NDN’s dangerous dog

[MaroonFlame]

AIBU to think I shouldn’t have to put up with my NDN’s giant and territorial GSD trying to get in my front door and bite my 3yo every time I go out? We have a shared access front gate and path that splits our two patches of garden. They constantly let the dog urinate on my garden and on the steps. It barks for 10 mins at a time all day every day etc. Just the whole bad dog owner package really.

I feel I need to report the dog as dangerous as it is clearly very territorial and isn’t controlled in the slightest. The couple who own it are late 60s too so if my DD ever runs out into my garden and their backs are turned it could get nasty very quickly. Because they have allowed the dog to roam our garden and around the front door for a good 5 years it will go for anything it thinks is threatening, I.e. my excitable screaming DD or a very stressed me! GSDs have been bred to be a certain way and I don’t want that around my child if it cannot be controlled properly. My council doesn’t seem to have a dog warden, what’s my next port of call? I haven’t used my front garden and porch the whole time I’ve lived here because of it. I also think dogs should be on a lead in a shared area surely?

[strathmore]

GSDs have been bred to be a certain way

What?

[Littleduckeggblue]

Have you tried speaking to your Neighbours?

[Sugarformyhoney]

Have you tried a fence 🤷‍♀️

[MaroonFlame]

Listed building so can’t seperate the gardens. Territorial, heightened senses, generally aggressive if not properly trained. They use it as a guard dog, they even have dangerous dog signs so they think it themselves! I have and lost my rag after 2 years today when they dog was almost in my house. I told them to keep the dog away from my property and child!

[DailyMailSucksWails]

I'm not disbelieving you, OP, but could you please elaborate on "trying to get in my front door and bite my 3yo every time I go out?" It sounds like the dog has tried to get closer to you but has it actually gotten close enough to snap its jaws? Is it growling constantly at you?

Is this social housing, why do you have a shared front garden, are the owners entirely unapproachable?

[Cherrysoup]

Don’t be dumb about gsds have been bred to be a certain way. Some are highly trained to be guard/police dogs, most I have met are soppy and ridiculous.

[Sarahlou63]

So they've had it for 5 years and it hasn't eaten anyone yet? Not that dangerous then...

[MaroonFlame]

It’s definitely not soppy I’m afraid! The bark is highly aggressive and verging on scary for my child. I’ve never heard it make a happy sound and I used to work in kennels so I know the different types of barks. When I open my door the dog comes running up and tries to get in my house because it thinks that’s it’s territory. It growls and barks the most aggressive I’ve ever heard. They have a back garden that is completely fenced off so they don’t need to have the dog where there is shared access. There appears to be no recall, i.e. the dog ignores owner and carries on barking at me and has to be dragged inside

[MaroonFlame]

The house was empty for 3 years before I moved in so it hasn’t had chance to go for anyone and probs why they gave it so much free roam. Unfortunately it’s not the dog, it’s the owners and it needs to be trained correctly before something does happen and it would suffer because of it. If I allowed my daughter out into the front garden she would definitely get attacked. I’ve just never allowed her. I’m sure it’s a lovely dog to it’s owners, just not to me when it thinks I’m an trespasser it it’s space

[DailyMailSucksWails]

What happens when you try to talk to the neighbours, OP?

[bestbefore]

Why can't you have a fence up? What aspect of the listing means you can't? What would happen if you put one up?

[Veterinari]

Have you spoken to your neighbours? What was their response?

[Nearlythere1]

God I hate smug people that refuse to recognise the danger in dogs eg @sarahlou63 above
YANBU OP, i dont know what the next port of call is but that's not on at all, especially if they have a fenced -off back garden.

[MaroonFlame]

I had a parcel the other week and the Amazon guy wouldn’t come past the gate because of the barking it could hear from NDNs house. I’ve had food delivery people comment on it too so I know I’m not going mad! I can’t have DD’s friends round as the other mothers don’t agree with it either. It always sounds very threatened and almost scared poor thing. It’s been trained that way as a guard dog

[wigglypiggly]

www.gov.uk/control-dog-public

[WhereYouLeftIt]

You need to speak with your neighbours first. Point out all the problems; it's aggression, your inability to use your own garden, the peeing in your garden, the barking. Ask them what they intend to do about it. Put it on them - their dog, their responsibility.

If they are going to do nothing, and there is no dog warden - phone the council and check, I thought that compulsory - then next call for me would be to the RSPCA. The dog is not being properly cared for IMO -it is untrained and allowed to be aggressive. See what they say.

[MaroonFlame]

If it was a little dog I wouldn’t be phased but it’s honestly the biggest German Shepard I’ve ever seen. It could kill a small child in an instant. The neighbours themselves don’t listen and think they’re above me because I rent (private) and they’ve owned for 10+ years. I complained to the council about a year ago but there’s not much they can do since they own. My daughter doesn’t play in their garden, urinate everywhere and try and get in their house so why is it okay for their dog to do that? Sorry don’t have a pet so not the best analogy😂 I’m not being mean just really worried for my daughter’s safety

[Sarahlou63]

So have you actually spoken to the neighbours?

[Booboostwo]

You need to speak to your landlord and explain how the dog is preventing you from accessing your home and scaring you. The landlord should take it up with the NDNs, but he may need up needing a solicitor’s letter if they ignore him.

Is it possible for you to move?

[Veterinari]

Speak to your neighbours and the dog warden

[Doggydoggydoggy]

Personally, I would report to the police (101 not 999) under the dangerous dogs act.

I wouldn’t bother speaking to them personally.
If they were reasonable people they wouldn’t be allowing the dog to roam in their neighbours garden in the first place.
If they were reasonable they certainly wouldn’t be allowing it to actively threaten their neighbours!

GSDs are big, strong dogs with the capability to do serious damage if so inclined.
It’s behaviour is utterly unacceptable.

[Doggydoggydoggy]

I would also try to film the behaviour if it is safe to do so to show the police as proof.

[Chocolateisfab]

Agree the police.
And def the ll.