Calling the dog warden - advice?

[anyoneoutthere1]

Hi everyone, not sure if this is the right place but just looking for some advice. Sorry in advance if it's a long post just trying to give some background and also probably venting a little...

We moved to our home nearly 3 years ago and unfortunately haven't been able to let our dog off the lead in the garden since. Our neighbours dogs live outside all the time and our gardens run totally parallel and unfortunately their male dog and ours don't get on at all.

Both dogs are still in tact, we have spoken to 3 vets about getting our dog the snip and all have said that it is likely to make his anxiety worse. He is an anxious boy which leads to reactive aggression to some other dogs.
Their male dog has an aggressive streak, has attempted to attack our dog 4 times in the same field at the bottom of our garden (through a fence so luckily no injuries) and also once in some woodland when he bit our dogs ear and made it bleed. I have witnessed their dog attack another outside our home and have heard from someone else that it's attacked at least one other dog.

We've tried to be reasonable. Our dog is always on a lead in the village/garden/ anywhere that there could be an incident. All we asked of them was to keep their dog on a lead in the one field where incidents keep happening. They agreed, did this for a month and are now back to letting him off again.

They claim that it's our/our dogs fault. Despite the fact that he is always on a lead/unaware of the other dog until he is at the fence trying to attack. Obviously our dog then reacts aggressively back, but he's on a lead and cannot do any damage. Their dog has no recall when he is in this aggressive state. Mine wouldn't either but that's why he is on the lead in the first place!

Their dogs are unattended outside for the majority of the day as the owner is at work. They often have escaped into the field which sometimes has sheep. They have been left for several days whilst the owner goes on holiday with just an elderly neighbour going in to feed and walk them. These dogs are a working, highly intelligent breed who need a lot more exercise than they're getting.

I guess my question is do we just call the dog warden now? Our neighbour has blocked us on social media for locking our access gate into the field. It's our gate they have no right to use it. We had previously let them to be neighbourly but now they're letting the dog off again we don't want them coming through our garden.

It's a serious safety concern for us, I'm pregnant and have a toddler and they're not taking it at all seriously and in fact don't see how their dog is part of the problem. We know our dog is reactive and his anxiety has gotten worse since living here and being hassled by their dog on a daily basis through the fence/at the shared gate. We can't do any training with him in the garden as they're not there to call their dog off and give us space/time to try and work past it.

I guess my question is do we just call the dog warden now? If so what happens?
I hate drama, have tried to keep things civil but I'm seriously concerned for my kids safety and of course my dog.

So sorry for the rambling post and thanks for taking the time to read it!

Your post is a bit confusing - what are you going to be reporting the dog for?

Sorry yes it was a ramble.

Reporting it for the aggression toward our dog and the fact that the owners aren't taking it seriously. We just don't want a situation to occur where either dog or a person gets hurt. And as our neighbour has shut down communication we feel we don't have an option other than to take it through an official channel. Hope that makes a bit more sense.. thanks for replying!

And again should state we know our dog is part of the problem by being reactive. But he's always on a lead, even in the garden, and doesn't instigate the aggression. He's never chased another dog down and attacked like theirs has but yet our dog is apparently the only one at fault. And us as owners apparently. I'm just at a loss at how to work through this without it becoming a massive drama.

I think there are two separate issues here.

If their dog is attacking your dog in public then that's what you need to focus on if you choose to report it (which you should IMO).

But the garden issue - well, they're allowed to have their dog loose in their own garden. If the dog is making a nuisance by barking then it's really the council who deals with that - the dog warden won't be able to do anything about that.

Thank you.

Yes the attacks are in a public space not only through the garden fence.

We have no issues with them being kept outside, that's their choice.
The dogs do cause a nuisance by barking incessantly throughout the day. Which we know is a separate issue and not one that is our main concern. It almost feels petty to consider bringing it up to the council when really we just want to feel safe walking through our village.

Will phone the dog warden tomorrow for some advice.

Unfortunately lots of these departments don't seem to link up in any way!

I think if you're going to report to the dog warden you need to focus on the fact that they have an aggressive dog that's loose in public and that keeps attacking yours.

The garden issue is separate (even though it doesn't feel that way to you) because it's their land and different rules apply.

Yes, dogs must be under control on private property but they're still allowed to have their dogs loose in the garden, so bringing that up to the dog warden wouldn't really make a difference to their processes, if that makes sense.

All makes sense thank you! And thanks for making it through my rambling post.

Their dog isn't a bad dog just has an aggressive streak. He's a real softy with people. I worry that they'll just talk their way out of it and paint us in a bad light.

Our dog goes mental if somebody comes to the door and is very excitable for the first 20 minutes but settles and is friendly just boisterous. Whereas theirs sits nicely and you wouldn't know he has an aggressive streak.

I do have a witness to one of the incidents that would speak to the dog warden if they need evidence...

Will just have to wait and see how it plays out I suppose.

Good luck!

You're doing the right thing in reporting - I wish more people would.

Why don't you just put up an inner fence up so the two dogs can’t get at each other. I’m also not sure if I believe that 3 vets have told you not to castrate.

If your neighbours regularly get into a sheep field, why hasn’t the farmer sorted it?

I would suggest you get in the dog warden to talk to both of you - it sounds like you both have very unsecured dogs and you both need help

@BrightLightTonight current advice is not to castrate an anxious dog as they need the testosterone to build their confidence.

It makes perfect sense to me that three vets would say not to castrate.

I would try and make it so your dogs can’t be alongside eachother. It can’t be nice for either being wound up by another every time they go outside.

Fence in the middle so the dogs can’t see eachother off another part of the the garden for your dog away from the enemy. If the dogs need to be on lead to avoid touching it suggests the fencing isn’t secure.

The outside issue is another one and one you could report for, but the warden can’t do anything about a dog in its own garden. You could only report for being off lead/out of control in a public place.

Thanks for the replies.

Yes 3 vets have told us this. One suggested we could try chemical castration as it only lasts 6 months but due to other health issues wasn't advised at last appointment.
The farmers can't easily see into this field, it runs along the bottom of several of our neighbours gardens. We all just deal with their dogs when we see them in there and put them back in their garden when the neighbours are out. They don't hurt the sheep but it's not responsible dog ownership letting them have free reign of the gardens and a sheep field, especially when they're unattended for so much of the day.

There has been a 6 foot fence put up in the last week. However due to the layout of the gardens there is no way to create a zone for our dog that doesn't involve having to come out and past the neighbours garden. Despite the fencing (which is secure now and wooden so blocks view) we still don't want to let our dog off as the other dog is always there waiting, growling,, jumping and trying to dig under to get to ours. We would love to try and train him to be less sensitive to it but it's difficult when there's nobody in their garden keeping their dog calm/away from the fence. We have spoken to a behaviourist who told us that any negative interactions will just compound the issue so by letting our dog off and being able to jump at the fence/bark back will make the issue worse. Hence the reason he's kept on the lead so we can keep him away from the other dog. He also gets 2-3 decent walks a day for his exercise and lots of playing and interaction in the house.

The real advice I came for was about what the dog warden can/can't do so I appreciate that feedback. We'll keep it strictly to the issues out on walks.
Of course if the dog warden has any suggestions for us we'd welcome them! We're desperate to get this situation resolved for the good of the dogs, it's just very frustrating/disappointing that our neighbour didn't want to work with us and is now refusing contact.

If the dogs next door are sometimes loose in a field with sheep, I would find out who the farmer is and let him know. A word from a landowner who can explain the possible consequences for the dogs should they injure or kill any sheep, or cause the loss of lambs, might be a bit of a wake-up call. The dogs can be shot if the landowner sees them bothering the sheep, and the owner can be jailed.

Honestly I’d move

sounds way to stressful

Can you make separate fenced off enclosure within your own garden for your ddog? Wind chimes and maybe water feature might soften the noise of the bastard ndn ddog barking... Mien start with the council to take action to make it stfu. I know of a family who had to rehome as their yappy fucker yapped all day.. Don't accept it op.

I would be cautious that they don’t turn it around on you if your dog is reactive too. If your dog was quiet and well-behaved I think you would stand a better chance of things going in your favour. I don’t know what you should do, but I would also tread carefully with them.