The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[RMDupree]

I'm sure he will be in a well-traveled state by Entmoot, but I'm hoping he'll still be able to stand on his own two feet so to speak!

[HairOfTheDog]

Tape and reinforcement to his standee may be needed from time to time! I reinforced him already just from him being knocked over by the dogs.

[RMDupree]

...the shipping label...it grows heavy...

LOL!

[RosieCotton]

Can you build a little fenced area outside and a doggie door out the back for both of them?

I wonder...I really have very little land, but it's not like they'd need much, right? My cats ARE indoor, but I wonder if I could figure out a way to make a sort of small, fenced in run. I would think you might be able to put chicken wire or something on top without it being TOO tacky looking, eh? ;-) Something to think about, I guess.

[RMDupree]

I plan on taking a picture of Frodo and myself in front of Janet Reno's house. I'll be hiding behind him holding up a cardboard text balloon that says "Beware Frodo! I sense a Nazgul nearby!"

[RosieCotton]

If you can leave her now all day, know that you will not always be able to. As she ages, so does her ability to hold it.

I worry about that at times...with my last job, I was able to run home during lunch. I can't now, though my work day is an hour shorter. Hopefully by the time she's older, I'll have a different schedule or a different house - or both! If nothing else in my life changes (I don't have a family, for example!), I am hoping to buy a bigger house someday - in a more rural setting so I have more running room for animals.

[RosieCotton]

LOL! You're soooo bad, Ruthy!

[RMDupree]

I can't imagine 2 doxies needing more than a 10x15 foot space (size of a one car garage). Maybe even smaller if need be.

Hmmm....check these out. The second link may work!

Fabric fencing

Dog fencing

[My back yard]

How clever, how cute! Put me down for deep south Texas. And Mexico. And another idea that will be a surprise, nothing too wet or humid like the beach. I promise to keep him safe and sound.

I posted this elsewhere to ecurbh, on accident.

[RosieCotton]

Too bad they don't make something like this only a bit bigger. This would be soooo easy to set up!

[RMDupree]

Will Frodo be wearing a sombrero when he is served that HUGE margarita? *grin*

[RMDupree]

Those dog kennels I linked to look pretty easy! They say you only need pliers and there are no holes to dig or concrete to pour. With such small dogs, you really don't have to worry about them chewing through and knocking it over either!

They sell a rain/sun proof roof to fit over the top too!

[RosieCotton]

The one I linked to goes right to a pet door, though. But it's true, a small kennel might be just the ticket. I'm sure it'd be cheaper to rig something myself, but don't think I have the skills. I guess I can do some looking / asking questions! In any case, it would have to wait until I had the money and had a spot leveled, which will have to wait until the ground freezes. There's a spot by my side door that would probably work (though I'd have to go with one of the smaller models), but I would have to smooth things out a bit before installing anything.

[Corin Stormhands]

There's a guy near us who breeds dachsunds (at least I think he does when I see about a dozen there...). He has two crate/kennels in the front yard. Seems like something like that would work for your dogs. I'd be concerned that, if you leave them outside they could get out of the rain and sun. But that would be less expensive than a larger fence.

We're still going back and forth between the invisible dog fencing and a regular fence. I don't trust the invisible fence while we're not at home.

[Dawntreader]

Have you guys seen these?

[HairOfTheDog]

They don't need much room to get the job done, and a little gravelled run (if it is small, because grass won't be able to grow) outside would be what I would do. They even make kennel runs with covers that might be cat-proof that would not be tacky, or a fencing contractor could do it. (these are expensive, but you can get ideas by googling "covered dog run" or "covered dog kennel" http://www.dogtrailers.co.uk/images/BigPics/Galloway%20Kennel%20with%20MF%20Cabin.jpg )

Anyone in your family that has any carpentry skills could build a cover out of mesh or solid that would work. Make it tall so it is easy to get in and clean!

I know your land isn't flat... keep in mind that while it is cheapest to install a doggie door in a door because it is easy to replace the whole door when you no longer want it, doggie doors can be installed in any wall if there is a flatter or better place for it somewhere other than out the back door.

Otherwise, I fear I am adding to your problems rather than taking them away, and these things could be handled later on. If he is a young dog, he has the ability to learn to hold it while you are gone, even a full work day. It is a training issue that he could learn, just like Fiona did. Mine were able to, when they were young, but Zulu is losing it now (criminy, she is 17!)

If you do it every day, you can help by learning to time and control their food and water. Access to water doesn't mean a full bucket all the time.... may mean enough for both to wet their whistle without exploding, and I would feed them only at night, probably, so they poop first thing in the morning before you leave and then hopefully not again.. depends on the dog and their processing time.

[RMDupree]

Some yes and some no! Thanks for posting them DT!

[My back yard]

You bet.

[RosieCotton]

Hadn't seen these before! Thanks for posting them!

[HairOfTheDog]

We're still going back and forth between the invisible dog fencing and a regular fence. I don't trust the invisible fence while we're not at home.

I am with you on that fear! I know dogs do stay, but it is a mind game, not a physical barrier. Mine are kept in with electric fencing, and I trust it completely though it isn't an actual physical barrier either, they could slip through it if they wanted, but it is physical hotwires that they can see, and that seems to make me more sure of it. They certainly don't challenge it. Reminder of what it looks like (not saying this would be appropriate in a suburban landscape!) It also keeps other dogs *out*, which invisible fencing wouldn't do.