Our yard seems to have a critter magnet. Mostly, woodchucks, skunks,
squirrels, occasional racoons, and a few deer. It has cover and food,
and the food includes our garden.

We've tried fencing the garden, which helps. But, in the end, they
always get in. Trapping and 'relocating' also helps, but the supply
seems inexhaustible. And, by the time I know that I need to set the
trap, the damage is often already well under way.

So, we were thinking, dog. Maybe a dog would just discourage all
these guys. If anyone has any pro/con to share on this, I'd
appreciate hearing it.

Or, we could just grow garlic. Nobody seems to eat that.

Thanks,
George

"George" wrote in message
...
Our yard seems to have a critter magnet. Mostly, woodchucks, skunks,
squirrels, occasional racoons, and a few deer. It has cover and food,
and the food includes our garden.

We've tried fencing the garden, which helps. But, in the end, they
always get in. Trapping and 'relocating' also helps, but the supply
seems inexhaustible. And, by the time I know that I need to set the
trap, the damage is often already well under way.

So, we were thinking, dog. Maybe a dog would just discourage all
these guys. If anyone has any pro/con to share on this, I'd
appreciate hearing it.

Or, we could just grow garlic. Nobody seems to eat that.

Except frogs :-))

Steve

A dog would help. A cat would too. The bigger the better. Also if *you*
pee all over the place that helps a lot.

Electric fence?

Good luck! John!

George wrote:
Our yard seems to have a critter magnet. Mostly, woodchucks, skunks,
squirrels, occasional racoons, and a few deer. It has cover and food,
and the food includes our garden.

We've tried fencing the garden, which helps. But, in the end, they
always get in. Trapping and 'relocating' also helps, but the supply
seems inexhaustible. And, by the time I know that I need to set the
trap, the damage is often already well under way.

So, we were thinking, dog. Maybe a dog would just discourage all
these guys. If anyone has any pro/con to share on this, I'd
appreciate hearing it.

Or, we could just grow garlic. Nobody seems to eat that.

Thanks,
George

shazzbat "George" wrote in message
...
Our yard seems to have a critter magnet. Mostly, woodchucks, skunks,
squirrels, occasional racoons, and a few deer. It has cover and food,
and the food includes our garden.

We've tried fencing the garden, which helps. But, in the end, they
always get in. Trapping and 'relocating' also helps, but the supply
seems inexhaustible. And, by the time I know that I need to set the
trap, the damage is often already well under way.

So, we were thinking, dog. Maybe a dog would just discourage all
these guys. If anyone has any pro/con to share on this, I'd
appreciate hearing it.

Or, we could just grow garlic. Nobody seems to eat that.

Except frogs :-))

Steve

i would certainly consider getting a dog we had skunks and other animals around here for awhile but since our son brought his dog home a few years back there sure are a lot less of them around.
she is a mid size swiss style dog. she is an outside dog so can take care of things when these animals decide to show their noses lol.
the down side is if u have a dog especially with those kinds of animals around its an absolute must to keep all of the dogs shots such as rabies and distemper up to date and those sure dont come cheap as well u have a dog to clean up behind, feed and water lol.
but thats far better than the animals stealing all your grub and the love, attention and companionship u give the dog is given back one hundred fold so it makes things well worth the extra chores lol.
good luck, sockiescat.

And it does not have to be a big dog:

http://128.192.110.51/gifs/112405/DSC02127.JPG

that was this morning. Hopefully it was one of the ones that like to
chew on the house.

John!

Go whole hog. As Pinhead says, electric fence and pee (the latter
particularly effective with rodents), but also fencing under the fence
because that is the way rabbits and woodchucks prefer. The electric
fence, strung a few inches from the top of the fence, is particularly
impressive, one touch and squirrels and deer stay away for years. I had
it down for three years, but I had a deer come in so I put it on again.
One month later, the breakins are over and the fence is off again. It
only cost 20 bucks. They have to get around the fence, either under or
over, so electric plus underground fencing take away both options.

In article ,
GA Pinhead wrote:

And it does not have to be a big dog:

http://128.192.110.51/gifs/112405/DSC02127.JPG

that was this morning. Hopefully it was one of the ones that like to
chew on the house.

John!


Yay. ;-)

I've had that problem too, to the point where I poison the little tree
rats! Sick of the damage they do.

Don't get a dog if you are just getting it for critter control in the back
yard. Dogs are really social critters and require love and attention.
Getting a dog to just leave it penned up in the yard is cruel and unusual
punishment. It would consider itself part of your family and wonder what it
did wrong to be excluded from family life.

So if this is your wish then 2 dogs would be kinder so they could be family
to each other.



"George" wrote in message
...
Our yard seems to have a critter magnet. Mostly, woodchucks, skunks,
squirrels, occasional racoons, and a few deer. It has cover and food,
and the food includes our garden.

We've tried fencing the garden, which helps. But, in the end, they
always get in. Trapping and 'relocating' also helps, but the supply
seems inexhaustible. And, by the time I know that I need to set the
trap, the damage is often already well under way.

So, we were thinking, dog. Maybe a dog would just discourage all
these guys. If anyone has any pro/con to share on this, I'd
appreciate hearing it.

Or, we could just grow garlic. Nobody seems to eat that.

Thanks,
George

simy1 wrote:

Go whole hog. As Pinhead says, electric fence and pee........
..............

In the future, I would like both of you to refrain from mentioning pee
and electric fences in the same sentence or even the same post!

;-)

On Fri, 25 Nov 2005 02:11:57 GMT, "LJ" wrote:

Don't get a dog if you are just getting it for critter control in the back
yard. Dogs are really social critters and require love and attention.
Getting a dog to just leave it penned up in the yard is cruel and unusual
punishment. It would consider itself part of your family and wonder what it
did wrong to be excluded from family life.

Well said.

So if this is your wish then 2 dogs would be kinder so they could be family
to each other.

Or get a dog door.


Penelope
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

How else do you test the fence to see if it is on?

John!

Steve wrote:
simy1 wrote:

Go whole hog. As Pinhead says, electric fence and pee........
..............


In the future, I would like both of you to refrain from mentioning pee
and electric fences in the same sentence or even the same post!

;-)

GA Pinhead How else do you test the fence to see if it is on?

John!

Steve wrote:
simy1 wrote:

Go whole hog. As Pinhead says, electric fence and pee........
..............


In the future, I would like both of you to refrain from mentioning pee
and electric fences in the same sentence or even the same post!

;-)

now i wonder why u dont want both those words mentioned in the same post lolol.
my hubby told me that one time his dad called the boys in out of the cattle field his older brother forgot that they had turned the fencer back on for a bit and he ended up running right into it. that was an enlightening situation from what his brother told me lmaooooo.
sockiescat.

sockiescat writes:
GA Pinhead How else do you test the fence to see if it is on?

The neighbour's dog will usually oblige soon enough.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

On 2005-11-24 20:11:57 -0600, "LJ" said:

Don't get a dog if you are just getting it for critter control in the back
yard. Dogs are really social critters and require love and attention.
Getting a dog to just leave it penned up in the yard is cruel and unusual
punishment. It would consider itself part of your family and wonder what it
did wrong to be excluded from family life.

So if this is your wish then 2 dogs would be kinder so they could be family
to each other.


Thank you for stating this. If you hadn't said something, I would have.