The smart dog is a generic system that is sold in discount stores and flea markets for around $50. It sounds like a good deal, and would be if the system worked properly. This is the second generation model of the Smart Dog, and while it is better than the original, it is still not ready for use on actual dogs. The numerous typos on the box should be warning enough. Collar As soon as you pick it up you will notice that it seems very flimsy, the plastic is very thin and low grade. It feels very brittle. This could be forgiven if it worked. Using two different collars we got very variable results and only intermittent correction. The boundary line moved a lot, much like with the wireless system. It has a single correction level and the collar uses a regular 6V disposable battery. The collar band is much shorter than usual, and can accommodate neck sizes under 12 inches. The system is much too underpowered for use on dogs any bigger than that. Control System The system looks suspiciously like the Innotek SD-2000. There is a central dial that lets you alter the boundary width, and the boundary wire plugs into the terminals on the bottom. It is made out of the same cheap and flimsy materials as the collars but that is not a big deal here, because the control system should be kept in a nice protected spot anyway. Boundary Wire The system comes with 1,000 feet of boundary wire which seems good, but it is ridiculously thin 28 gauge. The system oddly comes with only 20 flags which means that you would need to space them 50 feet apart. Instructions The instructions aren't bad, and are nearly as good as some of the instructions on real dog fences. They should have got whoever wrote the instructions to write the copy on the box. It does not mention anything about warranty, I think it is a pretty safe assumption that there is none.
