How to Handle Neighbors Dogs

[somecanadian]

I’m surprised people think it WASN’T these dogs. We already know they have jumped the fence before. There’s no reason to believe they hadn’t done it again. In fact it’s REASONABLE to presume it’s them.

 

[Allegra]

PS- We don’t have sheep and we don’t intend to shoot the dog. I might hit it with a shovel if it comes in my yard again. If I did have sheep and a dog was on my property, I might consider shooting it. You don’t let your dogs run at large and then you don’t have to worry about people shooting it.

 

[Allegra]

Apparently they believe that the dog was only able to get over the fence because of this shrub they took out. I guess it didn’t occur to them that just because the shrub made it easier for the dog to climb the fence doesn’t mean it was the only way the dog could climb the fence. I actually think the way they have the wooden fence unfinished right now allows the dog the leverage to pull itself up over the corner and into my yard. If they finish the last side of the dog run, I don’t think it will be a problem anymore.

 

[Allegra]

At least, that’s what they are claiming. If I end up with photos of their dog in my yard they’re going to have to explain how a soaking wet dog got back into their yard without them noticing it was gone.

 

[somecanadian]

Well, praying for safety until it is completed. It’s a real shame you’ve had to deal with all of this just because they are not responsible dog owners.

 

[Allegra]

While we know for certain that the dog can get into our yard, we’ve yet to see proof that it can get out on its own. When its gotten in before, they had to come over and get it. Grandma’s going to have some 'splaining to do.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

My husband was still spending the night at home and he noticed the pool was deflated the day before

So was the pool actually just deflated, or ripped up?

The neighbors did start putting up a taller fence around the dog run, but they haven’t finished it yet.

You really should have a friendly chat with the neighbours when neither of you are distracted.

Dogs don’t have to climb up a fence to bark and snarl at neighbors trying to enjoy their own yard.

Not sure that fence climbing is relevant to this discussion. From what I understand your fence is quite small and needs to be raised. Dogs jump, climbing is a last resort. They aren’t cats

I find it really unlikely that there are other animals in the subdivision.

Dogs can travel for miles. What about wild animals? Coyote,ect.

The neighbors claim they don’t think the dog got out because it was climbing up on a certain shrub to boost itself into our yard and they took that shrub out. They also claim that their mom watched their daughter during the day and she watches the dogs when she lets them out. I suspect that their mom doesn’t watch the dogs nearly as consistently as she leads them to believe.

This sounds like you have spoken to the neighbours about the chewed up toys? If the mum says she is watching the dogs that sound like she is being very responsible roo. You could also chat with the mum. Given she is there with the child during the day.

. I also suspect that she knows the dog came back soaking wet and pooping purple pool noodle foam and forgot to mention that to them.

You may well be suspecting wrong. Was it a pool noodle that was chewed up?

PS- We don’t have sheep and we don’t intend to shoot the dog

I know you don’t have sheep. It’s very common for people to blame the wrong dog. That’s the point.

So for example, old joe thinks a pack of feral dogs is mauling his sheep. He sets traps.
One night his grandson is out roo shooting, and watches domesticated dogs chasing and killing the sheep. He shoots them in the act.
Next morning he drops the dead dogs at their owners.

But before this, old joe has lost over 100 sheep.
Get it?

Grandma’s going to have some 'splaining to do.

Have you spoken to her .

 

[Allegra]

Haven’t spoken to grandma. She doesn’t live there. She just comes by sometimes to babysit, apparently. I’ve never actually seen her. Their child never plays in their yard and I’ve never seen her out with the dogs.

The pool was chewed up, but my husband couldn’t tell that by a glance from the porch while he was watering plants before heading to work. He just saw that it was deflated and didn’t have time at the moment to go and investigate why it was deflated. I saw the big holes and the teeth marks the next day when I went out to see what was going on with it. There were two pool noodles that were gnawed to pieces, two inflatables that were chewed, several rubber toys and balls that were chewed as well. The only survivor was a plastic toy boat.

My home is in the center of a subdivision with homes and streets all around it. Most of the yards in my neighborhood are fenced and my back yard faces the center of the subdivision. There are no coyotes. Maybe raccoons, but the gnaw marks on these toys are from something with a much larger jaw.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

With the cam up

If you suspect granny is not doing what she says she is, it will show on cam. Because the dogs will jump in your yard. Or if the daughter is allowing the behaviour, it will show.

Or perhaps granny doesn’t have the control over the dogs that their owners are assuming.

Or you might well see the unidentified suspect.

Cams are awesome

 

[Roseeurekacross]

You did mention bears upthread

Allegra did you get one of those anti bark devices I mentioned up thread? There is a link to one type. You hang it on your house,verandah, in a tree, point it at the fence. It will stop the barking.

 

[Allegra]

The bear is gone, and it was nowhere near our subdivision. It was in another subdivision in our neighborhood that has a creek running behind it from a State Park that’s very wooded. In order to get to my house, it would have to walk a couple miles through some heavily populated and high traffic streets! I’m pretty sure it would have been on the news!

 

[Dlee]

Until you are able to peacefully resolve this situation, every time you go outside and the dogs are outside, walk up to the fence and give them a couple of Milk Bones, the big ones. It worked for my sister and the neighbor’s pitbulls.

 

[Allegra]

Wouldn’t that create a greater incentive for the dog to get into my yard? If every time he sees me he gets a treat?

 

[Roseeurekacross]

thats the one thing about your country that puts me off walking in the bush - bears!

seriously get one of those anti barking devices, when they bark, they are going to get a big old sonic boom, it freaks dogs out. Stops them barking.

But then, you probably want to know if they are being threatening at the fence line and barking will do that.

 

[Dlee]

Just the opposite - you and the dogs become friends. Plus you’re giving him a treat when he’s in his yard, not your yard. The dogs bark because they don’t know you - have you heard the saying “don’t bite the hand that feeds you?” Give it a try.

 

[Allegra]

I will definitely have to look into it. Would it bother the other animals in the neighborhood though? I don’t want to shut up these dogs at the expense of freaking out every dog on the next street over!

Bears are actually extremely rare where I live. That’s why it was such a big deal that one was seen at all. They don’t like people and they tend to stay near rivers and streams where they can fish. The one that was in our neighborhood was a black bear, which are smaller and not usually aggressive unless you frighten a mama with cubs. Grizzlies are the big ones and while there are some in my state, they are usually way out in the country. People who live in the country have to be careful because they can be curious, but I don’t think they’re known for chewing things up unless there’s food inside that they’re trying to get at. What is much more likely to hurt you is a copperhead. Those things have been crazy all over the place this summer! They’re really easy to surprise.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

it only bothers barking dogs, and has a limited effective field. It can be set from maximum zap to minimum zap.
It works well though, the first time an annoying barking dog is hit with the boom, it usually runs off and wee’s itself.

I was walking through New Mexico or Arizona once, can’t remember which state, and saw massive puma footprints. Being Australian , we don’t get these apex predators. Crocs don’t venture far from water.
we do have snakes though. all the ones around here are highly venomous. I try to teach the dogs not to touch them, from a young age. Because of the way the climate is changing here, snakes used to have an off season, where they would hide out in winter. These days people are seeing snakes all times of the year.

 

[halogirl]

This is a tough one. Are they here to stay? The neighbours I mean. Fingers crossed they might move lol there are some good suggestions here - none I can really add to so I will just add prayers that your kids are safe and this is safely resolved. St Michael pray for us

 

[Allegra]

Yeah, there’s only three kinds of venomous snakes in Missouri. One of them is a water snake, the other is quite rare in highly populated areas. The main concern is the copperhead, but they are NOT shy at all. You find them in the middle of a road or path, in highly travelled parks, in backyards, hanging from porches, etc. Fortunately, they have a very distinctive pattern on their backs and if they aren’t in leaves on the ground, they are pretty easy to see. Unfortunately, they are really easy to step on or surprise. I have found myself accidently within biting range many times, but I’ve been lucky. They’d usually rather flight than fight. Theoretically, there are still cougars in Missouri, but way out there in the mountains and very far from where I live. We do get bobcats closer into town, but you never hear about them causing a problem. They are really shy.