Losing my patience with neighbor's dog....

[gtaus]

The problem is solved for now. Here’s to hoping they don’t show up next year with a new puppy

Funny you should mention that. They showed up, this year, with a puppy on a chain!

She was a beautiful Great Pyrenees. If she is true to her breed, she should be a great livestock guardian dog by nature.

 

[bjdewell]

Well, thank you for your reply, but I think you have offered limited options. I have lived here for over 30 years, and have seen these kids grow up and return with kids of their own. Although I don't know each of the children by name, I know the owners of the other cabins and have great relationships with them. The last thing I would want to do is shoot the dog of their grandchildren when they come to the lake for their 4th of July vacation.



Wow! Does everything come down to 2 choices? I don't think so. There have been many other helpful suggestions and I appreciate all feedback. Even feedback that I may not agree with. I appreciate your feedback as well.

First of all, I am doing something. I have strengthened my chicken run fencing and have increased my watching of the coop/run. I have returned the dog 3 times to the owners and talked to them personally, and friendly, about the situation that concerns me. I have also walked my entire chicken run rethinking about possible weak spots in the fencing. I know the dog could not get into the chicken coop, it's like Fort Knox in that respect. It would take a bear to break into my coop.

As to complaining, I clearly stated in my initial post that..



I realize that I'm talking to the choir here on the BYC forum, but I don't think that posting my experience with neighbors and expressing my frustrations is just "complaining." I have received some helpful, non-lethal, suggestions from the BYC community that I can try.

I believe that talking about long term relationships with the neighbors and the short term situation with their dog is something that I expect many backyard chicken owners have faced, or may face in the future. Dealing with neighbors can get complicated.

I agree with everything you've said. It really helps to get the opinions of others when we're going through an issue like this. We want to be good neighbors. We don't want to kill someone's pet. But we're responsible to OUR chickens first and foremost, and it's quite a dilemma. There are lots of options, and I'm enjoying reading this thread, just in case it happens to me in the future, I'll remember and have some choices at my fingertips. You are very courteous and seem kind.

 

[bjdewell]

I was going to suggest this as well. Will be interesting to see how long it takes the fam to realize their beloved pet is missing

This would be my first step to take, too. She's a kind old dog and hopefully very loved. If she didn't come home, maybe they would be worried and come looking for her.

 

[gtaus]

It really helps to get the opinions of others when we're going through an issue like this. We want to be good neighbors. We don't want to kill someone's pet.

Exactly, the BYC community is a great place to sound off on an issue and getting some feedback on possible options. I appreciated the feedback I received, even those suggestions that would not work for me. Might help someone else in a different situation.

There are lots of options, and I'm enjoying reading this thread, just in case it happens to me in the future, I'll remember and have some choices at my fingertips.

I think the more options we have, the better decision we can make for our situation. I'm really glad things worked out for me, and I think people can see how I worked through this issue. Bottom line, I kept the peace with the (irresponsible) neighbors while still managing to protect my backyard flock. I'm sure lots of BYC members, have, or will have to confront this issue sometime in the future.

 

[gtaus]

This [tying up the dog on my property] would be my first step to take, too. She's a kind old dog and hopefully very loved. If she didn't come home, maybe they would be worried and come looking for her.

Well, I thought that might be a good idea for some people, too. In my case, I knew who the dog belonged to and it was less than a minute walk to their cabin. It gave me the opportunity to "return" their dog without initially causing them any negative feelings towards me - as might be the case if I chained the dog up on my property. I was certainly considering that option if they did not get their dog under control, but fortunately, they finally did, and then they left for another year. So, it ended well.

If I did not know the neighbors or where the dog lived, then I might certainly chain it up in the yard and just wait for someone to claim their pet.

What mainly concerned me was that this dog was getting smarter each time she returned. She was testing the defenses for weakness and found a few weak spots which I had to reinforce before she broke through. Most visiting dogs are just a little curious, but then move on not to ever return.

 

[NanaK]

I'm sure lots of BYC members, have, or will have to confront this issue sometime in the future.

We've had hogs, goats, sheep, dogs and cats show up by the run over the years. All have been handled gently and without injury to anyone, thank heavens.

 

[countryladyNH]

Sweet gentle Labs will kill chicks and chickens. They killed mine. Maybe you should ask the kids to come over and you can show them your set up, let them hold a chick. Send them home with a dozen fresh eggs. They don't understand about being careful with gate or door, but I think if you engage them they will feel more responsible.

This is a great idea! Sure worth a try! Just yesterday 2 kids from across the street came over on their own and asked if they could see our ducks. Kids LOVE all kinds of animals especially if they can pet or interact with them. I hope OP tries this idea. I think the kids would then try and make sure their dog didn't harm the chickens.

 

[gtaus]

This is a great idea! Sure worth a try! Just yesterday 2 kids from across the street came over on their own and asked if they could see our ducks. Kids LOVE all kinds of animals especially if they can pet or interact with them. I hope OP tries this idea. I think the kids would then try and make sure their dog didn't harm the chickens.

The first year I had my chickens the kids came over with their step-mother and visited my chickens. The step-mother had raised chickens of her own in the past, so she probably enjoyed the visit more than the kids. But that family unit broke up last year and step-mom is no longer in the picture.

I don't know if these were the same kids this year, they were from the same extended family, but they did come over late one evening, after the chickens had already gone into the coop to roost, so I told them they could come back the next day more in the afternoon. They said they would, but I never saw them. The kids were in their young teens, so maybe chickens were not their thing.

I do try to engage any children when they do come over to visit. I always have some spare old bread ready to give to them to feed to the chickens as a treat. As to eggs, well my girls are getting 3+ years old, I'm down to 6 hens, and I am only averaging about 1 egg per day, sometimes nothing. In other words, nothing to give away.

I have 5 chicks in the brooder in the garage, so I should be back in the egg business late fall. There are many reasons to have a backyard flock, but it seems to me that if egg production is your main goal, then you need to replace the flock every 2 years. I tell people that I bought composting chickens, and eggs are just a bonus. I have harvested about $500.00 worth of chicken run compost in the past 2 years, so even the old girls are earning their keep - just not in terms of egg laying.

I will let the children feed the chickens any treats I may have set aside for the day, but I don't let them pet my chickens. I don't pet my chickens. Although not exactly livestock, I don't raise my chickens as pets, either. I only have one ISA Brown hen that will come up to me to pet her, and that is after 3 years of feeding and caring for her every day. She won't approach anybody else. All my other chickens run away from anybody or anything. I'm OK with that because they run into the coop if at all concerned about their safety.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I live on a lake. We (the neighborhood) get lots of visitors in the summer, especially around the 4th of July. One family of visitors is here this year with a couple of their dogs. Unfortunately, either they must think that being at the lake they can let their dogs run free, or maybe they live somewhere the dogs are never supervised. At any rate, they have an older female chocolate lab that has been coming on my property and sniffing around the chicken coop and run. She is in bad shape, limping really bad with bad hips, and can't even run.

First day, she came over, sniffed around a bit and went back home. Second day, yesterday, she came back and started testing the chicken run fencing. At that point, I went outside and walked her back to the family and asked that they please keep an eye on their dog because she was getting too interested in the chickens, and "dogs will be dogs" and I would hate to see any animals hurt. OK, they said they would keep her close to home.

Yesterday evening the old chocolate lab was back and had managed to stick her head through part of the chicken run fencing. This time, I put her on a short rope and walked her back to the family. I told them that their dog was back checking out the chickens, but this time she had broken part of the fence and had gotten her head through part of it. I asked them again to supervise their dog before bad things happen. I told them that the fence had been partially broken, but that I was able to fix it. However, their dog was getting smarter on each visit and I really did not want see any animals harmed. OK, they said they would keep the dog in their yard.

Today, this morning, their dog was back walking the chicken run fence line, looking for any weak spots. Once again, I grabbed my short rope and was going to walk her back. However, by the time I got outside, the dog had gotten into my garage and was checking out my chicks in the brooder. She had knocked over a bunch of stuff and broke my chick waterer with glass mason jar. So, I had glass all over the place. I went to put the rope on the dog, but she limped ahead of me and I just followed her back to their home. Again, I asked the mother to please watch their dog because now she was going into my garage where I have small chicks in the brooder and she had broken one of their waterers.

She offered to pay for the damage, but I said I was not so concerned about the broken jar, but really would appreciate if they kept a better eye on their dog because things are continuing to get worse with each visit. Of course, she promised that they would watch their dog and that the kids must have left the door open.

I am posting this because I want dog owners to know that they need to be responsible for their pets. If that dog actually gets inside my chicken run and kills my chickens, or into the brooder in the garage, the chicks and chickens cannot just be replaced with money. Although I only paid $15,00 for my new baby chicks, I have put in lots of time with twice daily feedings for over 6 weeks, not to mention the feed and bedding, and everything else to brood them. More importantly, these baby chicks are the ones I am counting on to provide my family with eggs this winter. I cannot get more chicks locally until next spring.

I really get along good with my summertime neighbors, and I hate to think that something could really go bad with their unsupervised dog during their vacation. As much as I value my backyard flock, I also value a great relationship with my visiting neighbors that we have built up over many years. Anyways, just a mini rant today to get things off my chest. I am currently watching my birds like a hawk to keep them safe. I have always said my greatest predator concern is neighborhood dogs. So far, my fencing has held and kept the visiting dogs out. But, a returning dog gets smarter with each visit, and that concerns me when the adult owners of the dog don't seem to take their responsibility very seriously.

it really sounds like they dont care. Not about your birds, or their own dog. That's really sad.
You have been so very patient with them!
My dogs are a big nuisance when it comes to livestock. I don't trust them one bit and wouldnt let them free if there are animals around. The worst time, my oldest dog had gotten out of the yard and was pestering a cow and her calf. I felt pretty bad! Horrified. I fetched her back. I didn't expect any mercy from the owner of the cattle, nor should I. Safe to say the escape route was fixed and nothing like that has happened in the years since.
I thought this would just be common sense for dog owners, but I guess not everyone has it

 

[gtaus]

My dogs are a big nuisance when it comes to livestock. I don't trust them one bit and wouldnt let them free if there are animals around. The worst time, my oldest dog had gotten out of the yard and was pestering a cow and her calf. I felt pretty bad! Horrified. I fetched her back. I didn't expect any mercy from the owner of the cattle, nor should I. Safe to say the escape route was fixed and nothing like that has happened in the years since.

Sounds like you are a responsible dog owner. You saw a problem and fixed it. I expect dogs to be true to their nature, and a Laboratory Retriever is a hunting dog. Owners of hunting dogs need to keep their pets close because it's in their nature to capture and kill prey. I grew up with labs when I was a kid. Mostly black labs, but we also had a beautiful golden lab for many years. Good hunting dogs, but, like you, I would never trust them around livestock.

Fortunately, for me, this chocolate lab was old, limping, and could not move very fast. She was getting smarter with each visit, and that was my concern. I think a younger, stronger, lab could have broken through my defenses and caused a real problem. I had to patch up some weak spots on my fencing - I guess that was a good thing.

I thought this would just be common sense for dog owners, but I guess not everyone has it

I want to be clear, these were good people, a young mother with teenage kids, but none of them seemed to be all that concerned that their dog was going off their property and causing problems. I don't blame the dog, but I do have concerns about dog owners who you need to talk to not only once, but twice and even three times about a trespass and harassment of your backyard flock. Good people, but maybe a bit lacking in the responsibility for the actions of their dog.