I don't understand the backyards in North Carolina - help please! (homes, neighborhoods)

[HOltmans]

We just had a 6 ft privacy fence installed in our backyard and maybe I am in the minority here, but I love it, and I even like the way it looks! It actually makes our backyard feel a LOT bigger than without it. Plus, we have dogs that BARK when they see ANYTHING go by...so we like the privacy fence to keep them from seeing too much of the neighborhood! An invisible fence might keep them in, but they'd be barking the whole time! Plus I like knowing I can let my kids outside for a few minutes and they won't wander into the driveway or street. Can't put an invisible fence on the kiddos...well, I guess you COULD but you'd probably get in trouble....

[rfb]

Originally Posted by ChipL

I agree, most of the houses with doggies int he yard have the invisible fence in our neighborhood. When the power goes out there's doggie parties int he streets.

Many invisible fences offer a battery backup option, which allows the fence to continue to work during a power outage. The battery will run out if you had a protracted outage, but on the rare occasion that happens you can take the dog out on leash if necessary.

[ferrickhead28]

I have three dogs, a mastiff, a chow and a lab/springer mix. I would LOVE a fence, but our HOA only allows a four foot once. (which is fine). Since my dogs love to dig and are very clever escape artist, we opted for an "invisible" dog fence. Love it. The dogs know their boundaries and we never have a problem. (except for people walking around the neighborhood thinking the dogs have already escaped!)

[ADVentive]

I have beagles, and while I think an invisible fence would keep them in 95% of the time, I think that if they saw a rabbit go by or got on a scent, they would break through it in a heartbeat. I just don't trust hounds in an invisible fence. Not only that, but an invisible fence may keep your dog in, but it won't keep other critters out that might hurt your dogs. I also have a small child, and I feel better about her playing in the back if I know that someone else's dog can't get in.

[Dave O]

I understand wanting a fence in order to keep your pets in the yard but IMHO the case for keeping your children safe from other animals is a bit overstated.

Are there really packs of roving dogs out there? I haven't seen them.

Forthermore if your child is so young that she can't safely interact with strange pets shouldn't you be supervising her play in the backyard anyway?

I guess that I must have grown up in a different time but from the age of about 5 or 6 I spent most of my free time exploring the woods with my friends. When I was 7 or 8 years old I was regularly trekking for miles into the woods.

[autumngal]

We have always had fences when our houses were in neighborhoods. As that was always a problem for us, we don't want the neighbor dogs coming in. And sittiing out back at night, and my backyard gets really dark, I like the extra security that no stray dogs are going to wonder in and harrass us.

[Dave O]

Originally Posted by autumngal

We have always had fences when our houses were in neighborhoods. As that was always a problem for us, we don't want the neighbor dogs coming in. And sittiing out back at night, and my backyard gets really dark, I like the extra security that no stray dogs are going to wonder in and harrass us.

Is this really a problem? Really? Maybe I've just spent more time around animals than most of you.

[Claire_F]

Originally Posted by LuvsTexas

My husband and I are moving from the Texas Panhandle to the southwest Durham area in the future. While perusing the real estate web sites I have noticed that the backyards on most homes have no fences, or at least not what we consider to be fences. Our backyard right now consists of some nice grass and one small tree surrounded by a 6-ft wood plank privacy fence. That's how most backyards in Texas are.

It took some getting used to for me, too. I was so used to all the subdivisions where there was a fence around every yard. You get used to it eventually.

All this talk about HOA regulating fences to the smallest detail makes me even more glad we don't have one. (An HOA, that is - we have a fence.)

[adlnc07]

I've seen strays in our neighborhood, so yeah I'd like to keep them out of my backyard as well as keep mine in. I'm not a fan of invisible fences at all - where I used to live there was a really disagreeable dog kept inside one. I walked by one day with my three dogs and he was *outside* the yard. Luckily I was able to yell enough to keep him away. Plus I think a lot of people get freaked out when a barking dog charges them as they walk by (before they realize there's an invisible fence).

Anyhow, you just have to pick neighborhoods that allow the height/type of fence you need for your dogs. Mine could clear anything less than 5', especially if they could see what was on the other side. So, I've got a 6' scalloped solid board type privacy fence. Is it particularly pretty? It's okay. I do like that I can go out in my backyard in my PJ's though.

[autumngal]

Originally Posted by Dave O

Is this really a problem? Really? Maybe I've just spent more time around animals than most of you.

We are not in Cary.

I live in Franklinton, Granville County, Yes, it can be a problem. And no it is not the animals bother me, I was a vet tech for 15 years, .
I do not want yucky stray dogs or even the neighbors dogs around my dog, in my yard, or startling me when we are sitting outside.

Right now I am tackling my neighbors kitty who insists he owns my back deck, he hisses and attacks me, my hubby and is not scared of my dog. BUT! gets scared if my cat gets out by accident,