Neighbors Dog is Digging Into My Yard!

[Shamo Hybrid]

It's only a matter of time until the dog is put into the backyard again. Until it's trained to behave or learn a lesson through whatever means....... I'm afraid the saga will continue.

 

[CreveChris]

Hi everyone! I am having an issue with my neighbors dog & I was hoping for some ideas/ feedback/ information if anyone has dealt with this issue before.

My neighbors dog will not stop digging at the fence line and into my yard. He is a German Shepherd/ Husky who can fit it entire head and front limbs under the chain link fence. He is left outside all day, without supervision or toys (I have tossed him over quite a few balls and sticks because I feel sorry for the guy) and he has decided that trying to catch my chickens is how he entertains himself.

I have tried talking to my neighbors about it and they deflect responsibly, have no solutions, and are just generally hostile about the situation. So no help there!

What are steps I can take to protect my chickens? We are currently waiting on a contractor to build a privacy fence, but I don’t know that this will deter him in the long term. So- any ideas of how to protect them in the meantime? We have filled the holes in our side, buried rocks/ blocked the fence he had bent, put up particle board as a visual barrier in strategic spots already. I maintain it daily as he finds a way to move the rocks (they’re so big!! How does he do that?). I am looking for something more permanent on my end, that isn’t going to cost us an arm & a leg, and that I don’t need to maintain daily.

Any ideas are so very appreciated. I just want my chickens to be safe, thank you ❤

I built a 6-foot arrow-finial commercial-grade aluminum fence with a 1-foot concrete footer under the entire fenced 1+ acres my Huskies use and they are never outside unsupervised. I catch them digging right in front of me and by the time I distract them, they've dug down a foot.

The neighbor's dogs tried to fight through the fence with our Huskies (who don't even bark back at them) until we gave the neighbors some old wooden fence panels to create a visual barrier. The visual barrier mhelp a bit.

Sadly, if a digger is unsupervised, nothing will deter him. Aside from compensation for the chickens the dog eats, I don't know what you can do to fortify a fence the dog is determined to breech.

My dogs are very well behaved, but 100% supervised. If I left them in the yard alone, they'd dig out and be into the marsh in no time.

Obviously, the dog needs supervision: a chain (which I don't personally use) or an enclosed run. If money were no object, the run would be best, but that's $1,000 or more.

 

[SLOChick]

The electric fence wont hurt him.... but it will deter them. If he gets under that fence, even if he doesnt mean to, he will kill your birds. He will think twice before coming under again.

I just had my 10-week-old Brahma and Speckled Sussex killed by my neighbor's dog. They were sorry and contrite but too late for the 2 pullets. They're going to try electric fencing to keep him from escaping, but past instances have taught me that dogs have all day long to figure out an escape when they're determined. If you're neighbors aren't interested in dealing with their dog, I'd find a shelter and drop him off there. The neighbors sound like people who shouldn't have a dog.

 

[NatJ]

take the dog to the nearest animal shelter. your neighbors will have the inconvenience of having to go retrieve it, but since the animal was on your property, there is nothing they can do about it.

(But only if OP can do it safely, which depends a lot on the dog.)

 

[SLOChick]

(But only if OP can do it safely, which depends a lot on the dog.)

The inconvenience plus the fine may wake up the neighbors. People like those neighbors usually do what they should when there's a consequence; otherwise they won't do anything.

 

[MarkJr]

Dogs harassing/killing my stock are promptly shot and hung on the fence. If Fido’s owner wants to come confront me about it, I then put them on the hook for legal costs of my lost stock. If they simply want to retrieve and bury their dog.... I let bygones be bygones.

I call non emergency dispatch line and inform them of the kill and why. Had one sheriff show up to verify what happened the first time. The recorded call to dispatch is inarguable in court if it comes to that.

 

[Blueeyez]

I have also encountered this problem and called the local sheriff department. The officer politely told the neighbor that I had every right to shoot the dog but that I did not want to do that and that I had called because I had just as much concern for the dog as for my chickens but that if a chicken was killed the dog was dead and the dog has been kept put up ever since which was over a year ago. I realize this went as smoothly as I could have possibly asked for, but it worked for me and my chickens are safe and no animals harmed in the process so I'd recommend this method of handling things before going to more extreme measures

 

[Arielle2]

I m sorry you have had to deal with a dog doing his dog thing and his ill mannered neighbors.

While this solution is not possible I know a man who gave fair warning to dog owners once. Only once. Dog taken care of permanently the second time. They had high value animals to protect. As well as their own well being ......

My point is you do have rights.

 

[Arielle2]

Dogs harassing/killing my stock are promptly shot and hung on the fence. If Fido’s owner wants to come confront me about it, I then put them on the hook for legal costs of my lost stock. If they simply want to retrieve and bury their dog.... I let bygones be bygones.

I call non emergency dispatch line and inform them of the kill and why. Had one sheriff show up to verify what happened the first time. The recorded call to dispatch is inarguable in court if it comes to that.

Right.

In my state, As a farm owner I have the right to kill any animal harassing my livestock. Domestic or wild.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Hi everyone! I am having an issue with my neighbors dog & I was hoping for some ideas/ feedback/ information if anyone has dealt with this issue before.

My neighbors dog will not stop digging at the fence line and into my yard. He is a German Shepherd/ Husky who can fit it entire head and front limbs under the chain link fence. He is left outside all day, without supervision or toys (I have tossed him over quite a few balls and sticks because I feel sorry for the guy) and he has decided that trying to catch my chickens is how he entertains himself.

I have tried talking to my neighbors about it and they deflect responsibly, have no solutions, and are just generally hostile about the situation. So no help there!

What are steps I can take to protect my chickens? We are currently waiting on a contractor to build a privacy fence, but I don’t know that this will deter him in the long term. So- any ideas of how to protect them in the meantime? We have filled the holes in our side, buried rocks/ blocked the fence he had bent, put up particle board as a visual barrier in strategic spots already. I maintain it daily as he finds a way to move the rocks (they’re so big!! How does he do that?). I am looking for something more permanent on my end, that isn’t going to cost us an arm & a leg, and that I don’t need to maintain daily.

Any ideas are so very appreciated. I just want my chickens to be safe, thank you ❤

I had a similar circumstance. I resolved it by contacting my local deputies to reinforce to my neighbor of my right to eliminate the problem by either trapping, snaring or shooting the coyote in question as the animal was taking my livestock. His dog met the term "coyote" in my state by taking livestock fowl included. I hope your state has similar laws.

In the end I did not need to either talk to the unreasonable neighbor nor remove his animal. Once the deputies explained the legal liability to the irresponsible owner behaviors were changed.

Sure I mixed concrete and moved in wheelbarrels full of rocks too. Heck I even transplanted in cactus welcome mats. However dealing with the property owner was the only choice other than removing the animal myself.