What do you think?

[MysticScorpio82]

Well there is the possiblity that the whistling sound was actually furtherer away, and the conditions made it travel well. Was it a clear night? Little to no wind? I am by no means trying to downplay anything, just trying to give a possible explantion to help put you at ease.

I, myself, am a scared-y-cat. I will not go outside after dark without someone to accompany me, unless I absolutely have to. If I was in your shoes I know I would be just as afraid and I would want to hear other explanations to help make me less afraid of my own home and property.

I do think the game cam is a good idea, I would get one if I could. Perhaps a motion sensor light?

Anyway I am praying for safety and protection for yourself and your family. I hope you figure out the mystery! (and keep us posted, I am also curious!)

 

[SourRoses]

Yeah... try not to let yourself get freaked out... instead.. take some precautions. If you can afford it, maybe some kind of home alarm perimiter line... motion activated outdoor lights ect. That might make you feel alot better. Sometimes, dogs manage to get themselves freaked out over something silly... like have you moved anything in the yard lately that might be casting weird shadows? I know I have had dogs in the past that have freaked out over me having my hair colored or a guy wearing a baseball cap. I remember though, when I worked on a farm in CO, way out there.. the coyotes were brave and pretty darn close at night.. and the dogs would bark and be bothered at first, but after about 2 weeks they settled down. I would also assume the whistle was something else.. maybe from very far off, a neighbor, or a bird. It might very well be wildlife.. but if I were you, I'd keep my dog in and close by just so he would stop scaring the daylights out of me. My puppy, for a while a few months back, was certain something was outside my window every night.. but I couldnt see a thing... I kept the window closed for a few days and he forgot what it was that bothered him.

 

[PineappleMama]

Happening over and over... while you're home and probably knows you know something's going on... and whistling aka trying to make friends with the dog... sounds like someone casing your house (and the neighbor's) to me. Donno if that's just with thieving in mind, or something worse, but even just the annoyance of having to replace a shattered deadbolt would be enough for me to take precautions. To quote a fav author “Caution is the eldest child of wisdom.”

Definitely alert the police about it... that combined with your own neighbor chatting could make all the difference. Not only in catching the weirdo if he/she pulls something, but possibly even preventing it. A neighborhood where no one pays attention, and where no one talks to each other/shares concerns, is a neighborhood ripe for the picking.

Or to do the pic worth a thousand words thing...

 

[Mattemma]

I would go out during the day to look for foot prints or animal tracks in that specific area. If it is a person and you ar lucky they smoke and throw butts all over.
Set up that game cam. The $50 one someone bought a walmart took decent photos.

I would want to get some more dogs.Another reason to have a gun. And probably not the best thing but I would want to put out a trap of some sort like some of those jaw traps that snap over a leg.I don't think my stinging nettle would help much in this case.

I rather hope it is an animal over a person.

 

[SourRoses]

Dewey... thinking about it and I'm wondering if your situation was a kid? Or maybe 2? They may know you have rabbits and wanted to come see them. That explains the kits being on the floor.. they wanted to play with them. And the cardboard... maybe they wanted to sit on it to stare at the rabbits. And the re-latching of things... they cared about the animals and/or were taught to close enclosures after themselves... and I just dont see anyone but a kid being brave enough to stick around a while latching things back up... plus, sounds like they didn't take anything.

I'm re-thinking my position on your problem, OP... It really does sound like a person staking out the area. I agree with the idea of lighting the area up like a christmas tree.. so they cant approach under cover... and if you have stuff.. like couches ect.. that could be used as cover close to the house.. I think you should move them off as far as you can get them, even on the more cleared end of the property. Just dont give them stepping stones to get to you without being seen. That could be part of what is attracting this person to your house, rather than another, and they might just give up if you make it too hard for them. Plus yes, def keep your doggy in somewhere secure when you cant watch him outside... tossing some poison over a fence or into a yard is a common practice for getting rid of that obstacle... and he may be the only thing keeping the guy at bay for now.
I also second the idea of getting a manhunt going with the neighbors or friends.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I would not assume anything. Dogs act like that when a neighbor moves a garbage can.

Our dog did that for months when a neighbor put up an awning in their back yard.

Our PREVIOUS dog did that when there was a pair of owls that took up residence in our back lot. I couldn't hear them but my dog did. I finally went back there and well well well, a pair of barn owls.

My dog also howled all night after an ambulance went by - about fourteen MILES away it went by.

Your dog's sense of danger is reliable. Except when it's not.

 

[dewey]

Quote:
Thanks. You know, if it had been anywhere else I would have chalked it up to kids, at least the first time, but there's no kids anywhere around here. And the fencing is 8' tall, solid, with guard on top!LOL To make it even more odd, the barn is completely hidden from view even if standing on the property so it's like someone almost would have needed to know it was there...thinking maybe it was a past worker or something like that, but yet it's doubtful that anyone like that would take a chance of sneaking onto the property. And it would have taken a large, strong man to pop that 1 RV door because it was katy-barred. It's a mystery to us!

eta: What you said about the cardboard on the floor makes perfect sense!

OP, has there been any more barking? Have your neighbors seen anything unusual? Hope all is well.