THE WEE WOLVES have access to a warm basement and inside dog beds, and can exit to this fenced area (30 feet by 30 feet).
The arches support a large deck off the living room, and that deck provides shade in summer and an ice-and snow-free area in winter.
The edge of an elevated “loafing bench” can be seen at right. There are also two outside dog houses that the dogs can bench up on (dogs like elevated perches), or they can lie inside them with their nose out if they prefer.
The snow-covered area is gravel over lawn stapled-down yard fabric. Around the inside perimeter is an additional layer of stapled wire mesh topped with concrete, and then gravel on top of that.
Occasional kitchen leftovers and snacks fall from the porch to the waiting wolves below — carrots, a bit of omlette, a dog biscuit, etc. As far as the dogs are concerned, it’s manna from heaven.
Outside of the hard fence is about three-quarters of an acre in an invisible fence. Within that area is a shed, lots of trees, and five or six bird feeders. The dogs follow me about the yard when I work outside, but are behind the hard fence when I am inside or away. A coyote attack is unlikely, but it’s not unimaginable, and though I’ve seen no stray dogs about, that too is a problem best avoided with a hard fence.
The orchard area and the forest area below the house are not fenced, and the dogs follow me down there at least twice a day as I feed the deer, pick up fallen branches, etc.
The dogs sleep inside at night and in crates to prevent them from getting activated by all the wildlife maneuvering through the yard at night.
There’s outside furniture and an overhead sun screen on the deck above the dog yard, as well as a large hot tub, and a gate that can be opened to allow the dog’s access to whatever’s going on up there.
The one downside to this arrangement is that leaves will blow into the dog yard, and have to be blown out. We have a lot of big trees, and so a lot of leaves, but the problem is seasonal and not too bad.
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