Post # 1
Member
2855 posts
Sugar bee
So my fi and I were in the process of making dinner when our pittie started going off the wall. We looked outside just in time to see our neighbors rottweiler barrel across our front yard and body slam our Lily Pad (coon hound). She then pinned our hound down and proceeded to chase after her when our hound got away. My fi ran outside and the rottweiler ran back to her owners who were driving down our drive.
We are obviously upset and our poor Lily is pretty shaken up as she has never been in any kind of fight before. Our neighbor acted like it was no big deal because neither dog was injured but I have no idea on how to proceed. Our dogs are on an underground electric fence system that spans our whole front yard when they are outside so they do not venture into other properties. Our neighbors dog runs freely but has never stepped foot in our yard before today (have lived here for 4 years). I understand that shit happens but we are both worried that the rottweiler will do this again and potentially hurt or kill one of our dogs. Because we live outside of city limits animal control will not visit our location. We live in an area where the expected (and legal) thing to do is shoot the dog but I do not want it to ever reach that point.
What kind of options do we have in this situation?
Post # 3
Member
2855 posts
Sugar bee
happycamper32 : Our yard does not have a physical fence. We live on 5 acres and have an underground fence for our dogs that covers about an acre of our front yard.
Post # 4
Member
585 posts
Busy bee
Get a real fence for your yard so other animals can’t run in and attack your dogs. Other than that, it’s up to your neighbors to control their dog. Don’t call animal control; they’ll confiscate the dog and probably kill him. And please don’t shoot anyone’s dog! If you’re worried about another attack, get a taser gun and use that if the rottie attacks again. Tasers are very effective; there’s no need to kill the dog.
Post # 5
Member
366 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: November 2018 - City Hall
cypresstree85 : while getting a physical fence would work, fencing 5 acres would be very costly. And fencing a smaller area around the house might be an eye sore. Regardless, I think it’s unfair for them to have to pay for fencing when the problem is caused by the neighbour…
OP I wish I had solid advice to offer.
Post # 6
Member
2855 posts
Sugar bee
cypresstree85 : Installing a physical fence is not an option. This is a rental property and we could definitely not afford to fence in 5 acres of a property that we do not even own. We have already paid $600 for an underground system and collars for our dogs to keep them from venturing off our property.
Post # 7
Member
376 posts
Helper bee
smalltownbigworld :
Got it. So fencing in your own property isn’t an easy option. It is unreasonable for your neighbor to allow a dog he now knows is dangerous to roam the neighborhood freely. This time his dog attacked another animal, but next time it could be a small child.
I’d call the police station and ask their advice. They might be aware of leash laws or restrictions on domestic roaming animals. If there is a law (which you could also just search for on your own), you could call the cops the next time you see the dog on your property and have the owner cited.
Post # 8
Member
2501 posts
Sugar bee
smalltownbigworld : I would report the incident to animal control or your local spca. They likely would give a warning to have the pet under the owners control, but it’s the responsible thing to do. You can even tell animal control that you’re not trying to get their dog taken away from them, you just want your neighbours to take the matter seriously and you want to have a record of the incident in case it happens again.
Post # 9
Member
57 posts
Worker bee
- Wedding: June 2019 - Home
You don’t have to actually shoot the dog but you can tell your neighbor that you will if he comes on the property again. Maybe shoot near the dog next time so your not killing him but tell your neighbor you missed and next time you won’t. Maybe then they will control thier dog, hopefully next time it isn’t a child the dog goes after.
Post # 10
Member
69 posts
Worker bee
If it hasn’t happend in past and they’ve had the dog a long time hopefully it was a one off. Supervise your dog while its outside for a while to find out.
If it happens again its not unreasonable to ask the neighbor to contain their dog- fence, collar, leash whatever. If they don’t agree the nonviolent option is to contain your dog for its safety.
Is the rotty trained to be agressive? If not having the dogs get to know each other could be an option. You could start by getting to know it yourself. Your neighbors would have to be complete trash to be ok with your dog being killed so hopefully if you push the issue a little they will work with you.
Post # 11
Member
376 posts
Helper bee
smalltownbigworld :
You might also consider telling the landlord about this too. They might have ideas or suggestions about what to do.
Also, you should be sure to document everything. Even though you hadn’t seen the dog in your yard before today, take pictures the next time the dog is in your yard. Build a record even if you don’t file a police report or sue the neighbor. The dog is a trespassing nuisance and your neighbor is being irresponsible.
Post # 12
Member
9388 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
If you’re on good terms with the neighbor I’d start with talking to them and asking how they’ll prevent this from happening again.
Hopefully your neighbors can agree to do.. something.. to help prevent this from happening again. That’d be the best solution, e.g. if they agree to put up an invisible fence of their own. Otherwise.. oof.. you may have to go to more drastic measures but it gets pretty hostile pretty quick.
Honestly, if they even just agree to put a collar on him for YOUR fence it’d keep him off YOUR property. Not very expensive I bet to get an extra collar for your system, and keeps you happy…
Post # 13
Member
2855 posts
Sugar bee
sawwahbear5 : Shooting the dog is definitely not something I want to even consider. That has just been the suggestion so far from local residents as that is unfortunately the common solution to issues like this in my area. We are very rural and our county laws protect anyone who needs to shoot an animal (even dogs) who are harassing or harming livestock or domestic pets on their own property. If possible, I would like to find a much better solution. Fortunately, children are not common. I live on a private drive with only three other houses and none of us have children or children visitors very often.
alanajar : I’m really hoping it’s a one off. She is not trained to be aggressive but I do not think she has been properly socialized. Her owners are an older retired couple with no children and neither of the other two neighbors have dogs so she has not really been around them. She is not very friendly and does not allow strangers in her yard and actually loves our cats. The only interaction I have ever had with the dog is when her owner was with her as she will not let anyone anywhere near her without her owner.
happycamper32 : Reaching out to our landlord is a good suggestion.
Post # 14
Member
2855 posts
Sugar bee
amanda1988 : That is something we did not think about, thank you for the suggestion.
Post # 15
Member
860 posts
Busy bee
Edit: everything was covered as I posted.