I've only ever seen vertical blinds on patio doors. Do you mean you would get short ones and use them like drapes?

I don't understand...if you are having the vertical blinds, why not get the luminettes that look more like curtains and can be shut completely and can be opened to let the line in but the windows are still covered with a sheer fabric for privacy, and they stack back if you want to clear the window.

They are a lot more attractive than vertical blinds, and while they are expensive, so is adding multiple layers to the window.

I'm not clear on how your photo relates to your question, nor the reference at the end to a roller shade. But, vertical blinds are unlikely to give you the near zero light you desire. If that's your goal, you would be better off to replace the verticals with blackout horizontal cellular shades with the lace panels on top.

Actually, I used one when I lived on the Air Force base; I still have it. The four windows were over 12' long. I had one blind that spanned all four. It drew open from the center. It was the only way I could think of to affordable cover that expanse of windows.

I can't find a decent photo, but here's one of DH and our then "baby" Harry. He's a big ole 11-year-old now!

I'm not clear on the question or the photos either, but since you mention roller blinds, why not put roller blinds on the inside/s (not sure if you have one or four windows) and hang sheer panels on the outside, on a rod.

I'm sorry; I'm getting overwhelmed.

I now have one large picture window that has two connected casement windows on either side. To the south I have one large picture window.

The main problem is I must have something that can stand up to the two dogs. While I do live in a town; I'm on the edge of massive commercial farming areas so turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, deer, coyotes, etc. are often in our front yard. My dogs, while well trained, can only resist so much temptation; they will jump at the windows when any of the creatures are in sight.

I need very tough window treatments, and something that can be easily cleaned.

Kiwi Gem - it would be one long, sill-length, blind, hung and opening/closing as drapes do.

Annie Deighnaugh - since I've been doing so many "searches" I found a lot of your postings! You are a rock star; I've loved all of them.

The luminettes sound perfect; but I know they would be trashed in no time. Still, I'm going to check them out when I drive into town today.

Graywings...I tossed that photo in since it was a look I like. Perhaps with having just two stationary panels on each end it would add some softness without being to expensive to replace when they are worn out.

ShadyLady2U - That may be my final choice. As soon as the contractor gets the new windows framed out, and the paint touched up, I'll post photos of the new and improved livingroom.

I would opt for bamboo roman shades. While not usually expensive, you may need custom because of the size, which would cost a little more. With this option, the shades could be lifted to the point where the dogs can look out, but then could be lowered to the floor when needed, such as in the evening when the dogs can't see their 'playmates.'

As for the verticals, been there, done that, and personally hate them, but do understand how they would be ideal with the dogs. I like the idea of the picture you posted, but don't think lace would look as good if lace were used.

Cute picture of Harry, Caroline!

I understand about the vertical blinds. I have them over my picture window due to my cats and my dog, Sissy, needing to look outside.

Maybe a match stick blind that you could raise up and down?

Hey Charlee_Mo. Are you the long-time KTer who at one time had an enchanting pet rooster?

I don't understand how a lace panel will get any less ripped up by the dogs than vertical blinds....

I lived in an apartment with vertical blind. What I did was to put sheers in front and then curtains over that. When I wanted to open the blinds I pulled the blinds and the two curtains open. If I wanted darkness, I pulled the blind closed and then used the sheers to disguise the verticals and the curtains were pulled back. That way it just looked like two curtains with a sheer in the middle. Not sure this is helpful but I loved it. Wished I had taken a pic.

I would figure out some way to use blackout roller shades. I am assuming you don't want floor length lace panels because of the dogs, unless you plan on always pulling them away from the windows.

Country Curtains has a few lace patterns with matching valances, curtains and swags. The valance would cover up the roller when you don't need it.

This post was edited by deee on Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 8:19

As you can see, no one here is a fan of the pvc vertical drapes. Yet, I can see how this could be the only way to have light control and have a window treatment that could hold up to excited dogs.

Someone above mentioned putting the verticals under the sheers. I could see that. You could put the sheers on rings and slide them open and closed as needed.

Would it help any to block their view with bushes, or is it the scent that gets them excited?

LOL @ your comment, Graywings. Even on one of the manufacture's sites they have a button on their "verticals" page that points shoppers to "alternates for vertical blinds." I cracked up when I saw that!

First, I'm not really a "crazy dog lady," but we do have to large hunting dogs - big, rambunctious, always on guard - and total sweethearts. They are "pets" first, and DH's hunting companions second. We live in North Dakota. They spend 90% of their time in the house.

I do have a tall metal pet gate at the door to my sewing room and "No Boys Allowed" posted on the door. It also substitutes as a guest room and I don't want the dogs in there in case I had a "particular" guest. I also have a tall pet gate between the kitchen and mudroom. When I'm cooking, or we have company that doesn't totally appreciate dogs; the dogs can stay in the mudroom. It's wonderful to once again set out my ingredients and cook like a normal person without worrying about counter thieves!

The View, such as it is.

Another reason for the verticals is I can open them fully; they stack to each side of the windows and I can see out. I have my large WIP cottage garden in the center of the front yard; the only tree to the left of the window is filled with all my bird feeders (I'm a rabid birder!) and in the summer the Purple Martin colony is the main attraction to the right side of the window. I must have unobstructed views.

At sundown I would close the blinds completely. Until we got the new windows installed this week, I had been using simple roller blinds only. Blinds came down at dark; and zipped up in the morning. Still, cheap roller blinds, alone, is a bit "single girl apartment" living and I'm past that by several decades.

There's no "hiding" other animals from these boys. As soon as the deer or turkeys pass the shelter belt, about two blocks away, they are going crazy. Same for the squirrels, cats, foxes, and coyotes, although I don't see the bigger guys as often.

I'm sorry this is long; I can't seem to use fewer word to try to describe the situation. I also can't post multiple photos in one post so I'll add a few to show you some of my uses for the window.

A couple years ago we had a migration "irruption" of cross bills and red polls; they were new on my "life list."

This is the view out of the old front window. There is a deck along the front of the house. That's the feeder tree to the left.

When temps dip to minus -30 to -40, I put a couple feeders on the deck.

I had hundreds of red-wind cross bills that winter. I went through at least a 40-lb bag of black oil sunflower seed every week.

I do not have good photos of them, but you can see them out in the snow. They covered my entire front yard, which is three lots wide. There are redpolls, a red-breasted nuthatch, and warblers in this photo, too.

This past winter was bitterly cold; it was the first time we had groups of turkeys come into town to glean under the feeders.

I had 20-30 of them every morning for several weeks. Each night I would pour out a two-gallon bucket of black oil sunflower seed; they would show up at dawn and eat every bite.

I simply can't obstruct views like this! During the turkey days I'd get up, put Harry and Sam in the mudroom behind the gate, and then I could safely watch the turkeys.

Looking out the old front window, to the left of the yard. The turkeys would "talk" softly the entire time they were feeding. It was magic - and about -35 on this day.

Wes uses the snow blower to open paths to my feeder tree and the smaller woodpecker feeder by the sewing room window. I offer up to 10 different feeders; I feed black oil sunflower seed, suet, peanuts, suet pellets, and cracked corn during the winter. Each type of feed is in it's own feeders to cut down on waste.

The snow bank near the road is about 6-ft. deep. They come down the middle of the road from the field/woods so I used the snow shovel to dig a path from the road up to my yard. It was pitiful seeing them try to flap and claw their way up the steep bank.

Another reason for open view...

This is my Purple Martin pole in full production. It is viewed from the right of my large window. The turkey above, on the far right, is about half-way between the feeder tree and the Purple Martin pole.

The PMs are here from mid-April until the first part of August when they migrate back to Brazil. They are the hightlight of my "Birds and Blooms" year!

During the spring migration I love watching the Baltimore Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.

There are so many beautiful birds just outside my window.

You couldn't pay me to live in the bitter winters of North Dakota, but oh, what a view! Lovely, just lovely.

Another winter window view. Sundogs at sunrise, around 8:30 on this particular morning.

You mean you don't want to dash out and fill 10 birdfeeders when it's -30? What do you do for adventure? LOL

I dash out to the garage and get the big bucket of seed, and another bucket with suet cakes, peanuts, etc. I dash back in the house and set them outside the front door. I unwrap, thaw out, drink hot tea, put lotion on the tiny bit of my exposed face and dash back out. I fill the four suet feeders; dash back in and thaw. Dash out and fill the seed feeder; dash back in and thaw. Dash out and fill any remaining feeders, carry the buckets back to the garage, and come in.

I fill them, or top them off rather, every 2-3 days during the worst of the winter. That way they never go empty; it takes less time to pour in a couple of quarts as opposed to several gallons, and I can do it all in one trip.

If it's below -40 Wes will often fill them for me while he's out running the snowblower.

Honestly---- lace panels under vertical blinds sound like a very bad idea. Lace panels over vertical blinds, ditto. Why don't you go to the drapery department of a large J.C. Penney's and ask an experienced salesperson for help?

Btw, we have three very badly trained dogs, not one of them can follow (or will deign to follow) a single command, and yet they do not jump up on our plantation shutters or curtains. If your dogs are trainable you can probsbly train them to stay off the window treatments, but it sounds as though you have large animals who are cooped up too much inside. Ninety percent of their time should not be spent inside when it is above freezing. Perhaps if you can fence your yard or get them out more they would be calmer at home?

Whatever you put there will get dirty from the dogs. It needs to be something easy to clean. My dogs were always running under my pinch pleat curtains on my big picture window. When it was time to change the window treatment I bought something cheap at Walmart. I think I had to use five panels to span the window. They are washable. My dogs have long since died and although I will not replace them I have been sluggish about doing more on that window.
I know I would be quite anxious if not allowed to look out the window.

Oh KSWL- my guys run 5-15 miles on the open prairie at least three times a week. They swim nearly daily in the summer. Long swims while retrieving duck dummies that are shot from a .22-type launcher. DH is a rabid hunter; the dogs point, track, retrieve everything from doves, grouse, pheasants, ducks, geese, rabbits, squirrels, coyotes, fox, muskrats, raccoons, etc.

In the winter they pull DH on the sled just like the Iditarod dogs. He has harnesses for them to pull the bike in the summer. I will guarantee there are no dogs in the state that get harder workouts than mine.

They have an extremely high prey drive; and being a versatile hunting breed, everything is prey.

They know all the hunting commands; they follow verbal, whistle, and hand signals. But when a squirrel, turkey, coyote, or cat crosses the yard they go berserker!

They are so well behaved in the house. They love everyone and don't know what "stranger" means. Babies, little children, kids, and puppies are fawned over and slurped endlessly...until a squirrel goes past the window. I do trap the nasty things...but more keep coming.

DH burst out laughing when he read 'more exercise.' Sam water retrieved ducks from 5:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. today. He was the only dog for five hunters; they each got their limit. Yesterday Harry hunted grouse all day.

They stay outside, weather permitting, (this is North Dakota) as much as they wish. I am always here to open the door. It's constant "in and out", especially with younger Sam; he spends hours in the huge back yard - chasing the squirrels, trying to climb the trees to get to them, jumping on the fence to get leverage and running/barking his fool brains out! Our yard is three deep lots. The entire back yard is fenced.

These 75-lb. hunks will never not go after game; it would require alteration of their DNA! They are my DH's dream team. He spent 22 years in the AF in some of the worst parts of the world. He was always looking forward to and planning when he could be home year round and finally have, enjoy, train, and work these amazing hunters.

I figure - so what if I don't get floor-length drapes; I'll come up with a nice Plan B. I do get the joy of these two fur kids that love me to pieces. My hubby, after going all around the world and getting shot at in every sand box the US has been involved in; is now living his dream. And he is still a USAF cop; he's just on the "civilian" side now. That leaves plenty of dog-working time, no more foreign trips, and he's not been shot at for 9-10 years now!

Life is good on the Prairie. For me, the dogs, and the Ole Mountain Man!

This post was edited by caroline on Mon, Oct 13, 14 at 0:51

Caroline, thanks for sharing your pictures and your stories. Your dogs are very impressive but I have to admit, I am pretty sure that I would not enjoy ND weather. And I imagine you would not enjoy my humid GA climate.

Wow, just came across this thread and I must say I admire you - for many reasons. You live in an extraordinarily beautiful but harsh environment and are apparently thriving; that's fantastic. You also shared that mountain man of yours for many years. Give him a huge thank you for his service.

I have lace sheers in our bedroom just because I like them, if you like lace then go for it, that is the only thing that is important. In my case I rarely close my sheers because I am too busy looking at the birds and I don't want to have to squint through lace.

I remember having vertical blinds in the 80's. They could be a pain to clean IMO. Have you considered a lace Roman shade over a heavyweight blackout shade? One in front of the other. Either one could be pulled up and out of the way depending on your situation.

I'd never seen or even heard of sundog. Thanks for showing that.

How about cafe curtains under drapes or long curtain panels. If needed, the cafe's could be mounted using a rod pocket on the bottom, too, like door panels, but only covering the lower half of the window - might prevent the dogs from going underneath, and you get to see an unobstructed view out over the top half of the windows. It's easy for you to push aside the shorty cafe panels for a full-view, or close the drapes/long curtain panels to cover the window completely. I did this once many years ago for privacy on a 10-foot window using metal pipes. Worked well!

I'm the same Charlee-Mo but I didn't have a pet rooster. lol I've been trying to remember who did?

Love all of your pictures and I'm surprised you get such a greater variety than I do here along the Mississippi River.

Just responding to the information you provided:

â¢Posted by caroline (My Page) on Sun, Oct 12, at 11:46

They are "pets" first, and DH's hunting companions second. We live in North Dakota. They spend 90% of their time in the house.

This post was edited by kswl on Mon, Oct 13, 14 at 13:13

I have 2 rambunctious dogs who also love to watch what's going on outside. Here in NJ we have deer, squirrels, possums, groundhogs and a large family of turkeys who regularly visit. I have tried various window treatments over the years, but the only durable and decent looking ones are the vertical blinds. In my dining room and office I have the vinyl textured ones, my living room and family room have textured fabric verticals and all look appropriate for the room they're in.

They might be 'out of fashion' but they are clean and intact and are perfectly fine for me. No one who has entered my house has snickered yet. Sure I would love some more dramatic drapery styles but I follow Magnaverde's rule.

Caroline, I think you can certainly use vertical blinds but to also ensure complete blackout I would mount an inexpensive vinyl blackout overmount roller shade which can be rolled up during the day. They will be almost invisible while they up, but will provide almost complete darkness when down.

You had mentioned elsewhere that you were considering a fabric roman shade. Your center window shade would be extremely heavy with fabric and blackout liner and would be difficult to pull up daily.

Just my opinion.

Helene

Oh dear; I hope I didn't come across wrong. I so appreciate your ideas and posts, KSWL. I wanted you to know that once Wes gets home, and all weekends, it isgo, go, go for them.

Sam was outside all day hunting yesterday. After they got home he stayed out until 8 PM. He was in an hour this morning for breakfast and a cuddle; then he asked to go out and hasn't come in yet. Both dogs sleep in the house; Sam in the mudroom and Harry in our room.

Harry, 11, has arthritis and is deaf. He has good days and bad; he's on a pain med. Doc monitors him and his quality of life is great. We're so glad nowwe taught him so many hand signals. He stays in much more than Sam.

Sam is always out with Wes from the minute Wes gets home from work until dark, depending on the weather and dinner. So, without timing them and breaking out my rusty maths, I'll say 90% of the working day, until DH comes home, one or the other is inside. More in the winter; less in the summer.

Since Harry doesn't run too much or too long anymore, I've taken to walking him around the block. It certainly can't count as exercise for him but we both enjoy the fresh air. My doc keeps saying "move more." I will hate to admit the every other day walks are making me feel a bit more perky!

I posted all their hunting and hard work so you'd know they aren't being bored to death. Sadly, I know there are many pets that get nothing more than a bowl of food and water thrown down once a day. It breaks my heart.

Their bad habit of jumping at the window, the only one with a full view of the wildlife parade, is more from what they are than what they've been taught. Believe me; I've used the rolled newspapers, water bottle, gentle leader, scolding, diversion, nose shaking...I've gone so far as to try to figure out an electrified barrier. Since the neighbor's kids are always in and out, that may not be a good idea. Or...maybe?

And yes; first and foremost they are pets. We don't have children by choice. I spent my 20s-late 30s single and the Us Air Force. We were both in when we married. He was talking about his "dream hunting dogs" even then. Twelve years later he got them! These guys are pampered more than most.

I, too, must have unobstructed views outside and have no window coverings (except one bathroom). I don't know how low your windows are, but given what you've described, would it work to obscure the bottom 1/4 or so (depending on how "tall" your dogs are) with decorative film so they just can't see out the lower part of the front windows? You could then choose whatever WT you want for closing at night.

If you think it might work, you could get some Glass Wax and put it on the windows in question to determine if it would work and experiment with the placement for blocking the views that get them the most riled up.

Sorry for the picture quality. It shows where I had the verticals and then had a lace valance across the middle and panels on each side.