Running Free, Not Me!

Did you know that a long time ago, when Mom was a girl, family dogs stayed outside all the time and ran free around town? I bet it would be fun to run around town and visit other dogs but it must have been very dangerous living back then.

Today most people let their dogs stay in the house and don’t let them run free when they are outside. I know that some adoption agencies won’t let a dog get adopted unless the house has a fenced yard. Fenced yards help keep pets safe. Fences keep dogs from running into the road where cars are and help to keep them from getting stolen. Today dogs that are running free around town can get picked up by the Police.

Pets that run free, especially cats and little dogs, are targets for undomesticated animals like foxes and coyotes. Porcupines and skunks many not eat you but they sure can make your life miserable. Even tangling with a squirrel or snake can mean a trip to the Vet. A neighborhood cat was almost taken by an eagle. Good thing her Mom heard her screaming and was able to rescue her. She is going to be okay but she did have to go to the emergency Vet to get stitches and shots.

Fences can be made from lots of things like wood or vinyl. There are even fences that are invisible!

DixieLee and I have a nice fenced in area. It is big enough for us to have good races and play fights in. It’s made out of chain link. DixieLee is a good jumper but the fence is high enough so she can’t jump over it and she’s not big on climbing over it like some dogs would be.

Dogs have been known to climb on top of dog houses or wood piles and jump over their fences from there. Some dogs prefer to go under their fences.

DixieLee almost dug her way out from under our fence. I don’t think she started out thinking of tunneling her way out, it’s just that she likes to dig holes and a couple of the holes happened to be near the fence. Some dog fences have a border of metal netting that helps keep a dog from digging their way out. Another way to keep a dog from digging under is to make sure that the fence goes at least 6 inches under the ground.

We get to go in our pen most any time we want but only when Mom or Dad is home. They don’t need to be outside with us but they want to be able to keep an eye on us. They know that DixieLee can get into trouble without even trying and escaping from the yard would be big trouble.

When we first got our new fence she tried to squeeze between the end of the fence and the house. Dad had to put an extra post in to fill the gap.  Like I said she doesn't look for trouble but it does seem to find her.

It’s a beautiful Spring day in Northern New Hampshire so I think I stop now and go outside in my pen and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air.

Love,

Zeva

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