Greyhound Fortification

When we got Walker back in September, I began to obsess even more about door and gate safety issues.  My memories of the day back in the spring when Truly and Maggie Got Out of the Gate still terrorize me.  We didn't have Walker when that happened.

At just two years old, Walker is very strong and very energetic.  He loves to run, and run, and run. I've mentioned before that he's a spook.  What this means is that if Walker gets away, we have very little chance of ever getting him back.  Because of his fear, it's very unlikely that he would ever voluntarily come to us especially if he's panicked and in unfamiliar surroundings.

We have taken almost every imaginable step to ensure that all the dogs are safe and that they can never get out of our backyard gate again.  What we didn't do was "fortify" the front door.

Here's a picture of the front of the house that I posted at Christmas.  See?

There's a railing all around the porch except for the space between the two right-most columns, just in front of the door.  If the dogs get out of the front door, they can walk run directly down the steps to the front walk and then down onto the sidewalk and into the street.  There's no fence around the front yard.  If the dogs get out of the front door, they're gone.

The front door is big and heavy and old.  The doorknob is old, too.  Standing inside the house, Truly can bump the knob with his nose and the door will swing open and inward.  That's why we put a new deadbolt on the door. The deadbolt is always locked.  Even if I go outside to sweep the porch, I take my keys with me and lock the door from the outside.

When people come over for a visit, one of us must always be with them as they come and go through the door.  It doesn't always shut completely, then it swings open.  Even though we explain the importance of keeping the dogs inside the house - folks just don't always understand.  Teen-aged and elderly visitors, in particular, fail to make sure the door is closed and locked.  Sawyer's friends, poor kids, they must surely think we're weird -

And where are the dogs during our entrance and egress from the front door?  Standing there and waiting.  Simply WAITING for their chance.  (I told you I was obsessed with this.)

Truly says, "I want to go outside."

Maggie says, "Me, too."
Walker, who's outside of the camera shot, says,  "You get the door open and I'll run through!  Yeah!"

Just look at them standing there.  Waiting . . .

Realizing that we needed to do something, I suggested a gate.  Tim found a  man who builds things out of wrought iron.  We went to his shop and showed him photos of the house and described the purpose of the gate.  The man drew a design proposal on a piece of paper.  It was exactly what we needed.  He came out and measured.  About two weeks later he brought us this - the Front Door Greyhound Protection Gate!  The very first one of its kind!

Front Door Gate-Keeping Protocol requires that the gate be closed before the front door is unlocked/opened.  I've even briefed the mail carrier on the purpose of the gate.  He's good with it.

Hopefully it will never be needed, but if it is, it's there.

Ahhhhh, peace of mind!

P.S. - When Tim and I met and talked with the wrought iron man, we detected a Cajun accent.  Tim asked him about it.  He said he grew up in Pierre Part, Louisiana.  For us, the next obvious question was, "Do you know the Landrys from the History Channel show, Swamp People?"  He said he grew up with Troy and knew his family well.

We love that show!  Small world, huh?

From the History Channel web site:  Deep in the heart of Louisiana lies America's largest swamp--a million miles of inhospitable bayous, marshes and wetlands where nature rules and humans struggle to tame it. Many of its inhabitants are the hardened descendants of French refugees who were forced out of Canada in the 18th century and settled in this harsh yet majestic environment. Today, these people are known as the Cajuns, a group renowned throughout the world for their flavorful cuisine, distinctive music and vibrant culture. Resilient, self-reliant and fiercely independent, the Cajuns of the Atchafalaya Swamp still carry on many of their ancestors' trades and traditions.