Tuesday, April 25, 2023

I was working to modify my yard fencing to contain my escape-artist puppy when my neighbor, Frank, texted, sending a photo of a downed section of my horse fencing. Frank kindly reconnected the top rails and reset the section but said my side of the fence needed staples. I hurried to try containing my puppy (oy vey!) before going to pound staples. My examination of the fenceline revealed several loose posts.

In today’s hasty-home-building economy, one challenge is finding repair experts who are reasonably available and trustworthy. Plus, skilled tradespersons are coming and going. One who has worked here once or twice suddenly disappears. Now my part-time work at Home Depot has acquainted me with a contractor who works there part-time.

He explained that this freezing, long winter severely limiting his business had brought him to HD. I contacted him yesterday, and we will meet to review my property concerns. He’s an electrician and could make such repairs. He says his HD co-worker is a capable plumber and is also available. Maybe he knows someone who can repair fencing.

In accepting my part-time job at HD, I was hoping to meet coworkers or customers who could address various property needs. Maybe this co-worker will be that skilled tradesperson.

Dear Friends: Today’s beautiful weather will have the Garden Department very busy. Diana

Monday, April 24, 2023

Chase is being contained! New obstructive material, stretching over the six-foot fencing, interrupts his climbs and escapes. In another doggie area, a nearly half-acre fenced for them, he escapes from a section with top-rail fencing by climbing up and over until now. An added foot-and-a-half fencing fabric above the top rail can’t support his weight.

After today, my mind can focus on other matters. For one thing, I must prepare to haul my equines over to the west side for routine dentistry after readying my truck and horse trailer. Unfortunately, my escaping dog has captured my attention, delaying the spring start-up activities with the rig and horses.

Also, I’m reading another excellent novel: Lab Girl, published in 2016 by Hope Jahren, an American geochemist, geobiologist, and professor specializing in plant life. Her memoir is well-written and humorous, a first-person description of coming-of-age experiences that moved her toward a deep understanding of plants.

Dear Friends: It’s spring, and now Home Depot will increase my working hours. Diana

 

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Yesterday, I worked all day to get ahead of my puppy, Chase, to keep him confined.

He foiled several of my attempts to block his exits from the dogs’ larger area. He astonishes me with his strength and climbing skills. That puppy found ways to get up and squeeze over the most complicated barriers I could devise. He set me wandering this whole property, opening long neglected sheds, and eying objects creatively to spot potential blocker-aids. Finally, the process is slowing him, but today, he’s clearly aware there’s a weak area and has begun challenging it.

He’s an athlete, and it’s his game. I can’t let him win, and he wears me out.

In the past, I’ve visited shelters and been upset to learn individuals may turn in dogs, claiming they can’t keep the animals confined and/or control their behaviors. However, none of my dogs have been so challenging that I’d consider sending one to a shelter. That’s not saying none have been difficult, as some were, for every living creature has a unique personality.

Chase has challenged me to a new level, but I won’t give up. Offsetting his energy is a personality that couldn’t be sweeter.

He’s a mixed breed, predominately Rottweiller and German Shepard, with the strength, determination, and intelligence of those two breeds (at least, for it’s unknown whatever else might be in him). He could be a great candidate for policing, rescuing, or carrying messages during wartime. His strength and drive seem endless.

His constant escaping needs occasionally have made me consider re-homing or giving him up, but only in my worst moments of struggling to ensure his safety. I will keep trying to control his escaping needs and hanging on while he outgrows his young brain. If, finally, his behaviors don’t change, I’ll do whatever’s needed to counter them.

Dear Friends: This once-itty-pup landed serendipitously in his permanent home. Diana

Saturday, April 22, 2023

More on the same topic of my puppy, Chance, and his escaping skills.

All day yesterday, he was uncontainable, although I had constructed barriers. I couldn’t figure out how he continued to manage to escape. Whenever he showed up uninvited, I added a new physical construct to keep him contained.

At least Chase wasn’t leaving the property. He happily hurried to join me if I were outside and hung around the house if I were inside. Upon my exit, he’d show up, all tail-wagging and body-wiggling.

I did introduce Chase to an e-collar and began to work with him. But the collar is for reinforcement rather than punishment. Zapping him during escape trials would require my continuous presence to watch him. Plus, soon, he will comprehend a relationship between his e-collar and my physical presence.

He has stressed me out for not knowing how to keep him completely safe. He must not happen onto a busy highway that runs near my property. Last night, I lay awake for hours and considered possible options. After running through my mental catalog of observed escapes, I made some decisions.

Today, I will install a gate in my dogs’ common area. It may prevent Chase from accessing the five-foot fencing he leaps easily. Another install will be in the big kennel, a stand-alone, ten- by twenty-foot area with six-foot-fencing, which Chase climbs and goes over. I will add strips of garden fencing that stretch overhead and might prevent him from leaping to complete climbs.

I must be able to keep him safe!

Dear Friends: I’ll be off work and trying to resolve the problem for a few more days. Diana

Friday, April 21, 2023

My year-old puppy, Chase, is an escape artist. He has managed to escape a quarter-acre, fenced area for my dogs. The first time by digging beneath the extra chicken wire laid under strong wire fencing and the second time by climbing over a four-and-one-half foot gate.

Those skills earned him a re-location to my rescue kennel that houses visiting dogs and wandering strays. It’s safe and secure, has housed many dogs, and has been escape-proof. It has a concrete floor surrounded by six-foot-high fencing; inside, its space is ten by twenty feet.

A few days after spending time in the big kennel, Chase escaped it. My housemate, Jan, and I watched in astonishment as he balanced against a corner of fencing, attained firm right and left paw holds, and then climbed straight up and over the six-foot-high fence.

We returned him to the kennel and watched again. This time, he ditched it more quickly and in the same way.

Long story short, into that day’s late afternoon, Jan and I worked to secure in each corner a four-foot-wide sheet of lumber to erase foot-holds. Afterward, we returned Chase to the kennel and watched while he inspected and evaluated the changes. He tested the corners before making a nearly-successful attempt to climb straight up and over the fenced front.

Chase is a challenge. Today, I will strengthen those corner wood slab installations and keep a close eye on the dog. He may accompany me or wait while securely crated inside the house if I must leave home.

Dear Friends: I’ve known many dogs, but none were as strong, determined, and challenging. Diana

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Imagine this: I took my dogs to a BLM to run freely without first noticing that one of my dogs was missing. At the BLM, I freed the dogs, and for an instant, it seemed one might be missing. But they were racing around, and some were already out of sight. So I shrugged off the notion of one missing.

We began walking, and for a quarter-mile, all was well. Suddenly, and I can’t say why, it dawned on me that Osix, my Border Collie, wasn’t visible. That’s unusual, for Osix keeps me in her sights, which keeps her in mine. I paused my entourage and stood calling for her. After no response, I thought back and realized that contrary to my usual habit, I’d not counted how many dogs had loaded into my Jeep’s cargo.

Uh, oh, I grasped something awful: Osix was missing.

Where could she be! My mind ran some awful scenarios. Did she, upon being left, try to follow my Jeep? Had she gone running on the busy highway? Could she be…? I couldn’t let myself picture the worst.

Immediately, I directed my dogs back to the Jeep. Fortunately, they loaded in quickly. While driving home, I scanned the roadway and its sides without sighting an injured or dead dog.

Upon arriving home, there was Osix, waiting and happy to see the Jeep. My relief was indescribable.

I’m usually well-organized. That mental blip astonished me. Simply put, my brain played a trick, letting me for an instant notice, but not realize, a dog missing in the mix. I get it, too, for on reflection, my mind was too full of other matters, and I was tired and careless.

Dear Friends: In the future, I’ll count my dogs obsessively. Diana

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Chase and I struggled yesterday when he was with me at Home Depot. That was his first visit to a busy public place. All the sights, sounds, and shopping carts were too much for him. Regardless, I asked a cashier, Laura, to hold his leash while I took a photo. So today’s header captures lots of tension.

I took Chase to PetSmart to find him a new collar. He was unhappy there, and I thought he might behave aggressively toward other dogs in the store. We were experimenting with collar sizes when a store employee entered the aisle. She was friendly and began playing with Chase. She understood dogs, and he started calming down. He at first refused her treats and then began accepting them. She helped to select and fit a new collar and introduced us to a dog martingale to ease the leading of my strong puppy.

She was a store trainer and had a puppy class beginning that evening. Since Chase had relaxed with her, I enrolled us. Later, during that event, he was a calm, interested, and accepting pup, only mildly interested in other dogs. I was delighted with a new perspective on my puppy’s potential and our future. He’s just fine.

As for me, I must hurry now. This is another six a.m. workday.

Dear Friends: I’ll retake Chase to HD for a more fun version of him “in the Aisle.” Diana

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

This begins three early days that force me to clock in at work by six a.m. I’ve already shared the challenges of feeding horses at five a.m. before heading to work. My high hope for today is that it’s less windy than in previous days. My job at HD will have me roaming and watering plants in the outside garden area.

I visited a new dentist yesterday morning, and happily, felt comfortable with how he worked with me. Fortunately, he found my teeth in good condition, except for an ancient root canal that’s failing and needs a re-do. For that repair, I’m referred to an endodontic group.

I’m on fire with the medical stuff, catching up. This afternoon, such fun, a mammogram, and in mid-May, an overdue physical.

As a procrastinator, I have set those needs aside for too long. After my primary care doctor retired, I found it nearly impossible to identify an experienced doctor, and importantly, one with enough time to see new patients. This area’s continuously booming population is slamming its medical providers.

I feel good for having worked through the difficulties. Now, with a plan I’m moving forward.

Dear Friends: This moment, too, I need to move forward and leave for work. Diana

Monday, April 17, 2023

Yesterday, the cutest “Dog in the Aisle” was a cuddly and adorable eight-week-old Golden Retriever.

Early today, I must leave here for a dental appointment. First, I will have to manage my strong, year-old puppy, Chase. His determination has discovered a couple of ways of escaping the fenced dog area.

He’s an eager-goer. The evening before last, he took off, leaving the property and not responding for too long to my calls. Before leaving for HD yesterday, I left him in a large kennel that’s surrounded by a six-foot fence and inescapable. For the first time, he spent a day minus his buddies.

This afternoon I’ll start creating a temporary structure that adds a couple of wire feet over the existing dog-area fence. I’ve done the same to contain another escape artist, Kinny. My efforts then were successful, and luckily I saved many boards that had supported the added fencing.

Dear Friends: Enjoy your dogs and this beautiful day. Diana

Sunday, April 16, 2023

Locally, the pre-spring weather has been sensational. Shirt-sleeve days outside handling routine chores and cleaning up any overwinter neglect.

I’m in the process of changing my tools. The replacements are battery-operated instead of gas- and electric-powered. I love easy-to-operate battery tools. They work immediately on pushing a starter button, are light in weight, and operate correctly at any distance from a traditional power source.

All this follows my years of being confused by gas engines and string-starters, having to haul too-heavy tools, and being confined to working within lengths of electrical wires. Of course, changeovers are expensive. Something similar that’s being forced on everybody is developing technology that pushes us to anticipate needing battery-operated vehicles.

We’ll likely enjoy battery-operated vehicles as well as small tools. The huge downside, however, will be the disposal of batteries used and/or outdated which is a serious ecological problem. Think of plastic, its convenience and its understood environmental impact. Battery disposals may be a bad-to-worst eventually!

This morning, I happily was spouting the pluses of having battery-operated tools, and just see where that drifted. Oy vey.

Dear Friends: On this early springlike and beautiful day, enjoy being outside. Diana