Neighbours send rottweiler out when my asd child plays!

[cookiesandmilk]

I really have to encourage my child to go outside. But just recently he has been going out more. Just it concerns me that nearly everytime I hear the neighbours open their back door they send the dog out which constantly barks at my child. They make no attempt to stop it and my child gets scared. I don't know why they do it as my son isn't particularly loud outside, possibly quieter than the average child. He just does do a lot of stimming with his arms. When I go outside on my own they don't send the dog out. What could I do to stop my son being scared. I also daren't approach the neighbours as they aren't the approachable type!

You could now invite their son over on a playdate. That will break the ice, show them that you're well disposed towards them. Then you can start asking about keeping the dog quiet. .

@Jux
Brilliant idea👍🏼

I can't really invite the child with social distancing and my son is asthmatic. I could see him watching me and my son today when I was using a bubble wand so I let lots of bubbles go in his direction to catch too. But then I heard the lady shouting at him. We lasted about five mins in the garden before my boy got too scared from the dog. It would cost quite a lot to fence the garden as it's big.

Can you put a tall fence up? It probably wont stop everything but might help somewhat.
Complain to the neighbours repeatedly

@Wifeofbikerviking have you read the previous posts. OP can’t afford to fence the whole garden

Write a letter to neighbour about the dog. Tell them rotweillers are regarded as large aggressive dog that most people would find frightening let alone a child if it barks when he is in his own garden . Say your child has the right to play in your garden without feeling afraid of their dog. They known to be powerful frightening dogs. Tell them if they don't control it you will complain to police - just constant barking can be an offence. Take recording/video of dog with dates and time to show police.

Op, why aren't you responding to many posters saying you need to speak with your neighbours? That's your only real option here. Not sure what you hope to achieve unless you actually talk to them, which you seem to be avoiding.

Record a lion roar and play it loudly back at the dog?

Christ don't do that, not all dogs run away from things that scare them.

I would put a fence up OP. But just as your son plays on the garden, the dog is entitled to make some noise out there, within reason. If him waving his arms is what triggers the dog, the fence will sort it.

I am planning on telling the neighbours that I will take it further if they don't sort it. I assume they can train it to not bark at my son. Thankyou for all the advice I may temporarily put something to cover the bits where the dog puts his head through the hedge and if after I manage to attempt communication with them it continues I will contact police, council and dog warden. They might make recommendations to them to walk the dog so it isn't so angry and my son would have an opportunity to play in the garden even if it is whilst they are walking it!

Just read the rest of your thread OP, didn't realise that it had tried to get through the hedge before.

Not sure if you're familiar with the dangerous dogs act but you can report a dog under the dda if you have reasonable cause to think it will cause harm. Likely the dog warden will come round and speak to them, ask them to secure their garden, but worth keeping in mind.

Could you buy some cheap screening like rolls of willow or bamboo plus some stakes to peg it to? Fairly fast and cheapish to do and should block the line of sight. Might be worth it as a temporary measure while you work on a better long term solution.

@frostedviolets
My dog throths when she's playing a search game or been for a walk. They look scary to someone who doesn't know them, that's the main reason they're good guard dogs. We joke about how it's a good job she looks too scary to break into the house because she's a bloody wimp and hides behind me when theres a bin on the street!

I know people have accused my girl of being vicious when youll know she's anything but once you get to know her. (One older woman who was dead set against them started buying cooked chicken from the butcher and picked the meat off to feed her through the gate - asked my permission and I told her she cant have cooked bones because they're dangerous)

The talking was dead worth a try, doesn't work for all, it works on mine but she doesn't care what you say so long as you say it in a baby voice lol it's my go to with all dogs, talk to them, let them sniff your hand, dont make eye contact.

OP - just talk (in whatever way you can) to your neighbour! Drop a note in with your number or email, use mime language, whatever it takes.

You live next to each other yet you thinks it's appropriate to bring down the weight of law, authority and charity on what may (or may not be) an 'angry' dog before taking the simplest plan of action. Huh???

@cookiesandmilk

I think they send it out on purpose as they don't tell it to stop barking they are quite anti social people. My son has ear defenders often as he doesn't like loud noises, just it's too hot for them at the moment. The dog is big and barks loudly I doubt he will get used to it. I am not scared so I try and reassure him. My son is scared when it goes up to the hedge as he thinks it is going to get through (it pokes it's head through a bit).

I would be getting a 6ft fence minimum. Probably with spikes on top. No wonder he's petrified.

Again Ia mystified why you would not make a fence a priority when there is a large dog next door that could become reactive to a child stinking and shrieking, it’s an accident waiting to happen and it wouldn’t be the dog or child’s fault.

Encourage child to talk to dog.

Prisonbreak "Teach your child not to fear dogs" Well that's a stupid thing to say given that dogs can be dangerous.

bloodyhellsbellsx "the dog has just as much right to be in it’s garden as your son has." Wrong. The dog has no rights at all.

The neighbour has a right to have a pet providing it breaches no laws, but is responsible for a noise nuisance or any danger that presents to others.

Stinking and shrieking
😆

@LastTrainEast
In the UK all domestic animals have legal rights.

@samtsirch
Stimming!! bloody auto correct 🤭

Dear god they are all out tonight, or rather they are all in.

My dog is triggered by the boy at the back of us, he's 8 - if he hears my dog he goes apeshit shouting at him, sometimes banging on the fence, occasionally throwing things over (6 foot fence).

Because we are not dickheads, if we hear the boy is outside, the dog stays in, end of. On the rare occasion there is a mix up and both are out on their respective sides of the fence, one shouting abuse and one barking like a mentalist, we're straight outside and bring the dog in.

Its as simple as that. The dog owners are in the wrong and OP is right to take it up with them and if necessary take it further. No sausages, play dates or niceties required.

I have a barking dog next door that barks at my children. And we have a tiny garden. We have a tall fence and she just claws at it and barks at the fence instead. I doubt a better physical barrier will make much difference. We have great neighbours who call the dog inside or tell it to stop barking when my children are out. It sounds like you dont have great neighbours OP. I would be squirting the dog's nose with a water bottle or small water pistol to teach it to stop. I wouldnt start an arguement with the neighbours over it, you wont win.

Are there really people out there, who would be so mean as to let their barky dog out, whenever the child who lives next door goes out??
I would really hope not, as that's too awful for words.

Sorry, haven't read all of the posts, but it may be your child causing the dog to bark. There used to be a lady who walked around the streets where I lived and every single dog would bark at her, including my normally quiet dog. I don't know why, but it was something about her that set them off.

I wouldn't engage in a fight with a rottweiler by squirting it etc. I'd be more inclined to chuck a nice meaty bone to the far side of their yard to get it away from the fence. If the neighbours don't like that then they could take their barking dog back inside, same result.

If they are leaving it alone, they need a bloody fence. It’s thoroughly irresponsible, especially if it can get through the hedge (eventually.) It sounds like it’s trying to.