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This is a sponsored post made possible by Endura Flap pet doors.

We live on 5 acres, and our dogs have a small fenced yard that contains them when we aren't able to hang out with them on the property.  Each year, we do something to the yard to make it more appealing to our dogs.  To be honest, the changes make it easier to raise dogs too.

Usually, my boyfriend is the one making grand plans for the house and property, but this year I'm jumping in on the game.

DepositPhoto/belchonock

1 – Re-Fence the Yard

The fence surrounding our dogs' yard has been there since before we moved into the house seven years ago and it's time for an upgrade.  We want the same post and pole construction. However, we want it to be higher and tighter to keep the dogs in the yard and keep neighborhood critters out of the yard – talking to you, rabbits and skunks!

Our dogs aren't jumpers, so we don't have to have a high fence; we're looking for something that is 5-6 feet high.  The post and pole construction will be a nice match for our house which is modern, with a casual style inside, on a country (farms, farms, and more farms) hillside.  We also like the idea of the dogs having a view – they can watch the neighbors, see us coming home, and watch rabbits, birds, deer, and other animals as they pass through our property.

DepositPhoto/mreco99

2 – Pergola in the Dog Yard

One area of the dogs' yard used to have a tree that the dogs could hang out under on hot or rainy days.  The tree was downed in a wind storm years ago and removed.  I want to place a pergola over the area to provide shade during the summer and protection from the rain or winds.

And a pergola in the yard would look nice.  Instead of having benches and tables, I'd like the dogs' pergola to provide shelter and have areas – kind of like dog houses or a high bench – that the dogs can go into to get out of the rain or have some alone time if they want it.  I can see Zoey and Scout taking a break from Rodrigo in this area.

DepositPhoto/damedeeso

3 – New Dog Doors

I want to install a new dog door from the laundry room to the garage to allow the dogs to walk through the garage and a replace the second dog door that leads to their yard.  I plan to reorganize the garage to create a path straight to their yard to keep curious dogs from snooping around the garage.

With Endura Flap pet doors, we can have a door installed in one of our doors or in the wall of our house (love this idea).  We can get the extra flap option to account for our weather year around, and each door comes with a locking cover for added security.

What I love about these dog doors is that they give our dogs more independence.  They can go in and out as they please and I don't have to worry about them when I'm at work.  This past winter was the coldest that I can remember.  We had several below 20 degree days, and I had to hire a pet sitter (aka, my step son) to watch the dogs for an entire season.  And our summers are starting earlier and getting hotter in the Pacific Northwest.  Two summers ago, we invested in air conditioning to keep everyone comfortable.

Endura Flap pet doors are made in the USA, come with a warranty, have a long life, seal against the weather (hot and cold), and has great reviews.  They are the perfect solution for our multi-dog home and can stand up to use by four big dogs.

DepositPhoto/Stocksolutions

4 – Planting More Trees and Bushes

Several years ago, we removed most of the trees from our property because they were dead and dying, posing a hazard for the dogs and us.  We've spent the past few years planting new trees and bushes around our property, and it's been amazing.  I finally have a magnolia tree!  And we're getting more willows this fall!!!

I want to add fast growing bushes to the outside of the dog yard's fence line to provide the dogs some privacy, shade, and reduce distractions.  Although we live on a lot of property, we're also on a hill, and four dogs barking isn't something we want to encourage when they're outside.

Additional plants are also a great security feature.  They won't stop a criminal, but they will block views of the dogs' yard from anyone who happens by.

DepositPhoto/ipeema

5 – Indoor and Outdoor Camera

And speaking of security, we want to add cameras to our security system.  I like the idea of being able to check in on the dogs when I'm at work.  J wants to also add wireless cameras around the property to capture wildlife.  Now that we have more ponds on our property, deer and other animals come through for a drink, and it's cool to see.

While I would hate to come across as paranoid, I'll to be honest and say that I'm a helicopter dog mom and one of the main reasons I work so hard on this blog is so that I can do this full-time, at home, surrounded by my dogs.

Besides being a freak about my dogs, I'm also curious about their daily habits, how often they poop, and which dog is digging all the holes (I suspect Rodrigo and Zoey).

Getting the Boyfriend on Board

J is in charge of the house projects and getting him on board with things that I want to do is always a challenge because he has so much on his plate already.  However, I think I may be able to get him on board with several of these projects.  We have four months – we can knock this out in 4 months, right?