[RobDar]

everyone seems to have tales of dogs running loose...approaching or attacking their dogs...there is an AWFUL lot of these stories.
So far it all sounds like most of them have happy endings however...thank god.
I have two quick stories from both sides of the fence....
( me as the bad guy with the insane dogs)
A guy down the street from us has Chihuahua's. For some god awful reason he feels it necessary to walk his dog down the alley behind my house...usually 3-4 times a day. I commend him on his dedication to exercising his dog...but as I have explained to him...my dogs do not like your dog! The one Coonhound we have here was a farm dog. One job of all Farm raised Coonhounds in vermin control. I am sure that Ranger does not see a really small dog when this guy walks by. He sees vermin...and is...ummm...very efficient at performing the duties of his previous employment...to put it nicely. I feel bad for the guy and i hate that Ranger and the other dogs loose their minds when the dog goes by...but have repeatedly asked him if perhaps, for the sake of my sanity, the nieghborhood peace, and the welfare of his dog, if he could perhaps walk a different route. He doesn't. He still comes by everyday. Lately he has been stopping and staring at my dogs having a fit. I yelled at him yesterday to move along.
Why don't some people just find a new route?
when we lived in our apartment and walked our beagle everyday...we used to drive out to downtown to stay away from the crazy dogs on the next block. Isn't this easier??? isnt a new route just a good compromise?


(nieghbor as the bad guy)
so the gang banger idiot felon who moved into the rental behind me got a pit puppy. From the time this dog was 3 months old it was obvious the dog was smarter than its owner. That dog was constantly out of its yard. It was not that the guy did not try to contain the dog...just the dog out smarted him over and over again. I began by offering some suggestions and then moved to just telling him to make sure the dog was up to date on all its shots etc etc. I tell everyone near us this. With the rescue, while we get the dogs all of their vacc's and medical work....that is not guarantee that some illness cannot slip through the cracks. We get dogs from all over the country and sometimes...well...they have some weird issues. So if your dog is going to be running loose and making contact with my dogs...protect your dogs health.
As the dog got older...it got assertive...and went from assertive to coming across the alley and going just ballistic at my dogs through the fence. I had had enough and went over to talk to the guy. I told him...you got to keep that dog in your yard. He is trying to get into my yard and is being aggressive towards my dogs. I told him your dog is coming after a well established pack. He wont get just one of my dogs...he will get them all...all at once...if he gets too close. Hounds hunt in packs...
My exact words to him were..."He is a gorgeous little pittie, I would hate to see something bad happen to him".
his response..."ya think I am worried bout what your damn " cracker bred" hounds will do to my pittie? hes a pittie...yalls dogs got no chance"
I tried to tell him that some of the Coonhounds we get are x hunting dogs...some of them used for hunting animals like bear and cougar...
he did not care.
his pit got into my yard two days later...he was after my 14 old Beagle ( alpha female of our pack)...what he got was the whole pack...all 6 dogs...including two of the coonhounds.
No one was hurt ( one little nip on the pits nose and one on his butt) because I got there before anything happened...but one of the coonhounds jumped the fence and chased the pit back into its yard...
the guy was PISSED! I told him I tried to tell you!!!

you know I got the repremand from Animal Control.

and I had to move that coonhound to a new foster home because then he was going over the fence everytime he went out to go over after that pit...
( the coonies can be very single minded...they like to finish tasks they start)
I was told next time to send my concerns in a certified letter so there is more than here say and the he said she said game going on. good advice I guess...

[SCWT]

That 1st situation sounds like a very righteous person expressing his "I will not be told what to do" atitude. He feels that it is you and your dogs that are out of control, so he is going to show you by standing there and feeling smug about it. You would think that he would just get tired of it and go another way, but some people just like confrontation.

Glad to hear your dogs were not hurt in the 2nd situation !

[mistyinca]

Originally Posted by RobDar

For some god awful reason he feels it necessary to walk his dog down the alley behind my house...usually 3-4 times a day. I commend him on his dedication to exercising his dog...but as I have explained to him...my dogs do not like your dog! <snip> Why don't some people just find a new route?

I probably wouldn't take my little dog past your large dogs everyday, for fear that they'd get out and attack us. But I think he is entitled to use the alley, unless I am mistaken and it is your property; then you can get him for trespassing. Otherwise, I wouldn't necessarily call it self-righteous, but why shouldn't he be allowed to use what is a convenient place for him to walk his dogs? If your dogs' getting all fired up is a problem, shouldn't you handle it on your end? KWIM?

As for the other situation, it is definitely unacceptable that your neighbor doesn't take better control to keep his dog in his own yard. Smart dog or not, he's supposed to keep him in his own yard. But it also doesn't make it okay that your dog jumped the fence to get him. Thank goodness no one was badly injured. It would be sad to see anyone's dog get put down because their owners didn't keep them safe.

[SCWT]

My comment about 'self-righteous' was due to the line that said "Lately he has been stopping and staring at my dogs having a fit". It seems like he knew what he was doing.

[RobDar]

I agree that he should be able to walk his dogs where he likes...but...I feel like...
Can't we all just get along???

I guess if it were me I would just find another route. If fact I know I would because I have...to aviod the dogs at the end of the block where we used to live. I hate being the guy with the nutzo dogs, but...with the rescues here...I just cannot always guarantee how they will react. our temperment test does not really cover small yappy black chihuahua's...know what I mean?

[RobDar]

Originally Posted by SCWT

My comment about 'self-righteous' was due to the line that said "Lately he has been stopping and staring at my dogs having a fit". It seems like he knew what he was doing.

I think he does know what he is doing.

[Lorina]

Most of the dogs in my neighborhood have a fit when Beavis and I walk past. There is no route I can take that won't have at least one dog rush the fence to bark at us. Some of my neighbors have apologized for their dogs' behavior, but... they're dogs. Dogs bark. They're doing what they naturally do. It doesn't bother me.

And honestly? I want my dog to be exposed to other dogs barking. I want him to not be bothered by it, too. I considered it part of his training. I want him to be able to stay calm, listen to me, heel, etc. while other dogs are wigging out.

[Cassie Nova]

Lorina- I am the same way. No matter where I go, SOMEONE has left a dog in the yard (I hate when people do that in the first place, BUT....) so I just use it as a training opp. And you know what? It has done Cassie alot of good!