[luckytx2001]

We live outside the city and the eight neighborhood dogs run without restraints, including mine. My Yellow Lab has a cancer problem and the vet has him on prescription food, plus some meds in his food. Problem is that I have a neighbor that puts out uneaten people-food every night which all the dogs, *****, and possums eat, including my Lab. This would not be too bad if my neighbor had good healthy food to eat, but most of it is left over from KFC, Arby's, Taco Bell, Sonic, McD's, Pizza Hut, Woo's Chinese, and Charlie's Chicken Fried Steakhouse. I have often seen it in the bowl and am surprised than even a dog would eat it, but he does. I have tried to get the neighbor to refrain, but have failed so far.

Question is: Can anyone suggest something that I could put in the bowl (after dark) that would repulse my dog even more than the instant heart attack garbage being put out. Things that I have thought of would either cause possible harm to the dogs if they did eat it (ground chili peppers) or would tip off the neighbor from its odor (gasoline) or observation (dirt).

Thanks.

 

[Shell]

Take your dog inside at night or restrain him in a secure kennel outside.

 

[DJEtzel]

You should not be letting your dog run loose at ANY time of the day.

Keep him inside or tied up and you won't have an issue. Otherwise, there's nothing you can do about this.

 

[yappypappymom]

Question is: Can anyone suggest something that I could put in the bowl (after dark) that would repulse my dog even more than the instant heart attack garbage being put out. Things that I have thought of would either cause possible harm to the dogs if they did eat it (ground chili peppers) or would tip off the neighbor from its odor (gasoline) or observation (dirt).

First off, you should NOT be sneaking over onto your neighbors property for ANY reason - EVER, unless you don't mind getting charged w/trespassing. It is illegal!
Secondly, are you implying that something should be ADDED to the food bowl that will make all of these random animals ill??? NO NO NO!! DON'T DO THAT either!..
Third & lastly - whatever your neighbor is feeding is none of your business. What your dog eats & should not eat lies completely w/you!! You should put up a fence IMMEDIATELY, & stop allowing him to wander around-(or even a tie out at the very least). Just because you aren't in the city doesn't mean that you shouldn't be responsible & contain your pet better. Literally this is for HIS PROTECTION!!

 

[infiniti]

Wow, wow, wow!

I agree with the others. Your dog should, at best, be taken inside at night, or at worst, be put in a secure kennel or dog run. He should NEVER be running loose or be unattended for any long duration of time.

I am absolutely stunned that you would even consider putting GASOLINE into these unsuspecting dogs' bowl!

 

[Shell]

Before everyone jumps on the original poster (while he/she does deserve a lecture on letting the dog run loose), the last sentence reads to me as if he was DISMISSING his ideas BECAUSE they might harm the dogs.

Now, that said, the one and only way you will prevent your lab from eating all that tasty human food is to prevent him from being able to get to it. And please restrain him SAFELY! It is quite dangerous and cruel to just tie him to a tree or a post, especially with all those other loose dogs. You can keep him inside (recommended!!!), buy a used chain link kennel (at least about 6 ft by 10 ft and with 6 ft high sides) or fence your entire yard/property.

 

[Nargle]

I can't imagine this being anything other than a troll post. It's just too insane.

On the farfetched chance that this is actually a REAL question, my suggestion to you is to take your dog to the nearest SPCA or HS, and never even think about owning another animal again.

Shell, it sounds to me like he's dismissing his ideas because the neighbor might wise up to his antics, it doesn't sound like he cares about the animals exposed to the food at all.

 

[luckytx2001]

WOW. You guys really go off the deep end. First. Let me clarify the timing. The garbage bowl goes out after dinner. Ole Yellow is usually in the house by then. It is in the next morning and day when Yellow slurps up the goodies in the bowl.

Next, some history about Yellow. Eleven years ago he was "dropped off" in the neighborhood with the words "TAKE ME" spray painted on his back. One of the neighbors started putting out a bowl of table scraps for Yellow, and of course he started hanging around. The rest of the neighbors semi-adopted him because he kept the deer from eating shrubs, flowers, and garden plantings. He also chased off the armadillos who tear up the lawns, most of the rabbit population, and kept the coyote pack out of the neighborhood. During the next four years Yellow hung around and had three different primary caretakers who passed him off when they moved or just didn't want him any more. During his first three years here, he never saw the inside of a house or shelter, day or night, summer and winter. He also never saw a vet, had shots, or a license.

When I arrived eight years ago, his caretaker was a young man who at least got Yellow shots and an igloo to sleep in on cold nights. During the day he and his buddies would usually head for the woods in search of anything that moved. After I was here for a year the young man had to move to a large city. Although he loved Yellow, he knew that Yellow would miserable locked up inside a fence all day. And we were all worried that if Yellow jumped the fence or escaped, he would surely get hit by a car in the metroplex.

So my wife and I adopted Yellow. We did not tie him or fence him, but we did coax him in the house when it was cold. Now in his "golden" years, he comes in every night. We also started feeding him good dog food that we also fed our "in the house" mini-aussie, made regular vet trips, and "Front Lined" him for ticks and fleas. Then two summers ago Yellow was diagnosed with a Ventral chest mass: Cutenous hemangiosarcome (cancer). Loving that ole stray we decided that his time was not up and we would do everything we could to save him, including surguery and chemo. If you ever had to give your dog chemo, you would know the cost associated with it and the nursing it takes.

Happy to report that the cancer has not reappeared and good ole Yellow is still alpha dog in his pack, albeit a little slower in his chase.

 

[MagicRe]

it would have been helpful to have included this info in the beginning...

sounds like you love this old guy...and it also sounds as if this is what he's been doing since he got to the neighbourhood...

since he's in his golden years....why not just let him be? i know it's contrary to my beliefs in feeding....but he's lived through being a stray, to a few owners, to having cancer....to you....who has treated him with love and care.....

i know it's not an ideal situation, but having been where you are....sometimes, letting a beloved pet just live out his days....maybe is just what you should do...

 

[infiniti]

I don't think anyone went off the deep end in suggesting you keep this dog secured. You don't have a fence in your yard? Just because he was once a stray, doesn't mean he has to remain a "sort of" stray by running loose at any time. It's noble that you care for him so much, but he still needs to be restrained when outside. Most counties have a leash law in place, which also means that when outside the dog needs to be secured so it can't get loose.

 

[Shell]

If Yellow is inside during the night, then before you open the door in the morning just go out and take whatever scraps are still in the bowl and dump them in the trash can (a trash can with a secure lid!). Or if you tend to go to bed late, make it your last stop of the night and throw it out then. One SAFE thing you can use to discourage eating that is the bitter apple spray used to discourage chewing on furniture etc. It is sold at pet stores and feed stores. But some dogs don't mind it and if the scraps are tasty enough, he might eat it anyway. Prevention is far easier and more sure.

Assuming you are in a rural area, it is unlikely that there is a leash law and if there is one, it probably only applies off your property. I know people with large acreage that have farm dogs that are technically not secured during the day (they all come into a house or a barn at night) because the fencings is 4-board horse fencing which the dogs can easily slip under. However, this is in an area of 50-200 acre properties and private roads with dogs that are not "roamers." It is good for the horses to have the dogs around to keep wild animals from bothering them.

 

[DJsMom]

If Yellow is inside during the night, then before you open the door in the morning just go out and take whatever scraps are still in the bowl and dump them in the trash can (a trash can with a secure lid!). Or if you tend to go to bed late, make it your last stop of the night and throw it out then. One SAFE thing you can use to discourage eating that is the bitter apple spray used to discourage chewing on furniture etc.

But wouldn't that be trespassing?

It sounds like Yellow is fortunate that you came into his life. We have a place on the river where there are no leash laws & everyone's dogs are loose, including ours when we're there, altho ours don't wonder far from sight.

Since you do take him indoors at times, I would try to keep him in, or at least at home (maybe with you outdoors with him) for a few hours a day around the time the neighbor puts the food out, which it sounds like is probably after dinner.

 

[Shell]

Generally trespassing only becomes trespassing once you are asked to not to enter a property or to leave a property or the area is physically blocked off. That's why people put up the "Posted: No Trespassing" signs.

I'm not suggesting he start creeping around on the neighbor's porch, but depending on where the food is and the relationship he has with the neighbor, they might not really care. It sounds like the neighbor likes to put the food out for all the dogs but doesn't want to be bothered with cleaning it up. Since he says that Yellow eats the food the next day (put out the previous night), then it doesn't seem practically to keep him inside when the neighbor has the food out.

He could just say to the neighbor "Hey, I know you like to put food out for the dogs, that's fine for the other dogs but mine has health problems and I'd like him not to be eating the food. Would you mind if I cleaned up whatever is leftover in the morning before I put Yellow outside?

 

[luckytx2001]

Hey Shell. What a great idea. My anger overtook common sense and possibly a great solution, yours! The neighbor that I asked to stop putting out scraps at night has already told me that he put the scraps out for ***** and possums, not dogs. Although his refusal to stop this activity has deeper meaning (we don't get along that well) he did commit to me that the reason he puts out his garbage is for the night animals. Based on your great suggestion I will now ask him if I can empty his bowl for him in the morning after the wild animals are back in their trees and holes for the day. I will let you know the outcome.

Thanks again for the serious, rational thought instead of attack.

Shell. Bitter apple is a good solution too, but would probably keep the night visitors away if I did it at night. Bitter spray in the morning will be my next choice if he balks at me dumping his bowl of "food". Thankk you. Thank you for thinking this through. I will keep you advised.

 

[Shell]

Another simple suggestion is a location up on something out of the dogs reach. Some dogs are climbers and jumpers but in general, not like the wild animals are. (raccoons are wily little devils). If there is a deck or wall or ledge, the night animals will reach it easily but not old Yellow and probably not the other dogs. However, you taking care of emptying the bowl is probably still better since a)it takes zero effort on the neighbor's part and b)makes sure the food is gone.

Are all the local dogs up-to-date on their rabies vaccines? Inviting wild animals to hang around is asking for trouble between them and the dogs.

Every situation is different and while here in the city I have a major pet peeve of off-leash dogs and outdoor ONLY dogs, tomorrow I'll be at the barn and my dog too will be off leash and not restrained by fencing and when we're out on the horses, we might come across other people with their dogs out riding with them. In that location and circumstance, it is acceptable (the dogs are supervised though). The 3!! people "walking" their off-leash dogs down the sidewalk this morning in an urban area though? So not cool. There are many dangerous for dogs that roam, but in your case, the dog has obviously learned whatever he needs to learn to keep himself safe and he might as well enjoy his golden years.

 

[luckytx2001]

Shell. Thanks. Another great idea. I too agree that all city dogs should be on a lead except in fenced in dog parks or in fenced yards. Since we took over the maintenance of Yellow, we have convinced all the neighbors to vacinate and license their dogs. Some of them are actually ponying up for Frontline for fleas and ticks after they saw the results of the application on Yellow. Our next hurdle is to make them understand worms. By the way, our mini aussie only goes outside with a lead, even though she thinks she is tough enough to be part of the pack. She has gotten loose a couple of times and it is very interesting to watch the pack teach her manners. Yellow has to go through all the puppy jumping and licking when he comes in at night with the aussie, but he is a very pacient teacher.

 

[grab]

Even though your dog has been a stray, allowing your pet to wander onto others' property is irresponsible. What the neighbor puts out for wildlife (although I'm not a fan of feeding wildlife) is really his business, as it is (I assume) on his property. I live outside city limits and I can say it is still highly annoying to have to dodge wandering dogs. I do not walk my own dogs here because of the loose dog situation.

I feel it is rude at best to ask someone to limit what they put on their own property so that you do not have to contain your pet.

 

[Nargle]

I cannot imagine that anyone who would let a pet roam the streets, with wild animals, unknown people, potentially aggressive stray dogs, cars, rat poison, animal traps, and other life-threatening dangers, can even possibly care about said pet. You dog is still a stray, except that it has a place to sleep at night. Your neighbor is setting food out for strays and wild animals, which is exactly what Yellow is. What happens when the neighbor down the street decides to try to get rid of some rodents, or his car starts leaking antifreeze? If you actually care about Yellow even the tiniest bit, you'll keep him SAFE in a yard or in your home. Regardless of what you believe, having free range of the neighborhood isn't what makes him happiest.