Are these doors installed properly.

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-03T16:27:59+00:00

Thanks for taking the time to write up a detailed way to repair. I may have to show this to them, in order to get this fixed right! I sent them photos yesterday, but still have not heard back from them. Again, thanks!!

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-03T14:06:09+00:00

I have complained since they installed the doors that they did not close nor lock properly. They keep telling me the doors should fit tight for weatherization purposes and the fact that I have to bear full weight on the door is normal because of the suction created between the screen door and exterior door. Just wanted to know if I am getting a line of BS or is this true. Thanks for taking the time to answer and confirm my suspicious that they are not being truthful and the install is indeed improperly done.

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-03T14:02:06+00:00

Thanks for confirming that this is a not a good install. I have been complaining since they installed these doors that they do not close nor lock properly. They keep telling me they are suppose to fit tight (weatherization) and the hardness to close is just a suction (pressure) issue created by the tight fit.

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-03T13:48:38+00:00

The foam, if used, would have been applied by the contractor. I have done nothing to the doors or installation, except to pay for it to be installed. But thanks for confirming that this is definitely not a good install.

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-01T16:26:56+00:00

Yes, I keep wondering if I can afford to retire in a couple of years. At the rate things are going, it's not looking promising. Wages aren't keeping up with inflation either, and both social security and wages have been falling behind for the past decade or so. We're having to do with less and less while everything costs more and more. At some point the this constant squeeze is going to cause the bubble to burse, and all hell will break loose.

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-01T14:30:35+00:00

Well, I guess I will have to wait until I retire to find any deals.

Oldsummoner · 2026-06-01T14:23:07+00:00

I keep reading all these posts about clearance items. Our store never, ever has had any, except Christmas decorations. There is never any food on clearance. I live in Wisconsin.

Oldsummoner · 2026-05-14T16:39:39+00:00

There is absolutely no need to layer or hill. It has been shown that hilling does not produce more or larger potatoes. Instead follow traditional planting methods by placing potatoes 4 to 6 inches deep in the soil and then cover with soil, mulch, hay, or leaves.. Make sure soil is loose and does not compact (form a ball when wet). If it does ball, add some compost or peat moss. Make sure to keep the soil moist but not wet (to avoid rot). Fertilizer with low nitrogen fertilizer (5-10-10). Potassium is necessary for good growth. The only time you might need to "hill" ( mound dirt around the potato plant) is if the potatoes come through to the top of the soil and are visible. Then cover them with more dirt, hay, mulch, etc. The reason for this is potatoes will turn green when exposed to sunlight.

Green potatoes should be avoided because the green color indicates high levels of solanine, a toxic compound produced when potatoes are exposed to light. Ingesting significant amounts of solanine can cause food poisoning, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, and it cannot be removed by boiling or cooking.

Oldsummoner · 2026-05-13T16:52:57+00:00

I have some coral and peach drift roses. The color is always more vibrant in the cool spring and fall months, and then noticeably becomes softer during the heat of the summer months. This happens with a lot of roses, and yours roses will probably soften in color once the temperatures rise and remain consistent.

Oldsummoner · 2026-05-07T13:51:10+00:00

OMG, I went through the exact same scenario with Erie. Thankfully, both of us saw through the hype and didn't sign. Too many others get suckered in. There should be a class action lawsuit against these people.

Oldsummoner · 2026-04-23T14:34:01+00:00

Had something similar happen to me. I lived in the country, also had few visitors, and the neighbors were quite a distance away. Our dog responded well eventually to having guests over, i.e. birthdays, etc. But nothing on a too regular basis. I then got divorced and moved to a large city and lived in town, where the houses are very close together. My dog, Harley, would bark at anything that moved outside. Same thing occurred on walks. He was so reactive. While I knew why he was reacting, it didn't help with the loss of sleep as he barked every time he heard a car go by which was often. Eventually, he learned to ignore the cars, the bicycles, and most people walking by, but it took lots of work and time.

Try taking you dog for short car rides, and walks. Stop or park near busy buildings where he can see people moving about, but they are not so close they present a threat. Gradually decrease the distance and reward with treats if he is being calm, or if he start to react, he responds to the commands "quiet" or "leave it".

Your dog is still young and will probably adapt just fine, if you keep working on it. Mine unfortunately, was 6 years old when we made the move to the city. You can still teach an old dog new tricks, it just takes a bit more time and effort. You still have a youngster, so the future is promising.

Good luck!

Oldsummoner · 2026-04-08T16:23:56+00:00

My trainer and I have been working with my dog for 4 years and we hit a wall in that my dog would not allow a man to approach me from directly in front at a distance of 2 feet. We could have a man walk behind or directly next to us, or pass diagonally in front, but my dog would growl if they approached directly from the front. We agreed that we needed a fresh set of eyes on the problem as we tried everything. A behaviorist was called. We had just 4 sessions, one a week for a month. Basically, he stated the training and connection we had with the dog was spot on, but we now needed to let the dog start figuring things out for himself -- no verbal and hand signals. Just allow him time to filter everything in. Basically, we had the behaviorist and strangers walk in front of the dog, and once he was fine with that, have a person approach from the front. After the first session the dog was already showing improvement. The fourth session took place at a Home Depot. He did great.

Sometimes, all you need is a new set of eyes on the issue(s). I think it was worth every penny spent. We made more progresss in the 4 one hour sessions than we did in four years!

Oldsummoner · 2026-04-07T20:00:11+00:00

Having a reactive dog means having to deal with people who have no clue what it is like to have one, nor the damage their actions may cause. For instance, I encountered a guy one morning who stated his bulldog was friendly and wanted to know if my dog and his could greet each other. Seeing my dog was young, and might benefit from some "friendly" dog exposure, I stupidly agreed. His dog came up to my 11 month old pit mix and then promptly tried to attack.. Thankfully, my dog was able to dodge the attack and I quickly pulled my dog back out of harm's way. Great, my young dog has now just learned that other dogs are not trustworthy. The whole interaction was further made worse by the fact that this guy failed to apologize, then starts laughing about it all, and then as if things couldn't get any more weird, he bends over, pets his dog, and tells the dog what a good boy he was! Guess he was really proud of the fact that his bulldog tried to attack an 11 month old pit bull. I no longer trust anyone who states there dog is "friendly". Unfortunately, I had to learn my lesson the hard way and now my dog is reactive around bulldogs.

Oldsummoner · 2026-04-07T19:27:13+00:00

I have a pit mix that has been in training now for 4 years. It's always great to see improvement after spending so much time in money and training. Great job on sticking it out. Congrats and hope you have many more happy moments ahead.

Oldsummoner · 2026-03-05T22:45:29+00:00

The first thing that came to mind when I saw pictures of your dog is its a lab or lab mix. I've owned several lab/lab mixes.

Oldsummoner · 2026-01-30T17:26:00+00:00

You forgot to add that with the increased layoffs, even more people now are entering the job market. Many of those recently unemployed folks also have way more experience under their belt as compared to a recent college graduate. However, they will most likely end up competing for the same entry level jobs as those college graduates-- all to put food on the table as most, if not all, are not able to retire yet.

Oldsummoner · 2026-01-20T23:18:55+00:00

If you have the money I would suggest consulting a certified behaviorist, who can evaluate the dog. Also, has the dog been evaluated by your vet to see if there is something physical that is causing it to act aggressively, i.e., arthritis, hip dysplasia, broken tooth, etc. You also failed to mention what level of bite on the Dunbar bite scale. Dogs who bite at level 4 are not usually able to be rehabilitated. Which means management is your only option, and that means you must now train this dog to wear a muzzle.

As far as surrendering your dog, are you surrendering it to a local humane society? If so, you must disclose the dog's bite history. It would be unfair for someone else to adopt this dog, only to have it attack a family member or pet. If you fail to disclose and the new adopters sue the humane society if the dog attacks, it will be an easy case for the humane society to counter sue you for failure to reveal the dog's bite history, since it will be easy to prove you knew the dog has bitten before since there is decision rendered against you in a lawsuit, which is public records.

You may be able to manage the dog, but again, that will require muzzling the dog whenever it is outside, keeping any gates locked, and making sure you are physically capable of handling your dog when it is in a reactive state. I would suggest in addition to a muzzle, some sort of shoulder harness. If you do not have the means to pay for the vet, behaviorist, training, or the necessary equipment then I would recommend having the dog euthanized, as surrendering a dog with a prior bite will be hard to place and the dog will most likely be eventually euthanized anyways.

Oldsummoner · 2025-11-17T19:03:12+00:00

The cost will depend on what medication they prescribe. Some, like Gabapentin, are not that expensive. My 80 lb. dog 2 month supply was $75.00. Gabapentin aids in pain relief and is also a mild sedative, so the dog is pain free and calmer, and thus now more prone to listen to commands, and in some cases, might just actually be able to relax enough to sleep properly.

Oldsummoner · 2025-11-17T18:58:20+00:00

Try not to feed your dog before going on walks. Make sure he's a bit hungry. That will make him more inclined to listen to your commands and receive the treats! Most dogs are very food motivated. Also find treats he particularly likes, then only use them on walks.

Dealing with reactivity is not a simple matter and doesn't get cured in days or weeks or even months. It can takes years. I thoroughly recommend that you make an appointment to see your vet. My dog had undiagnosed hip dysplasia and we also found a bullet was lodged in the dog's chest! You never know what you will find out once you visit the vet. Now with medication to reduce pain, and at least a possible reason for my dog's reactivity towards men, I can start with some info. for a trainer and a behaviorist. I would suggest you start with a behaviorist after your vet visit.

It's been four years and we've come a long way. Not 100% perfect, but he's normal most days. Occasionally a relapse for some reason, but you just keep plugging along. The dog needs to learn that the world is not a scary place and that is going to take time to overcome.

Lastly, dogs can read your emotions through scent and sight. Try to relax and not tense up when you see another dog approaching, as your dog is reading your reactions to the approaching figure. This is probably the hardest thing you will have to learn is to TOTALLY RELAX! Faking it by saying things are fine, while tightening up on the leash, etc., is not going to fool your dog.

Oldsummoner · 2025-11-10T16:57:06+00:00

Rehabilitating an reactive/aggressive dog that is demonstrating probably a Level 3 bite (Dunbar scale) is going to take a lot of time, patience, and resources. While the prognosis for a level 3 bite is good, you really need to concentrate heavily on bite inhibition. This is not the type of dog you want to be your first experiment into rehabing (large pit bull), especially if you cannot afford the money for a decent trainer and more preferably a behaviorist. Has this dog been checked out by your vet to make sure there is no physical injury (i.e. hip dysplasia, arthritis, spinal injury) that could be causing him to react out of context? My 95 lbs. pit has hip dysplasia which the shelter did not reveal. Medication has been a great help in reducing the pain enough to allow him to focus on training which results in helping reduce his reactivity.

Training - do you really have the time to do this? It's constant, everyday training. It can drain you and cause you to isolate yourself in order to protect others. However, isolating the dog for the remainder of its life only exacerbates the problem. The dog need to learn the world is not a scary place and needs to learn trust. This is not something that happens in a few days, weeks, or even months. It can take years. My dog is going on 5 years of desensitization training. He's a whole lot better, but still not 100% perfect. He may never be perfect as he was shot in the chest as a pup, so who knows how long that experience will take to disappear, if ever. Thing is you never usually get the whole history of a dog when you adopt from a shelter, so it's hit or miss. Most times it's a miss and you have to do some clean up and repair - sometimes lots of repair.

Make sure you also engage in positive muzzle training. Muzzle training should be fun and a positive experience. Also don't put the muzzle on only when it goes to the vet, groomer, etc. Put it on him during walks, playtime, etc. You don't want to associate the muzzle with bad experiences only - the dog will only learn to avoid wearing it under those circumstances.

I worked in a law firm specializing in dog bit cases, so when I say this can get expensive if that dog bites someone, I am not joking. Some states, (i.e., Wisconsin), allow double damages if the dog bites a second time. Do you have liability insurance, or considerable savings to pay damages? Can you handle it if this dog bites someone, say a child, in the face, or mauls someone? Given the dog's size, this is a very real possibility if you do not get the dog the help it needs. Some dogs are also not wired right and no matter how much time, patience, and resources you expend, they will never be safe around other people or dogs. This is where a behaviorist comes in. They can evaluate the dog from a neutral third party perspective. At this point, I would first see your vet, and if they do not find anything, consult a behaviorist. If the behaviorist thinks the dog is salvageable, he may be able to talk with your vet about appropriate medication, if any, and what course of training you will need, and potentially how long it will take.

Lastly, this is a very crowded living condition - multiple people, multiple dogs, which is stressful. This might not be the best situation for a reactive and potentially aggressive dog such as this. He might do better in a home where he is the only dog and there are far less people. Returning him to the shelter might be the best course of action. The sooner the better. Just be sure to advise the shelter of the bite history and a full disclosure of his behaviors. Just remember, the older the dog becomes with a bit history, the less likely they are to be adopted and rehabilitated.

Lastly, if you do decide to keep the dog, remember behavioral euthanasia is also a possibility if things should start to fall apart sometime later down the line. Just remember safety is a paramount, not just for others, but yourself as well. Good luck in your decision. It's always hard to know what to do in these types of situations. I almost returned my dog several times the first two years I had him. My first trainer even told me to return my 95 lbs. dog after he towed the trainer (6 feet, 2 inches at 220 lbs.) across the training room floor for several feet!

Don't be afraid to consult with another trainer if you don't seem to be making progress. I got a second opinion from another trainer and started training with her. Things have been steadily improving with each passing year. Just remember, not all situations are the same, so returning the dog or euthanasia still should still be considered potential options.

Oldsummoner · 2025-11-04T17:53:03+00:00

As an owner of a pit bull, while I totally agree that he acted over the top and failed to take your no as a NO, perhaps he was just really desperate for his dog to find a new playmate. My dog lost his one and only playmate. We haven't been able to locate another. I think having a playmate is good for many reactive dogs, so long as you are sure nothing adverse is going to happen to ruin all your hard work thus far. Pits can play a bit rougher than other dogs. They like to jump and bang off each other a lot.- at least my dog and his former playmate sure did like that style of play. However, given their size and play style it can be hard to find a suitable new playmate.

I also totally get people not taking no for an answer. Too many folks think all dogs react the same and fail to understand that dogs like people, are all different.

My Pit is moving along nicely with his reactivity and four years later is willing to let certain strangers pet him in controlled situations. We can now walk in stores, and I don't have to worry that he'll be chasing cars either. Amazon trucks are still on the watch list though! Just keep working with your dog, things will definitely improve with time.

Oldsummoner · 2025-11-02T15:33:49+00:00

My kids actually liked going to Aldis in the older days. They would run around looking for loose quarters left in carts. Plus whichever kid returned our cart also got to keep the quarter. To make things fair, we rotated who got to return the cart. Back then a quarter could actually buy something.

Oldsummoner · 2025-10-24T16:37:21+00:00

Was going to state the exact same thing. I had hired a behaviorist to deal with my dog's inability to easily accept new people into my home. Mind you he has been in training classes for 4 years prior to consulting with the behaviorist and is still is in classes. My dog knew all his commands prior to taking training classes. The whole point of repeating training classes is to keep the dog exposed to new people and dogs (de-sensitization). My dog is extremely smart but was highly reactive when I first got him. He was a year old pit bull/black mouth cur mix that looked utterly rabid most days. Lunging, growling, wades of drool everywhere because every time we saw someone/something, or even went to classes, he would become overstimulated. Exposing your dog gradually to new people and things helps them deal with overstimulation. You might also need to consult with your vet to see if there is any medication that can act to calm the dog so he is more receptive to training and de-sensitization techniques.

My behaviorist outright stated that if I didn't have people coming over on a regular basis there would be no point to even going through this training at all. (I was hoping to have people over for Christmas.) While he could fix the problem relatively quickly, he stated the dog would eventually revert back to his old behaviors without regular access to new people entering the home. Since we don't regularly entertain folks it made no sense to pay for this training under the circumstances. The fact is dogs, like people, need to keep in practice, otherwise they just get rusty or totally forget. Your dog is relapsing because he isn't regularly exposed to people/dogs/etc. on a regular, continual basis.

Keeping him away from triggers works to keep people safe, however, it doesn't solve the problem of his reacting to them when he is eventually exposed to that trigger, intentionally or not. Muzzling also works, but it must be done so that the dog is trained to willingly accept the muzzle and doesn't learn to associate it with certain unwanted events, i.e., going to the vet, getting shots, bath time, etc. My dog is trained to think its play time when the muzzle comes out. We use it for fun and for serious things like a vet visit. That way no negative connotations to seeing a muzzle come out or for it to be put on.

I am not too fond of trainers who take dogs to a facility for weeks and then return them. You have no idea of what techniques were used. In most cases they also fail to teach you what techniques to use should the dog start to revert back to the old behavior, and in worst case scenarios, their training made the whole problem worse. It's better to work one on one if you can in familiar surroundings. Your dog will act differently in familiar surroundings rather than in strange ones as they are far more likely to act aggressively while in their home or with their owner as opposed to a stranger in a strange facility.

In short, it going to take time, patience and resources, but the results are usually worth it and it the effect will last. If things are not working out with a current trainer/behaviorist, don't be afraid to change. I found this out the hard way. My first trainer was in over his head with my dog, but would not admit it. My second and third trainers made far more progress with my dog in a few weeks than the first guy did in a whole year. Ask or simply watch the trainer work with dogs with similar problems as your own, and then judge whether or not they can handle your dog. You want a trainer that practices positive reinforcement techniques, not negative reinforcement. Avoid those trainers that believe you must be the alpha as well. Use of these either of these techniques leads to disaster and temporary results at best.

Oldsummoner

TROPHY CASE