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Janet, we're going with brown treated wood posts and wire mesh that has 2" x4" rectangles and then putting brown treated boards on like a rail fence. We've seen this done and you hardly notice the mesh... but it keeps the critters in while letting you have an informal country look that fits our style. We might have to buy the boards over time as they're not cheap, but it keeps the mesh nice and tight while looking nice, so will be worth it in the long run. Not having to ever paint or stain it has a lot of appeal too. Our posts and mesh will be 5 feet tall. I plan to put decorative wooden birdhouses on top of the posts to give the fence a finished look.

We'll also be adding a strand of electric wire at the top and bottom of the fence to teach the dogs not to touch the mesh. With up to 90 lb dogs bouncing on it or digging under it, they can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time if they don't learn right away to leave it alone. This should also discourage any strays from trying to get IN with our dogs.