I’m going to show you how to set up fences with the SpotOn GPS collar—and lucky for you, me, and your dog, it couldn’t be easier.
I’ll cover two methods for dropping virtual fence posts to create boundaries, and one of them is super quick—less than 2 minutes quick.
We’ll also cover the best practices for giving your dog freedom to roam while keeping them safe by accounting for GPS drift, setting up home and keep out zones, and so much more.
If you decide to get SpotOn after, don’t forget to check out my link for the best deals.
CLICK HERE: Get my EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT for the SpotOn (applied at checkout) →I’ve been geeking out on invisible dog fences for a little over four years now, and as you may know, recently I’ve been wearing them myself to put them to the test from a dog’s perspective.
My verdict: The SpotOn is the most well-thought-out and impressive solution I’ve used to date.
A lot of dog owners balk at SpotOn’s price tag though—I get it, it’s pricey compared to the other options that also don’t require professional installation. But once you get your hands on the SpotOn and especially once you take it for a spin, it’s really clear that you get what you pay for.
This collar was designed by a team that built electronics for the United Sates military. Soldiers’ lives depended on this team’s electronics under unthinkably extreme conditions.
Their electronics HAD to perform with perfection, and the team’s experience truly shines through with the SpotOn GPS Fence.
Plus, their products are developed, designed, and manufactured in the United States—New Hampshire, specifically. That’s awesome!
Before Using The SpotOn Collar
So as you’ll see in this review, setting up the fence is super simple and quick. But as with any invisible dog fence, setting up the fence isn’t the last step.
The key to success comes with training your dog to the system. SpotOn has easy training modules that show you the step-by-step methodology for introducing your dog to the alert, warning and static correction or vibrations.
Through consistent training sessions with positive reinforcements like treats, toys and praise your dog will form an understanding of the boundaries and where they are free to roam.
What makes SpotOn’s training program truly unique is that they offer personalized help via a free 1:1 training session with a certified dog trainer.
Yes, a real live dog trainer! Well… Over Zoom, but it still gives you the time and attention needed to set you and your dog up for success.
SpotOn’s training program is straightforward and lets you go at your own pace, allowing you to get started quickly and revisit training chapters as needed.
Getting Started With the SpotOn GPS Dog Fence
Subscription
One of the great benefits of the SpotOn—and actually, a common misconception—is that you don’t need a subscription to immediately use these collars. Unlike other GPS collars on the market, the SpotOn works right out of the box. You can even set up a fence without having to walk outside.
But if tracking your dog’s location is important to you and you have good cell reception in your area then the major benefit of a subscription is that SpotOn has excellent tracking.
It updates every 6 seconds, so you can keep an eye on your pup whether they’re inside the fence or they’ve escaped.
A subscription also allows you to receive notifications on your phone if your dog escapes or if your collar’s battery is running low.
Charging the battery
When you open the box the first thing you’ll want to do is plug the collar in and get a good charge on it. A full charge from empty only takes an hour or two, and there will probably be a bit of life on it when you receive it.
Downloading and setting up the app
In the mean time, you can download the app by searching the App Store or simply scanning the QR code in the manual.
You’ll want to set up the app by adding a picture of your dog, selecting their icon color, adding their name, adding the serial number of their collar, then optionally adding their breed, gender, and date of birth.
Turning on the collar
Then the last thing you need to do is turn on your collar and connect it via Bluetooth to your phone.
And that’s it, you’re good to go!
SpotOn’s guidelines for setting the boundaries
There are two main points to consider before you start creating fences with SpotOn.
The first is that alert and warning tones start at 10 feet in from the boundary you set, so you want to make sure your dog has enough room to pass between two boundaries without tripping any tones. Unless your pet is Krypto the SuperDog, they won’t understand the logic if the boundaries are too close together.
SpotOn recommends a minimum distance of 30 feet for a passageway between the boundary you set and your home or any other structures, and they recommend a minimum of 80 feet for the fence width at the narrowest distance. This helps make sure your dog so much freedom to roam that even Gunther would be jealous.
The other thing to consider is that like all GPS systems, you need to account for GPS drift. There are tons of satellites orbiting the earth that speak with GPS devices and help them pinpoint a location.
As they move throughout the day, the signal from a satellite might get temporarily blocked by things like houses, buildings, hills, or dense tree cover. When that change happens, the calculated location for the device will vary a bit, resulting in this drift.
SpotOn states that their GPS boundaries may shift less than ten feet over the course of the day. As a result, they recommend setting boundaries at least 15 feet from roads or other hazards to make sure your pet stays safe.
All of this taken into account is why SpotOn recommends a minimum property size of a half acre. They want your dog to enjoy plenty of freedom within the boundaries you set.
Setting up the Fences for SpotOn GPS Dog Fence
Setting up fences can be done in two ways:
- Drawing the fence manually on the app
2. Walking the fence boundary. I prefer this method because it is easier to get more precision.
Adding Home Zones and Keep Out Zones
One more thing I want to show you guys is that SpotOn now allows you to add home zones and keep out zones to your fences.
Home zones are safe areas within your fence where the collar’s corrections are deactivated, which are great for marking your house for example so your dog can come in wearing the collar and not risk any false alarms due to interference.
Keep out zones are the same but flipped, so if there’s an area within your fence that you want to set as off-limits, like a vegetable garden or a kids playground, you can do that.
And what I love about the design here is that you can just draw them in and customize their shape right on your phone. So you can get pretty precise.
Keep out zones have a minimum size of 30 feet x 30 feet, but no maximum size. Home zones have no minimum or maximum size, as far as I can tell.
So there you have it, setting up fences with the SpotOn GPS dog fence is a breeze, and again, I just love the precision you can get with it. The added benefit of home and keep out zones opens up whole new doors for pet owners.
Remember to check my link to any deals I may have.
CLICK HERE: Get my EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT for the SpotOn (applied at checkout) →Until next time dog lovers, keep those tails waggin’!