How to Handle Neighbors Dogs

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A few ideas come to mind. Hoping for perfect containment of the dogs is not a good idea, accidents always happen.

If it were me, what I would do is bring my concerns to the neighbors with a proposed solution. Some dog breeds are more aggressive with people they don’t know. It’s just dogs being dogs and trying to get them to defy their nature will never work, and when it comes to my own kid’s safety I wouldn’t rely on that. Work WITH the nature of the animal. You asked a great question “Why keep aggressive animals as pets?” What is the answer to that? It’s obvious that these animals are not aggressive to their owners who love them. So I would tell them what is going on, and that you are concerned for your children’s safety. Then propose the idea that your kids get to spend time with the dogs. Maybe set up “playdates” where the dogs can get to know your children in a heavily supervised manner so that when they see your kids playing in the backyard, the respond as they would with people they trust - tail wags, happy barking. Maybe bring treats out and feed them and show them love.

Going to the police is also an option, but that relies on error-free containment which may not happen and might severely damage your relationship with said neighbors.
 
The neighbors have finally fenced in their yard. That’s about when the fox would come to visit at night. Also an occasional skunk, opossum, and raccoon.
 
vz71 said:
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AlNg:
So if a pit bull attacks and kills a small child what punishment do you give to the owner? The gas chamber or life in prison without parole?
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  1. The same punishment as for someone that purchases a car they cannot handle and accidentally kills with it.
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Vehicular manslaughter? Penalties range from misdemeanor to felony. Anything from one year to many years in prison.
 
What’s the update on the dogs, @Allegra? Curious to find out which tactic you used and if it was successful.
 
The dogs have not been seen without their owners since the incident. I appears they have chosen to walk them around the block rather than to use the dog run. My stepfather is looking in to putting the rollers on the fence, just in case.
 
I woke this morning to the sound of a large fence being constructed around a dog run!
 
AlNg said:
Seems to me that is a tap on the wrist compared to having a dog chew a young child to death.
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What you describe is ordering your dog to attack a child.
That would qualify for 1st or 2nd degree murder charges
 
Not accusing you of this, @Allegra, but sometimes the easiest solution (talk with the neighbors) seems too hard. We’ve gotten away from the civility of just talking with people without fear of reprisal.
 
Sometimes the easiest solution does work, but it doesn’t hurt to have a few back-up plans in case it doesn’t.
 
And psycho-dog returns…
We got back from a week in the hospital to find our yard full of poop, our inflatable pool, and all of our kids’ toys chewed to pieces. Not only did the dog get in, but they left it in our yard long enough to do serious damage. I called the police this time and showed the officer the photos. He looked at the damage in my yard, and asked me what I wanted him to do. I told him I wanted it documented that they knew that their dog could get out of the yard and weren’t keeping it from doing so.
 
This is not good. Glad you documented it. Hope all is okay from the week in the hospital.
 
Pit bulls. I was walking my two little dogs yesterday, and saw two pit bulls who live a block away, behind a flimsy wire-type fence. 😡 Never going to walk that direction again!
 
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Allegra, do you have actual proof it was that dog or are you assuming it was
 
You definitely need a camera overlooking your yard. High quality!
 
I’m assuming it was. And I’m okay with that. Clearly, I’m going to need a trail camera or surveillance camera though. The main thing is, the situation needed to be documented. I gave the photos of the dog in my yard to the officer. He saw the unfinished fence and the damage in my yard and made note of it. I understand that it isn’t enough evidence to prosecute at this point, but it is an officially filed complaint and officially confirmed that while I can’t prove it was their dog that did the damage THIS TIME, they are fully aware that their dog can get out of their yard and has gotten out of their yard and they have not successfully restrained them. When the dog does get caught, they won’t be able to claim they didn’t know the dog was getting out.
 
We are working on that right now. Either the camera will catch the dog and that will be sufficient for prosecution, or they will realize they need to finish their fence and it won’t be a problem anymore.
 
It’s been suggested to me to put bait in my yard once the cameras are up, to move things along, but others have suggested that might be “entrapment”. We probably won’t be in the yard much for the next couple of weeks while my daughter is recovering from surgery, and then they will be starting school.
 
Allegra said:
It’s been suggested to me to put bait in my yard once the cameras are up, to move things along, but others have suggested that might be “entrapment”.
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I’d have to agree, that doesn’t feel right. And the neighbors could claim that the bait was the only reason the dogs went in your yard.
 
I understand that, however, I don’t want the dogs in my yard regardless of the reason. I should have the absolute right to hang ham from my trees and leave steaks out on my picnic table if I want to, without their dogs coming into the yard. I would rather get a video of the dog climbing in after a nice, juicy steak, than my nice, juicy toddler.
 
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