Frequently Asked Questions

The DogWatch Hidden Fence is a pet fencing system that uses an electronic FM radio signal to keep your dog IN a designated containment area, such as a yard; or OUT of an area, such as a swimming pool, patio, or garden. Our pet containment fences also work in the interior of your home to keep your pet off a couch or away from a kitchen counter.

A hidden wire, buried underground, carries the harmless, low level FM radio signal around the containment area. Your dog wears a receiver on a collar that emits a mild stimulation, or correction, when he gets too close to the boundary. With an indoor dog containment fence, the hidden wire runs around your couch or other containment area and is invisible to the eye.

Your pet is trained by a DogWatch Dealer and learns the containment area through voice commands and visual flags that are set inside the hidden fence. Your dog goes through a training session with you for a few minutes each day for 7 to 10 days. With training, the dog remembers the placement of the flags and is taught to stay within the containment area. During the training period, flags are slowly taken away. If your dog goes to within 5-10 feet of the boundary, he’ll hear a warning sound indicating he’s too close to the containment fence. If the dog reaches the boundary, he will receive a mild correction.

DogWatch Hidden Fences should not be confused with Invisible Fence® or Invisible Fencing® which are products and registered trademarks of Invisible Fence, Inc.

A hidden fence is often referred to as “invisible.” Dog fence systems, however, are not all the same. Exclusive safety and convenience features make DogWatch Hidden Fences the best choice in the pet containment fence industry.

SafeLink™ FM Technology!
DogWatch is the only Hidden Fence System that uses an FM radio (fences from all other pet fencing brands use AM radio) signal. SafeLink provides your pet with the best protection against unintentional stimulation from stray radio signals (e.g., garage door openers, televisions and computers). Police, fire and aircraft equipment all use an FM system. SafeLink is more safe and secure for your pet.

Extended Battery Life For Greater Safety and Consistent Performance!
Both the R8 and R1200 Receivers deliver two-year battery life — eight times longer than the battery life of an Invisible Fence ® receiver! The less often you change batteries, the less likely your containment system will fail due to a loss of battery power. And there’s the added bonus, of being more environmentally friendly — in 10 years, you’ll be using only five DogWatch batteries instead of 40 Invisible Fence ® batteries!

Lower Maintenance Costs!
Not surprisingly it also costs less to buy five batteries than 40! A lot less!! And while we strongly recommend that you purchase replacement batteries for your dog containment fence from your local Dealer, DogWatch replacement batteries (unlike Invisible Fence ®) are standard lithium batteries that are available from a variety of sources.

In short our batteries last longer, cost less and are more easily obtainable!

Convenient Features for Pet Owners!

• Our status light tells you if the receiver is operating properly, indicates what training level you’re using, and when the battery power is low.
• DogWatch includes a unique feature that allows you to correct your dog with an audible-only reminder when he approaches the electronic fence. This pet-friendly™ feature is available on all DogWatch products.
• DogWatch features the broadest pet training range in the industry. Whether your pet is timid or energetic, we have a training level that will uniquely meet their needs.
• YOU can adjust our receiver to the training level that works best for your pet's personality and size. No need for a service call or any other charges.

Invisible Fence® is a registered trademark of Invisible Fence, Inc.

• Our exclusive AutoMemory™ feature constantly monitors and automatically adjusts the training level for your dog if he "challenges" his boundary. It's available in the R7 and R8 receivers.
• Both receivers also feature FastReact™ — the fastest response time in the industry. At .125 of a second, if your pet challenges the electronic fence the receiver will react immediately — at the beginning of the avoidance zone — not when he’s half way through. This feature helps ensure your pet responds to the radio dog fences’ signal while still INSIDE the containment area.
• Our Pet-Friendly™ audible-only training option allows you to have your pet receive an audible "beep" tone before he feels a correction OR you can have him receive just an audible-only tone without a correction at all.
• DogWatch transmitters constantly, monitor your electronic dog fence and lets you know if you have a break in your underground wire.
• Your DogWatch Hidden Fence System has a lifetime equipment warranty when installed by an authorized DogWatch Dealer.

Digital modulation (DM) is a generic term. DM is not a form of a signal. In the pet containment industry, all AM and FM signals are DM similar to what you would find in a car radio. Fences from Invisible Fence®, Pet Stop®, and other brands all use forms of Amplitude Modulation (AM). DogWatch is the only vendor in the pet containment industry with Frequency Modulation (FM). The differences between AM and FM are substantial:

– AM receivers are susceptible to interference from other products such as computers, garage door openers, and televisions.

– FM signals are used by police, fire, and aircraft equipment because the reception is much more immune to interference.

DogWatch is the only manufacturer of Hidden Fences with a patented FM radio signal. We believe FM is more secure and offers major safety advantages for you and your pet.

An FM radio system allows us to offer the consumer a greater number of features. An FM radio wave is more concise and therefore allows faster reception of the signal than waves from an AM radio. Fences from; DogWatch can pack more features to protect your pet (FastReact™), and are convenient for you (AutoMemory™), while providing the longest battery life in the industry.

With a two-year battery life, there is less chance of your receiver not working due to a dead battery — and this is safer for your pet. A two-year battery life has additional advantages: it’s more convenient for you, since you have to change the battery only once compared to eight times in two years with an Invisible Fence® receiver. And as an added bonus, a two-year battery life is much more environmentally friendly: in ten years, you’ll use five DogWatch batteries compared to 40 Invisible Fence® batteries.

We stock replacement batteries for DogWatch receivers. You can purchase individual batteries or a DogWatch Battery Replacement Plan, or you can buy your batteries at our PetWorks store, or at a retail store near you. No matter how you get your DogWatch batteries, your costs will be significantly less than the Invisible Fence brand: you can expect to pay around $20 every two years for your DogWatch batteries.

Your R8 or R1200 battery must be a 3.6 volt Saft LS-14250.
Your R7 or R1200m battery must be a 3.0 volt Varta CR 1/3N or a GE Sanyo GES-LC2-1/3N.

No. All hidden fences systems emit a correction that is less than 25% of the energy found in a static electricity shock that most people have experienced. This type of stimulation has been used in dog training for over 40 years. And the amount of correction can be adjusted so that a dog receives the appropriate level of stimulation for its size. DogWatch products are used and recommended by veterinarians.

Yes. There is no limit to the number of dogs our hidden pet fencing can protect at one time.

The DogWatch Hidden Fence System has both an internal lightning surge protector in the transmitter as well as an external surge protector.

The DogWatch PowerPak™ is an auxiliary power supply that provides hours of power to your electronic fence until your household electrical service can be restored.

Pet fencing from DogWatch can cost much less than traditional fencing and do far more. For example, you can contain your dog IN your yard, but keep him OUT of a pool area, garden or driveway gate. Contact us for an estimate on your individual property. Our systems are in small urban yards and 300 acre orchards.

Once you buy the pet fencing system, you can expand it or take it with you when you move.

DogWatch offers models that can cover properties up to 200 acres. You can contain your dog in or out of most anywhere, including interior features of your home such as couches, dining rooms, and counter tops. Contact us for a free consultation and estimate.

Pet fencing from DogWatch are designed to keep your dog at home and out of trouble. It will only keep other dogs out if they are wearing DogWatch receiver.

As a general guideline, your pet should be at least 5 to 6 months old. However, some dogs may mature earlier than others because of breed, size or disposition. If your pet can follow the three basic commands of come, sit, and stay; he may be ready for an electronic dog fence. We can evaluate your dog and make a recommendation as to when training should begin.

Our systems work with all breeds, ages, and sizes of dogs. However, this type of product is not intended for use with dogs that have a history of aggressive behavior.

If the initial training was done properly, this will rarely happen. If your dog does get out, check to make sure the collar is on securely. On our new receivers, check the status light. You may also increase the range of the signal to keep the dog further from the hidden fence or increase the correction level. Perhaps due to recent landscaping, there is a break in your underground wire that is invisible to your eye. We are available to support you. There are many ways to adjust your DogWatch system. Contact us if you need help.

We offer a lifetime equipment warranty on our outdoor systems installed by an authorized Dealer. There is also a limited 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the system.

We do one thing: design, manufacture and install pet containment systems that keep your pet safe, indoors or out. We sell our products through Authorized Dealers only.

DogWatch Hidden Fence Systems Dealers are located throughout the continental United States, Alaska, and in 17 countries including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

We’ve been surrounding pets with freedom since 1990 and have successfully contained over 300,000 pets. We’re a privately-owned, people-oriented company that takes pride in our quality customer service. Our engineers constantly research and develop new ways to make our products the safest for your pet and the easiest for you to use in your home. We strive to create the best pet containment products in the industry.

No, all pet fencing systems are electronic dog fences, not to be confused with electric dog fences. There’s really no such thing as “electric dog fences”. Electric fences are barriers usually found in ranching or livestock-management settings which use an electrified wire at the boundary.

Fences from Dogwatch and other pet containment fence systems are radio dog fences and not electric dog fences; they are pet fencing that uses an electronic radio signal to keep your dog IN a designated containment area, such as a yard; or OUT of an area. The stimulation your dog receives comes only from the collar and it will not hurt or cause pain to your pet.