Petsafe AutoTrainer Operating And Training Manual

Operating and Training Guide

Model Number

AUTO

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE GUIDE BEFORE BEGINNING

2 Customer Care Center 1-800-732-2677 www.petsafe.net 3

Important Safety Information

Explanation of Attention Words and Symbols used in this guide

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all
safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.

WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in
death or serious injury.

CAUTION, used with the safety alert symbol, indicates a hazardous situation which,
if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

CAUTION, used without the safety alert symbol, indicates a hazardous situation which,
if not avoided, could result in harm to your pet.

Risk of explosion. Do not short circuit, mix old and new batteries, dispose of in fire,
or expose to water. When batteries are stored or disposed, they must be protected

from shorting. Dispose of used batteries properly.

Not for use with aggressive dogs. Do not use this Product if your dog is aggressive,

or if your dog is prone to aggressive behavior. Aggressive dogs can cause severe
injury and even death to their owner and others. If you are unsure whether this product is appropriate for
your dog, please consult your veterinarian or certified trainer.

Save these instructions for future reference. Read all instructions before

operating product.

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For indoor use only.

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For dry treats/kibble use only.

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Do NOT use the AutoTrainer with puppies or dogs with any physical disability.

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Intended for use with pets only.

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Do NOT allow small children to play with, in or around the AutoTrainer.

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Before leaving for an extended time, always replace used batteries with new batteries to insure
continual operation.

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Do NOT place any foreign object in the AutoTrainer.

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AutoTrainer should always be leveled.

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Do NOT disassemble the AutoTrainer except as instructed in the manual.

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Dispose of all packaging material properly. Some items may be packed in poly bags; these bags
could cause suffocation; keep away from children and pets.

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Check operation frequently to be sure the AutoTrainer is dispensing properly.

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The AutoTrainer and AutoTrainer collar should NOT be submerged in water at any time, this may
damage electronic components.

The power cord should be used at the owner’s discretion. Do not use the power cord if
your dog has a history of destroying power cords by chewing them.

Thank you for choosing the PetSafe® brand. You and your pet deserve a companionship that includes
memorable moments and a shared understanding together. Our products and training tools promote a
lifestyle of protection, teaching, and love—essentials that influence memories for a lifetime. If you have
any questions about our products or training your pet, please visit our website at www.petsafe.net or
contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-732-2677.

To get the most protection out of your warranty, please register your product within 30 days at
www.petsafe.net. By registering and keeping your receipt, you will enjoy the product’s full warranty
and should you ever need to call the Customer Care Center, we will be able to help you faster.
Most importantly, we will never give or sell your valuable information to anyone. Complete warranty
information is available online at www.petsafe.net.

Table of Contents

Components .....................................................................................................................................4

History of the AutoTrainer .................................................................................................................4

How the AutoTrainer Works ..............................................................................................................4

Key Definitions .................................................................................................................................5

Operating Guide .............................................................................................................................6

Preparing the AutoTrainer .............................................................................................................6

Operating the AutoTrainer ............................................................................................................7

Reviewing the history data ..........................................................................................................8

Training Guide .................................................................................................................................9

General Tips .................................................................................................................................9

Teach Me Mode ............................................................................................................................9

Calm Me Mode ..........................................................................................................................11

Frequently Asked Questions .......................................................................................................12

Care and Cleaning ..........................................................................................................................13

Terms of Use and Limitation of Liability .........................................................................................13

Battery Disposal .............................................................................................................................14

FCC ................................................................................................................................................14

Warranty .........................................................................................................................................14

4 Customer Care Center 1-800-732-2677 www.petsafe.net 5

Components

History of the AutoTrainer

Years ago, during a chance meeting on a flight from Chicago to San Francisco, Dr. Ian Dunbar and Dr. John
Watson struck up a conversation about whether marking a dog’s bark by immediately interrupting a progressive
tone sequence that predicts food delivery would reduce the frequency of barking and number of barks per day.
Back in the Bay Area, Dr. Watson promptly engineered a computerized prototype, which the Doctors tested
on barking dogs, primarily at the Berkeley Humane Society. Amazingly, not only did the tone sequence itself
drastically reduce the frequency and number of barks, but also hyperactivity; many dogs would pace less and
instead, settle down next to their electronic buddy.

How the AutoTrainer Works

It’s not easy leaving your dog at home when they’re prone to anxiety. Separation-induced behaviors such as
barking, whining and pacing can adversely affect your dog’s health.

The AutoTrainer™ is a fully automatic, reward-based training device that requires no prior training for yourself
or your dog. The AutoTrainer works by rewarding your dog for quiet behavior, therefore creating a pleasant
environment. By rewarding for increasingly longer periods of quiet, your dog will soon learn to calmly wait for the
signal that means a small treat is being delivered. The AutoTrainer trains your dog to offer calm, quiet behavior
while you are away.

For most dogs, all you have to do is fill the hopper with kibble, turn on the power and the AutoTrainer will do the
rest. Your dog will soon learn to settle down calmly and quietly, waiting patiently for the next food reward.

Key Definitions

AutoTrainer Base Unit: The main portion of the AutoTrainer unit. The part of the product that houses the
Display Screen, Food Hopper, Muzzle Detector and D Batteries.
AutoTrainer Collar: Includes the Nylon Collar and Transmitter Unit. Transmits information to the AutoTrainer
Base Unit.
Food Hopper: Holds dry treats/kibble in the AutoTrainer Base Unit, approximately 3.5 cups of medium
sized kibble.

Food Dish Attachment: Removable piece that holds the Food Dish.
Food Disk – 2 sizes: used to assist food through the Food Dispenser.
Food Dish: Catches food that has been passed through the Food Dispenser and Food Disk.
Muzzle Detector: Located under the Food Dispenser. Senses when the dog takes the food from the

Food Dish.
Lid Release Button: Located on the Front of the
AutoTrainer, opens the AutoTrainer Hopper Lid.
Battery Cover: Located on AutoTrainer Base
Unit: Remove to add/replace the batteries (4-D).
AutoTrainer Collar: Consists of the Nylon Collar
and AutoTrainer Collar Unit.
Food Dispenser: Channel that the food travels
to reach the Food Dish.
Hopper Lid: Encloses dry treats/kibble and
Display screen in the AutoTrainer.
Display Screen: Displays information about
training progress and history.

Speaker: Emits tones from the AutoTrainer.
Power Adapter: Option for use without

batteries.
AutoTrainer Collar Unit: The unit on the
AutoTrainer Collar that transmits barking to the
AutoTrainer Base Unit.
Suction Feet: Six rubber feet located at the
bottom of the AutoTrainer Base Unit that suction
to the floor and prevent the AutoTrainer Base Unit
from moving.
Session: The period of time between the start of
a mode and the end
Sequence: A single series of tones, followed by
kibble dispensing
“Uh-Oh” tone: This tone plays when the dog
barks, jiggles or paws the machine. In Teach Me
mode, this tone occurs during those behaviors.
In Calm Me mode, this tone also occurs during
those behaviors, but also signals the machine to
delay the delivery of food.

AutoTrainer Base Unit

AutoTrainer Collar

Large Food Disk

Power Adapter

Small Food Disk

AutoTrainer

Collar Unit

Nylon Collar

Removable

Food

Dish Grooves

Battery Cover

Speaker

Hopper

Lid

Alert
Light

Removable

Food Dish

Removable

Food Dish

Attachment

Lid

Release

Button

Food

Hopper

Food

Disk

Display
Screen

Muzzle Detector

& Food Dispenser

Suction Feet