in thinking its not quite right that I need to be keeping DD safe from next door's dog - in our own private back garden?

[LifeIsButtercream]

We haven't been in our house long, and are the only renters in a small road of owners. As a renter I'm not allowed to make changes to the garden, other than pruning and maintenance.

Our next door neighbours have a large dog - I'm not a dog person, and don't know breeds, but it looks like a golden retriever type, only with very short and slightly darker fur and a HUGE head. They also own the fence between our properties.

Recently they had the 6ft tall wooden fence panels replaced with more decorative ones, but they are not restrained so can be slid up and down.

It being a nice day, me and DD were out in the garden for one of the first times this year, she is nearly 2 and loves exploring outside so was in her element, giggling and shrieking her discoveries.

We hear a scrabbling noise, then one of the fence panels is shoved up by a nose, and then the rest of the dog follows the nose underneath and into our garden. DD isn't dog-savvy (we don't know anyone who has one well) so I lead her away (as I know she will probably try and approach it - she is merrily shrieking 'doggy!'). A voice from over the fence advises me: "You probably want to keep your child inside when our dog is in your garden as he doesn't like children."

I take DD in through the patio doors and close them, doorbell goes and neighbour has come round, retrieves the dog and takes him (though our house!) back out the front door. I stop him to ask (nicely) whether he could do anything to prevent a dog invasion in future - he says that his dog spends most of the summer in his garden as he likes it, and he can't restrain the new fence as "there are no holes in the concrete posts to wire the panels shut", and he won't be replacing the posts, but he will plant some stuff in front of the face to put the dog off. He again recommends that I keep DD inside when his dog gets loose. I might also want to keep her quiet, as the dog will be attracted by the noise she makes, and (he proudly grins and bestows pats on the dog) his dog is a 'natural predator'

I love our little garden, and I had been looking forward to letting DD run around out there as she gets older (I've bought her a sandpit and some garden toys) - I will usually be out there with her but could also watch her from the kitchen while cooking/washing up etc etc. But now I guess I will be out with DD the whole time, and ready to dash her back indoors at any given moment. And I also guess thats the end of my plans for DD's early summer back-garden birthday party, I can't afford a venue and my indoor space is just too small. Not a massive, life-altering problem, but saddening none the less .

We went back out for a play later in the afternoon, and I tried to keep my excitable toddler quiet, and we didn't have any further break ins, but I could hear the dog pacing the fence and I was on the alert to dash back in at any moment!

Maybe a what would you do, or maybe an AIBU in thinking he needs to manage his own dog under control so we can enjoy our own garden in peace?

yes not the dogs fault,its doing what dogs do,he is the owner and should control his dog.

Your landlord needs to secure your side asap...get something like hardboard and jam it into the earth so the dog can't get through...or chicken wire which is not a permanent change only a removable addition.

I am amazed you were so reasonable! if some man had said that lot to me, I'm afraid he and his dog would have felt the sharp end of my boot.

I would be inclined to approach the matter head-on. Next time the dog gets into the garden and he comes to get it, just say to him "Can you confirm what action you are taking to ensure that your admitted dangerous dog does not enter our property?"
just as though he has not said that he will do nothing. And then simply keep repeating "I'm sorry, that's not good enough. What action are ou going to take?"

It might also be worth reminding him of the consequences of a dog attacking a child, particularly where the owner has admitted knowing that it is capable of biting and has failed to keep it under control.

If you can't get a straight answer out of him, put it in writing. "As per our discussions of x date, I would like you to confirm, in writing, what action you are taking to ensure that your dog does not enter our garden and endanger our child".

Don't let him let it drop. He is in the wrong, morally and legally and I suspect he knows that perfectly well - attack is the best form of defence and he has clearly gone on the attack.

CC your landlord in on all correspondence.

That's outrageous! I love dogs and have two, but I would be absolutely mortified if they invaded someone else's garden and would make absolutely sure it never, ever happened again. I would certainly not let them anywhere near small children unsupervised. Your local dog warden might be able to advise, and might even have a quiet word with your neighbour. Hopefully your landlord will let you put some sort of temporary barricade up, but ultimately it's his responsibility to keep his dog on his property and I'm pretty sure he's breaking the law if he doesn't.

You could hammer some wooden wedges between the fence panel edges and the posts to keep them down?

I'd also be mortified if my dog got into my neighbours garden, I'd also be terrified of losing my dog. you need to call the rspca/sspca as they will give great advice and your landlord needs to know too

I'm liking the chicken wire idea and I will get onto my landlord - I'm known as a renter here as landlord used to live here himself and knows the neighbours - I'm just temporarily letting.

I breed dogs and have 6 I do however have 6foot fences that are cemented in so no digging under ect possible . I love my dogs but don't expect my neighbour to have to put up with them. I think that the council environmental health have people who deal with doggy problems. It is ILLEAGAL to own a dog and not have it under it under control.You may be able to threaten him with the dog act of1871 and the dangerous dog act ( does not have to be a pit bull type) he has stated the dog is dangerous to your child and thus he is legally responsible to keep it under control. I do hope you sort this out rotten man and problem. Pm if you want as know lots of people in the doggy world who I could get info from. Oh just thought you could call the RSPCA they would send an inspector round. Good luck

You've had lots of the same advice here. He is in the wrong and don't worry about treading on his toes because you are a new renter to the area. I had a pit bull cross come into my yard twice while DD and I were outside and scooted him off. The third time, I caught him, called the number on the tag, held the dog till the owner came to pick him up and ironically, it was an RCMP officer. I told her if I saw her dog roaming the neighbourhood again, I would call SPCA. Never saw the dog again.

If he said that to me I'd be tempted to say that he ought to keep his dog inside when your dd is out playing because he probably wouldn't want the dog warden to take away a dog whose owner has said is a natural predator who doesn't like children.

i'd definitely still have your party. if your dd is still little then I would guess that you will hopefully have other adults around - could you task some of them with standing near to the fence and being on guard in case the dog tries to get in - and if it does to swiftly push the fence panel back down again so the dog gets the message pretty quickly that pushing the fence panels up is a bad idea.

Not that I am suggesting the dog is badly hurt, just that it gives the dog the equivalent of a sharp tap on the nose.

if neighbour complains about this then just say that you don't have any money or the right to alter the fence and copy his 'so what can you do?' shrug

Also do dogs like water? Is it worth investing in one of those high powered water pistols that you leave armed and ready (the sort that dads teenagers would like rather than little ones) and then as soon as a nose starts to appear fire water at it, again hopefully to put it off from wanting to come any further. or is there anything that dogs don't like like chilli or egg shells (or is that slugs?) or zoopoo etc that you could leave down to deter it?

He said the dog likes the garden in the summer and he can't be expected to keep it indoors! But yet he expects you to keep your toddler out of your garden as his dog doesn't like children... What exactly is he on?!
I would definitely speak to the local police, find out where you stand re the dog accessing your garden when it isn't being supervised. What if it got into your garden and you weren't outside, but had your back door open for air, there's nothing stopping the dog entering your property!
Your neighbour sounds like a joke!

Any good? See how much he "loves the garden" after you have blasted this at him a few times!

omg. i think i'd start looking for another house to rent tbh.

It sounds as though he's set this up on purpose to ensure that whichever neighbours he gets are put off from allowing their children into the garden.

I'd be doing the following:

• tell your landlord- by phone and in writing- that the fence isn't secure, you have been warned by the neighbour that the dog is dangerous, and the landlord needs to take action to secure the fence on your side.

• call the police on a non-emergency number, tell them that there is a dog next door that you have been told by the owner is dangerous, and explain the situation with the fence and the owner's unwillingness to keep the dog in. Ask for an officer / PCSO to visit, and that a record for a potential emergency situation be kept on record so that you get help quickly if there's an attack on your child. AFAIK, police are meant to take concerns about dangerous dogs seriously following various attacks.

-tell the neighbour that you've advised the police about his dangerous dog.

Of course your child should be allowed to use the garden. Your neighbour is basically threatening you and your child.

Go to your neighbour and explain that on several occasions you have seen rats running along the edge of the fence ,tell him you have put poison down, in the form of poisoned meat and that while it is quite safe for your dd to be in the garden under your supervision ,you feel you should warn him as if his dog were to eat any ,it could mean certain death , and you would hate that to happen. Say you are acting on instructions from the environmental dept of the council and they said it was paramount that the dog didnt eat any bait and should be kept indoors for at least three weeks . By which time 'natural predator' will have gone mad and eaten your neighbour

Totally agree with Inertia's post.

DO NOT let him get away with this shocking behaviour. You and your family have a right to enjoy your garden without fear of predatory, child-disliking animals.

Please take the above advice, and quickly.

I would knock on the neighbours door and let them know you have seen rats in your garden and have put poison down to get rid of them. That you will be supervising your DD to ensure she doesnt eat it but perhaps wouldnt notice if his dog was eating it.

I would be tempted to get some small vine eyes and some strong garden wire & use them to wire the fence panels together (across the posts) at ground level so that the dog can't just lift up one panel. With plants infront you wouldn't see them.

YANBU, you neighbour is!

x posts with bumpsoon...do you watch too much Scooby Doo too