Conference 7.286::canine

this is a pain in the a&&,,,  I got two Siberians, and
they go bezerk, when they see a dog while we're walking

(more out of playfullness than agression)

but I gotta tell, I don't complain much, and I love dogs,
but I really wish folks who own dogs would be more responsible
than to just let the animals run loose.  It really is
irresponsible..  Got a nieghbor across the street who
claims "Bear is such a good pup, he never-ever leaves
the yard,,"  Right Sal, except for the two times a day he 
comes over to my yard and leaves a momemto, which sends my
two into a hyper-fit.  

I wonder if he'd get the hint if I moved his dogs droppings,
to possibly, oohhh, maybe his front porch,,,

    Okay, so it sounds like alot of us have the same problem:
    Neighbors who let their dogs run loose in the neighborhood.
    
    What's the best way to deal with this?  There is now a new leash 
    law in my town so I could approach my neighbors with that as
    a starting point.  But, the last thing I need is for my neighbors
    to get mad at me and start a war!  
    
    As a side note...there was a stray dog in our neighborhood that 
    adopted our lawn for a good chunk of it's day.  I tried on several 
    occasions to get the dogs tags but he ran away from me once I touched
    his neck....I was one of two people in a neighborhood of 50+ houses who
    called the dog officer.  ONE OF TWO!  And, about 75% of these home
    owners have dogs.
    
    Turns out the dog was completely lost.  It's owners had just moved into
    the town next to ours (right on the town line).  Thankfully it was
    returned to it's owner.  
    
    Carol

    
    	What about the neighbors who let their dogs out after dark to
    go do their business without being seen!  My parents have a neighbor
    who does this with their poodle, if I happen to see it, they get back
    what the poodle forgot on my parents lawn.
    						
    p.s. The neighbors have been spoken to many, many times. By other
    neighbors and the dog officer.

    I was walking my greyhound the other day... and for the third time
    since the summer [not too bad, I guess] a german shephard that is
    usually kept penned up was on the loose, not on a leash, as his
    mistress was loading up her truck with something...  He came bombing
    across the street and my dog, who thinks every living thing in the
    world loves her, play jumped on the shephard and they started fighting.
    The lady apologized, but that is 3 times now she has an uncontrollable
    dog off lead and unrestrained.  :/  It's irritating.  I wondered in my
    mind if I should yell at her, but she seemed upset enough that her dog
    would act that way [no suprise to me since it never gets out of the
    yard, usually].
    
    There is also a yippy sheltie running around loose and, on occasion, 
    larger, more fearsome dogs...  :)
    
    Mike

    
    We have a one irresponsible neighbor but luckily for the most part all
    the dogs in the area are walked on leash and social.  A safe walking
    area is what I'll miss the most when we move. :-(
    
    MaryAnne

I have to add myself to the list of people with problems
with the neighborhood dogs.  Actually just one dog, owned
by people who moved into the neighborhood this summer.  

This dog was constantly loose, would chase my car when I
came home, chased me or my husband when we'd walk our
dogs and messed on our lawn.  Worst of all, this dog
would try to get into our yard to scrap it up with our
dogs.  I've taken to going outside with my dogs at
night because I can't be sure this dumb dog won't get
into the yard.  He's large enough to climb my 4 foot
fence.  The owners refuse to do anything, and won't
even talk to me about it.

Luckily for me, the dog officers in my town take the
leash law very very seriously. I shouldn't have
trouble with this dog anymore, and hopefully won't
have trouble with the neighbors either.

Personally, I'm grateful that Animal Control is actually 
interested in enforcing the law.  I'm also no longer 
opposed to leash laws.

-Trish C.
cross@gweep.lkg.dec.com

Our town doesn't have a leash law, but I was reading the dog
ordinance recently and it is very clear that uncontrolled
behavior off their property is clearly in violation of the 
"non-leash" law.  The beagle-from-hell across the street is
driving me crazy, so I read the dog ordinance just to
see what's what. So, they're in violation, but, like others, I 
still don't relish the idea of calling the dog officer or
otherwise starting neighbor wars.  

Looking for solutions...

My pet nanny suggested bringing treats on our walks and throw
them in his yard to keep him there.  

Also she suggested to bring warm loving thoughts to the dog!  yuck.

She also pointed out that everytime he barks at us and we continue
walking and eventually leave his territory, he thinks he wins.  So, each
incident is reinforcing that he's done his job of protecting his
home and he will keep it up.   We're supposed to break that mentality 
somehow.

She also suggested that bringing the subject up with the neighbors
with the focus being "I'm concerned that he might get hit, I thought
you would want to know he's leaving his yard to chase us."
(we're on a road with occassional traffic so this applies).

Ya right, they know already! Beagles don't bark quietly!  As a matter of 
fact, this dog used to be on a run all the time.  It's only been the 
last month or so that he is off the run - all the time.  I can't help but 
wonder if they want to lose him.