Next door neighbours

[bellamae1]

So a long post my next door neighbour has recently moved in to the house next door and he's got two pit bull cross XL Bullies now these two dogs are already huge! We have a little dachshund, anyway the two dogs have been digging under the fence to get to my dog when he's out in the garden, anyway this morning the two dogs was in my garden running round so went round to next door asked him to get his dogs and can he sort under the fence out he told me they only want to play with my dog, now I've seen these two dogs left fighting with one another in the garden and the noise and the growls from them really don't sound nice at all, I'm just worried if they get into my garden while my dog is out, what can I do to protect my dog in his own garden?

Bloody hell, they've managed to dig an XL Bully sized hole under your fences?! Is the fence strong enough to stand with a hole that big under?

You could try and dog proof from your side if your neighbour isn't going to, would chicken wire or similar dug into the ground work? A bit like you do for a chicken coop to protect from foxes.

There was already a little gap under the fence, the two dogs are in the garden all day every day with little stimulation they
Don't go for walks they have little toys to play with in the garden, so they've dogged out of boredom I've just sent my husband to get some chicken wire to see if that will do but he's admitted that the dogs are not friendly around children so now my children won't be able to enjoy the back garden that we've done for them

Ask your vet if he knows of any local agricultural type fencing experts who can assess your garden and do a professional job. Or try 'the pet forums community' on here. Your fence will have to be set in a concrete trench or these powerful dogs will just dig under chicken wire.
Its going to cost you but its worth it to keep your little dog safe.
https://www.petforums.co.uk/forums/dog-chat.2/

I would be putting in bigger fences and concrete bases I think your poor children and dog can’t enjoy your garden because others irresponsible owenership 😔

I'd try calling various authorities including the police who might well assess his dogs as potentially dangerous. RSPCA about neglect? Do your council have a dog warden? A bit of chicken wire isn't going to sort this. As for keeping your children in because of his dogs! Come on! Call the police, don't be bullied.

Whose fence is it?

Not that I’m saying you should trust two unknown large dogs with yours... but what you’re hearing them doing with each other will be playing. If it looks and sounds like bears wrestling it’s playing, actual fights end with injuries and tend to be pretty quiet.

Not that I’d want two playful large dogs doing that with a dachshund if I had one, just so you know that’s more than likely what you’re hearing.

If it was me, I’d sort the fence myself, stuff whose it is, at least that way it’ll get done.

Owner was perhaps trying to reassure but it's not acceptable and even if all 3 are friendly, playful dogs you'd avoid meeting on home territories as more likely to feel protective and kick off. Failing to keep dog on own property is putting himself at risk of criminal charges under dangerous dogs act as dog not under control along with potential damages claims ( they could just knock you over and break arm). Given people are twats though I'd personally do the work to make sure they couldn't get under or over to protect my own dog.

Bull breeds play is a very noisy rough & tumble style as my mixes would wrestle throwing themselves on ground, mouthing each others body parts and taking turns nicely, all while making a wide range of growls and barks like a faux WWE fight.

I think if they are able to get out of his garden then he doesn’t have them under control. I would be getting advice from dog warden/ community policing team and trying to get that message across amicably because it’s nice not to fall out with neighbours

I'm not excusing the digging but the growling and noise you hear isn't fighting - it's play. It sounds horrendous though!

I know it's hard as they are neighbours but you need fo tell them to control and contain their dogs or you'll have no choice to report to the council or pcso for having out of control dangerous dogs.

I'd be horrified to see to massive out of control dogs in our garden. Yes they play obviously but I bet it won't take much to set them off and a little dog or kids will be just it.

Why don't they walk them? That's is neglect in itself. It sounds like a ticking time bomb op.

Thank you all for the advise we did put the chicken wire up and made sure it was in the ground and it was up for 2 hours that's it they've managed to get it up, I've rang the rspca they are not interested! I will be ringing the dog warden tomorrow, we payed for the fence before they moved in because we own our house and his is a council house, I wonder if I can report him to the council? He says he can't walk them because there's too many small breeds about 🤨!

I would contact the council or housing association. It would be classed as anti social behaviour which they could potentially evict for.

Yes report. If council can't help, ring your local police community support office. They are out of control dogs if they're in your garden.

Be careful with your little dog, there are lots of videos on the internet where pit type dogs have managed to drag a small one through a hole in the fence. It doesn't need to be big enough for them to get under, if your dog goes over out of curiosity while they're at the hole he could be dragged through. I got a second featherboard fence to keep my dogs secure against a connecting garden, if they can see your dog through the fence they'll be less likely to stop.

If you're doing it like a chicken coop it needs to be put in attached to stakes / 2x4s so it can't just be dug up! Or to cemented post? Hope your neighbour is willing to take some sort of responsibility for keeping his dogs in!

I would move house!

Contact the council. Explain what has happened and ask for a risk assessment for your garden. Explain it isn't safe for your dog or child, and you've tried to resolve it but the dogs keep coming through. Explain how terrifying it is to find two huge dogs in your garden and the owner will not do anything. Keep a record of the dates.

I would expect the council to speak to the neighbour as he must be breaching terms of his tenancy agreement. And for them to follow their anti-social behaviour policy.