Privacy Fences
“Good fences make good neighbors.”
You never realize how true that statement is until you get a new dog.
Our yard is huge. Our neighbors to the west have the same size lot we do, and they share one side of our fence. On the east, the lots facing tenth street back up to our property, meaning that we share a back yard with four other parties. Our yard is so large because we share the back lot line with commercial property. That border was not originally fenced, so we built a six foot privacy fence about ten years ago. This also became the border to the fourth property to the east, since they already had a fence, but it wasn’t the entirety of their yard. This connected the fence with our third neighbors, who have a six-foot fence. We then added a four-foot chain-link fence for the second neighbor because the bushes between our properties would not hold our dogs. This connected to the four-foot chain fence already shared with our first neighbor to the east.
In the last fourteen-and-a-half years, we’ve changed three of five neighbors. Our neighbor to the west passed away shortly after we got our first dog, and then his wife sold the property and moved in with their daughter. The first neighbor to the east lost his wife, and then went on a hunger strike so he could follow her. The house with the six-foot chain-link fence has changed hands too many times to count over the years, but it looks like the new owner is here to stay.
The new first neighbors to the east are renting the property, and they don’t like dogs. They pretty much celebrated when we lost Red. Well, assholes, we have a new dog. The neighbors to the west, and the second and third neighbors to the east also have dogs, and so far, they’ve been accepting and friendly toward the new dog. The fourth neighbors to the east – who fucking cares. Privacy fences are awesome.
Privacy fences are so awesome, I wish we had one all the way around. At the time, we couldn’t afford it. It was easier to connect to the fences already there. The new dog loves other dogs, which is great, but he also has a huge prey drive, long legs, and a curious nature. He wants to see all of his friends. In their yards. This morning, I had to stop him from digging under the six-foot chain-link fence to get to his girlfriend. He’s fixed, but he still wants to visit her.
If you’re local, you may be invited to a fence-building party this autumn. I’ll supply the keg and the fence parts. Your manpower will be greatly appreciated to help us dig fence-post holes, mix cement, and attach the wood panels to the posts. When we’re done, the pup will have a place to run and play without distraction. Don’t worry – we’ll invite the neighbor dogs to play when we’re finished.