that is already charged you can swap these over to handle another 7-10 days continuous cloud. One full day of sunlight will restore 24 hour operation.
• If the battery has had two full years of use then its capacity to run in cloudy weather will be reduced. You can continue using the battery under these circumstances but we recommend it should be replaced. Replace only with the approved Sureguard solar battery!
• If you replaced the solar battery with a different kind then the battery is probably not suited to the application. It's important that you replace the battery only with the Sureguard brand.
• NOTE: The solar panel will only function in full sunlight. Dappled sunlight is not suitable for photovoltaic solar panels.

The transmitter is not working and just the fault light is on:

• Remove all power to the transmitter in order to reset the electronics. Remove mains power, battery power and/or cover the solar panel. Perform the self test as described in the user instructions.[Click to download this file]
  ...1/ Switch OFF the Fence. 2/ Disconnect the boundary wires and connect the two output terminals together using a short piece of wire. 3/ Switch the Fence ON. If the transmitter now operates properly, the fault is in your boundary wire. However, if this self test does not clear the fault contact Sureguard for advice. If it fails the test or the problem repeatedly reoccurs then call Sureguard for advice.

The transmitter's fence+fault light flashes:

• Perform the self test as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...1/ Switch OFF the Fence. 2/ Disconnect the boundary wires and connect the two output terminals together using a short piece of wire. 3/ Switch the Fence ON. If the transmitter now operates properly, the fault is in your boundary wire. However, if this self test does not clear the fault contact Sureguard for advice. . If it passes this test then look for a break on your boundary wire. If it fails the test then call Sureguard for advice.
• Always use the approved Sureguard wire repair kit. Redo any unapproved repairs.
• If you have a kink in the boundary wire we recommend you cut this out and repair it using the Sureguard repair kit.

The mains powered transmitter is not working and none of the panel lights glow:

• Is the power adapter properly plugged in at the energizer and wall sockets?
• If you have just installed backup batteries, check for proper orientation in the battery holder.
• If you have just installed new batteries they may be flat. They will charge when the transmitter is connect to the mains power. The power light should come on within a few minutes.
• If you have installed old batteries they may be bad. Try another set.
• Remove any old backup batteries in case they have failed.
• If the transmitter works from backup batteries but not from the power adapter then the internal power surge protection fuses need replacing. Call Sureguard for advice.

The solar powered transmitter is not working and none of the panel lights glow:

• Is the positive end of the battery aligned to the positive end of the battery holder?
• Try removing the battery and facing the solar panel into full sun. If the power light glows this means the battery is faulty (due to age) and must be replaced.

The Collar

The collar is indicating alert code #3 (dog not feeling correction):

• Use the collar output tester to verify that the correction is within specification and the collar is operating. If the test fails call Sureguard for advice. If the collar passes this test then check the fit of the collar and if necessary trim your dogs fur behind the collar.

The collar emits no sound but the light activates:

• The collar does a self test when a new battery is installed. During the self test the light and buzzer are switched on. You should perform this self test by removing the old battery, pressing the battery arm down to reset the collar, inserting a new battery and verifying that the light and sound occur. Repeat this test a few times to verify it consistently works. Call Sureguard if the device is faulty.

When the battery is inserted the collar doesn't emit any sound or light:

• Ensure that the positive terminal of the battery is uppermost.
• Try cleaning the battery holder and battery as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...After removing the battery, clean the battery holder with a toothbrush and dishwashing liquid. Rinse clean. Dry with a tissue. Leave to air dry. Open the new battery packet. Clean the battery between a dry tissue. Hold the battery by the edges. Do not finger the contact surfaces. IMPORTANT: Press the battery arm down to reset the electronics and re-tension the battery arm. Make sure the battery’s positive terminal is facing uppermost and slide the new battery into place under the battery arm. .
• Try another battery.

When the battery is inserted the collar continuously emits the low battery alert:

• Try cleaning the battery holder and battery as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...After removing the battery, clean the battery holder with a toothbrush and dishwashing liquid. Rinse clean. Dry with a tissue. Leave to air dry. Open the new battery packet. Clean the battery between a dry tissue. Hold the battery by the edges. Do not finger the contact surfaces. IMPORTANT: Press the battery arm down to reset the electronics and re-tension the battery arm. Make sure the battery’s positive terminal is facing uppermost and slide the new battery into place under the battery arm. .
• Press the arm on the battery holder down several times to re tension it.
• Remove and re-insert the battery.
• Try another battery.

Battery life is short:

• Try cleaning the battery holder and battery as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...After removing the battery, clean the battery holder with a toothbrush and dishwashing liquid. Rinse clean. Dry with a tissue. Leave to air dry. Open the new battery packet. Clean the battery between a dry tissue. Hold the battery by the edges. Do not finger the contact surfaces. IMPORTANT: Press the battery arm down to reset the electronics and re-tension the battery arm. Make sure the battery’s positive terminal is facing uppermost and slide the new battery into place under the battery arm. .
• Re-tension the battery arm by pressing it down a few time. (If the pressure of the arm on the battery is low it might prematurely trigger a low battery).
• If the collar was made before August 2009 the battery life is 30-60 days. The current model is 6-18 months.

The correction doesn't feel very strong:

• The correction is designed to stimulate neck muscles. The correction will feel weaker on bigger muscles. So, if you want to correctly "feel" the strength of the correction, place the collar in the palm of your hand while your hand is relaxed.
• The proper method of testing the correction is by using the supplied collar tester.

The collar activates away from the boundary:

• if the collar is activated in the inner zone and your dog runs back to you it might appear to have falsely triggered when in fact it was still completing the correction cycle triggered at the boundary.
• The Activation Distance might have been set too long. Reduce it, especially if the current activation distance is more than 15% of the smallest property boundary width.
• If the activation was near a large metal object within the containment area then re-wire the boundary as described in the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  ...When wiring like example #1, it is important to keep the wire as far away as possible from large steel objects because the radio signal can distort through and around the object (does not apply to steel fencing). For example, a boundary wire run behind a shed might result in the collar activating at the front of the shed. A Trampoline near the wire can might cause the collar to trigger directly under its frame. Steel frames houses or a steel staircase may also distort the signal. A single wire run along a house wall can transmit its signal through the steel footings to doorways on the other side of the house. All of these situations can be fixed by increasing the separation of the wire to the steel object, or reducing the activation distance in the collar. A doubled boundary wire like example #2 or 3 will always solve this issue. (Call technical support if you need assistance). for signal anomalies. (Signal anomalies are caused by the physics of the situation not a particular brands performance.)
• If the activation was within 2m of the transmitter's case then move the transmitter to a more appropriate location.
• Remove any metal objects within 2cm of the LED light on the side of the collar case. Metal can make the antenna more sensitive which will increase the activation distance. For example, metal tags, rings, collars, etc. Micro-chiped ears are okay. (Many brands give similar advice).

Dog Behaviour Problems

My dog has just started wearing the collar but continues to escape:

• If the collar is indicating alert code #3, your dog is not feeling the correction. Not enough fur was trimmed behind the collar, or the collar is slack.
• Your dog must experience the correction in order to learn to avoid it. Your dog's persistence will cause the correction level to automatically increase. Wait for your dog to learn. DO NOT re-train your dog! If after 7 days the escape behaviour continues, talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for advice.
• Check whether the collar activated when your dog crossed the boundary. The indicator light should glow red while inside the no-go area. The escape indicator increments each time the collar activates. Test the collar at the boundary to ensure it does activate. Try increasing the activation distance.
• If you haven't done the initial training and your dog has experienced the correction DO NOT CONTINUE! Talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for further advice.

After several months my dog has started to escape:

• If the collar is indicating alert code #3, your dog is not feeling the correction. Trim the fur behind the collar, or check if the collar is slack.
• A change in your dog's living environment or other circumstances may have induced your dog to challenge the boundary. The collar will automatically increase the correction level. Wait for your dog to re-learn the boundary avoidance. Try increasing the activation distance. Make sure the collar is activating at the boundary. DO NOT re-train your dog! If after 7 days the escape behaviour continues, talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for advice.
• Use the collar output tester to verify that the collar is producing a correction when your dog crosses the boundary.
• Try increasing the activation distance and installing training flags at the outer edge of the no-go area. When your dog's behaviour comes good you can remove the flags.

My dog chases animals and ignores the correction:

• Check the issues listed above.
• If the system is working correctly, the collar triggers and no errors are reported, then your dog needs special training to modify this behaviour. Talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for special training methods. Do not repeat the initial training method.
• Try increasing the activation distance and installing training flags at the outer edge of the no-go area. When your dog's behaviour comes good you can remove the flags.

My dog runs across the boundary and ignores the correction:

• Check the issues listed above.
• If the system is working correctly, the collar triggers and no errors are reported, then your dog needs special training to modify this behaviour. Talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for special training methods. Do not repeat the initial training method.
• Try increasing the activation distance and installing training flags at the outer edge of the no-go area. When your dog's behaviour comes good you can remove the flags.

My dog goes into the no-go area to bark at people/other dogs/etc.:

• Your dog may associate the correction with the person/dog/etc that is triggering your dogs wrong behaviour. Do not continue using the containment collar system until this behavioural problem is fixed. Talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for special training methods. Do not repeat the initial training method.

My dog responded quickly and is contained but seems generally nervous:

• Check whether the collar is inappropriately activating because the distance setting is too high. The maximum distance should never be more than 15% of your properties minimum width. Also, test the collar next to any large metal objects near the wire to verify it does not activate. Refer to the user instructions[Click to download this file]
  "Customized Boundary" - Page 3
  "Wiring Techniques" - Page 4 to solve signal anomalies.
• Ordinarily, most dogs do not show nervousness when placed on the collar containment system. It's likely your dog's nervousness will settle after a week or so. Talk to one of Sureguard's trainers if this behaviour persists.

I took my dog off the system for several month. Should I re-train my dog?

• No. NEVER redo the initial training.
• Most dog's will remember the collar and how to respond. Allow 7 days for any escape behaviour to settle.
• If your dog continue to escape, talk to one of Sureguard's trainers for special training methods. Do not repeat the initial training method.

My dog has chewed the collar:

• You should return the collar to Sureguard whether or not it is still working. We will advise you if the collar is safe to use. We will probably suggest you order a collar protector (chew guard) !