Lightning Protection: The Dangers And How DogWatch® Keeps You Safe

Summertime and early fall bring an increase in thunderstorms and are home to the heart of hurricane season. This may cause Hidden Fence owners concern regarding their systems, how they’ll do during inclement weather, and what might happen if their fence loses connection. The design of DogWatch® Hidden Fences has just this concern in mind.

Here’s how DogWatch® keeps your pets safe, how you can confirm your fence is working, and how you can help ease their anxiety during extreme weather.

What Is An Electrical Surge?

Everyone knows the dangers of lightning during thunderstorms, and that’s why we stay indoors or under shelter when they occur. While we are safe indoors, our electrical appliances are still in the way of potential danger. Most home appliances use around 120 volts of electricity and remain unaffected until around 170 volts. One bolt of lightning can have 100 million to 1 billion volts. These volts can enter through your television cable, satellite dish, incoming phone lines, or electrical service line. While there are many appliances you can unplug during thunderstorms to keep safe, there are some devices you can’t unplug for safety reasons, including your Hidden Fence. That’s why DogWatch® has both Internal and External Surge Protection.

Internal And External Surge Protection

At DogWatch®, we’ve gone to extremes to ensure that your Hidden Fence system stays protected from both internal and external surges. The first line of defense is the surge protection device on our internal transmitter. If a surge enters through your home’s wiring, our surge protector diverts the surge into the ground, ensuring that your hidden fence operating system is not damaged by internal surges. If there is an external power surge from lightning or another source, the external surge protector and ground rod work in tandem to divert any surges away from your hidden fence line, ensuring that there are no breaks or damage to the line itself. We are confident in our surge protection technology and offer a lifetime warranty on all transmitters installed by Authorized DogWatch Dealers!

Why It Matters

Many pets suffer from Thunderstorm phobia or the fear of thunderstorms. The main reason for this is your four-legged family member’s general fear of loud noises. Thunderstorms can bring extended periods of loud noise ranging from mild to deafening and can cause your pet to seek shelter or even bolt from your property. DogWatch wants to help you keep your pets safe, that’s why our surge protection is vital to ensuring your Hidden Fence systems does not experience a break and open the proverbial door for anxious pets who may try and seek safety somewhere other than your property. There are many ways you can help your pet combat their Thunderstorm phobia: creating a safe space, providing background noise, and offering treats are just a few ways you can help assuage your cat or dog’s anxiety.

How To Check The Status Of Your DogWatch Hidden Fence System

To confirm that your hidden fence is working properly, check your SmartFence® app or follow these steps:

– First make sure the green Power light on your Transmitter is still on.
– Then, when your dog is indoors, remove his or her collar, and carry it outside, walking towards the wire boundary.
– As you approach the boundary, hold the receiver at the dog’s neck height. (Be sure not to touch the contact posts!)
– Once you reach the warning zone, you will hear the audible warning signal. If you do not hear the signal, your system may be down. Please contact your Local DogWatch Dealer or submit a Service Request for further assistance.

DogWatch® R9 and R7mini Receiver Collars and ProFence™ Transmitter

 

Conclusion

DogWatch cannot reduce the potential of lightning striking near your home, but we can help minimize the potential damage caused to help keep your property and your pets safe. Also, if you require service as a result of a thunderstorm or hurricane, don’t worry! If your Hidden Fence Transmitter or Power Supply is damaged by lightning, it is covered under our DogWatch Lifetime Warranty.