Invisible Fence, kind hearted and understood by dogs.

It’s no longer acceptable to allow our pets to run free. It’s dangerous for the dog and for the rest of society. It should be frowned upon as many problems can occur when dogs roam the neighborhoods freely. I had a big gentle dog that once got free and hurt a small child by knocking her over. There is a dog containment system on the market today that’s superior to all other means of restraint.

The invisible fence, underground fence, remote fence are all types of fences that are basically the same; constructed of wires that you bury around the perimeter of your yard, a radio transmitter, and a receiver that your dog wears on his collar. This type of system will keep a dog confined and safe. The best feature is that it is completely underground!

This system is great because it’s invisible. The expensive, intrusive and confining qualities of an above ground fence aren’t required. My husband and I invested a great deal of money in a 6 foot stockade fence to contain our two beloved bird dogs to the back yard. Bird dogs love to run, and that’s wonderful in the field, but when they’re home, they need to stay in the yard. We felt closed in after the fences went up, but were happy that we were good pet owners and good citizens. This bliss lasted approximately three days. Dogs like to dig, and they’re good at it. Willie and Titanic found their freedom. My husband and I were back to the proverbial drawing board. After some research, we learned about this unique fence system.
...

We decided to try this type of dog containment system. It was easy and inexpensive. For $200 we purchased, online, an underground dog containment system. The fence we had just bought cost $2000. We had to measure the perimeter of the containment area (easy since we had done that for the above ground fence already), locate the place where it would be plugged in, and commit to the dog training involved. A very thin wire is buried about 4 to 6 inches underground. Both ends attach to a unit that is plugged in. The kit comes with little white flags that are places every few feet along the containment perimeter as a visual cue for the dog. The collar is placed on the dog and a very specific training regimen begins. Our dogs were fully trained in one week. We took down some of the flags every Sunday and they were gone within a month. According to Michael Moriarty, owner of Moriarty’s Invisible Fence, a system can be purchased from his company for $600 to $1200, which is still less than what we paid for our stockade fence, and he’ll install it and help train with the pet owner and the pet.

The training is not unlike Pavlov’s conditioning. The dog’ boundary is approximately 2 feet within the wire perimeter. The dog will get a warning tone when he comes upon this boundary. Training includes teaching the dog to run toward the center of the containment area when this sound is heard. If the dog travels closer to the wire perimeter, the collar will give the dog a mild shock. If the dog gets even closer to the wire perimeter, the collar will give the dog a stronger shock. My husband and I allowed ourselves to feel this shock. It’s similar to, but less than a typical electric fence that might surround a cow pasture. Although this collar does cause pain, it doesn’t cause physical harm. The dog usually feels this pain during the training stage only.

The dog, through training, learns quickly that the tone the collar emits is a precursor to the ‘zap’ and will stop to avoid the zap. Once learned, and it was quick for my dogs, they rarely (if ever) get zapped again. While this training period does entail some pain for the dog, the benefits far outweigh this drawback. The drawback (pain through a mild shock) is actually how dogs teach each other.

Some people might construe this type of containment system abusive to a dog, but in pack behavior, pain is used to control and manipulate the behavior of the other dogs in the pack. Through the pack mentality as explained by, Dan and Paula Lane, the momma dog must teach the puppies in the pack, through behavior modification, and will discourage negative behavior through ear biting and other forms of light pain, and conversely encourage positive behavior with light play and other forms of positive reinforcement. Dogs learn through conditioning; they repeat behaviors that get them good results and stop behaviors that get them bad results. The zap from the collar on the underground fence system is exactly what canines understand. These dogs are pets after all, they’re not humans. It’s important to communicate what behavior is acceptable to a dog with behavior modification that they understand. The dog will happily stay within the boundaries the owner has set for them. This benefit keeps the animal safe and society is safe from the animal.

Keeping dogs confined is expected. Most communities have a leash law; and pet owners have to be concerned with maintaining control of their dog(s). Owners can put them in a small chain link fence space. But, the pet has no freedom in there and if they dig the chain link kennel needs to be placed on a cement slab. Owners have put their dogs on long leashes but the area is small here too, and the dog can get tangled or stuck in the sun. I’ve seen owners put their dog on a leash and then attach it to a long wire suspended in the air called a ‘dog run’. Here again the dog is attached, and has little freedom. With the invisible fence system, the dog has learned where the boundaries are and understands this situation. They can freely roam the area that’s been delineated for them by the owner. My husband and I are happy to be outdoors with our dog, there are no worries of the dog wandering away. This fence system is kind hearted containment system that a dog will understand.

A story, then the advice!

Blog #3 My very strange, very long, very true story about Fatima.


Ya ever think, wow, that person is such a fruit cake!
Ya ever wonder why, or how they came to be that way?

1.
Molly went to Bennett School in Taunton for elementary school. They had a 'book slip' program. A motivational program to get kids to read.

Every time the student read a book, they would fill out a book slip. It included the name of the book, author, date, student's name, and a synopsis of the book. These slips were turned in and a parent volunteer would log them and file them. On each classroom door was a poster tracking the class's progress. The kid's names down the left side of the poster and a grid of boxes that got checked off for every book they read.

Molly was a big reader, and she always had a ton of checks next to her name. When she wrote the 'synopsis' of the book, the slip was filled, front and back. It was kinda funny.


2.
When Sid and I got married, we living in a condo in Taunton. We were in the market for our first house. In the real estate book we saw: 5 acres of land, colonial to be built, $199,000.00

We went to look at it. The 5 acres, located on South Walker St, had the three mile river as the back boundary line. on the other side of the river was the bird sanctuary. It was beautiful! We loved it! We went to the realtor's office and signed a purchase and sale, we thought 'everyone' signed this document. As we offered the asking price, we assumed that it was a done deal. When the realtor called and said the deal was off, we said, "But we have a P&S??" He said, "Oh... the seller never signed it."

Boy did we feel stupid!! We bought the cape on Misty Lane shortly after that.

3.
Four years later, about nine years ago, I was driving by that property on South Walker St. A house was being built and woman was standing out in front of it. I stopped and asked if that was her house. She said yes and I told her the story of how Sid and I thought we were buying that property and how it didn't work out for us. She was amazed and said she was doing a video diary of the construction and immediately whipped out her video camera and started rolling. (OH my.) She says, tell your story! So, I nervously tell the story again. After that weirdness was over, she starts venting! Really complaining about her husband, he keeps changing things so the house is much bigger than planned, and he keeps upgrading everything... on and on she goes! He's always at work at the restaurant (he's a Benjamin), and I have to be here to take care of everything. I'm thinking, How can I get the heck outta here!! And why is this woman venting her, very personal, complaints to a stranger that just popped in??
Isn't this stuff you talk to your mom, sister, or close friend about?
I'm polite and listen, even though I'm secretly planning my escape.

I concluded in my 30 minutes with her that she was quite the space shot, a real fruit cake!

4.
I'm currently taking a geography class. I won a grant that's providing me with a full ride to complete my bachelors degree! (I'm so excited) This class meets on Monday and Wednesday nights. We have a test every week and afterwards we exchange tests and correct them together. Fatima sits next to me, we exchange tests. She's very nice, (though a little flaky) but so far, where I've gotten a 104 and 102 on my tests, Fatima's got a 64 and a 70 on hers. So, last Wednesday I get to school, I park my car and there's Fatima, she waits for me.
I walk with her and say, "Hey, ya know maybe I can explain to you how I take notes, and how I decide what to study." She says, "Oh yes, yes, please Stacy, oh my friend Stacy, tell me, tell me how you do it."

I tell her, "When he says, I need you to know, or I want you to know..... Put a star next to what he wants you to know. That material will most likely be on the test." She speaks fast and is kinda nervous, and when I explain the notes and stuff, she completely doesn't seem to get it and keeps asking weird questions.

"So, you highlight everything when you get home??"

"No, I just put a star next to the material that he gives us after he says I need you to know.... and that's what I study"

"So you go home and highlight everything?"

"No, I just put a star next to the material that he gives us after he says I need you to know.... and that's what I study."

This goes on in various combinations of ridiculousness before I just agree and quiet her down. She's kinda flaky a real fruit cake!
But she's nice and for some reason, I do want to help her.

After an hour of class, we have a 15 minute break, I overheard a woman in the back say she works at Parker Middle School in Taunton. I ask her if she know's Molly McGuire. It turns out she wasn't working there when Molly was there, but Fatima says, "Hmmmm. I know that name."

"Molly McGuire, Molly McGuire, how do I know that name? Where did she go to school for elementary?"

"Bennett School in Taunton."

"Molly McGuire!! Stacy, I was the parent in charge of book slips!! Molly always had the most of the whole school and she practically wrote a book on every one! Oh my God, it's amazing that we end up in the same class together!!!"

"Wow, I agree, that's quite a coincidence!"

Then she says, "Molly would know my son, he was in the same grade as her there. John Benjamin."

Hmmm. I think. Benjamin. I ask, thinking this can not be that same fruity woman.............
I say, "Did you build a house on South Walker St?"

"YES! how do you know?"

"My husband and I tried to buy that property. But the seller wouldn't sell it to us."

"YOU THE WOMAN ON MY VIDEO DIARY!!"

Oh my gosh! I couldn't believe that this fruity woman I've tried to befriend, and help out is the same fruity woman that I encountered so many years ago!! It was definitely a strange coincidence!! And that she worked with Molly's book slips too.


On my way home from school my friend Patti Jo calls. So I tell her my very strange story about Fatima.

She TOPS my very strange story about Fatima with her own very strange story about Fatima.

Seems Patti's sister Cheryl is the same age as Fatima. So they knew Fatima and her family though the school years.
When Fatima was a teenager the family decided to take a vacation to Florida. When the trip got closer, it turned out that Fatima had a tournament of some sort, and she had to stay back in Taunton. Her mom, dad and brothers and sisters went.
They got in a car accident in Florida, and they all died.

What a terrible thing. And here's Fatima, doing pretty good I'd say after going through such a horrendous personal tragedy. And when people like me meet her, and think, what a fruit cake, maybe we should also think, I bet there's a reason.

There's a reason she's nervous, there's a reason she vents and complains to who she can.
She doesn't have a mom or a sister or a brother to talk to.

I'm glad I befriended my fruity friend Fatima, I'm glad I decided to help her with her studying. Our lives have crossed in such a crazy way.

It's good to be nice to people, ya never know what a person's story might be.

BLOG #2 "You been good?"

OK... advice... let's get right into it.....

Have you ever heard the advice about lawn care?

I just heard it today. It pertains mostly to the northeast climate, and here it is.

It's a "holiday" fertilizing schedule!

Fertilize your lawn 3 times per year:
Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

How easy is that?
Now you'll remember!

Here's a good one for the ladies!

Do you have an item in your purse that you can never seem to find when you need it?
You rumble around in your purse for minutes before you grab it?

The next time you buy that item (wallet, day timer, cell phone), buy it in a very bright color!
Yellow, Pink, Red! Not muted, BRIGHT! You'll always find it.

One last piece of advice I heard just this afternoon:

If you must have an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), just imagine a 1,000 Irish elves hammering a tin roof with ball peen hammers." Apparently the rhythms get interesting in there!

Until next time....

Be good!

BLOG # 1 What it is it about advice?

I thought to myself, this is a book that I would have to have. A book full of advice.

So I visit Half.com, type in ADVICE, enter.

There they are, 2977 matches for ADVICE. Not one is what I'm looking for.

There's advice on parenting, heart health, car buying, ("anything" buying), house remodeling, fashion, ...... and the list goes on!

I'm interested in a book of specific yet all encompassing, good ole common sense advice.

My twenty year old daughter came home for a day visit from college yesterday, she's 20. She said to me, "Mom, you were right and I never understood until last week. You told me that before the toast pops, the plate, knife and butter must be ready, because the butter won't melt nicely if it isn't spread immediately after it pops."

Good advice.

I like the 'save yourself from annoyances' advice, as well as the 'save your life' advice.

"Don't drink and drive"

Good advice.

But, what it is it about advice?
People, at least once or twice in their life have gotten advice that they do NOT want to hear.

Doesn't it help us to know what others have been through, so we don't have to go through the pain they felt due to their wrong choice?

Let's learn from the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before us and understand that our life can be made better by mundane and significant advice!!!

Here we go:

Hang your clothes immediately when the dryer has stopped to avoid unnecessary ironing.
(preferable to use the dryer's last 5 minute cool down setting)

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

Do your homework.

Sing.

Responsibilities. You can assert these to anybody, but start with yourself.

Respect the limits of other people.

Don't smoke.

You have the right to say no.

Respect others when they say no.

If someone challenges you with a statement or question, ask them to repeat it.

When someone upsets you, use these words: Help me to understand why .............. (fill in the blank)

Give compliments.

Thank.

Until my next set of advice........

Be good!