Neighbour HATES my dog!

[Canecorsomummy]

Hi everyone!

I’ve lived in my house for over 9 years now, have owned a poodle cross for 8 of those years. April last year I got a Cane Corso puppy, spoke to this certain neighbour informing her, gave her my number and told her if there was any problems with barking etc, especially if I’m not home, then go please let me know so I can resolve it but she has done nothing but cause me problems ever since.

Last year I was taking rubbish to the bins and the CC followed me out and was being fussed over by my neighbour on the other side of my house. 24 hours later the other neighbour put a computer typed letter through my letterbox stating the car park is not a place to walk a dog, it is illegal for her not to be on a lead and if she sees it happening again she is going to report me for having a out of control dog and her being a dangerous breed!! I sent her a text message explaining the law very basically for her and explaining under no circumstances will she be putting notes through my letterbox over something which could be dealt with by an adult conversation.

Well, since April this year she has made numerous reports to RSPCA claiming I’m neglecting her, abusing her and now a report to Social Services claiming I’m not only neglecting my CC, but she is a dangerous breed and I have a young child in my home!

I have absolutely had enough now!! My back door is normally open 24 hours as I have an enclosed garden but I’m petrified to allow the dog to be able to go in and out at her free will because of this neighbour, petrified I’m going to be approached by rspca/police when I’m out walking her ….

I just don’t know what to do now.

Well you only have yourself to blame really, don't you? Of all the hundreds of breeds you could have chosen that don't have a reputation for savaging people, what made you pick this one?

I have no sympathy whatsoever. I hope she continues to make your life very difficult.

Again I think your post is a bit misleading you say you get a puppy, then it’s a rescue you saved from abuse & got at 4 months then it’s well trained enough to be out off leash at only five months?
5 months imo is not long enough training to know the dog it takes months of training and months to gain confidence and trust both the dog and yourself they say at least three months to trust you that’s only one month
I can see why you’re neighbour felt unsafe
they do have a look of a banned breed and online information is confusing regarding is status and it’s likely she thinks it is a banned breed or is likely to become one in the future! Have you told her it’s not? (Yet anyway) laws may change but point out it’s not then get cameras to cover yourself and if you say she’s as she is reported for harassment?
or rspca will know what she is
how from your story and drip feeding it’s hard to tell who’s been unreasonable although it does seem you and your story keeps dripping in order to get sympathy
However I fail to do so in this case, it sounds like you have been irresponsible and I can understand her concerns

@TwigletsAndRadishes the CC doesn’t have a reputation for savaging people

That's my point! It's easy to move a little candle/ sharp knife/ rat poison away. I just can't imagine how you all live together and keep them separated every time you have to leave the room for a moment

No that’s not the same. The person crossing the street away from the big dog is mitigating the risk because they do not know the dog or owner.
You’re like a man saying “why do women have a problem with me walking behind them at night, I’m a really great guy and I’ve never raped anyone”

7- I also don’t leave my dogs together unattended either!

Well that's not normal, is it? Why on earth not?

Given it was used for hunting large game, and also to herd cattle. being a residential dog would not be suitable. Any dog that genetically is made to hunt large game can't be safe. No matter what you try no argue.

Yes. It. Does.

To be honest calling people scum speaks more about yourself than about OP.

Small but hardy breed!

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2024-01-09/two-people-charged-after-cane-corso-dog-attack-that-injured-four

https://dogtime.com/news/138225-cane-corso-dog-attack-child-wales-uk-conwy-anthony-desmond/amp

https://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/west-mercia/news/2023/december/dogs-seized-in-redditch-following-attack-on-woman/

https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/24362036.basingstoke-mans-dog-ordered-destroyed-attack/

small selection from the last 18m

i also agree with @BeardyButton and I have had dog all my life.
as previously no idea why you felt the urge for this EXACT breed when there were hundreds of others more suitable.

I'd be livid if my neighbour got a dog like that. I wouldn't trust their judgement so that would essentially mean that my children would be unable to play in their own garden due to the risk. Anyone who thinks they could stop a dog like than intent on savaging a small child or even an adult is deluded.

100% agree with this. I have dogs myself, have done for years, but there is absolutely no way that I would let my child go anywhere near a CC. No play dates at the owner’s house, no going to the park etc. I don’t know of any friends of mine who feel differently.

Most people are only aware I have a collie because they see us walking. She's super quiet. We'd had her three months before we first heard her bark, we had been beginning to wonder if she could.

She barks if another dog goes for her, or to wake us up/alert us to the fact she needs a poo (and that's only when she has a bad stomach and therefore her regular walks/garden time isn't enough).

Not all dogs are barkers.

Sorry but this comment is absolutely disgusting. Are you normally so judgemental about things that you clearly don't know about? You're classless and your ignorance is dangerous.

@time2changeCharlieBrown yes I acknowledge how the first and only incident would be deemed irresponsible.

My CC has crossed paths with this neighbour, even leashed in over a year. If she leaves her house the same time as me, I will stay in my porch, with my CC sat

Yhe dog can not even peep over the garden fence, the neighbour can only see into my garden from her upstairs windows

My CC is also not a barker.

Nothing about my dogs behaviour while in my enclosed garden is threatening or dangerous

Well, just to reassure you then OP. If you don’t own a dangerous breed of dog, all your neighbour’s claims and reports to the authorities that you do, will never be taken seriously by these officials you fear will intercept you on your walks. She can’t do anything about your well behaved, non aggressive, albeit very large dog that she is scared of.
It’s an irrational fear you have that her reports will come to anything, I suppose similar to her irrational fear of your dogs.

“My back door is normally open 24 hours as I have an enclosed garden but I’m petrified to allow the dog to be able to go in and out at her free will because of this neighbour, ……”

I still don’t understand why you are petrified of letting your dog out into your garden if it is safe and secure within a fence that is high enough and you aren’t afraid your neighbour will harm it. The dog doesn’t bark so isn’t a nuisance. Your neighbour already knew of the dog’s existence and had already threatened to report you at the time you wrote the above words. So what is it you are petrified of, in letting your dog in and out of your own perfectly safe garden?
Is the dog causing a nuisance in some other way? Does it growl at her? Is the garden a health hazard …does it smell of dog poo?
If none of these things then I think there’s no reason to be petrified and no reason why you can’t happily let your dog in and out while you have your door open 24 hours.

A welfare check would be intrusive for sure, if it ever came to that from her reporting, but you have described how you keep your DC safe from the dog. Is there any other reason you have to be worried about a welfare check if your dog isn’t a banned breed?

Have you considered it’s because the child could provoke the dog? At the end of the day they’re animals regardless of breed. You see far too many videos of children poking , climbing, pulling etc. on dogs. It doesn’t mean the OPs dog is inherently violent.

Because the neighbour is harassing her. I had a similar neighbour (well it was a house of 5 grown middle aged men targeting an early 20s woman) and I was scared to leave the house. They hadn’t done anything physical but I felt on edge constantly. It’s mentally taxing because you don’t know what they’ll do next. I thought at one point they’d try to poison my dogs.

As I’ve said above I have a bull breed, he’s 8 now and an absolute diamond. He’s been attacked at least 3 times by off the lead dogs, oddly enough always by yappy toy breeds that owners never have any control over, never once by a big breed. Every time just walking along minding his own business and every time left with sore bites but hasn’t bitten back. If those same ‘acceptable’ dogs bit my DD they’d do some real damage.

@GoFigure235 she doesn’t have any children in her house

Absolutely, there is no way my child would be going anywhere near one of these dogs.

OP, can't you see what you've done? Through your choices, you've imposed the requirement to be vigilant 100% of the time at home (a place that should be safe) on your neighbour.

If I was your neighbour, it would mean things as simple as not being able to let my children wait outside in the morning for me to walk them to school, not allowing them to run ahead to the house when walking home or them not being able to play in the garden while I'm cleaning the kitchen.

She doesn’t have children if you cared to read the thread.

Your neighbour isn’t responsible for resolving your anxieties.

Did you get any sleep last night OP? I see you've been torn in to all night.

This thread is practically hysteria. Absolutely ridiculous that there are either people with such an over the top reaction to something they have such little understanding about! Not a brain cell between them.

And thanks to you, she probably feels she can't have any friends with kids over to play.

These dogs get loose and then they get into neighbours' gardens because they aren't properly secured, and then if they attack someone (adult or child), they don't stand a chance.

What are you thinking, wanting to let this dog out unsupervised in your garden?