Search Results for: blog electric fences

Fences Everywhere

Now that I’ve taken stock of everything that has to be done outside the house I’m wishing I had paid more attention to the inside of it over the winter. By the looks of things I may not see the inside of the house, except to wash off the yard dirt, until the snow flies. I love my backyard, it’s tiny and private. Privacy is a wonderful thing but it takes fences to keep the privacy. I’m grateful for my fences, otherwise my neighbors and I might not be so friendly. However, every spring my fences need work. The fence … Continue reading →

Electric Fences

Because Chihiro is at least part hound dog, we can’t rely on her to stay with us in our yard. She might be good most of the time, but all it takes is one squirrel or neighborhood cat and she’s off on the chase. So we made the decision to purchase an electric fence. This is a decision I made with much trepidation. I abhor the idea of causing any pain to my dog. But we just don’t have the budget for a real fence at the moment, and our yard is so large it would be a shame if … Continue reading →

Microchip Law Passed in the U.K.

The British government has just passed a controversial new law: all dogs are required to have microchips by 2016.  After then, the owners of any dogs found without microchips will be fined the equivalent of nearly $800.  The government isn’t marching door to door testing dogs for microchips, but the owners of any unchipped dogs taken to shelters will face the fine when they come to pick up their dog. The move is controversial because it’s seen as the government interfering too much in private affairs, as an Orwellian move.  Officials say they have everyone’s best interests at heart.  No … Continue reading →

Jealousy Between Pets

We can coexist, until you’re involved My pets get jealous of one another. Chihiro and Cole, for all that they tolerate and even sometimes enjoy one another’s company, compete for attention. Chihiro is really only competitive for attention when a) there’s food involved, or b) someone new has come over to the house. If someone’s visiting they’re not likely to get much time with the cats, because Chihiro is a bully. Even if she is ignoring the new person, she’ll suddenly come out and muscle the cats away if they try to come out and greet the visitor. She has … Continue reading →

Dog vs. Yard

My dear Algernon beneath his rhubarb My dog loves her big new yard. One of the main reasons why is how many more encounters with the local wildlife she’s been able to obtain. Some of them aren’t so great. Others prove amusing. She’s had run-ins with a yellow box turtle wherein she’s been so perplexed by this strange new creature that even the slow reptile was able to escape during her investigations. That’s right: Chihiro spent the whole time of her turtle examination doing what I like to call her investigative dance: legs and shoulders hunched, head darting in and … Continue reading →

For Green-Thumbed Pet Lovers

As I write this I’m sitting on my porch. Though many days recently have been so grossly hot and humid that I’ve never wanted to venture outdoors, some have been pleasant, especially in the mornings. These days I’ve taken to bringing my laptop out to the porch and completing my work here. I let the dog wander around the yard as I do so. Just a moment ago I had to do something that’s become common during these work outdoors mornings: chase my dog away from my garden. The majority of my garden items – herbs and berries – are … Continue reading →

What to Do If You Find an Injured Wild Animal

When I was about 10 years old, my best friend and I loved to roam the woods around her house. One day we found an abandoned nest of baby flying squirrels. My friend loved animals and nature even more than I did, so she immediately brought the animals back to her house. She kept these squirrels for about a month, feeding them out of an eyedropper. She lost one or two of the babies, but most of them grew larger and healthy. Then one day the mother of one of our mutual friends called a local wild animal rescue concerning … Continue reading →

What Does Your Pet Do All Day?

Some pets love the camera My engineering husband is a bit of a techie. He’s an odd sort, however, who never asks for any presents. Most gadgets he wants are expensive, so he feels bad putting them on any gift wish lists. Ever since we started dating, I would spend the months before his birthday and Christmas browsing the internet looking for suitable contraptions or other toys he might like. That’s how I discovered website thinkgeek.com, a site devoted to cool geeky toys, technology, t-shirts, books, and more. Given the breadth of Think Geek’s offerings, it was only a matter … Continue reading →

“Last Chance Ranch”

There are many residential treatment programs for troubled children and teens, ranging from inpatient psychiatric units to wilderness adventures to boot camps. But to my knowledge, there is only one which is specifically focused on international adoptees. The Seattle Times recently ran a story, reported by Bonnie Miller Rubin of the Chicago Tribune, about The Ranch for Kids, a ranch in rural Montana currently housing 24 children who will stay for about six to twelve months. Some of these children have molested other children, stolen, vandalized and set fires. Most of them have fetal alcohol syndrome, a mental illness, or … Continue reading →

Creating A Kid-Friendly Hotel Room

In my previous blog I shared one of the most haunting moments of my career as a television journalist. It is an incident that will remain with me forever, and one that has impacted the way I travel with my own child. For starters I never book a room higher than the second floor (I always request the ground floor, but if rooms there are not available I will consider the second floor). Next, I always request a childproofing kit (some hotels offer them upon request). If you are not staying at a property that offers a childproofing kit there … Continue reading →