40 replies to this topic

[dobeluvr]

cookie,

I would find out where your property line is and what the code is for fences in your city. Most fences have to be built about 10-12 inches in on YOUR property. If your neighbors are getting too close to YOUR fence then they may be trespassing on to YOUR property. They may have to build their own fence 10-12 inches on to THEIR property to keep little kids fingers from going through YOUR fence. This way there would be a gap between the two fences that would be a safety buffer zone. You might want to contact a lawyer to find out the particulars.

I would be very careful to make sure that I took every precaution after being warned like this. It is the beginning of a paper trail, and it will come back and bite you in the rear if you don't ensure the dogs distance from other people. Again, check with a lawyer who is familiar with property lines, fences and dog ordinances.

If the fence is ON the property line then, again, I would contact a lawyer to see what my options are.

Just an opinion, I am NOT a legal person.

Jane

[Jennymay]

Cookie..
Don't know what kind of neighbourhood you live in, but if I were you...
I'd take a walk over there, and talk to them personally. Really, ask them WHY they called animal control, and tell them there's NO merit to their accusations, and that IF they want to take you to court?? GO FOR IT!!! They don't have a leg to stand on.
1. Like you said, DOGS BARK on occasion...they're protecting their property/loved ones
2. You are being responsible by having a fenced yard.
3. Your dogs are unable to get out of the yard, therefore unable to harm/hurt/injure anyone.
4. They have sticks up their bums.

That sums it up!
~Jen~

[Jennymay]

See, over here?? We put fences RIGHT on the property line. It's there for a reason. AND...IF you put it a foot onto your own property, you LOSE that foot of property to your neighbour after so many years..(like, 7 years, that's it, and the same for alleys)

[Javaluva]

If worse comes to worse, can you put up a minimum 6 foot privacy fence between your property and theirs?

[dobeluvr]

IF you put it a foot onto your own property, you LOSE that foot of property to your neighbour after so many years..(like, 7 years, that's it, and the same for alleys)

It may be the same thing over here, Jen. It might end up being an easement. This is why I would check with a lawyer.

I like Mandy's idea of a privacy fence. I know that I wouldn't appreciate my neighbor's dogs barking at me every time I went into my yard either. I wouldn't feel that they were approachable and I might feel threatened as well. A privacy fence would keep the dogs from being triggered by seeing movement and would be high enough to give the neighbors a sense of security, I would think. No little holes for children's fingers either. I really like that idea!

Jane

[Jennymay]

Yeah, but you know...
We have a 6 foot privacy up, my neighbours put it up last year, because their pit bull WENT through the other one a few years back, and put a hole in BJ's throat, and got stuck with the vet bill. NOW we have a privacy fence, they STILL have the pits, but BJ used to, and now Brody DOES, still bark like a hyena when they're bringing their dogs to their pens in the back of the yard. (They have 2 pits, who are unregistered, henious things...JUST the one, NOT judging the whole breed, mind you)
SO...a privacy fence will probably give them peace of mind, maybe not ears, though....God knows our fence didn't give peace of ears from barking dogs...HAHA

[dobeluvr]

Yeah, but you know...
We have a 6 foot privacy up, my neighbours put it up last year, because their pit bull WENT through the other one a few years back, and put a hole in BJ's throat, and got stuck with the vet bill.  NOW we have a privacy fence, they STILL have the pits, but BJ used to, and now Brody DOES, still bark like a hyena when they're bringing their dogs to their pens in the back of the yard. (They have 2 pits, who are unregistered, henious things...JUST the one, NOT judging the whole breed, mind you)
SO...a privacy fence will probably give them peace of mind, maybe not ears, though....God knows our fence didn't give peace of ears from barking dogs...HAHA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I could see how other dogs barking and being on the other side of the fence would get Brody going. That's really a natural reaction. I was just hoping that the dogs wouldn't bark at humans on the other side of the fence. But maybe it's just wishful thinking!

Really sorry about the incident with BJ. Must have been HORRIBLE! I'm surprised that they allowed the dogs to live after that. Thought they had to be put down when they attacked humans or animals.

Jane

[ella]

I think that a privacy fence is the answer. It's a shame that you will be stuck with paying but the price of a fence will be better then going to court.

Ella

[Jennymay]

Thanks, Jane.
Beej was ok, thanks to my female dobie that I had at the same time, who tended to his wounds while I was at work...
(When I looked him over, I could NOT see anything wrong with him, and had to go to work, he seemed ok, no blood, no nothing...when I came home, gave him a hug, he was "sticky" on his neck, and noticed the bite pierce. My vet told me the only thing that saved him from bleeding out, was the fact that Sasha licked his wound the entire time I was at work...)
My NEIGHBOURS got the bill, though, NOT me...too bad, can't control your dog?? You're going to pay the price.
And no, the darn dog is STILL alive, and even attached my neighbours dog the year after, and almost ripped that dog's paw right off. I was being the "nice" guy, and didn't get the police involved. Wish I had, though, cause the second time with the other dog, the pit would have had to be put down...he's a horribly vicious dog, that has to live in a locked bedroom in the basement. Nice life for a dog, eh??

[dobeluvr]

While the animal control guy was here talking to us in the front yard,
I brought the dogs out and they were very well behaved. My Rott was
kissing all over him. Yeah! real vicious they are!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If your dogs are that friendly it might not be a bad idea to go over to the neighbors and tell them that you understand that while the dogs might look scary that they really are friendly. "Please come over for a minute and meet them. They really are lovers." Then tell them that you will put up a privacy fence to make them feel more secure. I think this may go a long way in making for better neighbor relations. Nothing worse that ill feelings with someone who is in that close proximity to you. <shudder> They may be more likely to approach you directly next time rather than calling animal control! Just a thought.

Jane

[KellyB]

I agree with dobeluvr. However I read your post also. What about doing the meeting of your dogs in a neuteral spot. Somewhere eveyone would feel comfortable with. Some information on both breeds may be good also. Your neighbors may be going on all the wrong info concerning the breeds you have and some good info and meeting the dogs may help.


I was that neighbor one time. However the dog barked from the minute owner left to the minute owner came home from work so I could here this dog barking through the wall from 630am till 530pm. I started spraying it with water whenever I took may childcare kids outside because he didn't like water. The straw that broke my back so to speack is when she left her sliding door open one day so when we were inside I could here it bark I'd take the kids outside and it just ran at the fence barking. So I turned her in about leaving the door open. Military housing your not allowed to just leave your slidding doors open. It was a hot day so she was cooling the outside off with her airconditioner and had very good chance of mice getting in her house. We had talked to a few times before about her dog. Her dog also ran up a snow bank jumped the fence and tried to attack Dakota and Sam. It also got out of her house and ran after one of my childcare kids. So to make a long story shorter. She found it a home on a farm who's new owners are usaually always home.

[oreo5129]

I could see how other dogs barking and being on the other side of the fence would get Brody going.  That's really a natural reaction.  I was just hoping that the dogs wouldn't bark at humans on the other side of the fence.  But maybe it's just wishful thinking!

Really sorry about the incident with BJ.    Must have been HORRIBLE!  I'm surprised that they allowed the dogs to live after that.  Thought they had to be put down when they attacked humans or animals.

Jane

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My Brady barks at everything, including humans and inanimate things. Tables, chairs in our neighbor's yard that weren't there the last time he went out. He barks mostly out of fear, but it's not allowed. I have introduced him to our neighbors, and walked up to the fence by the table and chairs to let him know that it's ok, but....he barks, he comes in.

[jmnodwell]

I've been working with a Weimareiner/Visla mix that barks constantly when out in the yard. As is the same, she barks at everything!!! So when she starts, I wait until she is quiet (you don't want to reinforce the barking by coming out, remember attention is attention) and then she comes in and goes straight to her crate for a while. When she is again calm (you all know the frenzied barking I'm talking about), she can go back out... I found though that having toys out in the yard or playing fetch with her a little bit (I'd go out about every 30 minutes for 5 minutes or so) also helped turn the barking around. She went back home while I was in FL and the family said she was much better... We'll see how much she has reverted when I get her back on Saturday... but will only have her until the end of April. WooHoo!!! Nice dog but just another example of why I prefer Dobes!!!

[Jennymay]

You know, some people, it doesn't matter HOW many times you talk to them, WHAT you say to them, they are just set in their ways, and don't want to listen/understand.
I know this first hand. I do NOT get along with one set of neighbours. (the ones with the pitts) They are just ignorant people, with no regard to anyone or thing else, other than themselves. There is no reasoning with them. I have tried NUMEROUS times, to the point where I will say, "Hey, so&so, how are ya..." And she will look right at me, ignore me, and walk away. That's what I deal with on a daily basis, which is worse in the summer.
Mary, BRODY barks all the time, too. We're slowly but surely breaking him of the habit. And, we do the same, ONCE he starts on his tangint of barking, he goes inside until he's calm, and when he quiets, he can come back out. He's trying, but it's slowly but surely working.
~Jen~

[larissa]

oh my gosh.........................
i do NOT know how you could stand that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you are on YOUR property with YOUR sweet dogs and then your neighbors want to take you to court because YOUR dogs on YOUR property are being dogs?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

THATS SO STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


WHAT THE HECK IS THIS WORLD COMING TO??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


that just........ARGHHHHH!!!! that makes me reaally mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dobeluvr]

Larissa,

why don't you tell us how you really feel?


HAHAHAHA!


Jane

[Pam]

Cookie,

Sounds like you are having your own Court T.V. drama. Keep us (fence?) posted!

[larissa]

I'll keep ya' fenced..I mean posted! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i still think that those neighbors are so incredibly just......AAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh well... there's always some dumb people in the world........but THEY WERE JUST BARKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHAT IS WRONG WITH BARKING?!?!?!?!?!?!
!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?
god........................... ................. ..............
that is just so stupid..................................



sorry......... i just can't get over those neighbors!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[larissa]

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! doG............