Potential problem-- neighbor's yappy dog

[Rillion]

(Preface: I live in the suburbs)

I don't have chickens yet, but I have a concern about getting them-- my next door neighbor's incredibly yappy weiner dog. I share a backyard fence with only one house, but unfortunately that house has a couple of dogs-- the dachshund and one other, not sure of its breed. But that dog yaps up a storm whenever we go out in the backyard, and I'm worried that if I put a chicken coop back there it will bark at them and scare them constantly.

The fence is tall and strong, so I'm not especially worried about the dog breaking into our yard. If he could, I'm pretty sure he would have by this point in order to get at one of us.

We could put the coop across the yard from the shared fence with that neighbor, but that wouldn't be as practical since it gets a lot more sun and will be much hotter, plus that is the side the gate is on....and I'm not sure that would stop the dog from barking anyway.

Any suggestions? I suppose this could be a needless worry-- that either the chickens won't mind after a while, or the dog will get bored and shut up, or something. But I don't know what to expect. I've never met the neighbors-- we haven't lived here very long-- but I doubt they could be convinced to keep Mr. Yappy inside all day for the comfort of my chickens.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I would worry about him digging UNDER. Weiner dogs love chicken dinners...

 

[Quack Shack]

Ahhh, a weiner dog but a dog all the same. I'm willing to bet that IF Mr. Yappy can't see the chickens then he'll lose interest. Without knowing your setup, may I humble suggest a camo tarp or bamboo screening? I currently use it so my little chicks can get a break from the roos strutting along one side while I'm still integrating my flock. Anykind of yard art that moves might also be helpful. He's probably a scaredy cat and he's just barking at everything that moves in his yard.

 

[PitterPaws]

Everytime you go out bring the garden hose with you when the dog starts barking at you Spray it with a garden hose!
Eventually it will figure it out no bark no water, Bark Water

I have a similar problem with our neighbors little dog across the street from us, they let it run free at 5 A.M. and it always stops in the front of our house and starts yapping that squeeky loud yap. wakes me up every time

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Barking dogs don't bother the chickens. I've got three of my own that will bark occasionally if the chickens start to squable.

I too would worry about him digging under. I would make sure to have your run fence preditor proof from diggers.

I have my dogs fenced in the backyard with 'no climb' 2" x 4" fencing and the chicken run is their unused dog run that I moved over in front of the horse stall turned chicken coop. There is a 4' space between the two fences.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

are the neighbors home when he's yappin' away?

i lived in a neighborhood and some fools down the street bought a dog (that would be ONE dog) who was left by himself. all. day. long. and he screamed constantly.

i put a note on the door something to the affect of:
--------------------
dear neighbor

im sure you arent aware that your darling dog screams like he's being murdered while you are gone. we, the neighbors, are aware of this. i know that you are not intentionally being cruel by leaving that poor dog to scream like he's being murdered all day long, but perhaps you could find him a little friend or perhaps keep him inside?

with very kind regards,
everyone within earshot
-------------------

i couldnt believe it when it worked! if they are home and they let him yap all day - good luck. it might be a long neighborly experience...

the hose idea is pretty good too - but be ready to stand your ground when the owners show up!
;-)

 

[starting.from.scratch]

We too are in the suburbs and have some people behind us that have probably 5 chihuahuas that bark incessantly. That was a concern for us, because they bark if we venture in the backyard, if an air conditioner kicks on, if a car goes by...

So, for Father's Day, I got my husband a present. It looks like a bird house, but it emits a sonic sound that makes the dogs stop barking. You can find it on Amazon.com, or Drs. Foster and Smith. Apparently it either really works or doesn't, but I've found that as long as I turn it on when we're in the yard, it works very well.
When we first got our chickens the dogs did make some noise, but now it's just anything else. The overall noise level has gone down w. the house.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdo...2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1247256635&sr=1-2

here's the link. Good luck!

 

[Rillion]

starting.from.scratch :

We too are in the suburbs and have some people behind us that have probably 5 chihuahuas that bark incessantly. That was a concern for us, because they bark if we venture in the backyard, if an air conditioner kicks on, if a car goes by...

So, for Father's Day, I got my husband a present. It looks like a bird house, but it emits a sonic sound that makes the dogs stop barking. You can find it on Amazon.com, or Drs. Foster and Smith. Apparently it either really works or doesn't, but I've found that as long as I turn it on when we're in the yard, it works very well.
When we first got our chickens the dogs did make some noise, but now it's just anything else. The overall noise level has gone down w. the house.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Outdo...2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1247256635&sr=1-2

here's the link. Good luck!

Really??? Wow, I had no idea such a thing existed. I just ordered it and will see how it works-- chickens or not, that's a great idea. Thanks so much for the suggestion!

Now, can they invent one for noisy humans....?

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have never been one to accuse a breed of being chicken killers but I have found that weiner dogs love to kill anything that hits the ground. They seem to love to hunt and kill. Seriously, out of all the dogs I have ever been around I have found these to be the most aggressive.....and I was raised with pitt bulls bred to fight...But now, there are always the exception. I am sure also that there are people with sweet weiners but I would be concerned

and yes, they are yappers - my grandmas weiner yaps at birds flying in the sky! anything!

 

[Casey3043]

Just for the record, my neighbors have 2 small yappy dogs that still haven't learned that I LIVE here, that I WILL be walking out in the yard from time to time, that it is not necessary to BARK at me while I am in my own YARD........while it annoys the daylights out of me, the chickens are so used to it that they pay absolutely no attention. It has just become background noise for them, like the highway or the wind.

But hey, that little gadget sounds great! I might order one myself. I'm also thinking of adding a rooster to my flock by way of payback!

CASEY

PS the previous posters are correct however that you must make it IMPOSSIBLE for that dog to get into your yard!