AIBU to be angry to be Trespassed by a dog

[anniblue]

First time poster in this name.
See diagram (I don't need reminding!)

We live in house (1) on the end of a cul de sac, intentionally bought due to having noone pass the door given the closeness of front door (2) to the road.
When we viewed in February, checked with agent and developer there was no intention to provide access through the hedge and confirmed as negative.

Before moving in it appears dog walkers have forced a gap in the hedge (3) due to the crap (middle - 4) fence at knee height by the hedge. The fences by the houses are 6ft and great. Understandable to an extent but bloody frustrating as nothing I can do as it's not my land to adjust the fence and the developer seems feckless! We've been tolerant, but in the last week a dog has forced way into our home when we've been trying to go out, and today same dog jumped at the handle and managed to open the door and get in due to a feckless owner being the wrong side of the hedge and dog off lead.

Dog got in, scared the crap out of 2yo, was pushed away by me (also scared crapless) and after what felt like a lifetime, retrieved by owner (end house of the cul-de-sac) who didn't even acknowledge, just walked off.

Maybe I should have the door locked and bolted to prevent, maybe I should spread chilli oil over the (MY) pavement outside to irritate the dogs when they sh*t there and the door to minimise this happening again.

AIBU to report a dog out of control, and put the dogcrap through neighbour's letterbox?

Sorry maybe I am overreacting but this just blows my mind, it's so beyond what most dogs and dog owners would do
I’m not sure it is really.

My dog has very good recall usually, she never approaches people, nor other dogs and I have her leashed near busy roads.

Neither me or my DH drive, usually whenever a car appeared on our drive it was either the dog walker to take the dog for holiday boarding or my dad who would take us all out (dog included) for a drive and something to eat.

Fortunately open cars aren’t a common occurrence when I walk her off leash but once when I was close to my house there was a parked car with an open door on the other side of the road, my dog was beside herself with excitement and raced off and jumped in and sat on the seat so happy to be going for a drive

I was of course, beyond mortified and horrified and extremely apologetic and thank god the driver thought it was absolutely hilarious.

Lol at all the people saying to lock your door. Read the thread! OP was taking rubbish out. She needs to open the door to do that.

Just get some chicken wire and staple it to the fence.

Was it the same dog twice. I thought it was different dogs?

I have a house at the end of a cul de sac for the same reason and tbh I would pay for a fence to be installed in the gap and wait for someone to complain about it. Dog walkers clearly know they shouldn't be forcing their way through the hedge, so block it off. Who is going to complain, really?

Speak to the neighbour, keep your door locked so that your toddler doesn’t escape and either put a fence or hedge on your side of the boundary. If dogs keep entering your garden get a water spray bottle and squirt them from the window, only water though so that you don’t be accused of harming the dog.

@Swaddlemeinplants but you just said it yourself, you were mortified and apologised, and it sounds like it happened once - it was a memorable thing because your dog is usually under good control. The OP is describing something that's happened twice with the same dog! I don't mean that dogs aren't excitable and unpredictable, just that what the OP is describing is a really unusual level of doggy lack of boundaries combined with slackness on the part of the owner.

What about something like this?

www.bestpestcontrol.co.uk/cat-dog-fox--badger-repellers-10-c.asp

Same dog!

Sorry above post was tp @june2007

@WhereverIGoddamnLike

Well done for reading!

As per OP, the hedge was complete and fenced in front. No need any through when we viewed and developer / EA stated no access granted. The deeds and site plan show the same.

but you just said it yourself, you were mortified and apologised, and it sounds like it happened once - it was a memorable thing because your dog is usually under good control
Good point.

The OP is describing something that's happened twice with the same dog! I don't mean that dogs aren't excitable and unpredictable, just that what the OP is describing is a really unusual level of doggy lack of boundaries combined with slackness on the part of the owner
Particularly greedy pig of a dog maybe looking for food?
Or maybe someone who knew the dog used to live there before OP perhaps?
Who knows.
The behaviour of the owner is certainly shocking though.

This is completely unacceptable from the dog owner, they should have the dog on the lead if it's not well trained and under control and that's coming from a dog owner who adores my dog. This is why dog owners/walkers get a bad name!

Definitely second going to talk to the owner once you've calmed down. Quick fix is to lock the door I agree (which you normally do) but it should never have happened in the first place.

Maybe talking to a local MP/councillor may help in the long term with the access issue if you don't want to or can't plant anything in the way.

Hope it doesn't happen again OP and I'm glad the dog didn't harm you or your little one physically!

Whilst I do think the dog owner should keep their dog under control, I'm wondering how secure your front door is if a dog can jump up and operate the handle and actually open the door!

If the developer doesn't care about it, I'd talk to the immediate neighbours at the end, you, and next door and the ones across the cul de sac. Maybe fence the short bit between you unless they are part of the dog crowd who made the holes in the hedge. Who would the dog walkers complain too, there is no access there according to the plans anyway.

@Mamamia456

Only pulled to/lightly latched as in/out sorting recycling.

Sneak out at night and plant a pyracanthus right in the gap. No one will mess with the gap or the thorns.

Fast growing thorny hedge and get it properly laid two years after planting so that it makes a stock fence, that is animal proof. Hawthorn is forgiving, berberis if you really want a deterrent.

Hawthorn is forgiving
Forgiving?!
Have you seen the size of the thorns! 😱
Lethal!

@XingMing @Jamiefraserskilt and others who suggested similar.

I like it. Is pyrawhatsit really that mean?

Hawthorn is fairly slow-growing, berberis is faster.

Can't believe people are actually advising OP to not use her door in case a passing dog decides to visit while she's out at the bins. Not that I have anything constructive to add in the way of advice. Developers can be slippery beasts once they've got your money.

Tell the owner you've been looking on the internet, and didn't realise their dog was worth so much, and you'd be veeeeerrrry tempted to keep it and sell on to raise cash for a new fence if it comes in again!

Yes, pyrawhatsit is mean and thorny, but has a range of wonderful berry colours too.

Of course it's absolutely ridiculous for someone to be letting their dog wander into your house, no one is saying that's normal. But you cant force people to be decent human beings. So you have to think about how you can practically respond to that.

In regards to the door locking. You shouldn't have to lock your door to keep dogs out, or stop people walking in and taking your wallet and car keys, or attacking you. Obviously its them in the wrong, but its sensible to keep your door locked because you cant force people to follow the law. That's why we lock our cars and our houses and have security systems and teach our children about unsafe adults.