I hate to be so particular about it but boy is it frustrating to come home from work to find a car with its passenger tires on your nicely edged lawn. I'm considering curbing, but hate to make the investment since the property edge line is within easement that the municipality owns. I don't know what the risk is that I would spend the money and they would come and remove it.

Our crates are in our (generous) clutter room. I have a few friends with in home kennels - one was even featured in Architectural Digest years ago. The only reason I didn't do an actual kennel room was because we really do want the dogs with us most of the time. That said I am a huge proponent of crate training, not only for housebreaking but because a dog needs it's own sanctuary and most importantly it's for the dog's protection. I cannot even begin to list the number of things I have taken out of dogs' GI tracts. Not to mention chewing electric cords etc. Our clutter room has a dutch door. I really admire those of you who allow your dogs free roam of the house at all times...... we live on a farm, mud, horse crap, burrs etc are part of our live. Without a full time maid I would spend the large majority of my time cleaning up dogs or their footprints etc. ( we have 4). When they come in from outdoors it's essential to have a place to contain the dirt/mud etc. For us it's the clutter room and/or crates. PD

I know this isn't related to the post topic, but maybe this info will help someone out there, even if this isn't the way the little dog got out. So many dogs get out when meter readers don't shut the gate(s) properly. It's just so sad & unnecessary that meter readers don't take those extra few seconds to make sure the property is secured, esp. if there's a dog in the yard. Our utility company will tell us (within a 2 day range)what day our meter will be read so we can unlock the gate. When the dogs need to go out for a potty break, we go out first to make sure the gate's shut tight.When the range date is over, we call the util. co. to see if our meter has been read, & if so,we re-lock the gate. My neighbor lost her 2 dogs on the day her elec. meter was read. Of course, she can't prove anything, but it's too coincidental since the meter reader was working our block that day. Best of luck for a wonderful reunion.

Yeah - I looked and couldn't find the c-channel I have bought in the past listed at any of the big box stores. Bummer! If you had a tanble saw, it would be no trouble to rip the long leg off + the little hem on the short side so you end up with equal legs. I like the channel because air can get under the it and dry up the water in the saucer, where things like mayo lids & stuff trap water under them or in them for extended periods, which can be not so good. Al