to ask my neighbour to keep her dog chained up?

[skiingsheep]

I am having a real problem with my neighbour's dog. I'm not sure what breed it is, but it looks like a boxer only wider.

She's had him since he was a puppy and he's always been q lively in the garden - jumping up at the fence and barking etc when we are out.

However, recently, at my ds's 2nd birthday party, he got very excited/angry, crashed into the fence and actually broke the bottom of the panel. There followed a terrifying wait while my dad and dh held the panel against his head, small children were rushed indoors and neighbour came out to bring him in.

When I spoke to neighbour she was obviously embarrassed and said she would try and keep him in, but wasn't prepared to keep him tied up.

We also talked about strengthening the fence, but 1, I don't want to feel like I'm barricading myself in, and 2, I don't want to be always wondering whether he might be able to get through (quite apart from the cost involved).

Then things quietened down for a while as the weather was bad and we weren't going outside. However, now it's nicer we are obviously keen to make the most of the summer. A couple of times we have ventured out, only to run in again because of the dog barking and jumping up. Normally the neighbour brings him in (because I make sure she is there before going out) but I have got to the stage that I am terrified to go into my own garden, wondering if he's going to be there. We can't see over the fence without climbing up, and the one time I did that I came face to face with him!

I'm at my wits end really as I don't know what the solution it. Neighbour says it's cruel to keep him tied up and will make him more aggressive, but I know nothing about dogs and so don't know if this is true. We have got to the stage of considering the police, and are even thinking of moving house a year earlier than planned.

Apologies for such a long post, but this has become a really big issue for me. I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been in a similar position, or who has kept big dogs and knows how to control them.

WE have 2 huge dogs in a domestic setting. They dont actually bark at all or need much space whereas the cocker spaniel does.

Is your neighbour safe to keep dogs? It can't be very nice for the dog, trying to bash down your fence. It's perfectly reasonable of you to expect to be able to go into your garden without fear of attack from a neighbours dog! There's a helpful website called Doglaw, started by a solicitor called Trevor Cooper.

Well done for talking to your neighbour about the problem. I hope you get it sorted out soon.

Thanks again everyone. Well, after feeling confident that the fencing situ would be improved this weekend, we are now on Monday evening and nothing has changed! She had grand plans but nothing seems to have materialised...

Hercules1 - could you describe how you made your fencing dog proof please? We currently have wooden panels between concrete posts. Some are q old, and that's the ones that the dog has got through so obviously they can be replaced but even new ones aren't hugely strong. We were thinking about attaching wire fencing to the concrete posts on our side as an added protection. Do you think that would work? It's q a long stretch, so replacing the whole fence completely would just be too expensive really.

Hellobello - will be checking out that website, thanks!

Ours are standard fences. We just made sure they are secure/stable and tall enough to stop any jumping. Our dogs dont bang against them at all and actually dont have very much access to the fence where it lines against our neighbours as most of the fenc borders the bit that we use and the dogs arent allowed there and we have a large wooden swing thing on the rest.

I really think they should get the dog trained as I dont think it should be invading yoru enjoyment of your garden.

Doodle ... do you live near hemel hempstead per chance?! My mum performs miracles in her hour lessons but really this situ seems to have more than one particular issue (in that the owner would need all sorts of other lessons instead of just stopping the barging)

and yes, I am with you on the teaching of the dopey - some of the stories my mum tells are hilarious!

Unbelievable.

Can you stick a bit of rats poison in a steak or something?

I looked up the Doglaw website so here it is.. It looks as though it may have some helpful information.

I don't think it's a good idea to go round poisoning other peoples dogs . It's a bitterly unkind thing to do.

I agree.

However, I would rather be bitterly unkind to a dog than take any chances with a 2 year old in my own back garden.

Fence update! Neighbour has been out this evening replacing broken panels with strong planks of wood, so am feeling optimistic again.

(ColdPenguin - my dh thinks your suggestion is the way to go, but I'm hoping we can resolve things before we get to that!)