I just wanna say -- the random comments thread

[Deactivated member 42515]

A few weeks ago:
DH: If Ruby is pregnant can we get a puppy?
Me: Well let's wait and see...


And now - meet Emily

I think this is the moment I fell in love - she's eight days old, and she'll open her eyes tomorrow



Two weeks and just starting to walk!

Puppppies!!!! Now this is right up my alley!!!! Omg! The cuteness is overload!

 

[justginger]

A few weeks ago:
DH: If Ruby is pregnant can we get a puppy?
Me: Well let's wait and see...


And now - meet Emily

I think this is the moment I fell in love - she's eight days old, and she'll open her eyes tomorrow



Two weeks and just starting to walk!

Oh sweet Jesus, I think my heart just melted out through my eyes. I can smell the sweet puppy breath from here!!

 

[Rosebloom]

Oh Yssie she's absolutely adorable!! 4 cats and a puppy... You must be a busy lady! What a fun menagerie!

 

[Okie_girl]

A few weeks ago:
DH: If Ruby is pregnant can we get a puppy?
Me: Well let's wait and see...


And now - meet Emily

I think this is the moment I fell in love - she's eight days old, and she'll open her eyes tomorrow



Two weeks and just starting to walk!

Uh.freaking.dorable.

 

[yssie]

Thanks YayTacori, ginger, Rose, Okie
ETA: ginger your comment made me laugh out loud - totally grossly sweet!

My ILs have found homes for eight and they're happy to keep the last two


It's not a totally done deal yet - it'll depend on how just badly it upsets the cats. We're doing the "Emily's coming!!" happy voice thing when we feed & play with them, and we'll introduce from afar with towels first - the one I'm really worried about is Mina, if she jumps out the window or something - well - we aren't getting a dog. Gretta and Garett will be fine in a couple of weeks and Alex just generally behaves like he's lost his marbles but curiosity outweighs skittishness eventually...


Question for PSers with indoor-only cats and larger dogs: how do you handle it? We're still trying to work this out and it's looking like a f'n expensive project!!

We do want her to be able to get out while we're at work - she's probably going to be 50-70lbs so really not indoor-only size, I don't think. Problem is that the cats *can't* get loose - we've got coyotes and foxes. So first step is actually training them to the invisible fence we put in around the house when we first moved in - I am NOT looking forward to that

We're thinking of fencing in part of the yard for a daytime dog-run - we'd fence it in completely, sides and top, so even if the cats get out they can't go any further. We'd probably put in two electronic doggy doors with one-way (in) cat doors, and an outdoor shelter of some sort in case the cat won't cross the invisible fence to get back in again... we've got a couple of acres to work with, and I'm hoping if we put this thing in the nook between the house and the woods it won't *completely* tank the property value... of course, when we get home she'll get the whole yard to run around in. Actually I'm hoping that if we walk her in the morning she'll just sleep all day!

WWPSD?

 

[bunnycat]

Thanks YayTacori, ginger, Rose, Okie

My ILs have found homes for eight and they're happy to keep the last two


It's not a totally done deal yet - it'll depend on how just badly it upsets the cats. We're doing the "Emily's coming!!" happy voice thing when we feed & play with them, and we'll introduce from afar with towels first - the one I'm really worried about is Mina, if she jumps out the window or something - well - we aren't getting a dog. Gretta and Garett will be fine in a couple of weeks and Alex just generally behaves like he's lost his marbles but curiosity outweighs skittishness eventually...


Question for PSers with indoor-only cats and larger dogs: how do you handle it? We're still trying to work this out and it's looking like a f'n expensive project!!

We do want her to be able to get out while we're at work - she's probably going to be 50-70lbs so really not indoor-only size, I don't think. Problem is that the cats *can't* get loose - we've got coyotes and foxes. So first step is actually training them to the invisible fence we put in around the house when we first moved in - I am NOT looking forward to that

We're thinking of fencing in part of the yard for a daytime dog-run - we'd fence it in completely, sides and top, so even if the cats get out they can't go any further. We'd probably put in two electronic doggy doors with one-way (in) cat doors, and an outdoor shelter of some sort in case the cat won't cross the invisible fence to get back in again... we've got a couple of acres to work with, and I'm hoping if we put this thing in the nook between the house and the woods it won't *completely* tank the property value... of course, when we get home she'll get the whole yard to run around in. Actually I'm hoping that if we walk her in the morning she'll just sleep all day!

WWPSD?

Woah! You've got a bundle on your hands!

What I *think* will happen with the cats and puppy is that at the age I am assuming you will be getting the puppy (just after weaning) they'll establish themselves (after they potentially freak out a little) as "in charge" and the dog will never really know when it grows up that the cats aren't the "top dog" as it were.

I have all cats myself, but my mom has 4 dogs and 2 cats. One of the dogs is large. One of the cats is solitary and so everyone leaves her alone (except the other cat) and boy cat thinks it's a dog anyway and so plays with the dogs. The larger dog is a Belgian Malinois (sp????) and though she has way too much energy, never had a problem with the cats because they already "belonged" there when she arrived, so she knew she wasn't alpha. I would hope something similar may happen for you with the dog coming in as a puppy. He'll just grow up as "one of the gang" and everyone will be ok. (That may take a few days.) But the earlier I think you can get the puppy, the easier I think it will be for everyone to adapt together.

If you do fence in a portion of the yard and worry about the cats getting in you might look at purrfectfence.com for a retrofitted cat fence you can apply to the upper portion of the fence. It looks like a flexible arm on the fence. You attach netting all along it and if a cat inside tries to jump the fence they can't because the arm flexes and they can't get past the netting. We have the entire backyard retrofitted. It works in all but one case (our Houdini kitty Tiny, who I believe can figure out how to get out of anything and can scale deck posts like a monkey). Otherwise, it wasn't overly expensive (like maybe $600) and keeps the rest in with no problem.

 

[yssie]

Thanks YayTacori, ginger, Rose, Okie

My ILs have found homes for eight and they're happy to keep the last two


It's not a totally done deal yet - it'll depend on how just badly it upsets the cats. We're doing the "Emily's coming!!" happy voice thing when we feed & play with them, and we'll introduce from afar with towels first - the one I'm really worried about is Mina, if she jumps out the window or something - well - we aren't getting a dog. Gretta and Garett will be fine in a couple of weeks and Alex just generally behaves like he's lost his marbles but curiosity outweighs skittishness eventually...


Question for PSers with indoor-only cats and larger dogs: how do you handle it? We're still trying to work this out and it's looking like a f'n expensive project!!

We do want her to be able to get out while we're at work - she's probably going to be 50-70lbs so really not indoor-only size, I don't think. Problem is that the cats *can't* get loose - we've got coyotes and foxes. So first step is actually training them to the invisible fence we put in around the house when we first moved in - I am NOT looking forward to that

We're thinking of fencing in part of the yard for a daytime dog-run - we'd fence it in completely, sides and top, so even if the cats get out they can't go any further. We'd probably put in two electronic doggy doors with one-way (in) cat doors, and an outdoor shelter of some sort in case the cat won't cross the invisible fence to get back in again... we've got a couple of acres to work with, and I'm hoping if we put this thing in the nook between the house and the woods it won't *completely* tank the property value... of course, when we get home she'll get the whole yard to run around in. Actually I'm hoping that if we walk her in the morning she'll just sleep all day!

WWPSD?

Woah! You've got a bundle on your hands!

What I *think* will happen with the cats and puppy is that at the age I am assuming you will be getting the puppy (just after weaning) they'll establish themselves (after they potentially freak out a little) as "in charge" and the dog will never really know when it grows up that the cats aren't the "top dog" as it were.

I have all cats myself, but my mom has 4 dogs and 2 cats. One of the dogs is large. One of the cats is solitary and so everyone leaves her alone (except the other cat) and boy cat thinks it's a dog anyway and so plays with the dogs. The larger dog is a Belgian Malinois (sp????) and though she has way too much energy, never had a problem with the cats because they already "belonged" there when she arrived, so she knew she wasn't alpha. I would hope something similar may happen for you with the dog coming in as a puppy. He'll just grow up as "one of the gang" and everyone will be ok. (That may take a few days.) But the earlier I think you can get the puppy, the easier I think it will be for everyone to adapt together.

If you do fence in a portion of the yard and worry about the cats getting in you might look at purrfectfence.com for a retrofitted cat fence you can apply to the upper portion of the fence. It looks like a flexible arm on the fence. You attach netting all along it and if a cat inside tries to jump the fence they can't because the arm flexes and they can't get past the netting. We have the entire backyard retrofitted. It works in all but one case (our Houdini kitty Tiny, who I believe can figure out how to get out of anything and can scale deck posts like a monkey). Otherwise, it wasn't overly expensive (like maybe $600) and keeps the rest in with no problem.

Thanks bastet!! I really really hope it works out that way! That's how it was with my parents' dog but their cat (he's the one in my av) is a large grouch that'd probably fight any fox foolish enough to get in his way, so... We've always known that we'd want to get a very young dog so that the cats can establish themselves from day one just like you said. This is a unique opportunity in that we do have access to the puppies as early as we want, and we can swap towels and stuff to try and get them used to the scent, and of course we can visit her and handle her and get her used to us which hopefully will make training a bit easier, right?

The vet said they'd be ready to go right before Christmas. I'm secretly hoping we can bring her up for a day visit before that to start the introductions - she's way too young now obviously, but maybe she'll be ready for that before she's officially ready to go? Or maybe that's a really bad idea.

THANK YOU for the fencing idea!! I'll definitely look into it more tonight. The flexible arm for the especially Houdini-esque cats like your Tiny sounds like a good idea too our girls are wusses but Garett is an impressive jumper and Alex can be - unpredictably athletic. And OMG the price sounds a LOT better than a full topped fence...

 

[bunnycat]

You're welcome!

I think it'll work out fine. The cats will freak and hiss a little. The puppy will look confused and then the cats will get over themselves and realize they are still in charge and be ok.

This is the second cat fence I've had. At my other house, I didn't have a regular fence, so I bought the freestanding cat fence they sell and attached it to the house. That worked (except for the one cat, of course). The reason I suggest the retrofit is because you'll already be considering a regular fence, and that's more secure for a dog than a full length net cat fence, I think. The the top portion can be retrofitted for the cats with the regular fence. It will keep cats in (unless you've got a Houdini and then you will have to out-think him before you set it up, I think, to try and cover the escape possibilites). However, if a cat gets in, you will probably have to get it out. (We've unfortunately had the neighbours cat fall/jump in off the roof and had to put everyone up and open the gate until he figured his way out.)

 

[yssie]

I know that you're right, and there's no real reason to worry that something will go wrong! I'm just a giant worrywart - especially with the cats.

We'll definitely do a proper fence for the dog. We do have some stray cats but we've got enough wildlife that they tend to shy away from open areas, and our house is far enough from the neighbours' that their pets won't be falling in (I laughed at that!). BUT if something got in it could get into the house.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

SIL just sent me a picture of Leo. He has a scab on his foot... And he's had to upgrade to the biggest cone the vet has because he's a flexible little devil and can reach his scab!

 

[mary poppins]

Aww, poor Leo. That cone is so big for his head (and probably body, too)! How long will he have to wear it?

 

[Enerchi]

^^^^^
Oh, that is so funny!! Embarrassing, sad for his foot, but overall --- very funny looking! Poor Leo!

 

[justginger]

Yenny: Everything will be FINE, don't worry. The cats will grumble and moan, hiss, perhaps even smack her snout. She'll look adorably puzzled, and they'll all get used to each other. With her being a puppy, it will be a breeze - she hasn't learned what a cat is yet. An early introduction will be ok, but please leave her with her mother for the full 8-10 weeks. Her adult behavior and health will be far better for it.

Our 2 large older dogs are outside when we're not home. They've got the run of the backyard and a doghouse that is about 6' x 4', plus under the patio. Everyone I know who has puppies starts them in the laundry with newspaper. They don't go outside (touching the ground) until after their vax. Parvo has been AWFUL here and no one wants to risk exposure. The setup you've described sounds good if you want her to be able to go outside while you are away. With our's being older, we can leave them in or out for extended periods of time with no drama, but unfortunately it will be a while before Emily is that age.

Again: don't worry. The dust will settle and everyone will be happy.

I hope your inlaws are getting their dogs sterilized after these pups are old enough.

 

[missy]

A few weeks ago:
DH: If Ruby is pregnant can we get a puppy?
Me: Well let's wait and see...


And now - meet Emily

I think this is the moment I fell in love - she's eight days old, and she'll open her eyes tomorrow



Two weeks and just starting to walk!

Uh.freaking.dorable.

OMG- I am in love...she is totally precious!
It will all work out Yssie! Everyone in my family has dogs and cats and yes, the cats rule and the dogs start grooming themselves as if they were cats haha. It is so cute. They all get along amazingly. It just might take a bit of time but a puppy should have no trouble adjusting at all. Enjoy Emily!!!!! She is one lucky puppy!!!!

 

[missy]

SIL just sent me a picture of Leo. He has a scab on his foot... And he's had to upgrade to the biggest cone the vet has because he's a flexible little devil and can reach his scab!

awww, the "cone of silence"...we know it well. The animals don't love it but hopefully he can get it off soon and be good to go! Good luck to Leo!

 

[yssie]

YayTacori - awwww

Oh dear. But - oh, that's an awesome pic I hope the poor thing heals quickly!!


ginger - we definitely won't take her home before the vet says it's okay! I was thinking a visit for a couple of hours, but that wouldn't be for several more weeks, and it'll depend on what sort of personality she seems to have then, too. I hear that she's one of the quiet ones, which is promising.

It's winter here so she couldn't possibly go outside at first anyway, and we can't leave her in the house with the cats unattended so she'll be in the basement with puppy pads. Hopefully lots of toys and peanut butter in Kongs will keep her entertained! It's nice and toasty and there are plenty of high windows so she should be fine.

And oh, my ILs definitely believe in fixing their pets! This was the puppy surprise that shouldn't have been MIL is a miracle, she's so calm about the whole thing. If I came home to ten puppies after the vet told me *twice* that my dog was spayed... I'd be frothing at the mouth. FIL was NOT happy. It's very fortunate that they were able to find good homes for all of them - that they're so cute probably helped

Thank you missy!! We're going to visit this weekend and I can't wait to see how she's grown

 

[mary poppins]

Those puppies are adooorable. So cute!

 

[bunnycat]

SIL just sent me a picture of Leo. He has a scab on his foot... And he's had to upgrade to the biggest cone the vet has because he's a flexible little devil and can reach his scab!

Oh my goodness- poor little guy! The Cone of Shame!!!!

 

[justginger]

YayTacori - awwww

Oh dear. But - oh, that's an awesome pic I hope the poor thing heals quickly!!


ginger - we definitely won't take her home before the vet says it's okay! I was thinking a visit for a couple of hours, but that wouldn't be for several more weeks, and it'll depend on what sort of personality she seems to have then, too. I hear that she's one of the quiet ones, which is promising.

It's winter here so she couldn't possibly go outside at first anyway, and we can't leave her in the house with the cats unattended so she'll be in the basement with puppy pads. Hopefully lots of toys and peanut butter in Kongs will keep her entertained! It's nice and toasty and there are plenty of high windows so she should be fine.

And oh, my ILs definitely believe in fixing their pets! This was the puppy surprise that shouldn't have been MIL is a miracle, she's so calm about the whole thing. If I came home to ten puppies after the vet told me *twice* that my dog was spayed... I'd be frothing at the mouth. FIL was NOT happy. It's very fortunate that they were able to find good homes for all of them - that they're so cute probably helped

Thank you missy!! We're going to visit this weekend and I can't wait to see how she's grown

Oh yes - now I remember the story behind these pups! Sorry for piping up, jumped to conclusions regarding purposeful breeding. I tend to be hypersensitive with animal rescue stuff. I am so happy that your MIL has done a wonderful job with a crappy situation.

 

[Cozystitches]

Dear Parent,

Seriously, stop doing your kid's homework. When you do their work and are called on it, have the student complete the work w/o you completing it.

Signed,
Grumpy Teacher

Dear Sparkly Fairies,

Pick me for the next winner!!!

Signed,
Wishful PS'er

 

[bunnycat]

YayTacori - awwww

Oh dear. But - oh, that's an awesome pic I hope the poor thing heals quickly!!


ginger - we definitely won't take her home before the vet says it's okay! I was thinking a visit for a couple of hours, but that wouldn't be for several more weeks, and it'll depend on what sort of personality she seems to have then, too. I hear that she's one of the quiet ones, which is promising.

It's winter here so she couldn't possibly go outside at first anyway, and we can't leave her in the house with the cats unattended so she'll be in the basement with puppy pads. Hopefully lots of toys and peanut butter in Kongs will keep her entertained! It's nice and toasty and there are plenty of high windows so she should be fine.

And oh, my ILs definitely believe in fixing their pets! This was the puppy surprise that shouldn't have been MIL is a miracle, she's so calm about the whole thing. If I came home to ten puppies after the vet told me *twice* that my dog was spayed... I'd be frothing at the mouth. FIL was NOT happy. It's very fortunate that they were able to find good homes for all of them - that they're so cute probably helped

Thank you missy!! We're going to visit this weekend and I can't wait to see how she's grown

They told her twice??!! I'd be pretty ticked too....

I think I spoke wrong before and we needed 3 fence kits for the backyard (standard size for our area is about 70x100), but dang, do the cats enjoy having several thousand square feet to roam about in so it was worth it! And it would still be cheaper than what you were contemplating with engineering an entire covered run. My mom did that and a small run (like 10x20) ran as much as the entire set of fence kits we bought. Though since the big dog can jump a 6 foot fence, I don't think the cat fence would have kept her in anyway so it was probably for the best for her.

 

[chemgirl]

I have lived in my condo for 3 months now and have never heard a peep from anyone anywhere.

Tonight I can hear every word of the neighbour's movie. Everything.

How loud does this guy have his tv? We have a concrete firewall between us, soundproofing, and an 8 foot air gap for good measure.

I hope this isn't a taste of what's to come.

 

[bunnycat]

I have lived in my condo for 3 months now and have never heard a peep from anyone anywhere.

Tonight I can hear every word of the neighbour's movie. Everything.

How loud does this guy have his tv? We have a concrete firewall between us, soundproofing, and an 8 foot air gap for good measure.

I hope this isn't a taste of what's to come.

yuck, that sucks. new neighbor????

This unfortunately immediately reminded me of the time I lived in an apartment during college and had to listen one night to the drunk neighbors sing Hotel California at 3:30am.

 

[TC1987]

I just wanna say, for several days, my left palm has been itchy. For a couple of weeks now, my right foot has been itchy (no, it's not athlete's foot, LOL). According to superstition, "If your left palm itches, it means you will soon receive money." - and -

"An itching foot foretold a long journey from which the person would derive pleasure (or walk on strange/foreign ground). If it was the right sole then the person was either going somewhere they would be welcomed or would undertake a task and be successful in it."

- and -- tonight I have $2200 more than I had at 7AM today. Nicely tops off my kitty of relocation money, bwahahahaha!

Adios, Oh, poverty and stupid dead Rust Belt small-town life! Take your never-ending personal problems and self-inflicted miseries to The Salvation Army. I quit!

I am going back to civilization.

 

[chemgirl]

I have lived in my condo for 3 months now and have never heard a peep from anyone anywhere.

Tonight I can hear every word of the neighbour's movie. Everything.

How loud does this guy have his tv? We have a concrete firewall between us, soundproofing, and an 8 foot air gap for good measure.

I hope this isn't a taste of what's to come.

yuck, that sucks. new neighbor????

This unfortunately immediately reminded me of the time I lived in an apartment during college and had to listen one night to the drunk neighbors sing Hotel California at 3:30am.

Nope same people.

I really have never so much as heard a door slam before in this place. Its a townhouse style condo and it was built as a high-end complex. Unfortunately the area wasn't nice enough to support the builder's prices and 10 years later we bought for less than the original asking price (unheard of for this city where house prices have almost doubled over that time). It's very well built with loads of soundproofing. We can't even yell between floors in our unit!

They must have speakers right against the adjoining wall.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Thanks YayTacori, ginger, Rose, Okie
ETA: ginger your comment made me laugh out loud - totally grossly sweet!

My ILs have found homes for eight and they're happy to keep the last two


It's not a totally done deal yet - it'll depend on how just badly it upsets the cats. We're doing the "Emily's coming!!" happy voice thing when we feed & play with them, and we'll introduce from afar with towels first - the one I'm really worried about is Mina, if she jumps out the window or something - well - we aren't getting a dog. Gretta and Garett will be fine in a couple of weeks and Alex just generally behaves like he's lost his marbles but curiosity outweighs skittishness eventually...


Question for PSers with indoor-only cats and larger dogs: how do you handle it? We're still trying to work this out and it's looking like a f'n expensive project!!

We do want her to be able to get out while we're at work - she's probably going to be 50-70lbs so really not indoor-only size, I don't think. Problem is that the cats *can't* get loose - we've got coyotes and foxes. So first step is actually training them to the invisible fence we put in around the house when we first moved in - I am NOT looking forward to that

We're thinking of fencing in part of the yard for a daytime dog-run - we'd fence it in completely, sides and top, so even if the cats get out they can't go any further. We'd probably put in two electronic doggy doors with one-way (in) cat doors, and an outdoor shelter of some sort in case the cat won't cross the invisible fence to get back in again... we've got a couple of acres to work with, and I'm hoping if we put this thing in the nook between the house and the woods it won't *completely* tank the property value... of course, when we get home she'll get the whole yard to run around in. Actually I'm hoping that if we walk her in the morning she'll just sleep all day!

WWPSD?

So I don't have quite the menagerie that you have got going but we are dealing with something similar.... 2 indoor cats and a puppy with a doggie door that the cats figured out how to use...

Basically, during the day the cats are out in the cat cage, which is a converted aviary. We then leave the doggy door open so Chewi can come and go as he pleases throughout the day when we are not home. When we get home the doggie door gets closed, the cats come in and Chewi has to ask to go out. So far it is working pretty well but DH does want to move the cat cage so it is against the outdoor shed. He wants to cut a hole into the shed so they can have a run of both and then when we eventually do the extension we can run it so they can get from the house to the cage all on their own.
I'm not sure if you are able to do something like this but I thought I'd put it out there.

And I I've just read the last part about the puppy fence... (Sorry, I've been at Xmas drinks! ) I think creating a residential fence on the acres where the puppy can run safely during the day would be good. We live on an ordinary residential block but on the other acreages I've lived on, this is what we have had, as well as a fence around the perimeter of the property.

What kind of dogs are they? He is a pretty big puppy!

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

I just wanna say, for several days, my left palm has been itchy. For a couple of weeks now, my right foot has been itchy (no, it's not athlete's foot, LOL). According to superstition, "If your left palm itches, it means you will soon receive money." - and -

"An itching foot foretold a long journey from which the person would derive pleasure (or walk on strange/foreign ground). If it was the right sole then the person was either going somewhere they would be welcomed or would undertake a task and be successful in it."

- and -- tonight I have $2200 more than I had at 7AM today. Nicely tops off my kitty of relocation money, bwahahahaha!

Adios, Oh, poverty and stupid dead Rust Belt small-town life! Take your never-ending personal problems and self-inflicted miseries to The Salvation Army. I quit!

I am going back to civilization.

Someone once told me that If you get an itchy palm YOU CAN'T SCRATCH IT! Because if you scratch it, the money never comes. I'm Happy you have had a windfall and can get out of there!!

 

[Rosebloom]

Look what my dear 3 year old made me at school - does he know his mom or what?!

 

[yssie]

No worries ginger - I did want to clarify because I share your opinion on irresponsible breeding, and this saga could be a case study of careless breeders creating trouble for people at the end of the chain like my ILs who are trying to do right by their pets.


bastet - yeah, it's a really unfortunate story.

Ruby's (the mum) original owners gave her up to the shelter because they couldn't deal with her chronic digestive issues.

If one ever doubts that ours is an utterly deplorable species.. working at a shelter provides ample proof - how easily some people will give up on pets that they've made promises to and agreed to take responsibility for! Anyway - if these cretins had bothered to have her checked out they'd have discovered that she has a grain allergy, but that made her an unlikely adoption prospect and the shelter didn't have the resources to hold her (and we're right back to careless breeding causing problems ) so they'd scheduled her to be put down the next day. At this point her file apparently said she'd been spayed but it's not like it actually mattered, so...

A second shelter picked her up that night and that's where my ILs got her from. They used the file that they'd got from the first shelter - apparently checking a female is a relatively invasive procedure? My understanding is that this second shelter has been really good about the whole thing - offering to take the pups, etc. but, well, it's not like they aren't strapped for resources too

The vet is the only party in this mess that I think really screwed up - he/she has NO excuse for not checking her properly. But I think I remember either MIL or FIL saying that he's agreed to take care of fixing the puppies?


I talked to DH about the fence last night and he thinks we should stick with a covered top because of where we live - we do get all sorts of critters around here, and the last thing we'd want is a skunk or possum in the house! I think we might buy a standalone PurrfectFence kit for the cats so they can have their own outside area though, away from the dog


HOT - your cats figured out how to use the doggy door? is it an electronic one - so they just slip in behind puppy? One of ours is the typical box of rocks so we aren't worried about her learning anything another HATES the outdoors but the last two are pretty smart and the one is always trying to escape!

I love the idea of an aviary - all those places for them to climb! I'd love to do something like that with our enclosure. We could put ours right up against the house - the side of the house is about twenty feet from the start of the treeline on that side so it's pretty good in terms of being relatively unobtrusive but large enough to run around in. Actually now that I think about it we do have a shed, too, so we could put it beside the shed and just leave Emily outside all day, like ginger talked about. We'd have to clean it out and heat it and whatnot but... that might actually be a good option - bonus of not leaving the cats and dog alone unattended together...

Ack!! So much stuff to think about!

We have NO idea who the father is. Most of the pups look sorta pit-bull-ey, but, um, Ruby's a good 60-70lbs so the mechanics sorta don't really work.. right?

 

[yssie]

Rose - that's just adorable