New Gates

Typically in the dog yard we have all the dogs in one group. With the gates open there is plenty of space for every dog to do their own thing, and things are just more copasetic if we aren't physically separating dogs. Some groups, though, just don't work this way and have to be segregated. Who needs to be with whom (or, more precisely, separated from whom) can constantly shift over time, necessitating one of our most challenging tasks: moving a specific dog form one group into another. Since we only had single gates between the yards, it was always the case that you, necessarily having to approach the gate in order to make use of it, immediately attract masses of squiggling dogs on both sides of the gate. If you haven't done so already you need to grab the dog you want to relocate. Well, if they were being perfect angels... They wouldn't need to be moved, right? So you finally get your hands on the dog, pull him through the throng to the gate, and then have to convince him to go through, head on into the throng on the other side - without letting any others through at the same time!

Needless to say, we've been bemoaning the lack of a double gate between the yards for some time.

Until a few months ago that is! At stock show this year we bought some more kennel panels to set up a pass through gate in the midst of the existing fence. Getting it up was a bit trickier than we thought. Not only was our clearance between posts just barely enough (they were built at just under 10' on center and the panels we got were 10 footers), but also the slope of the land threw us a curve. But we got them up, and one thing is for sure - we definitely don't have to worry about any dogs slipping between the gates and the fence! No siree, that thing be absolutely wedged into place!





As an added bonus the gate can double as a timeout pen - which until now we've had to walk the dog up through the top yard to get to. Having to go so far really made it of limited use.

We'll get a chance to put it to use this coming weekend, most likely. I was scanning through the reservations and wondered aloud why in the world we had 25 dogs coming in next weekend! It's Memorial Day, came the answer. OMG - it's Memorial Day already? *headdesk*