[Pturner]

Originally Posted by bike42

Here's the exact wording (Sumter County): "Birds, fish, dogs and cats shall be permitted, with a maximum of two (2) pets per Homesite. Each Owner shall be personally responsible for damage caused to dedicated or reserved areas by any such pet and shall be responsible to immediately remove and dispose of any excrement of such pet and shall be responsible to keep such pet on a leash."

Since the leash statement is part of the sentence about dedicated or reserved areas, EITHER they need to be kept on leash while in those dedicated or reserved (public) areas OR they need to be on leash at all times, including in the house. Fish on leashes too. I think Ms. Tucker might want to check with a lawyer before she sends out the deed restriction police.

Bike42, excellent observation for what it's worth. You are right! As the statement is written, either pets need to be leashed only in dedicated or reserve areas or they need to be leashed at all times, including in the house. Good catch!

That's too funny.

[philnpat]

When we had an invisible fence for our dog, she would run and bark at people walking by the house. I can understand the concern of walkers especially if they weren't dog lovers. To lessen their fears, we put small flags along the front boundry informing them that our dog was contained by the invisible fence. A few even encouraged her to cross the line...but...she knew her boundries.

[JSR22]

I think a lot of the dog issues would disappear if TV started building designer homes with courtyards.

[bike42]

Originally Posted by Pturner

Bike42, excellent observation for what it's worth. You are right! As the statement is written, either pets need to be leashed only in dedicated or reserve areas or they need to be leashed at all times, including in the house. Good catch!

That's too funny.

I wrote a letter-to-the-editors of POA, asking the same question (a little more politely), and requesting clarification from Ms. Tucker.

[SALYBOW]

Originally Posted by Gerald

It seems to me. That there is only a problem if the dog leaves the owners property. Since an electric fence could lose its power I can see why there might be a fear that the dog might run out and do whatever outside the owners property. Also since we can not fence in most of the properties with a physical fence that the dog can not get by I can understand the problem. Someone told me you could put in a small physical fenced in dog run on your property say on the side of the house. If that is true would that solve the problem for everyone. Just wondering at this point

I had an electric fence up North. Once the dog knows the limits it no longer needs the collar to stop short of the shock zone. Ergo, if the power goes out, the dog won't realize it and will stop short of a shock anyway.

[ladydoc]

As I have said before, it might keep your dog in, but it does not keep other dogs out. I saw a dog running free on our LSP and more then one poster talked about seeing coyotes. That was enough for me to decide against the invisible fence. But then, I am a very overly complusive person when it comes to my 4 legged kids.

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by ladydoc

As I have said before, it might keep your dog in, but it does not keep other dogs out. I saw a dog running free on our LSP and more then one poster talked about seeing coyotes. That was enough for me to decide against the invisible fence. But then, I am a very overly complusive person when it comes to my 4 legged kids.

We'd better get out there and hook those coyotes to leashes. If anyone is terrified of my shih-tzu in her own yard, they'll **** if they see a coyote roaming free.

[The Great Fumar]

Originally Posted by JSR22

There would not be any purpose for underground fences if dogs need to be leashed on their property. The reason for underground fences are for the dogs to be unleashed on their property.

Personally I would rather see underground dogs for underground fences, Just a personal preference !!!

[swimdawg]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I am Aunt to a dog named Lexi.

I really LOVE dogs.

Is Lexi a dawg or a dog? Just curious.

[bike42]

Originally Posted by Tbugs

I just read the POA paper that was delivered on my driveway. On page 13, a letter to the editor states the concerns of a person who went for a walk and saw 2 dogs in the yard who were barking at the people walking by the yard. The dogs did not come out of the yard because they most likely had the underground dog fencing around the yard. The writer stated he did not believe dogs should be left outside in the yard.

The response from the POA newletter was that they forwarded the question to Diane Tucker, District Operations Manager, who oversees deed compliance and her response was: "The Restrictive Covenants state the pet(s) must be kept on a leash. We would be happy to have our Deed Compliance Officer talk with the property owner if you provide us with an address."

Basically, this is saying that even though you have underground fencing, the dogs have to be leashed. Does this sound correct? I always thought that if dogs were not allowed out of your yard, they were allowed to be unleashed.

Pages 14-15-16 of the July POA Bulletin give Diane Tucker's response, which I THINK says the District has no jurisdiction over dogs off leash ON your property because that is not "use or appearance of 'real property'". All three counties' leash laws require dogs to be on leashes when off your property (we knew that).

I take this to mean that invisible fences are OK and dogs do not need to be on leash if they are contained on your own property.

What do you think?

If you don't have a copy, you can download the POA bulletin at http://www.poa4us.org/bulletins_file...etin201107.pdf

[ladydoc]

Originally Posted by bike42

Pages 14-15-16 of the July POA Bulletin give Diane Tucker's response, which I THINK says the District has no jurisdiction over dogs off leash ON your property because that is not "use or appearance of 'real property'". All three counties' leash laws require dogs to be on leashes when off your property (we knew that).

I take this to mean that invisible fences are OK and dogs do not need to be on leash if they are contained on your own property.

What do you think?

If you don't have a copy, you can download the POA bulletin at http://www.poa4us.org/bulletins_file...etin201107.pdf

That would seem to be perfectly reasonable, logical and correct. So it is probably wrong. NO, just kidding. Why go through the expense of an underground fence if you have to keep your furry kid on leash? I do not intend to keep the kids on a leash in our fenced courtyard...

[Tbugs]

Sounds like common sense prevails on both the invisible fences and the courtyard villas for dogs.

Did anyone see the television clip or read the article in the Daily Sun of the 12 foot alligator coming into someone's backyard in Melbourne, Florida, and attacking their 110 pound dog? The alligator was roaming around due to the drought, they said. The CYV would have been safer than the invisible fence for that dog!!

[dpingram]

I have used invisible fencing for my dogs for the the last 27 years. The most important feature of the invisible fencing is the proper training of your dog. Most people are in a hurry and do not take the time for this training.
A couple of points concerning invisible fencing:
1. My system has a battery backup. If the power goes off, the battery takes over.
2. If there is a break in the wire, there is an audible signal.
3. If the collar needs to be recharged, there is an audible signal.

As I stated, proper training is essential.
We recently moved in and will wait until landscaping etc.. is done before installing the invisible fencing. Since, my dogs have been fully trained they are aware of the significance of the flags. So, I put up the flags to aquaint them with the boundaries. They will not go anywhere near the flags, even when the cow behind us moos. I even put a toy they wanted in the yard of the empty house behind me to test their reaction. They just stood there and stared at the toy until I retrieved it for them. All this and the wire is not in the ground and they do not have on collars.

4. For the safety of my pets, they would not be left out at night or when we were not at home.
5. Because the front lawn areas are small, my dogs are confined to the rear and side rea sections of the yard.

[marianne237]

We live across a very busy street from neighbors who put invisible fencing up for their dogs. We also watched as one of the dogs jumped over the barrier and chased a golf cart down the street. So glad it wasn't our dog.

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by marianne237

We live across a very busy street from neighbors who put invisible fencing up for their dogs. We also watched as one of the dogs jumped over the barrier and chased a golf cart down the street. So glad it wasn't our dog.

As Dpingram said, training is essential, there is no substitute.