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?

1. Tell your neighbours your concerns and give them an opportunity to deal with (say, one week)
2. If you get no satisfactory response or no remedial action ring local council dog warden, or 101 for advice.
3. As suggested above, film dog behaviour that worries you.

You state the dog is outside the house and running free, so is obviously not under owner control. That is the offence - the barking is really irrelevant (though annoying and scary).

Report to the police.

You have a right of access, as do delivery people, to your front door. This is therefore 'a public place' as far as the dangerous dogs act is concerned.

Their dog is giving you reasonable cause to fear an attack/injury, and is dangerously out of control. That is an offence under the DDA.

Get some video, go to the police and get them to send someone to speak to the owners, explaining you have already tried to do so.

The local authority have the power now to issue a control order, which can stipulate any number of conditions/requirements regarding the management/control of the dog.

I would push for the dog not being unsupervised in the shared access, front garden area, nor taken through it without being on a lead AND muzzled - thats reasonable.

Can you put up a fence between your front gardens?

Essentially, the dog is preventing you from the quiet enjoyment of your property to which you are entitled. It's also out of control on your property, which is illegal.

I love dogs, but I'd be apeshit if someone let theirs run amok on my property and it displayed territorial behaviour where I lived.

I'd probably repeatedly respond to any event by contacting any and all relevant authorities until someone stepped in. Police/Council/Landlord, etc. I would also be looking into what legal means you have of defending yourself or your kid in the event that the dog tries to enter your home or attacks you. (While I personally would never wish to harm an animal, I have noticed that dog walkers in my area suddenly became much more conscientious about keeping their dogs on leads when they were given notice that some of the local farmers were prepared to shoot any dog that strayed near their flocks)

Do you have legal cover on any of your insurance policies? A formal letter outlining the consequences of allowing their dog to stray out of control onto other properties may encourage them to move their dog to the back garden.

Speak to you NDN and your LL. Say they need to deal with it in 1 week. If they don't then dog warden and police.

And although it may feel a bit mean to take a hard line approach to their dog's behaviour on your property, you are doing them and the dog a favour by dealing with it. If it scares passers by or delivery people, one of them might take matters into their own hands.

There are two separate houses in my village who allow large breed guard-type dogs to roam in their front garden where they lunge, bark and frighten people passing on the pavement, so that kids are frightened into the roads. The dogs aren't actually leaving the property, but people still got upset and made threats.

If you feel that threatened when you leave your home then 111 is your point of call unless you’re in immediate danger then 999. All councils should have a dog warden try to find their number through a google search or contact your council directly for advice. Sounds like they have no idea what they’re doing and the dog would be put down for their neglect if it hurt someone. I’ve had ‘dangerous’ breeds all my life (gsd isn’t bred to be dangerous like any dog just intimidating due to size) and not one of them has behaved like this, it isn’t the dogs fault it’s the owner that makes a bad dog

I am not sure of the exact details but I thought the law surrounding dogs changed a few years ago and they had to be contained within a property and pose no threat (either real or imagined) to someone entering the boundaries of that property..

My relationship with the neighbours is terrible as they’ve constantly tested my patience with the dog and other noise/mess etc. I’m one incident away from screaming in their faces if I’m honest. I wouldn’t but that’s what I feel like doing! The stuff I’ve put up with is unbelievable and would break most people. Thank you for all the advice! I never thought about recording it but I do have CCTV so have some footage of the dog trespassing/urinating etc. I’m going to get one of those cheap GoPro type things and strap it to me every time the dog’s outside then forward the footage to my LL. Unfortunately the dog wasn’t in the neighbours house when I viewed mine, if I did hear or see it then I definitely wouldn’t have taken this house! Got a good few years in this one yet so it’s a case of who leaves first now. There’s been a lot of noisy new developments in the area so hoping they’ll move on as they hate noise if it’s not coming from themselves I’ll update if any action is taken or god forbid any incidents happen

What a nightmare. I find GDSs pretty scary and wouldn't tolerate one taking an interest in my toddler.

I agree with the PP who says call 101 every single time. If you feel that you're in danger, then 999 - a handful of children are killed by dogs every year. Film every time.

Good luck.

They’re very petty too. Since yesterday’s incident they’ve been letting the dog run up and down their stairs barking which makes horrendous noise. I got woken up by banging on my wall at 6am and now one of them has just rang their own doorbell?? Presumably to wake me up but was definitely them as there’s no one about outside on the CCTV. It’s hideously loud and sounds like an ice cream van. I’ve never met such passive aggressive people. It’s a bit crazy to go outside and ring your own doorbell to annoy a neighbour I think these people are beyond approachable

Can you move? I would contact your Landlord but for the safety of your child I think you need to move. Sounds horrendous.

The bark is highly aggressive and verging on scary for my child.

This may not be aggressive (not trying to minimise your fears, but to reassure!). There is an old saying that a barking dog won't bite. Barking isn't usually a sign of aggression, but used as a warning or alarm, a greeting, an expression of excitement, an invitation to play etc.

A dog that is intending to attack will sometimes give a low, guttural, bark but it will more usually growl or snarl. Body language is also a good indication of a dog's intention: aggression is indicated by a dog going low ready to leap or lunge, and in a prick-eared breed like the GSD, the ears are likely to incline backwards - ears forwards are a sign of interest and curiosity.

My late mother, who was something of a dog whisperer and knew more about dogs than anyone I've ever known, always used to say that if they're not showing teeth, they're very unlikely to bite.

She also taught me the dangerous dog drill: stand sideways on to the dog, fold your arms and don't make eye contact with it.

I complained to the council about a year ago but there’s not much they can do since they own.

I'd try again. Councils are required to have a dog warden, to deal with strays etc. As your front garden is shared, it counts as public and they have a duty to deal with out-of-control, dangerous dogs in a public place. From their response, it sounds as though they were treating it as a noise nuisance matter.

Make sure you explain that it's an aggressive, out of control dog in a public place.

If they still won't get involved, then report to the police.

If it was me, I'd work on befriending the dog but this would be difficult to do without the co-operation of the owner and it sounds as though things have gone too far for that.

I feel sorry for the dog, but the owners are plainly arseholes.

Out of interest, how does the postman manage to deliver the mail? They can refuse to do deliveries if there's a dangerous dog loose, and then you have to go to the post office to pick up your post.

The one advantage to renting is that you can move easily. They own their own home and sound unlikely to change. I'd start house hunting in your position.

The usual Royal Mail guy seems used to the dog and they have an outdoor letterbox so he doesn’t have to go near the door. But there have been occasions when there’s been different postmen and they posted both our letters in my door and legged it! The dog scratches and jumps at their door even when there’s people just walking down the public pavement. There’s quite a wide gap between their front door and the wall/pavement too so it’s clearly feeling very threatened by the smallest things. Or it’s been trained to be that way for ‘protection’. You can see it snarling through the glass it definitely shows it’s teeth

Just call the police. You have clearly spoken to the owners who seem intent on doing nothing about it. It is an offence for a dog to be out of control (which includes putting you in fear of an attack) in a private place (this includes your own property where it had no permission to be and their own property where it does have permission, the latter due to a change in the law a few years back). At the very least, they will have a word with the owners. Then call to complain about every single incident. The police have to take this seriously as they won’t want a hint of liability if they don’t and the dog does attack your daughter.

I would report to police. Maybe they can then put some restrictions on the neighbour. Such dog only free roaming in back garden and muzzled and leashed in front

Im not sure how it works but police are a good start

Tbf if it doesnt get sorted id move but i know its not easy to.just up and go

Sounds dreadful. Since they own their place, your options are limited. I'd move.

This sounds horrible for you. Video evidence is a good call.

Report to the landlord in writing. This dog is preventing you from having quiet enjoyment of your rental house. Also report to the police - they will see what the dog is like when they visit...

Are there any common spaces in the building? Check the freehold? Do you have a good relationship with your LL?

A GoPro to forward footage to your landlord is an excellent idea!

To be honest, the reason for the behaviour is irrelevant.
The dog is behaving dangerously.

To pick up on some of the points made by lakielady not all dogs warn.

Some of the most dangerous dogs who are absolutely intent on doing damage are silent and don’t show teeth, growl, snarl, nothing.

My own dog is a good example of this, she has dog aggression issues and her ears remain pricked forward and while she does sometimes give lip curls/growls she often is silent.
She tends to ‘posture’ instead.

The point I am trying to make is that any unknown dog should be treated with suspicion, especially so if it appears tense or ‘unfriendly’ in any way.
They all have the potential to bite.

If its behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable then it’s intentions are probably not great.

They're really lucky you're the nice sort who won't decide to sort the dog yourself.

You need to speak to the police every time an incident happens. You cannot wait for the dog to hurt someone! I feel awful for you op, you should be able to feel safe in your own home.
So sad for the dog too.