What Is The Next Step? Bad Situation...

[Guest Trace]

Hey guys! I've had Trace for about 3 months now- and she is doing GRETY!!!!! She has overcome steps/seperation anxiety/EVERYTHING ELSE!!!

 

There is only one problem now...

 

I have a backyard (Huge grass area) where I walk her to go potty all the time. Alittle further back in my backyard is a tiny house in which a semi-elderly couple live. They have a doggy dor and they have 3 pomeranian tiny dogs. These dogs BARK LIKE CRAZY because they are EXTREMELY TERRITORIAL! Whenever I go out to walk Trace. There is also NO GATES- so these dogs can literally run up to me/my dog/the street/ANYWHERE! They stay near the house though, but yesterday 1 of them actually ran up to me and my dog.

 

This is where it gets scary. The tiny pomeranian jumped on my leg (which Trace did NOT LIKE AT ALL!!!!!) As soon as the dog hit my leg it started biting my pants (which i didnt really care) but Trace took the dog by her neck and FLUNG her about 5-10 feet away. The dog than ran back to the house. I have discussed to the owner that they should put a gate or something because my dog is ON LEASH and if your dog runs up to my dog and my dog attacks them (which Trace is not aggressive at all, but you know its in their nature) that its not my fault!

 

They don't seem to do anything about this so what is the next step? There is nowehre else I can walk her unless I drive, which would suck to do if I have to do it everytime I want to let her out to the bathroom.

 

Next step? =/

 

Edit- To add, this was the first time in 3 months of having her that I have ever seen her BITE something or GROWL. Kinda scared me. Aha.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Trace

[NeedlenoseJake]

That is an awful situation! I would document that you talked to the owners, maybe give them a letter and keep a copy with the date and your signature, just to proactively take care of any legal issues. Let them know about how their dog attacked you (biting your pants is attacking IMO) and your dog defended you. It is very scary anytime you see your sweet dog get angry (I can relate), but he was protecting you from what he thought was a threat- good dog! Hopefully the people or at least the dogs will learn to stay away, but if not the letter may help you. You could also get video of the behavior. Or call animal control if there are leash laws in your area.

Edited February 10, 2016 by NeedlenoseJake

[greysmom]

I'm confused.

 

Is this house on your property? In your backyard? Do they rent from you or you from them? Is there any fencing at all separating the two houses? Are you asking what to do about Trace or what to do about the ankle biters?

[Guest Trace]

I'm confused.

 

Is this house on your property? In your backyard? Do they rent from you or you from them? Is there any fencing at all separating the two houses? Are you asking what to do about Trace or what to do about the ankle biters?

Sorry for the confusion. It's hard to explain. I live upstate NY so theres really no seperators between houses, its kind've like all one big grassland with houses plopped down everywhere. I rent the house I am living in, and I guess they own their house? I'm not sure, but there is no fencing seperating our houses, or their dogs. I'm asking what I should do about their dogs attacking if they won't listen to what I say to them. I don't want the next step to be Trace snapping one of their necks and her look like the "bad guy"

[Guest xengab]

If you own the house, then YOU protect your dog and fence in your yard. This is not a risk you wish to take. More then likely Trace was just being a greyhound and responding to a bouncing animal. (grab and toss is what my grey does with his toys). The elderly couple are also to blame for allowing their dogs to roam in that manner and not bother to train them. (tired of lazy owners who think it's just fine to not teach their dog the basic commands).

 

If you rent, can you put up a temporary plastic fence that would stop a small dog from roaming onto where you walk Trace? That way if you move, you can take it with you. This WONT be enough to let Trace off the leash as they aren't strong enough or high enough to stop a greyhound.

 

As for Trace, you dog did nothing wrong. She growled at the other dog, and flung it away. IF she had wanted to harm or kill that little dog, well she could have. You also need to be very aware of small dogs when on walks.

[robinw]

How bout putting a muzzle on your dog when you walk back there. I understand that their dogs are doing the attacking, but you need to. Protect your dog from doing something which may get you and Trace in trouble. You can't change what your neighbours do so all you can do is try to keep Trace from hurting one of their dogs! Even if they are at fault. I've been where you are and it's scary.

Edited February 10, 2016 by robinw

[NeedlenoseJake]

That is an awful situation! I would document that you talked to the owners, maybe give them a letter and keep a copy with the date and your signature, just to proactively take care of any legal issues. Let them know about how their dog attacked you (biting your pants is attacking IMO) and your dog defended you. It is very scary anytime you see your sweet dog get angry (I can relate), but he was protecting you from what he thought was a threat- good dog! Hopefully the people or at least the dogs will learn to stay away, but if not the letter may help you. You could also get video of the behavior. Or call animal control if there are leash laws in your area.

I thought this was on public property, but in this case animal control probably isn't an option. However, I would still document everything no matter what other steps you take.

[Jerilyn]

Call animal control or whoever handles animal complaints in your area. If the Poms are leaving their property it should be a real violation of some sort. If it’s all just communal property or something at least you will have officially recorded the situation and perhaps the animal warden could convince the neighbors to do something. Maybe carry some sort of Pom deterrant. I have heard of people using the mace-like spray but maybe something like a water gun or a can full of pennies would be enough. Or a broom, although my greyhound would freak out if I was walking her with a broom in my other hand.

I’m glad to hear you have worked through the SA issues successfully!

[RedHead]

Wow, that really sucks. I have no idea about Animal Control or laws, but if the Pom. attacked you and bit at your leg, I would document it. They tend to react more seriously when people get bit.

 

I would also have a phone handy (or camera) on me. Sometimes the bigger dog can take all the blame in these situations, so I would be ready to gather videos or photos if needed. If a medium or large dog came running at someone and bit at their leg it WOULD be an issue, having a smaller dog is no excuse. People are so annoying, that is unfortunate that you have to share a yard!

 

Maybe you could get a few x-pens and connect them for a small protected potty area?? Then walk elsewhere for exercise?

[Fruitycake]

Wow, you showed real restraint, because any dog attempting to bite me would have been tossed when I punted it into next week.

 

If animal control doesn't care, or there is a local homeowner's association that is also not responding to it, I'd try to avoid that area. And if there is no other option, I would be the one to run interference and prevent my dog from feeling the need to protect me by blocking the two of them.

[greysmom]

I see.

 

First stop is talking with the owners. Document everything, every time you do it. If you just talk with them verbally, I might even send them a certified letter verifying you spoke and what was said. Always take your phone or camera with you so you can document the behavior of the poms. You can get spray cans of citus spray deterrent, which may actually do nothing, at many places. If you're not overly sensitive to the plight of the pams, you can use mace or even wasp spray. Wasp spray will usually shoot out of the can 20 feet or so, which is a lot farther than mace. I would think it would be fairly toxic though.

 

I would also call your local animal control every time an incident occurs - every time. If AC gets enough complaints, they might do something. Also it establishes a timeline of the poms aggressive behavior.

 

I would not muzzle Trace. If by chance she does need to defend herself, she will be unable to do so. And poms can bite as well as any other dog.

 

We had a sort of similar problem with our across-the-street neighbor's dogs. She is an older woman who had some much younger relatives move in with her. They were supposed to be taking care of their older relative, but that certainly has not been the case. Younger Relative had three or four small dogs. They let these dogs out of the house every day to do whatever. Not, of course, in their fenced back yard, but our the front door where they had free access to the street (and whoever was walking down it), and our dog yard. Our yard is fence, but there are gaps underneath that a small dog could easily get into our yard, and of course, one did. Fortunately, nothing bad happened. But we did have to speak seriously with Older Relative and Younger Relative. We told them both in no uncertain terms that they needed to keep their dogs in their yard and *out* of ours, because our dogs could easily kill theirs. We didn't mention that our dogs are always muzzled when out in the yard for playing or potties, only that the possibility existed of harm to their dogs and that we didn't want anyone to get hurt. They took the hint and began keeping better track of their dogs.

[3greytjoys]

The Pom should be considered a dangerous dog since he/she already attacked you (and your thin-skinned hound could be next). For the welfare of all passersby/public safety, Animal Control should be informed of any potentially dangerous dogs who are not controlled by leash or secure fencing. The State of New York has laws to help protect it's residents, including it's law abiding pet owners. Please contact Animal Control or your local police dept. (non-emergency phone# in front section of telephone book). If needed, your city or county's codes/laws can be found on-line. I'd encourage you to add Animal Control's phone number to your cell phone's address book.

 

Agree to try to create a temporary fenced area to keep Poms out of your hound's immediate potty area. Tallest ex-pens are 4 feet high, portable, and made with a ready-made gate. They can be connected to (temporary) 5' long metal fence posts, including a couple posts placed against the exterior wall on your house to create a larger U-shaped potty area. 2 or 3 ex-pens would make a larger space, or 1 ex-pen with gate and additional cheaper metal fencing as needed. All can easily be removed when/if you decide to move.

 

 

[Feisty49]

Sorry for the confusion. It's hard to explain. I live upstate NY so theres really no seperators between houses, its kind've like all one big grassland with houses plopped down everywhere. I rent the house I am living in, and I guess they own their house? I'm not sure, but there is no fencing seperating our houses, or their dogs. I'm asking what I should do about their dogs attacking if they won't listen to what I say to them. I don't want the next step to be Trace snapping one of their necks and her look like the "bad guy"

I'm still confused. I live in Upstate New York also -- though probably more upstate than you -- and each house has property associated with it, even if there are no visible lines. I own my house and therefore a certain amount of property (in this case 1/3 acre) around it. If I rented my house, I would also be renting this 1/3 acre and therefore anybody or animal who came on it without permission would be trespassing.

 

Ask your landlord where the property line is. There must be a property line. You don't just walk out your back door and immediately step onto community property, right? Once that line is determined, inform the Pom parents that if their dogs come on your property again, you will report them to the local AC. It sounds mean, but you can't think that way. What *they* are doing is wrong and you have a right, an obligation, to protect yourself and your girl.

 

Also, though the Pom "only" bit your pant legs, what happens when you have on shorts and it bites your leg? This is totally unacceptable behavior and the Pom parents need to be told and be held responsible.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Feisty49

[BatterseaBrindl]

Lots of Good advice!

 

Find out where the property lines are

Talk to the owners of these ankle biters. Go knock on their door every single time their dogs are loose.

Report all incidents to animal control. ALL of them.

Take photos of the loose dogs

[Guest Amber]

Oh dear, this is difficult, but the sort of thing many dog owners have to contend with.

 

I agree with the ideas put forward already: speak to the pom owners and explain that their dogs need to be contained in this open area (either on leash or by a fence).

 

If that doesn't get you anywhere, consider the temporary fencing off a potty area near your property (are you allowed to put a fence up?)

 

If all else fails, mostly try to limit outings to the yard and walk elsewhere and if you do walk there, take a walking stick with you. Use this to brandish at the offending pom when it charges you - this will often be enough to scare off a dog that is not too determined. You can also point it directly at the offending dog if it does come up close, or use as a barrier (I occasionally use a ball launcher for this and it does seem to work quite often).

 

In the worst case scenario I personally would boot the loose dog up the backside to get rid of it...I have had to do this on occasion, when my neighbours terriers got loose and attacked my on leash dog. It worked.