Dairy Flat
We received a message on Kiwi House Sitters web site from a lady who wanted to know whether we are interested in house sitting for them in Dairy Flat, while they are away on holiday. We were available for that period, and started talking to the owners.
I had always said that I would love to stay out on Dairy Flat, and so I was very keen to do it. We made a date, and went to see the owners. The lady was at home, and she showed us around. It is a very nice house, large, modern, and very comfortable. They have 2 meduim/large dogs, which we need to take care of. The dogs are very well mannered, and love people!
They were happy with us living in their home, and we loved the house! They left for their month-long holiday overseas, and we moved in. It is very relaxing here, it’s easy to keep clean, and I do not need to do any gardening. The weather has been appalling, since we moved in. There has been a lot of rain, and the garden is permanently flooded! Being mainly clay, it remains waterlogged for a long time. There is no chance at all of mowing the lawns!
The grounds are very large, probably around 4 acres. There are stables, where they keep their horses, but the horses are not on the property. They are being taken care of by some other people.
In the evening, as dusk settles in, hundreds of birds come to roost in a row of large bamboo plants lining a paddock. They are very vociferous, and it creates quite a din! The crescendo increases as it becomes darker, and then, as if on a signal, they all pipe down, there is a couple of chirps, and then quiet!
We are close to the North Shore Airport, in fact, we are right in line with the only runway. On days when the weather is conducive to flying, there is a constant stream of small aircraft overhead, either taking off, or landing, depending on the wind direction. I like airplanes, and so it is a treat for me.
There is a lovely pool in the back, just off the deck. However, being winter, and with all the rain, the water is very cold! I am definitely not going in there! The hob in the kitchen is gas fired, the ovens are electric. The water heaters are also gas fired. The wooden floors are beautiful, polished, and in very good condition. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 large family rooms, a lovely kitchen, and a large dining room. There is a double garage, where the car is kept while they are away. In the back, there is a wood fired pizza oven, and a large outdoor table. They tell me they have lovely get-togethers there, as the husband is an expert pizza maker!
The younger dog is a Golden Labrador. She has been trained as a Guide dog for the blind, but she has turned out to be too energetic to lead a blind person. She has been removed from the programme, and allocated to a permanent home. She has not been with the family for long, only about 2 months now. Both dogs are female, and they enjoy each other a lot! They play most of the time, running, chasing, tug-of-war, etc.
The dogs have collars, with a unit affixed. There is a wire running around the perimeter of the property, which emits some signal. When the dog approaches the perimeter, the unit gives a warning buzz. If the dog ignores this, and approaches the perimeter, the unit shocks the dog. This is a very good deterrent, and the dogs soon learnt that they are not too approach the fences!
The past weekend, Dedré and family came over after church for lunch. I explained this to Steve, and he said he wondered how severe the shock was, if there was any shock at all! We decided to find out! I took the collar off the dog, and gave it to Steve. We walked down the driveway, and approached the gate. When we came to within about 4 metres from the gate, there was an audible buzz from the unit, and a slight vibration. We retreated, and it stopped. I still wondered whether there was actually a more severe reaction. Steve held the unit, and cautiously approached the gate again. It buzzed again, but he continued going forward, then “Wow!” And he threw the unit away! I laughed, but was still not convinced that it did actually deliver a shock! The look on his face should have told me! I took the unit, and walked toward the gate. Wham! I also dropped it, as the electric shock banged through my arm!
I have to say immediately, that the shock is not severe at all! There is no cruelty to the animals, it is just an unexpected shock! It does not hurt at all, just causes a fright to whoever, or whatever has the unit!
We are enjoying it here! Chief priority though, is to keep the property and animals safe!
