To be getting sick of my next door neighbour?

[lineylane]

NDN moved in 6 weeks ago. We have only been here approx 4 months ourselves.

We have three dogs- 2 Rottweilers (honestly the softest, most dopey dogs you will meet- all the children on our close adore them and will come up and pet them etc) and a very old, feeble staffie who couldn’t even catch a fly if he tried.

Rotties are walked three times a day- once by DH in the morning, dog walker in the afternoon and me of an evening. Our staffie cannot walk long distances so either both me and DH go on a walk and one of us turns back with our staffie or he doesn’t come out with us.

Aside from this, they get let out in the garden for a play/pee a couple times a day by me (work from home) fully supervised as it’s my time to enjoy a smoke and a quick brew.

Approx a week after NDN moved in, we got a knock on the door at 8am- hysterically screaming at us that are “dogs are out of control” and are dangerous and may attack their DC if they are playing in the garden.

I insisted they were all incredibly friendly, well trained and while like rough and tumble with each other- are impeccably behaved around humans and suggested NDN brought her DC round to meet them which made her even more hysterical. I ended up shutting the door in her face, resulting her banging on the door for 20 minutes screaming through the letterbox while I was on a conference call. I will admit, I ended up losing my temper and ended up opening the front room window and asking her what the fuck she thought she was doing and to get off my property. Looked very taken aback and sulked off.

Anyway- two weeks ago, NDN brought two kittens. Got a knock on the door saying we would have to either keep the dogs indoors, or get rid “because no doubt our dogs would choose to savage them”. Of course no dog can be 100% trusted, but I can say with 95% confidence that if said cats came in the garden the dogs would come to me if recalled.

This wasn’t good enough for said neighbour. I suggested my DH put barbed wire on top of our shared fence so cats wouldn’t be able to jump over. Apparently we are now cruel to animals

Anyway things have come to a head this morning. Another neighbour has come and knocked to say NDN has started a petition for us to get rid of our dogs because they are all of “dangerous breed”. Most people have told her to fuck off, one or two others have sided with her.

I’m close to ringing the police for harassment.

AIBU?

Has anyone ever actually seen a dog catch a cat? I never have! Only the collie next door who waits for his own family's cat, who has to pass him to get into the garden. Every day the collie pins him down and licks him to bits!! The cat puts up with this for about 5 minutes and then struggles so collie let's him go. It's so funny to watch the cat being licked all over his head, with his head going up and down.

Great idea to invite ndn dc to meet the dogs, but maybe one dog at a time (if ndn will ever consent to that) No better cure for a dc who has a fear of dogs, than to get friendly with them.

Sadly aunt I have seen lots and lots of cats caught by dogs in my job. Mainly old ones, stuck ones, injured ones but also some healthy ones that are probably just caught unaware!

My own dogs lick my cat to death and force him to sleep in bed with them however if a random cat came into my garden I’m not really sure what they would do, chase it probably!

I hope she's not going to let her kittens out immediately - they need to stay in at least until they are neutered at 4 or 6 months Ideally she would keep them in for longer, until they are old enough to have some road sense. Cars are a much bigger danger to a kitten than your well-controlled dogs. If she doesn't know that she is not a very conscientious cat owner.

Our ex-neighbour had a staffie (big softie who always wanted cuddles). My adult cat would just stand her ground, puff up and hiss if he came near. He would scamper off looking a bit confused.

Have to ask though, why did you get three dogs that you know many people will be wary of, if you don't mind me asking? Is it for home security reasons or to prove that the breeds are harmless or just that you love those breeds?

I've met about 12-15 rotties over the years, whilst dog walking. Have to say, they've all been lovely but I still feel a bit wary for some reason!

Sorry to hear that Greyhorses, I always thought it was something of a myth.

Don't know about OP, but dogs can accumulate sometimes.

You have one, then you take in a mate for him, then you come across a dog that needs a home so one thing leads to another.

Has anyone ever actually seen a dog catch a cat

One of mine cornered a cat once and I then I had to go and rescue him from the hissing cat.

Having said that, I know of dogs killing cats, so it's not like it never happens.

The reality is that there are very few people who would randomly knock on someones door at 8am "hysterically screaming" and then start screaming through the letter box.

As such, the likelihood is that either:

1. You're not giving the whole story here and there has been something that has really concerned her about your dogs' behaviour
2. She's severely unstable - in which case this isn't really about the dogs.

I like dogs and we have various animals and are about to get a dog but if you choose to have two rottweilers and a staffordshire bull terrier then you have to accept that you are projecting a very aggressive image. Presumably that was intentional.

dogs can accumulate sometimes Yep, that happened to us over the years. A lab, springer and newfoundland! All passed now, sadly.

Tbh I would not want to live next door 2 someone who had 2 Rotweilers who play fight in such a way. A good dog owner would have nipped that behaviour in the bud long ago.
I've got 2 spaniels (mother and son) and sometimes you'd swear they were killing each other.

*I am just wondering why on earth you would feel the need to have 3 fighting dogs? I wonder if it was your husband's idea?

Despite what you might think, your dogs were specifically bred for fighting - aggression is in their nature.*

Wow, @SusannahL, do you look like an idiot now! The Rottweiler is a herding breed and has been for millennia.

I think you have to protect your dogs here, @lineylane. Don't underestimate some people's stupidity. Speak to the police, make sure you are complying with more than the minimum standards of dog ownership in terms of insurance etc. (not sure what's required in the UK), ensure your property boundaries are fully secure and higher than they need to be, put a camera up to watch the boundary between your property and this neighbour's, speak to your vet/dog warden about a behavioural assessment. Do everything you can to show that you are a responsible dog owner and that she is a hysterical moron.

We had a similar problem with our Doberman - our neighbour went as far as calling the police to report that he had attacked her 11 year old neighbour. Fortunately the police displayed common sense when shown said 11 year old, who of course didn't have a scratch on her because it had never happened. Not long after this the child's father had a go at me in the street, telling me his child was afraid to leave the house because of my dog. Unfortunately for him various other neighbours had already reported to me that they had seen his child and her friends regularly outside my fence trying to taunt my dog, who ignored them. I sent him round to speak to them, he came home looking very sheepish. Didn't hear any more about the subject after someone tried to break into his house one night and was chased away by my dog. He never had a good word to say to me about my dog but admitted to other neighbours that he felt the whole street was safer because of his presence.

For those who are afraid of dogs or just certain breeds, yes, we dog owners do understand your fears and no, we don't expect you to love our animals just because we do but apart from being responsible owners there's nothing we can do to help you. We can't and shouldn't ban specific breeds because someone was once attacked by a Chihuahua (and babies have been killed by Chihuahuas btw, it's not all big black and tan breeds). Please don't make out we are aggressive just because we own them. I have always owned Dobermans and probably always will because I love the breed. I know the breed and am comfortable with it. My dogs are well trained, insured etc., and I would be far more nervous around something like a JRT. My dogs are not a status symbol and I certainly do not use them to terrorise people, as I'm sure the OP doesn't. Please don't assume the worst of them.

Isn't it normal for dogs to playfight anyway? They are animals after all. Having said that, I know a few humans who play fight

Sorry OP, not being very helpful here. Don't really know what to advise, you're probably worried to death

Yes, it's normal for dogs to rough and tumble. This can sound quite alarming if you don't know dogs, but it's fine. Well socialised dogs will break off every 15-20 seconds (roughly!) and have a tiny break - they'll look away from one another, perhaps play-bow (stick their bums in the air), maybe sniff the ground - all signals to one another that it's still a game and still fun. I used to have a great video of my dog and another doing this but I don't know where it is - I was a dog trainer for a while and would show it to clients so they'd know what to look for in their dogs.

So perfectly normal and healthy, IMO, as long as the dogs are socialised well enough not to go OTT.

Oh yes, the rough and tumble.

It looks and sounds like they are killing each other, but they know their boundaries and know when to stop.

As a dog owner it is my responsibility to ensure my dogs are under control at all times. At home I do that be ensuring we have good fencing and a stout gate which is kept closed. when out and about we use a collar and lead. He is also trained to sit, wait, recall and generally not annoy people. He is treated kindly and with respect at home but we understand he is a dog not a people. He was well socialised as a pup and has never shown aggression towards another dog or people (including small children). He doesn't guard his food or his toys and you can stick your hand in his mouth to remove whatever he stole this time without fearing for your fingers.

However his favorite game is to chase a football round the garden barking and growling. He does sound rather vicious but my 7yr old DD (or her cousins or friends) can take the ball from him at any point.

A dog playing roughly in a garden is not a threat to neighbors as long as fencing is secure. Larger breeds of dog are not necessarily more dangerous than smaller ones. A jack russell can bite through your finger bones.

Would you want to live next to me? Does it matter if my dog is a Rottweiler, a Labrador or a Bichon Frise?

OP I think you need to keep records of your neighbors harassment.

@lineylane is it a shared garden? if not its none of her business... she can try and make you get rid but has no power what so ever.
we live facing a couple who breed Malinois dogs, they are bread for protection - they are taught to attack and not to let go unless commanded. they walk their dogs to the van without leads - a few times one of their dogs has attacked another dog (my mums! she was fine just scared for a bit after) and bit an elderly neighbour... he bruised but no blood. police have spoken to couple and now they are meant to keep them on leads when not in house - they sometimes do sometimes don't. council will do nothing - many neighbours have tried over the years - still nothing. police have spoken to them but nothing they have been able to do.
you dogs are soft (ino a few rotties and staffs and they are a lot ofter than my cocker spaniel!!!!)
your neighbour has no right at all. and if shes scared of them then that's her problem.

Why on earth was she hysterical at your front door?? Were the dogs out free? Or were they (as I suspect) safely contained in your back garden?

I would def report her for harrassment to the police and also contact her landlord/lettings agency to let them know what has been going on (do they even allow pets on her tenancy agreement?).

Good luck - she sounds bonkers.

My NDN has the cutest little Cavalier King Charles. Always brings a smile to my eyes. ... just looks so cute!

Dogs aren't toys or decorative objects, and other people's dogs are not there for your viewing pleasure.

Anyway if the dogs owned by the OP were herding dogs, who the F are they herding in an urban back garden.

This comment is so stupid I genuinely don't know what to say to it.

Plus, Cavalier KC are subject to a particularly awful breed-specific disease. Why should dogs be reduced to something the neighbours find ‘cute’?

Darling and apehouse, what a petty attitude!! I often get pleasure from watching other people's dogs. Wtf is wrong with that? Did you come on as a comedy duo?

What on earth?

Very curious that DarlingNikita and Apehouse have arrived at the same time, with the same very bizarre opinion.

Dogs can't be admired or viewed pleasurably? So what do people don't have them for pleasurable reasons then? Can you only admire a dog if it's yours?

Weird.

I don't like dogs much. I categorically disapprove of keeping breeds like rottweilers as pets. But even I, being prejudiced as I am, can tell that she is bonkers. You sound like you are taking good care of your dogs and making sure they a kept safely and their needs are met. I really don't think you are doing anything unreasonable here unless you didn't put on an American accent to tell her to get off your property in which case you are vv unreasonable.