Dog issues need perspective

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

My dog is dog aggressive.

I know this and know I need to get her training to deal with it, but right now we are still economically recovering from DHs layoff.

Our dog runs free, but she stays on her own property and usually is accompanied. She is off leash, but I am usually in the area.

For five years this has been fine. The neighbor had an older dog that stayed on her side of a ravine. They would bark at each other and go back to their own houses content that they had defended their territory. But, they got a puppy. A large black lab. He is a nice dog, he really is, but he likes to wander.

For the first year he joined in the barking at the property edge ritual. But recently the two dogs have been venturing farther and farther over into our property. It's ten acres so there is lots of room here.

For the last few weeks it has been a serious problem. They come over all of the time and then if my dog tries to get aggressive they team up and attack her.
DH says we don't want to have to leash our dog so we can't tell them they have to leash theirs. And it is usually our dog that starts the aggression.

But, it is OUR yard. I think she is entitled. And they are ganging up on her. Today was by far the worst. It got dangerous for me and the kids and something needs to be done now.

So, who has to do "something" first?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Does it really matter who does "something" first? Talk to your neighbor is the first something to do.

Steve

 

[linben]

I would go talk to the neighbor and let them know you don't want the dogs on your property for safety reasons and to prevent vet bills. Next time I would call the equivalent of animal control. If your dog is on your property-they are the intruders.

 

[phaethona]

how reasonable are the dogs' owner? how willing would they be to help you figure things out?

 

[BlackBart]

Your neighbors should control their dogs. You should approach them and explain what is happening.
Maybe together you could put up one string of electric fencing to keep the situation friendly because if it continues I think it might get ugly.
Proactive instead of reactive.

When we first moved here my neighbors dogs were coming over here and peeing on my front door. Because of the length of property that needed to be fenced to keep them out, we used electric until we had the time to put in livestock wire.
He didn't help us but sometimes the best neighbor is a fence. Saves a lot of problems.

JMO

 

[Cindiloohoo]

My dog is dog aggressive too, and she is kept in a fenced area. HOWEVER, the neighbor dogs(4 black labs) sometimes get in our yard and she will get out and stomp the mess outta them. Neighbors fault, not mine. My dog will not leave her yard, she knows every single inch of boundary, and it is HERS. Talk to the neighbors. I have. I also sting their little hineys with a BB gun to keep them away so my dog will gladly stay contained. I have asked the neighbors to keep their dogs up, and they try, but theirs scale fences too

I have seen it with my own two eyes. Some dogs just do not stay contained no matter what you do short concreting their feet to the ground. We don't have animal control out here in the sticks. We control our own animals the best way we can, and deal between each other fairly...generally speaking, some folks can be jerks, but most aren't. All you can do is give it an honest effort. Good fences make the best neighbors.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Put a fence up. Once you've done what you can to protect your dog and your property, then you can approach the neighbor.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have WHAT in my yard? :

But, it is OUR yard. I think she is entitled. And they are ganging up on her. Today was by far the worst. It got dangerous for me and the kids and something needs to be done now.

So, who has to do "something" first?

It is your kids in danger. Who do you think has to do something first? What's more important to you, being right or protecting your kids?

My first step would be to talk to the neighbors, but I don't know what your relationship with them is. Ten acres is a whole lot when it comes to a dog-proof fence, especially with economic challenges. It may come to a choice between keeping your dog and your kids' safety, regardless of who is right.​

 

[redhen]

Your dog is staying IN YOUR yard... their dogs need to do the same. period.
I would go talk to tthe neighbors tell them that their dogs are coming onto your property and attacking your dog. Ask them what they are planning to do about it.

 

[welsummerchicks]

Your dog is loose. Their dogs are loose. So this is what happens. They start fighting with each other. They're dogs. They do that.

Your husband doesn't want to tell them they have to put up their dogs, so you don't have to put up your dogs.

Ergo, the problem will never be solved.

Here is what I'd recommend. You and your neighbor lay invisible fence line. They lay wire on their property, you lay a circuit on your property. Buy the wire at the big box store, and buy the transmitter and collars at the big box store. It is all very cheap at the big box store.

You don't need to get it from 'Pet Safe...And You're Broke'.

Get a supply of batteries for the collars. Buy the transmitter. Plug it in in your house. Run the wire out a window, and around your property.

If your perimeter is full of tree roots or rocks, just lay the wire on the ground. If you don't like looking at it, toss some bark chips over it. If there are no roots and rocks, rent a slit trencher for a few dollars a day, there is even a machine that you can rent that digs the trench AND sets the wire at the bottom of the trench AND fills the trench back up. Join lengths of wire with wire nuts. Leave the joins up where you can remember where they are, repair them, replace wire nuts every 15 years.

You get a collar for your dog. They get a collar for their dogs.

Voila. You're done. Problem over. You keep your fence working, and they keep theirs working. You might even be able to work both circuits off one wire between your properties. The electricity for it is very cheap per month. Especially compared to vet bills, medical bills for children, never ending grudges with neighbors, and dead dogs.

Or, you can spend twelve thousand dollars on fencing your ten acres.