GentleSteps Boundary Training

Proven dog fence teaching process for every size, age, breed and personality.

Short 20–30 minute sessions over one to three weeks, set by the dog rather than a calendar. Learning and play build the trust; trust becomes the boundary.

Jeff Campbell has been installing pet containment since 1994, starting with Invisible Fence® in Columbus, Ohio, and has been a Pet Stop dealer since 2002 — with hands-on containment training for over 25,000 pets and counting.

Conditioning a response

The protocol we use is called GentleSteps, and it has been refined to eliminate negative side effects. The founding principle: your dog is never punished for approaching the boundary.

Three tools establish new behaviors:

• Flags give a visual cue to learn avoidance.
• Tone from the Pet Stop collar gives the audible cue to learn retreat.
• Treats and praise are the reward for good choices.

Both good outcomes — avoidance and retreat — earn a reward, so there is no version of the lesson where your dog loses.

Introducing static with tone is a focus-breaker, not a penalty. It works the way a tap on the shoulder works when you are staring at your phone. That distinction is why the GentleSteps method works for nervous dogs and stubborn ones alike. We never make the yard feel like a dangerous place. We are making one edge of it uninteresting.

What we won’t do is walk your dog into the boundary to show it what happens. Your dog has to make the choice for the lesson to stick. Leading it there teaches that you are the one who caused the correction, which is the opposite of the lesson — and it is the most common mistake we see on systems installed by other companies.

You will be guided through the process with step-by-step instructions to follow in between each of the Pet Stop trainer sessions.

The GentleSteps process from start to finish

Short sessions reinforce learning between each Pet Stop trainer-led session. They generally coincide with the 2–3 normal daily exercise and bathroom trips outside.

The system goes in and the boundary gets flagged. First training can begin after installation or be scheduled as a separate visit. Either way you finish that session knowing exactly what the next one to three days will look like before the next trainer-led session.

This is where we look for understanding of the visual and audible cues, and introduce slight static.

Introducing distractions, and deciding if or how much of an increase in the static setting is needed.

Week two. Stronger temptations and distractions, and the leash begins coming off in stages. Most dogs are moving around the yard on their own by the end of it.

Some dogs need one more visit for final settings adjustments. If yours does, we come back.

Flags come out gradually and your dog is using the whole yard with confidence. That is the finish line for most dogs, and we are on the phone with you until you get there.

We read your dog first

Before any training begins, we spend time with your dog. We observe how it’s moving, how it feels about the leash, and how it responds to basic commands. A few minutes spent on how your dog feels shows us precisely how to proceed in order to build trust and confidence.

This is the most common, and it usually means a slightly faster GentleSteps process. Follow-up visits can be one or two days apart as long as the demeanor stays the same.

Softer approach. Almost the entire session stays in the safe area, ignoring the boundary until the dog relaxes. We limit how many tones a timid dog hears early on, because repeated tones can push timid toward fearful. Quiet, calm, non-verbal direction until the trust signs appear. Usually an extra day or two between trainer-led sessions.

Whale eye, tucked tail, shaking, and no interest in food or treats. These are signs of zero trust. No boundary training will begin until the fear dissipates. If it takes ten sessions over an extended period or twenty, we go at the dog’s pace. Thirty-plus years of experience has given us the tools to help fearful dogs overcome their nerves, and it is one of the most rewarding outcomes when they end up running and playing safely inside their learned boundaries as a normal, happy dog.

You hold the leash, we demonstrate, and you run the session while we coach. We are honest about this one: a stranger handling a reactive dog on its own property is a bad idea, and there’s no reason to risk it.

Testing begins at level one on every dog, no exceptions. Plenty of dogs do not react to it at all, so we step up one at a time until we reach the first level your dog visibly notices, and that is where training starts. Level five is the ceiling for a starting point, and we do not begin above it even when the reaction is still slight. After that it is a maximum of one level per day, and only when your dog tells us it’s needed.

Bite history, reactivity around strangers, deafness, anxiety, or a rough experience with a previous system. None of it changes whether we can help. It changes how we run the session, and we would rather know before we’re standing in the yard.

Training FAQ

Most puppies and happy go lucky dogs can be off leash within a week and using the yard unsupervised within two to three weeks.

Both. Many new customers choose to have us take the lead role. Complete GentleSteps training consists of multiple visits, typically four to five, that average 20–30 minutes and are spaced every two to four days over a two-week period. You are given instructions on what to do between sessions.

It is always dictated by the dog’s comfort level and understanding. If they are happy and comfortable, it can be a quicker process. If it is a timid or fearful dog that needs more time and visits, we will accommodate. It happens rarely, so we are willing to do what is necessary without additional charges.

A few experienced owners who have been through dog fence training previously will choose a lighter training package with fewer trainer sessions. Written and phone support are always provided, and additional sessions can be provided if requested. The bottom line is your pet’s comfort and safety will always be our priority.

Boundary training does not begin or continue if the dog shows any signs of fear. The focus shifts to gaining trust. Some dogs might need several days at tone only, and introducing static never happens or increases until the fear signs subside and learning and trust signals are present.

Usually, yes. The initial approach with older dogs is similar to timid dogs even if they appear calm and confident. Longer tone-only time and lower static settings tend to be the norm, because most older dogs have better leash manners and a longer attention span than puppies and are less likely to test their limits once they understand them.

Hearing and eyesight are considerations as well. A very low static tickle replaces tone for deaf or hard-of-hearing dogs. Boundary flags are replaced with string that a blind dog can feel when the tone signals they’ve reached the edge.

The new dog gets its own collar and the same training. Many people assume a new dog will learn the boundary by watching the first dog. There are some initial tendencies for new dogs, especially puppies, to play follow-the-leader with the other dog — but eventually distractions and temptations take over and lead to mistakes and poor choices that place the new dog in harm’s way, or make them fearful of the yard if they receive corrections from a collar without training.

This is one of the most common questions. Many people have heard it won’t work for various breeds — huskies, greyhounds, just about any prey-driven or high pain tolerance breed. The fact is those are almost always training failures caused by either no regard for, or a lack of understanding of, the correct procedure. The Pet Stop technology combined with the GentleSteps training process works for any and all breeds.

Training challenges are created by environment. The most common behavioural issues are caused by lack of proper exercise. Stored-up energy leads to destructive, unruly and sometimes aggressive problems. For boundary training, these dogs must be tired out before learning can begin, so the patience to add a 40–60 minute walk before the session is a must.

Fearful dogs are the other challenge. Trust building takes time and calm, quiet energy. Once these issues are addressed and overcome, successful boundary training leads to better behaviour and more confidence.

Broward (954) 567-1173 · Palm Beach (561) 776-9080 · Martin (772) 286-4040