One warm day as I sat at my desk and glanced outside, I could see my dog playing a game of fetch. Only problem I was the only family member home. Who was playing fetch with the dog?

As I left my upstairs office and headed to the patio, the dog's fetch partner was a meter reader for the electric company. The meter reader was somewhat amused as he entered the yard our family dog did not bark, growl or appear aggressive. Our dog simply got a soggy tennis ball and was undoubtedly hoping a playmate had entered his backyard.

While relieved, I learned a lot from that meter reader episode that day. I became anxious for a sign to let future meter readers and other visitors know of my dog's possible presence. Searching pet supply, hardware and garden stores I found nothing that didn't first give off the impression that the dog was one to be feared. And second, appear as if I should be tacking the sign up near a junkyard not a nice suburban home.

A continuing search of more retailers and web sites yielded nothing. I just wanted an understated, high quality sign along the lines of house numerals that stated "Dog in Yard".

Why with 58 million dogs, approximately 5 million dog bites annually and some 90 million households, did there not exist such a sign? I decided to find out.

I wrote to Dogs for Dummies author, Gina Spadafori and asked about signs. She was encouraging, enlightening and even offered to buy one sight unseen. See Gina's comments under our "What the Experts Say" section. Finally, acknowledging that people over react, file lawsuits and blame everyone but themselves, I knew I needed to post my property and protect my beloved dog.

The best way to discover why something doesn't exist is to build one and determine if others like it as well or if what seems practical is practically ignored.

Today, The Original Pet Postings® "Dog in Yard" signs are ordered via e-mail, telephone, fax and U.S. mail, from all corners of the United States. Dog owners thank us for coming up with a great solution for their dogs and homes. By the way, my electric meter still gets read regularly each month.