herbie

[quote user="avinalarf"]Shoot them with an air gun if they trespass.[/quote] Who?  The neighbours or the dogs!

Thanks for offering to do me a toolbelt.  I could do it myself, just being lazy I guess.  As for tools for women, I think that as long as they were really good quality, I think there would be a market for that.  I know you can already get gardening tools with pretty designs on so why not building tools.  Personally, I don't want to look like a bloke when I'm on site but I do want to do a good job and inferior tools just won't do it.  I'd say go for it, great idea!

Thanks everyone!  Some very useful stuff there for sure.  My initial feeling was simply to put a picket fence up the side where the chemin is to the neighbours, simply to create a barrier so that if the dogs did chase the cats, the cats would jump the fence, but the dogs would not and therefore give them sanctuary.  I do not allow my cats out at night so I hope that wild animals or wandering dogs at night will not be a problem.  They have always come in from being kittens and are very used to this.  The tuna waiting for them in the evenings certainly helps too! Until I move there I guess I just don't have any idea how bad these dogs are going to be.  Did they exaggerate the problem?  Were they joking with us a bit?  I really don't know.  Where we currently live, our neighbours have hunting dogs in a tiny cage.  They no longer use them for hunting and they therefore never leave the cage.  They howl all the time and throughout the night.  It's so desperate and I've been looking for an organisation where I could maybe report this.  I know though that there are many more cases like this in France.  It's so sad.  Of course these dogs then become dangerous animals because they have been treated badly.  It's a terrible situation.  Anyway, I digress, the point is, my cats are pretty used to barking dogs that sit in cages and they in fact walk right up to them!  They know that they can't touch them so they have no fear.  This is why I'm concerned because I'm thinking that they'll wander right up to them thinking the same thing. 

I'd have to stop the cats going out that way towards the neighbours.  There's plenty of countryside to the front of our new property for them to roam around and there's really no need for them to go round the side and the back.  I just felt that if I could stop them leaving that way, or the dogs coming in, then it may work.  I obviously don't want to electrocute either dog or cat!  It would be very handy to know what I could buy.  Thanks for your help.

[quote user="cooperlola"]Electric fence?  It sounds a bit cruel but in effect once the dogs have been "bitten" by it, they respect it and stay away.  My dog never goes in the ponies' field thanks to this.[/quote] That sounds like a good plan.  I could have an electric wire going along the picket fence and put a warning sign on, maybe.  Thanks.

We're about to move to Puy de Dome and our neighbours are farmers.  They have 3 fairly small dogs, one is a Jack Russell and not sure what the others are but just slightly bigger.  They looked fairly old and were friendly to us.  We have 3 cats who we adore.  After talking to the neighbours and telling them we had 3 cats, they very nonchantly told us ' not for much longer!'.  I was horrified when they said that their dogs would attack our cats as they are just left to roam free.  We also wanted to get a couple of chickens but feel that this may not be possible now.  I've started to make a picket fence to which I will attach chicken wire to try and create a barrier to hopefully put the dogs off from coming onto our property.  Are there any other precautions we can take?  I'm really quite worried about this.  I thought about a giant water pistol as I have trained my cats by squirting water at them, not to touch my free-flying budgies, but you can't be stood there the whole time!

Your story made me smile.  I'm a bit of a closet builder and love nothing better than to work on site. I used to be an interior designer in the UK and sometimes still undertake projects.  The thing is, I can never resist getting involved!  I love it.  Like you, I don't want to loose my feminity and I've also come across some men that just can work me out.  Some really like it and others treat me with contempt.  Frankly, I don't give a damn!  By the way, I've been trying to find a pink fluffy toolbelt.  Any ideas where I may find one?

Working in France is notoriously difficult.  There are so many rules and regulations and huge 'cotisations' to pay.  The statistics show that most businesses go under in their 3rd year.  If you have to rely on income from hairdressing only, I would seriously reconsider.  I would suggest that you do a lot of research first.  There are many, many hairdressers in France and maybe you would need to offer a different type of service, like maybe go mobile?  Just a thought.  Good luck.

I'm an artist and I'm looking for any opportunities.  This could be in the form of mural paintings, commissions or exhibition space.  It could be that you have a large home and would like to host an 'art party'?  I'm living in the Tarn department now but moving to Puy de Dome in July.  I still have committments here and will be travelling back regularly.  I also have a show in Monestiés the last 2 weeks of August for anyone who would like to see my work.

Bable Fish Translation could be useful for you if you do have some basic French.  It doesn't always get it right but it may help you to formulate simple cancellations letters.  I find the French prefer everything in writing.