How It Works

How remote training collars and GPS fences work

Two different tools for two different jobs. A training collar gives you a signal at distance. A GPS fence gives your dog a boundary they learn on their own. Here's how to use each one properly.

Part 1 — Remote training collars

The three modes

• Tone (beep). A sound marker. This is where every dog should start, and where most dogs stay. It works as a recall cue once your dog associates it with coming back.
• Vibration. A buzz on the collar. Useful outdoors when wind or distance makes a beep hard to hear, and for dogs who tune out sound.
• Static (adjustable). A brief, adjustable stimulation across many levels. It exists for genuine safety situations — a dog heading for a road — not for everyday correction.

Four steps to start

1. Fit the collar. Snug enough that the contact points touch the skin, loose enough to slide two fingers underneath. A loose collar gives inconsistent signals; a tight one causes pressure sores. Move the collar's position on the neck every few hours and take it off overnight.
2. Let your dog wear it first. Two or three days with the collar on and switched off, so they don't connect the hardware itself with the signal.
3. Start with tone only. Press the tone, then immediately give a command your dog already knows — usually recall. Reward the response. Repeat in short sessions until the tone alone brings them back.
4. Add intensity only if you need it. If you move to vibration or static, find the lowest level your dog notices — a small ear flick or head turn. That level is the working level. Higher is not better.

What makes it work

Consistency, not intensity. Ten focused minutes a day beats an hour once a week. Always pair a signal with a command — signalling on its own teaches confusion, not behaviour. And never use the collar when you're frustrated; the timing goes wrong and your dog learns the wrong association.

Part 2 — Wireless GPS fences

How the boundary is set

The collar receives a satellite position. You stand at the centre of the area you want to contain, press to capture that point, then set a radius — anywhere from 15 m up to 2,000 m. There is no buried wire, no base station, and nothing to repair after winter. Because the boundary lives in the collar, you can take it camping, to a rental, or to the family cabin.

How your dog learns it

1. Warning zone first. As your dog approaches the edge, the collar gives a warning tone, then vibration. Most dogs learn the edge within a handful of approaches.
2. Walk the line with them. For the first week, walk your dog toward the boundary on a leash so they hear the warning while you're beside them, then turn back together and reward it.
3. Supervise until it's reliable. Watch them off-leash near the edge for several days before you trust the boundary unattended.

Limits you should know about

GPS containment works best in open areas with a clear view of the sky. Accuracy can drift near dense tree cover, tall buildings or steep terrain, so set your boundary with a safety margin rather than right on the property line. It is a training aid — not a substitute for a physical fence where a road, a waterway or livestock is involved.

Safety

• Not suitable for puppies under six months, or for dogs with aggression, anxiety or fear-based behaviour — speak to a trainer or vet first.
• Check the skin under the contact points daily. Redness means the fit is too tight or the collar has been on too long.
• Maximum 8–10 hours of wear per day, repositioned every few hours.
• If your dog shows fear or distress at any level, stop and go back to tone only.

Still unsure which product suits your dog? Get in touch — tell us your dog's size and where they run, and we'll point you to the right one.