neighbours Cane corso and shared open plan communal garden

[cannaecanecorso]

OK hive mind... Some help please!
What would you do?
Our downstairs neighbours have just got a cane corso dog - a very large powerful and potentially aggressive breed if not trained correctly and kept safely. advice says it needs a secure double fenced garden, minimum 6ft. Very high guard instinct. . It is recommended to get a pup from a reputable breeder who will match pups temperament to new owner and circumstances.

Our neighbours have no experience of this breed having only kept small dogs to date, bought from a pals friend, don't know how to train and only have access to our open communal garden supposedly for us all to use. there are 6 families who share this space with low fences, that connect to 4 other gardens with 24 families who use their gardens. lots of trampolines, swings and kids about.

there is no possibility that neighbours can fence off an area with the level of fencing required.
The neighbours allow their other dog unsupervised free reign of our garden and stairwell. they have said they intend this dog to be allowed the same.

i wanted to be informed and now the facts before speaking with neighbours as i know it will not go well.

I have contacted with 3 reputable breeders and asked them for advice. All of them said this is a dangerous situation due to the dog's need to guard and protect. they said with so many "strangers" in what the dog will think of as their space - it is a recipe for disaster. they also said it should NEVER be allowed to roam the communal stairwell. They would never place a pup in this situation as setting it up to fail and is too unsafe for all. They were v concerned that another breeder has allowed a pup to go to this home..

i spoke with a rehoming centre for this breed and they were upset that a dog may well be in a situation where its natural instinct will be activated and the dog may naturally react with aggression. they said they are inundated with calls for support about this breed who has bitten and they are challenging to rehome.

i spoke with th SSPCA and they said to speak with dog warden. dog warden says there is nothing they can do until dog bites or attacks someone.

i dont like the thought of a dog like this out in the garden and stairwell. It is not the best for the dog or any of the other neighbours apart from owners.

this is not about judging a breed but having listened to advice - i dont see how this situation will work but equally feel powerless.

The owners are not the easiest to speak to. i cant pre-empt what exactly they will say but I imagine it will be - "we will keep an eye on him whilst he is out there"

If you were me, what would you do???

I'm glad one of them realises it was a bad idea and would be a stressful environment for the dog. I'm sure if he doesn't convince the wife just yet it won't be long as being used to small dogs she will find it too strong to walk & boisterous indoors before pups 6months.

It's such a shame that these large breed dogs are getting a bad reputation due to unscrupulous breeders fuelled by idiot buyers not considering what the dogs need and whether they can actually provide right home for it. So many end up passed around multiple crap homes, left forgotten outside or PTS young when too much for owner. If lucky get a rescue space but aren't so easy to find suitable homes for 😪Malinois another lovely breed used to rarely meet that have shot up in popularity but need fairly specialised homes.

@ScattyHattie They are beautiful dogs and it is such a shame that they end up passed around without finding the home that is best for them.

I wish they would reach the decision sooner, for the pups sake. It is so unfair on it and others that they think this can work.

@cannaecanecorso

well, that's a hopeful start for you!

Apart from how fair it is on the pup to keep it for a few months & then pass it on (god knows who to??). But bloody hell, ow can you keep a pup for 6 months knowing you'd be selling it on. I'd spend the 6 months crying!

i spoke again with the housing association this morning and asked them what risk assessment they had done in relation to their policy of unsupervised dogs in communal areas. they said they hadnt done one and part of the problem was that they didnt know how to or who would do that for them! i suggested they speak to the dog warden as a starting point!

i also asked what their plans were to ensure i had safe access at all times to stairwell and communal gardens as when i left my flat this morning, the dog was on my floor with no owner. they said they didnt understand what i was asking.

lets see what happens over the weekend and next week re their decision.

If only stupid people bought small dogs. The problem is when these people buy large dogs. It's such a bad combination. I do feel for you and your predicament. It is potentially very dangerous for any small children in the communal garden. I hope you find a solution or your neighbour convinces his wife to see sense and rehome the dog.

OP, ask to see the HA pet policy. Many of them say you can only have an 'uncaged pet' eg a dog if you have access to your own private outdoor space. If they don't have a pet policy ask them why not as it's quite a basic thing,

@cannaecanecorso good for you asking them the difficult questions, they sound utterly clueless and they need to get on top of this ASAP.

Jesus. I have two large breed (similar) dogs myself and next door have a Cane Corso. I'm wary of the Cane Corso, because I have experience in similar dogs.

Well trained, and with family they can be fantastic and so loving. But they are NOT the kind of dog you leave wondering around strangers. That is going to cause an issue.

Is there a community Police Officer who can at least hear you out and attempt to support you? Keep pressure on the HA. Try and put pressure on them, they must have responsibility in this.

Stupid people shouldn't have dogs at all, of any size. Even a small dog running amok can cause a lot of harm and fear - okay it might not kill anyone (although babies and small children are at risk), but it can bite and terrorise and kill other pets.

I've got a Patterdale terrier. I've had dogs all my life, big ones, small ones and this beast is the most aggressive, territorial and difficult dog I've ever owned. And yet people still tell me she's cute, what breed is she, they'd love one like her - does she need much exercise?

Yes, she bloody does, and I wouldn't wish her on my worst enemy. So some people are really just not suited to dogs, full stop.

I’m so pleased that the man sounded like he knew what was involved, but of course the longer they have the dog, the more emotionally connected they become.

Put this in an email so they have it in writing.

My brothers Cane Corso has been trained since she was a puppy. She's very obedient, loves their cats and is friendly, but a bit stand offish if she doesn't know you. They have a big house with a lot of land, I'm not sure how she'd be in a flat though.
Training is the key, they must make sure she obeys them every time.

...and so... the pup has gone!

It has been quite a week!

There was some heated words last weekend over the access to communal gardens.
i was out there last saturday morning and the pup was out, unsupervised. he wasnt near us so i kept myself and the kids on the other side. i know all pups bite of course but the pup bit my youngest quite badly and drew blood. she was sitting on the ground reading, not paying heed to him and he came over friendly but then started to growl and gripped her calf. I struggled to get him off her. the pup weighed about 35 lbs and was 45cms tall (the neighbours had told me that earlier that morning.)
when i went to the neighbours door and asked them to put him in and showed them her leg - the wifes responses was that the dog had a right to be there and we could go to the park if we wanted to be outside. she said she didnt now why i was so het up about the pup and i outlined that it could not be out in the garden, needed secure area and whilst it wasnt such an issue right now, it quickly would need that. she told me where to go. :-)

over the weekend and week, the pup went for their other dog and it was quite badly bitten. it bit a visitors child and another neighbours dog so there was rumblings of growing unhappiness from other flats. when i spoke with them - no-one really knew the breed or its needs. also turns out that the wife had told some of them the pup was a lab mix with a bull terrier so they didnt know it was a cane corso.

The housing association have been useless - they contacted the neighbours despite my express wish that they didnt at this stage and told them i was kicking up a stink over the pup but if they could watch the garden for when i wasnt in it and let the dog out then. That is what the neighbours said they were allowed to do and so all week had done that. i made sure to be out ther as much as possible - i am not being frightened out of my space.

on wednesday this week - the husband decided enough. the pup was biting them alot, was growling at everyone, was attacking their rother dog and had bitten their grandchild. that was the final straw ( not my kid getting bit!)

the breeder they bought it off was not interested and blocked them.
they have given it to someone - a friend of a friend of a friend kinda arrangement. i overheard the handover and i was blamed for it going - ie the only reason they were getting rid was because of a nightmare neighbour who hated dogs. i also heard her say that it was lab mix so they dont know they have a cane corso.

i feel sorry for the pup - it hasnt been trained to date but i know tht can be sorted by a skilled experienced trainer. i fear the dog will not be getting that.

I still want a process wit the housing association as the neighbours are now talking about a great dane, a malamute or a chu chu. none of these will work with communal spaces and unsupervised access

anyhow - the sun is shining and for now, the kids can now race around and play in that space.
thanks for all the advice and support - i really do appreciate it.

At least it's gone! What a relief - but bloody terrible that it bit your DD. the owners clearly had no idea what they'd got themselves into, and were quite prepared to lie to get themselves out again.

Would it be a good idea to round up all the neighbours who were worried about the cane corso puppy, and ask for a meeting with the HA? It's not acceptable these days to just let a dog wander about in common areas with no supervision (it's actually bloody stupid) and the HA needs to clock this.

Sounds awful, good job it's gone but it should have been put down. I would never live in a place with shared garden for this kind of reason, there's always some twat and this is yours, unfortunately. The council's approach is the same one they have to speeding - only AFTER someone is killed in a speeding incident will they consider installing speed cameras.

Poor dog, poor DC.

I hope it has gone to a more suitable home, but I very much doubt it. Sounds like pup has gone to the first person who would take it. Let's hope the new owners keep everyone safe.