Worried about living on canal with child and dog... (Cape Coral: houses, buy)

[Cynthia130]

Our friends did not have a fence.

[rikoshaprl]

First, there are very few if any alligators in saltwater canals. Freshwater canals may have alligators.
Second, if you have a seawall alligators will not come into your yard. But, if your neighbors don't have seawalls on freshwater canals, alligators can be around.
If your child or dog jumps into the canal with a seawall the biggest problem would be getting them out

My next door neighbor has a chain link fence around his back yard for his dog. My small dog stays safely in the screened lanai much of her outdoor time. I walk her on a leash, not because of the canal, but so she doesn't run towards other dogs by the street.

[convextech]

Originally Posted by Corrie10

Just because we have a kid and a dog we should not even consider a canal home? That seems a little dramatic as I'm sure many many people have dogs and kids and live on a canal.

We had kids and a dog when we looked at some property on a canal. We didn't buy it, it was too dangerous for us to even consider. We chose properties based on THEIR needs, not our wants.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Corrie10

No we don't already own a come on the canal but plan on buying one in the near future. Honestly, one of the primary reasons we want to move to the cape is to have a house on a canal with a boat and gulf access.

Just because we have a kid and a dog we should not even consider a canal home? That seems a little dramatic as I'm sure many many people have dogs and kids and live on a canal.

Your original post says the thought of living on a canal with dog and a 3 yrs old scares you and thinking about it wasnt an appealing thought "Yikes" so i replied with some obvious logic.feel free to buy your home on the canal hope you enjoy it....

[MarkDNH]

We will be moving to a canal home with our 2 cats and Chocolate Lab. He is older, couch potato, but is used to just running out back to do his business since there are many acres of woods to do so in.
It will be hard to get used to having to go in a certain area and for me to have to pick up after him. But hey, change is always good, and if folks can have a large dog in the middle of Manhattan, then I know we can handle one in CC.
I may set up a small fence to start with (so I don't **** off my new neighbors) till we get into a routine we are comfortable with.
My dog loves the water but for some reason listens to me and stays out of the water if I tell him to.

[QuilterChick]

Originally Posted by Corrie10

We will most likely be moving to Cape Coral in the Fall and will have a home on a canal. We have a 3 year old daughter and a dog that is obsessed with swimming!

I know many many people live on canals that have kids and dogs, but it scares me! Of course we will have special locks on the lanai and never let our daughter out of our sight, but just the thought of playing in a small backyard with a canal right there…yikes!

Then there's our crazy lab! We live in Ohio now and have an invisible fence. She's great with that and not the type of dog to ever run off. But, she LOVES water.

Based on what I've read, you can put up a physical fence as long as it's under 3 ft high. Obviously, we would prefer not to fence our yard, but I'm just so nervous.

Do you think that most people with dogs that live on a canal always take them out on a leash? I'm thinking if a dog grows up on canal they just learn never to jump in that water, but coming from Ohio where she jumps in any puddle, lake or creek she sees….she might have a hard time understanding that concept.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Do not even THINK of living on a canal, lake, or pond in SW Florida with a small child and a Labrador, a water loving dog. The temptation is too much for the dog, the baby, and the gators. Gators can jump out of the water, they have a very strong tail. They can also crawl up on the lawn for their daily sunning.

I witnessed my neighbor's dog being snatched from the lawn, leash and all. Just outside of Punta Gorda on a nice lake. She had no choice but to let go of the leash or be dragged off too. It was horrible. And, we had a sea wall but that gator was there every morning, a big bugger, about 9 ft. in length.

Please, find a safer location, you will never rest letting your child outside. Gators can also come up around your bushes too, and they can move faster than you would believe. Do not listen to those who say they've never had a problem. Think of your own family.

[Corrie10]

I'm sorry I even created this post. Most replies have been less than friendly or overly dramatic.

I simply can't believe that families with kids and dogs don't live on saltwater canals with seawalls. I searched for a while and could not find any incidences when an alligator climbed or lunged over a seawall to attack a kid or dog. Not saying it has never happened, but I can't find any reports.

I'm not talking about letting my kid or dog swim in a lake because I know there are be gators. I'm talking about our backyard, that will most likely be near Tarpon Point where all homes have a seawall.

While we were debating the need for a physical and/or invisible fence for the dog, we will be getting both.

Some have insinuated that we are being selfish on what we want versus the safety of our child and dog. Really? We are moving to Florida to enjoy that lifestyle. That lifestyle includes having a boat in our backyard and access to open water. We want our child to grown up away from snow and sleet and being secluded to the indoors for 6 months out of the year.
I don't call that selfish, I call it teaching our child to enjoy the outdoors and to stay active and enjoy nature.

Honestly, I feel bad for the "regulars" on this board that actually try to give helpful advice because most of the responses are not only unhelpful but giving the impression that everyone in the Cape is bitter and think that "outsiders" are downright stupid people.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Corrie10

Any advice would be appreciated!

We gave you our opinions and advice, now you are giving us heat for expressing our views on the issue? Next time you might want to quantify your topic with a "Positiver posts only"

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publics...mpaign/2181779

[BugManTPC]

Living near water requires vigilance. Will the dog fall into the canal or jump, yes. Will your child fall in at some point, maybe. It happens.

I had a pug once, she slipped off the dock and went in, pugs don't swim, they sink. Ebony survived, I got very intimate with the water around our dock, it never happened again.

Training your dog to not like this water could be tough. Then again, if he like to chase a frisbee, it could be a cool treat for him on a hot summer day for you to throw, as he runs off the end of your dock and jumps in. You could have a floating jet ski platform that would allow him to easily climb back up on the dock.

Roving bands of man eating alligators or salt water crocodiles, not ever. Are they out there, yes. It's, Florida. Sharks, yup. The closer you are to Salt, the more likely. Manatees, count on it. Porpoises, again the closer to salt or the river, very likely.

When people live on water it is because they 1) Enjoy the view, 2) Want to live a certain lifestyle, 3) it's a great freakin investment.

If you lived in the woods in a log cabin, would you let your dog run free or would you be on the lookout for bears? Answer, yes to both. Same with your kid.

There is more danger leaving your child unattended in the bathroom, at a young age, then waiting for a wild animal to crawl from the canal and attack.

Train the dog, teach your kid to respect nature and learn how to swim. Ask me how two of my three kids learned how to respect the water. Answer, I threw them in. Why? Because they needed to learn how to get out in case they ever slipped and fell in. It's Florida, it's rains a lot, you are going to carry something from the boat, you are going to be barefooted, you are going to slip and fall.

I hope this helps.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by Corrie10

I'm sorry I even created this post. Most replies have been less than friendly or overly dramatic.

I simply can't believe that families with kids and dogs don't live on saltwater canals with seawalls. I searched for a while and could not find any incidences when an alligator climbed or lunged over a seawall to attack a kid or dog. Not saying it has never happened, but I can't find any reports.

I'm not talking about letting my kid or dog swim in a lake because I know there are be gators. I'm talking about our backyard, that will most likely be near Tarpon Point where all homes have a seawall.

While we were debating the need for a physical and/or invisible fence for the dog, we will be getting both.

Some have insinuated that we are being selfish on what we want versus the safety of our child and dog. Really? We are moving to Florida to enjoy that lifestyle. That lifestyle includes having a boat in our backyard and access to open water. We want our child to grown up away from snow and sleet and being secluded to the indoors for 6 months out of the year.
I don't call that selfish, I call it teaching our child to enjoy the outdoors and to stay active and enjoy nature.

Honestly, I feel bad for the "regulars" on this board that actually try to give helpful advice because most of the responses are not only unhelpful but giving the impression that everyone in the Cape is bitter and think that "outsiders" are downright stupid people.

With due respect you created the drama in your very first post which I've bolded below. Now because you are not getting the answers you would like to hear you say that replies are overly dramatic and less than friendly, which reading through this thread, they are not. Responses have been if you are that worried...YIKES....don't buy on a canal at this time.There have been no "bitter" responses. There have been no "unhelpful" responses either. I'm baffled as to what kind of responses you were hoping to get:think

Yes, many people with children and dogs and cats have homes on a canal basic common sense and diligence makes it possible. I think you already knew the answers to your question of fences, locks, keeping your child in sight but you still were not 100% comfortable so beyond that the only logical response would be not to buy on a canal.


I know many many people live on canals that have kids and dogs, but it scares me! Of course we will have special locks on the lanai and never let our daughter out of our sight, but just the thought of playing in a small backyard with a canal right there…yikes!