[GeoGeo]

Will The Villages allow you to add a courtyard to your home? Maybe a shorter wall? Maybe across the whole back or only part of the back of the house? I have also seen some houses that have a concrete patio area with white fencing around it (just a small area) and the dog was in that area.

[Barefoot]

There are many previous posts about invisible fencing, if you use the search button above. It is very popular in TV and for us, it works well. Bluedog had good information in his post.

We lived in a Courtyard Villa (purchased for our dogs) for a few years before Fireboy decided he needed a big garage. Since I relucantly agreed we needed a larger house, we moved. I was very reluctant to consider invisible fencing. I always thought it was cruel and inhumane. But that is because I totally misunderstood the system and how it worked. At least the Dog Watch System, I'm not sure how other systems work. I used to think that invisible fences were cruel. But I made a call to Dog Watch of Ocala, and they visited our home and explained the system. I asked them to bring collars for both our big dog and our small dog, so I could try them on my arm and satisfy myself that the system wouldn't be painful for my dogs. It is more of a tingle that gets their attention, than a shock. Our invisible fence surrounds the front yard as well as the back yard.

The most important part of the system is the training process which takes about a week, and trains the dogs to react to a warning beep. You do have to have patience with the training cycle. Evan from Dog Watch visited as often as he wanted to assist us and make sure we were doing the training properly. The dogs are trained on a leash to react to the beep, and the correction part of the system isn't even turned on for the training week! The dogs are rewarded for responding to the beep.

When the dogs are finally unleashed and free to roam, if they ignore the beep, and try to go past the boundary, they get a correction, which is a tingle. It works amazing well for my 10 lb dog and my 70 lb dog. Both my dogs only ever required one correction before they got it! We back on a golf course and ducks will actually waddle up the hill from their little pond and tease LolliPop, my 70 lb dog. Lolli would just love to chase them back down the hill, but she will not chase the ducks through the boundary of the invisible fence.

Even if we are away from TV for a few months, and even without a collar, if the dogs go into the back yard, they keep within the boundaries. As I said, I am a huge fan of the Dog Watch system, and Evan was an amazing help in training our dogs. But it isn't a substitute for a fence. You still need to supervise your dogs when they are outside. Predators can still come on your property. I also think off leash running and play are essential for dogs. And in TV, the back yards aren't huge. So every day we take our dogs to Doggie Doo Run Run for socialization and play. I love that dog park.

I would be happy to show our system to anyone who is considering invisible fencing. We'll be back in TV in the Fall. Just send me a PM and we'll arrange it.

[CalcTeacher]

Can someone tell me where Doggie Doo Run Run is located? We have a St. Bernard and are building a designer home. He (Cooper) will be 6 when we move there and I am fearful he won't train well on the invisible fence (we had it for our other dog -- a Golden Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix -- and he trained beautifully on it). But this dog? Maybe not so much. So, for us, it will be lots of walks and trips to this dog park people keep referring to...but I don't know where it is. Please inform!

[shcisamax]

It is up past Spanish Springs according to google. I sure do wish they could do something down in the new section...a little park perhaps?

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by CalcTeacher

Can someone tell me where Doggie Doo Run Run is located? We have a St. Bernard and are building a designer home. He (Cooper) will be 6 when we move there and I am fearful he won't train well on the invisible fence (we had it for our other dog -- a Golden Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix -- and he trained beautifully on it). But this dog? Maybe not so much. So, for us, it will be lots of walks and trips to this dog park people keep referring to...but I don't know where it is. Please inform!

Doggie Doo Run Run is located on CR 101 which runs north off CR 466. CR 101 is west of Bueva Vista, east of Buffalo Ridge. CR 101 runs north between Southern Trace Plaza and the CVS/Bonefish Grill Plaza.

If you attend a TOTV Lunch on the third Friday of the month, it is held at Crispers, which is situated in the Southern Trace Plaza, on the north/east corner of CR 466 and CR 101.

DDRR is an amazing dog park with tons of room for big dogs to run off leash. I think they have a ten acre parcel, with different fenced areas for large dogs and small dogs. Your dog need to be neutered, and you will need to take proof of shots. It costs about $1 a day if you join by the month, and they clean up after your dog.

Your job is to watch your dog play while you talk to other delightful pet owners. See you there! I'm the one with a goofy looking big dog.

[dsned]

I have two little dogs and tried the electric fence, it was just too hard to train them. Now that it is so hot I just take them out in my yard they do their business and right back in we go. They do love walking at the mail boxes, just don't put the waste bag in the trash there, take it home with you. When the weather gets nicer they love the dog parks.

[CalcTeacher]

Barefoot: Thanks for the info! We will not be moving down until next summer but the comfort of our "big boy" (aka the son we never had) is paramount. Bringing a St. Bernard to Florida sounds ridiculous to most, but frankly, the summer temps there are cooler than where we currently live (Northern Virginia near Dulles Airport). Dog park sounds awesome! Let's just hope he doesn't have trouble riding shot-gun in the golf car! Haha!

[jtdraig]

The answer is to walk them in your yard on a leash and then walk them as they need. This works for us and our dog has the run of the house most of the rest of the day. There are dog parks where they can run freely.

This reminds me of a not so funny story. The Company with which I spent 37 years built a large state of the art manufacturing and development plant in Tucson, Arizona. It was staffed with transferring employees from California and Boulder mostly. They would bring their dogs and cats and let them out at night only to be never seen again. I ran a the Accounting Services Function at the time and marveled that we used to spend an average of $800 to move these animals only for them to be coyote food with heartbroken owners. I suggested to our HR people that they incorporate this into the recruitment and move counseling so people would know how to work with their new environment. When this happened, the "new dog/cat on the block" mortality rate improved significantly

Congrats to you on thinking proactively about your animals.

[llapoint101]

Are you allowed to have invisible dog fences in The Villages? I sure hope so because I have one here in Michigan and want to put one in when I move the TV.

[gomoho]

Yes, you can have an invisible fence in The Villages, but you can't just let the dog out if it extends to your front yard 'cause too many people get frightened. Either keep the fence to the back or when the dog is out be sure to be out with your dog. Dog issue are a very, very touchy subject in The Villages. Actually I would guess more people than not have fur friends, but the few that don't are quite vocal.

[Barefoot]

Veronica, I think that you have twothreads going entitled "Dogs in Designer Homes", both started on August 1, 2012.
Or perhaps I'm seeing double.

[Regor]

We are dog lovers and our last friend died about 9 years ago and we decided that The villages is not a 'good' place for dogs. We have a neighbor that has 2 dogs and invisible fencing around their yard. I have never seen the dogs cross the line but here is the problem - every time a person walking, a cart or truck drives by the house (corner lot) the dogs both start barking and chasing the person or vehicle. Most of the surrounding neighbors are upset with the noise. Talk to the neighbor and get the response "They are dogs! They bark!" It isn't too bad this time of year as most of have the house shut up and air running but for about 8 months of the year our windows are open and hear the barking. Is that fair to us? About ready to call animal control or someone. I think Sumter county has laws that says they have to be tied or on a leash. Not sure if invisible fencing meets that criteria! Maybe the next step is to shoot them? My enjoyment of my remaining years of my life is much more important than having dogs barking.

[Moderator]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Veronica, you have two posts going entitled "Dogs in Designer Homes", both started on August 1, 2012.

Or am I missing something?

Both threads have been combined into the All About Pets Forum.

Moderator

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Regor

We are dog lovers and our last friend died about 9 years ago and we decided that The villages is not a 'good' place for dogs. We have a neighbor that has 2 dogs and invisible fencing around their yard. I have never seen the dogs cross the line but here is the problem - every time a person walking, a cart or truck drives by the house (corner lot) the dogs both start barking and chasing the person or vehicle. Most of the surrounding neighbors are upset with the noise. Talk to the neighbor and get the response "They are dogs! They bark!" It isn't too bad this time of year as most of have the house shut up and air running but for about 8 months of the year our windows are open and hear the barking. Is that fair to us? About ready to call animal control or someone. I think Sumter county has laws that says they have to be tied or on a leash. Not sure if invisible fencing meets that criteria! Maybe the next step is to shoot them? My enjoyment of my remaining years of my life is much more important than having dogs barking.

If a resident has invisible fencing, dogs don't have to be tied up or on a leash when they are on the owner's property. However there are laws that dogs can't endlessly bark. And I'm pretty sure there are also laws which say you can't shoot the dogs.

[Patty55]

Originally Posted by Regor

Maybe the next step is to shoot them? My enjoyment of my remaining years of my life is much more important than having dogs barking.

I think that if you want to enjoy your remaining years you might want to forget about shooting them or even idly threatening to shoot them.

Why would you think TV was a "good fit" for you? Maybe if the dogs are going to make you all "MENTAL" you should rethink your choice.