I have a small plot of garden out by the alley that I used in the past as a veggie garden, before making a raised bed in another area for it. Well back then the area by the alley had blocks around it, but no fence. One day I went out there to find someone had ripped out several of my small zucchini plants! I put up a three foot wire (like come in rolls from Lowes) fence after that. Last year on the Fourth of July I went out there to find someone had bent over part of the wire fence and knocked over a bean pole to get at a rhubarb plant I have back there. They had taken many of the stalks and left the leaves all over the area. It feels like such a violation to have someone come on your property and do that, even if it was just rhubarb they took. At least I have some consolation in knowing that the rhubarb stalks were very large and old. So whatever The Thief made out of that rhubarb turned out terribly stringy ;-) CMK

I have a condo in Long Beach on the shore and sometimes I walk the strand when I am there and have seen a HUGE Groove Farm and Aztec gold plumeria growing in the sand by these buildings and it looks as if people have been cutting from them, a lot of pruned spots. Actually someone from here and MPG came on a walk with me and they took pics of the G Farm as it was in full bloom and growing in sand and the 2 stated they were going to come back and get cuttings.... They asked me if they came back later with something to cut the cuttings with if they could park in my secured parking, I told them no as I did not want anyone to see them or follow them back to my bldg. The past 3 seasons I have had to cut off all my inflos on Lani as someone took 6 huge (4ft long branches 3 summers ago) cuttings off her, the profuse blooming and color tempts people I guess. So now I cut off all the inflos so as not to tempt anyone and let her get tall enough (she was 8ft back then) where it would be hard for people to reach branches to cut.

My garden is xeric and was featured on a garden tour. People were taking photos. Then that fall I had 25 Karl Forester grasses, 10 daylilies and a handful of interesting other plants stolen. They even dug up 6 bulbs so they obviously came with their shopping list and photos because it was late fall and the flowers were long gone. This was 3 years ago. Last year they returned in the fall and took 15 Karl Foresters. This past fall they stole 10 of the new KFs I had planted and 2 mature KFs. I'm installing phoney security cameras and maybe put in a motion sensitive sprinkler and light. This is so discouraging....and expensive. It has really taken a lot of the enjoyment out of gardening. I'll not replace the KFs with KFs anymore. So sad that a gardener can't plant what they want in their own backyard. What is wrong with people?!

My situation is different than most. I started training dogs in basic obedience at the park when I was a kid with adults that knew how to train. Later, my family and many of our friends were into dog shows. It's a bit different having a class with lots of dogs around where everyone knows everyone. I reccommend a formal training class. A lot of people reccommend puppy preschool before 6 months but I socialize my dogs with friend's dogs and dogs I know before 6 months of age. Dogs are vulnerable to parvo before 6 months(even with shots etc..) and I'm too chicken to chance it!Legit training places require shots but public places have had dogs in them that could be infected that aren't in the class.It's a personal decision. The method I worked with was the New Skete program. Bascially, my dogs didn't need to be trained to attack. They are geared that way. Most dogs will readily protect their territory naturally. Even a sweet dog can surprise you! They needed a boss(me) and to do what I said because I'm the leader and know best(usually!) Alpha dog etc,... I really liked and based most of my practices training on the Monks of New Skete method. I also threw in some anti-aggression training I picked up here and there. For example no dogs on the furniture and crate training. Good luck! If you have any more questions feel free to email!!PJ Here is a link that might be useful: New Skete