Lady sprayed my dog

[Shyfrog]

My dog is a chihuahua and barks loudly and incessantly at anyone who passes by the fence. It’s not a main road. She’s hard work and I can’t seem to control her. She stops listening to commands when she’s afraid and will run away from me and she runs along the fence to stop me from grabbing her and taking her back in just so she can keep barking. Someone has come with a spray bottle and sprayed something on her face and when they saw me coming they left quickly before I could say anything. She seems ok I’m hoping it was just water. What should I do? I know she’s my problem

Am I the only one who misread this as 'lady spayed my dog'?

Don’t leave her out unsupervised for one. Take her in when she’s barking, keep her in unless she’s on a lead and you’re beside her. Take her to a vet to see if it’s any medical issue causing her issues. If not, book in with a trainer.

Kindly, OP, you’re not doing enough here as her owner. I have dogs myself, my parents have a chihuahua in particular. He’s a barky, snarky little thing - all small dog syndrome. He’s watched when outdoors (mainly because he’s so small, we’re all terrified a bird will swoop off with him 😂) and people who see him are told not to touch him because he’ll snap (won’t do damage, just will give people a fright). He’s actually the cuddliest, sweetest little thing with us, just wants to cuddle. But he’s tiny, and aware of that, so his prey instinct is higher, and he’s always on watch for predators, making him a high needs dog.

You need to be on her 24/7 when she’s not contained within your house

@BoobyDazzler Dogs do bark as people go about their business. There’s always going to be a level of noise in a neighbourhood, so to expect a dog never to bark through a fence is unrealistic. It shouldn’t be incessant though, just with any other neighbourhood noise.

But also, if you see her again, tell her off. If she touches your dog again, you will call authorities. Frankly, I’d be outside her door already but I’m very protective over my dogs

Don’t let your dog in the garden until it’s been trained not to bark.

Does it bark during walks too?

Of course, my own dog could be a bit of a gobshite at times so firstly we worked really hard on training him and secondly isn’t given the opportunity to be! because we’re responsible dog owners.

incessant barking a shows either a failure of training or that you’re the kind of ignorant person who is happy to inflict your shit on everyone else.

This is what I have been doing with my Chihuahua and it is getting better. If you do this make sure the lead is attached to a harness not to their collar - mine runs at a million miles an hour and if it got caught could easily break their neck

Poor thing. It will just be water but understand your worry.

I've got small yappy dogs. It is inbred that small dogs are not necessarily very trainable where big dogs by necessity were bred to be responsive (because it's easier to scoop up and restrain a Chihuahua than a Labrador, for example).

You have to control the situation as much as the dog. Mine have free access to the enclosed backyard. You shouldn't let (most) dogs have access to your front yard or front window as they will get wound up and anxious protecting their territory and that's not pleasant for them. Keep it inside where it can't see people passing and won't get upset and only you will be able to hear any barking since it's small.

My dogs go out into the back garden.
One of them barks at the neighbours,neighbours dogs(who he has known since a puppy) and the bloody wind.
Drives me mad(and probably them!) As soon as he starts I bring him in but hes 9 and been doing this since I can remember.
Might have a look at those bark things someone mentioned upthread.
No advice as already been said

I live next to several chihuahuas. They bark whenever I go outside or make any noise in my back garden. It’s really annoying. If they were let out the front they’d bark all day and I wouldn’t be surprised if other neighbours got annoyed. Please train your dog or keep it inside and walk it more. No one should spray anything on your dog but they’ve clearly had enough

Get a pet protector and press it every time she barks. You don't spray it at them but it makes a sharp hissing sound which usually stops them in their tracks.

https://www.petsathome.com/product/company-of-animals-pet-corrector-spray-30ml/7121012P

Reward them when they are quiet and well-behaved.

Wish they made these for husbands and teenagers also. 😂

Am I the only one who misread this as 'lady spayed my dog'?

No. Me too.

Stop leaving the dog outside unsupervised, it annoys everyone who lives near you .

Well if she’s walking past 15 times a day she is without any doubt a stalker and OP needs to report her to the authorities and depending on how aggressive she looks, spray her with water.

Dogs bark. It’s similar to people talking loudly. And as with people, dogs can be ignored.

I take it you’re ok with me saying OP should get her dog trained.

If your dog has no recall, you shouldn't allow it to roam free. What would happen if it escaped? If you are letting it out to toilet, would the back garden be more appropriate? If your dog barks alot, have you sought help from a behaviourist to work out why? It's probably going to get worse now someone's sprayed it, poor thing must be terrified. Are they OK?

Yeah exactly this…
barking dogs are a complete pain in arse.. but spraying someones dog (or cat or child or property) whilst walking past is completely unacceptable

I don’t let her out the front I let her out the back but there’s a path that runs along it.It isn’t a low down fence or wall just standard but there are gaps between every piece of the fence. I am also sick of her yapping and am ashamed. I know she’s an annoying dog and that she affects everyone and I’m not surprised if anyone is at their wits end.
She is 6 now but she didn’t get much social interaction in the first few years of her life and she certainly doesn’t now as no one can go near her. She will nip and bite if she can I know because she’s done it to me if I try and prevent her from getting to anyone. She also has trauma because of a man that tried to physically harm her two years ago so that doesn’t help. I did train her and she does have recall but she doesn’t listen to anything when she’s afraid. She will try and wiggle out of my arms and claw at me. I don’t think she would let even a trainer near her she can just bark for hours and she’s extremely loud. I sometimes think about having her put down but I’d never hear the end of it.
she can’t go near anyone ever. I will try the pet protector/bark repellent.

Maybe she's a neighbour and is fed up of listening to your incessantly barking dog and has decided to act upon what you clearly have not.
Typing this from my house suffering with a massive migraine and all I can hear is my neighbours barking small dog that has been constant since 7.30am that they have locked outside while they are still in the house

You need to train your dog, she's probably driving your neighbours nuts!

I'm guessing you leave her in the front garden, that needs to stop until you train her not to bark, simply unfair on others

What an unpleasant dog, to phrase it lightly

She may have been trained before but she needs more and continued training.
please do not use bark repellent this will just make her more anxious. You need to train her with positive reinforcement (rewarding her for good behaviour). Any kind of punishment (bark repellent, shouting, spraying with water) will only make her more fearful and reactive.
you could also speak to a vet about anti-anxiety medications that could help her calm down. She’s obviously very anxious and fearful. Please speak to a trainer, for your dogs sake.

Don't feel ashamed, you can sort this out 🙂

I don’t think she would let even a trainer near her she can just bark for hours and she’s extremely loud
A trainer won't be fazed by a loud dog.
Seriously, get some professional help. TBH you don't sound like you'd know how to go about doing it on your own.

Do NOT get one of those if you have an anxious or fear-reactive dog.

I think a spray is the very least she wanted to do. What methods have you tried op? I spent hours /days training my very first ddog (as an adult, had 2 as a dc).. She was incredibly well behaved- indoors anyway!! Subsequent ddogs followed her lead.. Now have 4 very quiet ones. Sadly the older one has been gone 4 years but her legacy and training lives on!! I always think barky ddogs must be stressed and unhappy. Not a slight at you op just in general..