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

[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!

[Corrie10]

I'm very new to this site so I'm not sure how everything works, but I received a comment via "reputation received" that said that I would need a physical fence to prevent an alligator from coming into our yard.

I should have mentioned that we plan on a saltwater canal that would have a seawall. I know that sometimes alligators are in the saltwater canals (I saw a couple in my grandparents canal years ago), but can they really get out of the water if there's a seawall in place????

[jambo101]

Do you already own this home on the canal? if so sell it and buy something not on a canal.
If you are looking to buy then stay away from canal front properties..

[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.

[njkate]

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.

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!

^^^^^^^^ From your original post^^^^^^

That makes people think you have an issue because of toddler and dog and are responding don't live on canal then.

[Corrie10]

I would think anyone with kids and a dog would have some concerns with living on a canal. I guess I was hoping for some advice from people who are in that situation and what they've done to ease their concerns.

[Kim in FL]

Gators can and will come out of the canals so living off water doesn't protect you, your dog or your child...what does protect all of you? Common sense! Put up a fence, don't let your dog roam free, keep an eye on the canal and whatever you do...never, ever, EVER feed a gator that is in your canal. In fact, don't feed any of the wildlife you see in your canal.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by Corrie10

I would think anyone with kids and a dog would have some concerns with living on a canal. I guess I was hoping for some advice from people who are in that situation and what they've done to ease their concerns.

I know when I was on vacation down there, there was a really nice house across the canal from the condo, those people had a dog but no kids, they had the yard around the canal fenced in, so dog could go out and they didn't have to worry about it jumping in the water.

You have a small child just use common sense, while you may not like the look of a fence until child is older it may be the best thing for your sense of well being. Will you have a pool too? if so that should be just as much of a concern with a small child as a canal

[Cynthia130]

Hi. We have friends that purchased a SW canal home years age, built on , had problems with their contractor and then lost the house to foreclosure. They now live off the canal but have saved very hard to purchase again next year on the canal. They have 2 boys and a dog . They never expressed any concern with the canal
Best wishes , I am keeping my eye on your posts

[Corrie10]

Thanks for the replies!

I absolutely would feel better having a fence, most likely a nice aluminum fence. Based on my research you can have a fence along a canal but during all my "house hunting" I've only seen a couple houses that have a fence! Seems like with kids and dogs more people would have a fence along the canal! We have no problem installing one after moving in, just thought we would see more considering all the canals!