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By Joe Sherinski, Master Gardener and Professional Landscaper
For many homeowners, this simple statement can conjure up visions of terror and destruction. As a professional landscaper, I too have seen the fury of the fur time and time again.
One incident I recall happened years ago, when I was a young and rather inexperienced landscaper. My clients, Bob and Margie, were having trouble with their two Weimaraners. The dogs had worn a path into the soil around the yard's perimeter fence and dug multiple holes throughout the courtyard and around the water feature. My solution to Bob and Margie's predicament was to build a stone wall with a wooden gate to separate the water feature and courtyard. In addition, I planted a row of ornamental grasses about five feet out from the fence. I thought this would hide the path of damage, and allow the dogs to run between the ornamental grass and the fence. I hoped this solution would work. It didn't. The dogs dug up the grasses, dug new holes, and even chewed on the wooden gate. The stone wall was the only survivor.
Over the years I saw many homeowners combat the canines; encountering dogs that dug holes, chewed expensive trees, pulled out shrubs, and devoured everything from low voltage lighting systems and weed fabric, to pool covers and patio furniture. Needless to say, after those experiences, I came to the conclusion that dogs and nice landscapes just don't mix, and told my clients if they wanted to preserve their landscape, they should not have dogs. And then one day, my position was challenged. I found myself on the front line in the war for the landscape, and this time the battle was in my own backyard. Not wanting to deprive my children of a life with a dog, I broke down and brought one home; thinking I could train it to behave in the landscape. However, I soon realized, that while training a dog is possible, it takes an enormous amount of time. And like most folks with a job and a family, I just didn't have the time to invest in effective training. So I found myself in the same predicament as all those clients I worked with through the years - how to have a dog, and also have a nice landscape.
After researching various methods, a friend suggested Invisible Fence. And with one phone call to my local Invisible Fence professional, the war was over. I was able to give my dog the freedom to run and at the same time, preserve my landscape. It is my opinion as a professional landscaper, a homeowner, and a dog owner that there is no better way than Invisible Fence to keep your dog safe, and keep your landscape intact.
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