A California dog mom in Michigan: Getting our fence on for fall

Unleash the hounds, we're fencing the lower 40!

Okay, our "lower 40" is more like the lower 2, but the point is, I took a deep breath, crunched many painful numbers, talked to my landlady and some fence experts, and made the decision to invest in fencing off another big chunk of the property.

It was a tough decision for two reasons. One, the lay of the land makes it hard to fence, thanks to a very pretty but inconvenient gully dividing the currently fenced portion of my lot and the remaining acres. Two, I'm renting, and investing money into a rental property feels an awful lot like flushing the money down the toilet.

I also am on a crusade to wipe out the last bit of my personal debt and to re-build the savings I lost during the collapose of the economy and my mother's last year of life.

Despite all that, my longing to walk my dogs off-leash in the woods this winter was so strong I decided to see if there was some way I could economize enough to build the fence. I trimmed some fat in my budget, took a couple of extra small contracts to boost the income a tiny bit, and worked out a plan to buy the fencing materials this month, pay the fence guys next month, and buy the automatic gate opener and have it installed in November. (I can just work the gate manually until then. It won't kill me!)

This way, I get the fence without incurring any debt, and am able to pay for it out of my latte, new clothes, and pedicure budget -- in other words, out of my trimmed fat.

For those who roll their eyes and wonder why my dogs aren't trained to come when called, they are. But I have sighthounds, and I'm sure if they were your dogs, they'd be so perfectly reliable on their recalls that you could call them off a stampeding herd of deer with a single word. I, however, don't choose to put my dogs' life at risk in a land of hunters and fast drivers to prove what an awesome trainer I am. So please, save me the lecture. I've heard it all before.

So consider yourselves warned: Come October, you'll be inundated with YouTube video of my dogs racing around the autumnal woods of Michigan! We can't wait!

Comments

[Liz Palika]

I'm all for safe fencing. Yes my dogs come when called even with distractions, but yes, like you I value my dogs' safety. So good for you. You can have new clothes later! Yah for safe fences.

[Lis Carey]

Huh? There are people who would criticize you for buying your dogs,a fence?

I'm sorry, that makes no sense.

[Christie]

Yes, there really are. A lot of them. I have heard it many times, a sort of dismissal of the need for fences when all we have to do is put reliable recalls on our dogs. So fine, I am a terrible trainer. Is this some reason my dogs shouldn't have the joy, fun, and exercise of off-leash running?

I also hear lectures about how dogs should never be off-leash at all. Really, I think a lot of people out there are just utterly out of touch with the real world in their sanctimonious little dog-trainer or responsible-dog-owner minds.

NOT that I'm bitter or anything.

[YesBiscuit]

I criticize you for not having a fence, having a fence, using a leash, allowing your dogs off leash, having dogs at all, not having cats, considering getting cats to avoid judgment, and putting up this post.

[Tory]

We just purchased a home on 9.5 acres and now have to start fencing. Would love to hear what type of fencing you are putting up? We are thinking of going with deer fencing, we can put it up ourselves and slowly expand.

[db]

Maybe some of those who think fences are not necessary should read the lost and found pages. I wonder how many of those dogs were trained to always come when called. I think it's a great idea and fall in Michigan is a lovely time to be in the woods (minus the hunters, of course).

[Claudia Bloom]

Your greyhounds are very lucky! I have never been able to let mine run free without being in totally secluded areas, and then I still would worry horribly! Run you guys and have a great time.

[Viatecio]

I am so used to life without a fence that to have one would feel completely foreign to me. Wherever I've lived, there have been no fenced-in yards for the dog. I've had to manage. Training is awesome, but a long-line or remote collar backup when I feel things just aren't going right (you know, women's intuition) provide peace of mind.

Wouldn't mind being able to have a fence someday, but if not, it's not the end of the world.

Kudos to doing what's right for you and your dogs, and also to your landlord for allowing you to do so. Bring on the videos.

[John Miele]

Great! I am also thinking to start fencing around my yard for my little puppy. He is so jumper and very playful puppy and for his security and safety I can not wait further more.