'Dangerous dog' next door.

[TotorosOcarina]

I have 2 toy breed dogs, a cat and a kitten.

A family has moved in (hopefully temporarily) next door.

They have a large dog, I don't know what breed it is, kind of a husky type, but a cross I think.

Anyways before she moved in she kept going on about the garden being secure.

We were told her dog had killed 3 cats in her old avenue and 'ripped open' a small dog (who need alot of stitches)

Shes now next door and keeps going on about the back garden and wobbly fence.

I said 'yeah but he can't get through THAT can he?'

and she started sucking her teeth and lauging saying 'I hope not'

She continued by saying she 'daren't take him outof the house any more' and they never leave him unsupervised (which is good i suppose) but I'm really concerned for my animals safety.

It was other people that told us about the attacks/cat deaths not her, but from the dozen or so things she has said about her dog I can believe its true.

I don't know what I'm asking really.

We have a side passage that acesses our garden but leads onto a gate to her garden, meaning that if she ever needs to come down the (constantly locked) side gate she has to open her back garden onto ours maening her dog could get into our garden and house as our back door is always open for the dogs.

I can't keep my poor dogs inside all the time.

Its really upsetting me.

I'm not one of those horrid big dog haters either, I genuinly love dogs but the things she has said and the things people have told me are really ringing alarm bells.

She keeps saying 'it won't hurt your kids' but If it attacks everything else I wouldn't risk it. And I want my animals to be safe just as much!

Poor dog. No wonder he's stroppy if she never takes him out.

Options are limited. Technically she is in breach of the Animal Welfare Act as by law the dog must be able to express normal behaviour - clearly he's not if he is being kept indoors all the time. Practically, the only way of addressing this however is to contact the RSPCA who probably will do sweet FA, or, if they do, and the owner doesn't take steps to provide her pet with appropriate care, will end up taking charge of the dog, either upon threat of legal action whereby the owner will bow to pressure and sign the dog over or by taking said legal action. That will mean one thing and one thing only for the dog - he will undoubtedly be put to "sleep". The RSPCA will not spend time or money on a large breed with behavioural issues but will kill him.

Fir your part, tbh I would be wary of allowing my out into the garden and certainly so if they were unsupervised and would definitely keep my back door shut if I felt that a neighbouring, dog or cat aggressive dog could get in. Secure your fencing and gate, even if you only put an old door against a wobbly fence to support it, sod what it looks like if your pets are at risk. And invest in a litter tray in the meanwhile and keep your cat indoors - not ideal but if it could mean the difference between a live cat and one torn to pieces in the garden then its worth doing.

You could try finding out why the owner isn't getting training for the dog and so on and make some suggestions there. TBH the dog would be better off away from her and in the care of an individual or no kill independent rescue which will rehabilitate him, but these are hard to find.

Those whose pets have suffered because of her - and it IS her, not the dog, SHE is responsible for not training him - have they not taken legal action? These days it seems that the police are more willing to be pro-active about dogs which are dog-aggressive or allowed to be out of control enough to kill a cat. There is of course also civil action which could be taken by the owners of the poor animals concerned. If the harm was recent and you are able to it may be worth seeing if they are willing to take action - it MAY deter the woman from being an utter *** and make her think about getting her dog trained and safeguarding others.

Otherwise, if hers is social housing, a word in the local housing officer's ear may not go amiss.

Please let us know how you get on. I'm involved in rescue and see too many dogs like this one killed or waiting at the gates of rescue pleading for a space before they die, due to idiots like your neighbour. If I can help in any way, I will.

I contavted the housing association and they have no record of any reports against her dog, I'm not sure if the police were contacted.

I'm just really hoping she will go back to her own house after Christams rather than staying, she has the option of either.

Thanks Vall.

I've not even seen the dog! Someone brought another dog round (no idea who it was) and she said 'ours is one of these too'

A dog that attacks or kills a cat isn't dangerous, except to cats, and it is not particularly unusual behaviour for a dog either, especially one with a high prey drive, like a husky. I own two cats and my dogs are absolutely fine with them, they live in perfect harmony. However, if they see a cat in the garden they will chase it (the cats aren't stupid and now avoid our garden, what with dogsa and hens it is all a bit much for them I suspect!) and if they were quick enough to catch a cat, which they are not, they might injure or kill it, I couldn't say, tbh, but it wouldn't be because they are in any way nasty or dangerous, but because they are dogs. My cats are indoor cats and other people's dogs are one of the reasons.

I think you need to speak to your neighbour as to whether she is prepared to take measures to keep her dog secured, which she should. Either by more secure fencing or supervising her dog when it is out or keeping her dog (safely!) tied up. If she won't co-operate then if the dog does get otu and cause a nuisance, you could ring the dog warden. Obviously that doesn't really help your dogs or cats, but it is do-able to supervise your dogs in the garden and you may be able to keep your cats in. Obviously not at all desirable, but it might be best for your pets.

It might also help if you can introduce your dogs to your neighbours in a safe environment so that the dogs already know each other.

Okay Toto, we crossposted - and YOU have suggested that the dog may be a danger to your kids purely because he is dog and cat aggressive.

There is no correlation between the two. Yes he MIGHT be, just as YOUR dogs MIGHT be. But one does not automatically follow the other.

One of my large breed dogs is currently asleep on my bed, curled up with one of our 3 cats whilst my other 2 dogs lay nearby. He's a lovely boy - I foster and am a dog walker/pet sitter and he is wonderfully accepting of other dogs coming into our home.

He really doesn't like other people's children though!

By the same token, there are some dogs at the rescue I help at and scores which I have been involved in rescuing personally which are dog and/or cat aggressive... and who are fantastic with kids, my own included.

It's all down to the individual dog - there is no set pattern.

no, it was because she told me it attacks cats, dogs and any other animals it sees, she said she cannot control it so cannot take it out for walks.

She said 'it shouln't hurt your kids, it will most liky just r them if it gets in, it will go mad if it sees them but it shouln't attack'

Now all those 'shouldn'ts' - wouldn't that worry you?!

*just bark at them

Its the fact she doesn't seem to have a clue what she is on about, leaves the dog in the house all the time, says she cannot control it and think ist 'shouldn't' go for my kids if it gets in (but will tear my dogs to pieces>

then she laughs

You said before that others had told you about the attacks on cats, not your neighbour herself, but that she'd said things that made you believe it was true. Now you're saying she has told you it attacks cats etc?

You also said your neighbour told you 'it won't hurt your kids, but now you're sayiong she actually said 'it shouldn't hurt your kids, it will most likely just r them if it gets in, it will go mad if it sees them but it shouldn't attack', so which is it?

Personally, I wouldn't worry. I would be more worried that the poor dog wasn't getting walked and the woman feels she can't control it and isn't getting help. I would probably buy her a halti and offer to help myself. I would also probably ask if I could take my children round to visit the dog.

This owner is a massive twat. Breeds like that need regular walks. If the dog is too strong for her she shouldn't have it. If I was you, I'd tell her animal welfare knocked for her while she was out,you can't understand why blah blah and whoever reported her is out of order etc. She might be fined or whatever. But you know someone who wants a dog just like hers. Then you take dog to a no kill rescue. That is a simplified version but it does work.Or it can work. Hopefully. If she's not a money grabber

I've had about 6 convos with her and everyone of them has been her tellling me about the dog.

Going on about my dogs being out, my cat on the fence, my kids in the garden.

She has reasurred me the dog wont hurt the kids in one convo and said it shouldn't in another.

In one she says she even puts it on the lead to take it to poo in the garden, but then says if its left in the garden it 'may' ba able to get through the fence.

Its HER thats inconsistant.

A couple of points. I think you need to be very clear in your own mind about what outcomes you are looking for. Firstly, can you establish if your neighbour is going to be permanent? If she's temporary, I'd just grit my teeth, suggest dog training classes and keep an eye on things. Matters become much more serious if she stays.

In that case, I would have a discussion with her, as reasonably as possible, that you are concerned about her dog after what she's said, but you are more than willing to do anything reasonable to work with her to sort out the fencing issue - I am not sure of the rules governing fencing in HA gardens, but if you can go halves with her, or offer to help her put it up, or whatever it takes, this will help to ensure peace of mind for you and your children.

I don't think it is reasonable or possible to guarantee the safety of other people's cats in a dog owner's garden - most cats quickly pick up on the presence of fast, large dogs and are sensible enough to take avoiding action but it is not reasonable to expect her to muzzle or keep the dog on a lead at all times in her own garden, IF the fence is high and secure.

In an attempt to put off cats from our greyhound infested garden, we've got six foot high wooden fencing all the way round, plus on top of that there is a lattice type arrangement for a further two feet, with in many places spiky plants growing out of it. OUr neighbours who are cat owners know we have done everything possible or reasonable but accept we cannot guarantee the safety of their cats if they venture inside.

With regard to the dog's behaviour, why not suggest going out for a joint walk together? A sort of welcome to the neighbourhood? Here is the local park etc. This will give you a good opportunity to make your own judgement about her and the dog. You could also let her know about dog behaviour classes that are happening in your area, local obedience clubs or KC Canine Good Citizen Classes.

Finally, I would go to my Housing/HA office and insist on having my concerns (especially for your children) recorded, noted on the file and investigated. They can't do much about her dog chasing your cats, but they should be aware if you think the dog may be a threat to your or her children. I'd also say that the poor dog is having a miserable time of it, and if you can persuade her to give it up to a reputable local rescue, than so much the better - she does not sound like a committed owner and the dog is suffering as a consequence.

Amazing how true the saying is about "Good fences make good neighbours".

can I ask here about the breed which the OP's neighbour has? My neighbours have three of them and two JR terriers which live in their back yard. The garden is a reasonable size, or it was originally, but before we moved in here they put a fence halfway down the garden, so now there's a paved bit close to the house about 6m by 6m. It has a small shed taking up a bit of space and a (by no means large) kennel in it, and which as far as I can tell the three big dogs pad around in all day, and sleep in the kennel at night.

the JRs have recently been given the rear part of the garden to themselves, which has slightly more vegetation but it's basically a rubble/junk yard.

I haven't seen any of these dogs been taken for a walk in six months since we moved in. The Akita bitch had a litter of pups which seem to have been sold, and at least one of the two terriers was bought from travellers.

I feel awful for those dogs. Should I do/say anything? sorry for thread hijack! but same breed and same non-exercising problem, potentially.