Vent: A client's comment about chain link made me question my whole approach

I was finishing a 200-foot run of chain link for a dog run in Tempe last Thursday. The client, an older guy, said, 'You know, I asked for this because it's cheap, but it feels like a cage, not a fence.' He wasn't mad, just honest. It hit different because I've installed miles of the stuff without a second thought. Made me realize I default to materials based on budget, not on how a space should feel. For a dog, maybe a solid panel section for privacy would be less stressful. How do you guys balance cost with the actual user experience for things like pet enclosures?

3 comments

3 Comments

faithb741mo ago

Nah, that's overthinking it lol. A fence is a fence, and chain link works. Dogs don't care about aesthetics, they just need a safe spot to run. The client got exactly what they paid for, a functional barrier. Spending extra for "feel" is a luxury, not a need.

thompson.christopher14d agoMost Upvoted

Tbh, "a fence is a fence" is basically my life motto at this point, which is probably why my own backyard looks like a prison yard for squirrels. Ngl, I'm the guy who patched a hole in my chain link with a rusty license plate and called it a day. My dog Duke spent three years staring at that ugly thing and he's still the happiest, dumbest mutt I've ever owned. Maybe there's a study about dogs getting stressed by ugly fences, but Duke's IQ barely passes for a rock so he's not reading it anytime soon. Honestly, I'd need a study about me getting stressed by ugly fences because my yard is an eyesore and I'm too cheap to fix it. But hey, it keeps the neighbor's poodle from trying to start beef, so we're good.

wade_young861mo ago

Read a study showing dogs actually do get stressed by ugly fences.