This Spring, Give Your Dog The Freedom To Roam About The Yard
As the weather gets nicer by the day we’ll take every excuse to get outside any chance we get. Even if we’re cooped up in the office, even a fifteen minute walk in the sunshine is enough to brighten your mood and get you through the rest of the business hours. If we love to embrace the outdoors so much, don’t you think our dogs would too?
Of course we do, that’s why we make the time to take them out for walks as much as we can. They’ve been inside all winter long and you can bet they’re anxious to get outside to run around the yard, play a game of fetch, and chase the nearest unsuspecting bird or squirrel.
If you’re looking to give your beloved pet more time outdoors this year there are quite a few ways to do it. You could hire a dog walker if you’re a busy person like most of use Americans. You could build a fence. You could also take more of your time and block it off for getting your dog some much needed exercise. All of these options have their drawbacks of course, and mostly they come down to a balance of time and money – two things that are seemingly scarce in the world we live in.
Invisible Dog Fences – Do They Live Up To The Hype?
A very attractive solution to this predicament is to install an invisible dog fence. They completely free up the time constraint, as all you have to do is turn the system on and make sure your dog is wearing the collar. Then you can let them roam free while you are taking care of yard work, house chores, and the like.
Let’s take a step back though, as not everyone will know what an invisible dog fence is right off the bat. The idea is that you set a barrier either using a buried wire or a wireless signal, and your dog wears a collar that alerts them when they are approaching it. Should the dog cross the barrier the collar will emit a gentle but stern electrical shock until the pet corrects it’s movement. It sounds a little strange, but it’s not as bad as it seems. Dogs train quite quickly, and it’s not something that is going to cause them lasting damage if used properly. There are benefits to both types of barriers, and the Pampered Pup explains the differences well if you’re interested in reading more about them.
Basically with an invisible dog fence your dog gets the freedom to run around the yard as they would if you had a real fence, but at a fraction of the cost. Most of these systems run in the hundreds of dollars, while actual fences can easily run in the thousands if not more. There is another benefit though, and that is that you won’t actually have to install a fence on your property. Sometimes the privacy is warranted, but other times it can just be an obstruction of view. With an invisible dog fence you get the best of both world for you and your dog – they stay safe and have plenty of space to run around outside and you don’t have to pay a fortune.
Many schools and organizations are crazy about making children eco-friendly these days. Gardening allows children to contribute to the environment, learn responsibility, and have fun. After all, summer vacation was started on children needing to work on farms to ensure an abundant harvest for the fall. Children can plant flowers to beautify a garden or fruits and vegetables to eat when they are ready to be harvested.
Many children are appalled by the idea of any educational activity to be done in the summer because they have associated education with sitting in a classroom and being censured by a teacher if they fall out of line. Children can realize that learning can be fun by playing games that teach them academic-related skills. Monopoly is an example of one educational game because it teaches about buying, selling, and handling money. Instead of investing in Super Mario Brothers, parents can invest in educational video games.