monkeytrunks Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Hi All. I have a bit of a situation I need some different perspectives on please! I have two dogs - a male Bullmastiff and a female Dobermann. We (me, Hubby and two kids) have lived in this house for six years and over this time have had the occasional problem with one neighbours kids teasing our dogs. We have in the past spoken with these neighbours to sort it and the problem was intermittent enough that it wasn't too much of an issue. However the kids are getting older and their behaviour more anti-social. The teasing behaviour is becoming more common and the Father has become abusive towards us. This culminated a few weeks ago with me taking photos of his kid hanging over the fence (they always say "it wasn't us" so I was getting proof) and when he told his Dad the Dad got up on the dividing fence and threatened violence against us. He spat on the Bullmastiff and tried to punch him when the dog kept jumping up on the fence towards him. Now we have a restraining order against him but the problem still remains. I think they (including the Father) now slyly bang the fence every now and then to get the Bullmastiff to bark. My problem is the Bullmastiff jumps on the fence when this happens and he is sure to damage it. The fence has been protected from him a bit by a second shorter fence we have put up previously but this also sort of encourages the neighbours behaviour 'cause they know he can't get at them if they hang over! I have no idea why they want to tease a dog big enough that could break through the fence given enough motivation - it is not in that good a condition! Clearly we are planning to sell and move, but this is going to take some time so what advice do you all have for the mean time? The dogs are outside dogs (I am allergic to one and my daughter the other - go figure) but the only way I can see to diffuse the situation is to treat the neighbours like dogs and make sure they don't get a reward for bad behaviour - make sure the Bullmastiff is kept somewhere they cannot tease him and this may be inside somehow. The Bullmastiff seems to really want to get them - or at least acts very convincingly that he does - and this is another worry. His temperament has not changed towards us or our visitors (he had a visit to school the other day and behaved like the prefect gentleman with the kids and Mums) but he seems more sensitive and aggressive in reaction to the noises next door and I cannot help but be concerned for what could happen if this continues. I am not concerned about the Dobe at this time as the Bullmastiff is very protective as his role as the "defender" of the property and does not let her get involved. What do you all think (besides "glad it's not me" ) I can do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Difficult situation. Firstly I would contact dog control in your town and make sure they know what the situation is (include photos). Nope, this probably won't help if the worst happened but if the neighbours start make complaints about the 'savage dogs next door' it could well help DC sort out what is actually going on. Secondly - is there somewhere you can confine the dogs somewhere out of sight of that fence line, at least when you're not home/actually outside. I'm thinking of somewhere along the opposite side of the house or something like that. Thirdly - yes I am glad it's not me, we only have to put up with the neighbour's young GSD cross type which is constantly lunging and barking at the fence line at either us or our dogs (doesn't try to jump) and rushing at people using the walkway on the opposite side of their property. Gotta love neighbours - 'cause you're not allowed to kill them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Aren't neighbours wonderful beings. The unfortunate things is if your dog hurts them you will be in big trouble. If only you could run an electric fence along the inside of the fence, just below the top to stop your dog jumping up. One designed to keep bulls in which connects to the mains would be best. Place it high enough so when the children learn over next time they get more than they bargained for. Be sure to film it! But probably the only legal thing you could do is place security cameras facing the fence. Make a big deal of putting them up, make sure the neighbours see you adjusting them so they are "just right". That may deter them. Another idea could be to approach the children's school and see if they could run a course on how to behave around dogs. Good luck. Been in that situation and chose to sell up and move to the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeytrunks Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Thanks for the advice. I have rung the Ranger on a previous occasion and they weren't particularly helpful. Their opinion was that if I am aware of my dog barking the onus is on me to do something about it. If someone is teasing my dogs I need to contact the Police. I have done this on occasion to have some kind of official record that the teasing has been happening. Not much that can be done from there though. I keep a diary of the teasing too so that if someone does complain I can say to the Ranger I am doing all I can do on my side of the fence, but I cannot control the Neighbour deliberately making them bark! I just don't get how they get their jollies out of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyGB Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Wow what a horrible situation to be in Is it at all possible to keep the dogs well away from that fence line? I don't mean to create unnecessary worry but if it's gotten to the point of restraining orders all I can think is that snail bait/poison meat etc could be thrown over the fence by the neighbours I know there are allergy issues but until you can move house is there any way of keeping the dogs inside?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel964 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Friggin, what a dreadful situation! Not sure what your financial situation is like or what it would cost but I would get a professional in to get a video setup so you get proof of the people hanging over the fence (without them knowing it), have sound so when they bang the fence, and yell at the dogs it is caught on camera. Not sure what the retraining order is against them but I know a breach of that is a criminal offence. So if they are stupid enough to continue this shocking behaviour then I hope you get the evidence and they have a criminal record and are prosecuted. I am so glad you are moving, because its just not good on any level to be living next to awful people like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeytrunks Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 We got the Violence Restraining Order against the Father mainly because we were concerned he could bait one of the dogs. I said as much in court. We are sure the only thing that stopped the Father jumping the fence and thumping my Husband was the fact the Bullmastiff kept jumping up at him. I know you can never say a dog will "attack" someone to defend you unless he has been trained to do so but my dog gave a pretty good impression of it! He wasn't letting him over. My Daughters witnessed the event and they feel safe thinking that the Bullmastiff won't let him over - whatever the reality may or may not be. I don't think the Father would bait the dog though - if it happened it would be pretty obvious who it was. I think they will be more sly, teasing them when we are not here. I will have to just leave him inside, and leave the Dobe out. Not the best situation, but if there is no dog at all I just would not trust that the kids would not come over the fence. I think we will have to get a camera. At least then we will have proof. We are not in the best financial situation - especially as the real estate market for selling here is not especially good. But you gotta do what you gotta do! This street is the best though! Everyone is lovely and the kids can walk to school, but we got saddled with the problem neighbour who is not going anywhere and who makes it crap for everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mish13 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 It may not be feasible but would it be possible to rent your house out and you rent elsewhere until the property market picks up? I would be to worried for my dogs safety to stay living next door to people like that. Good luck with what ever you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris the Rebel Wolf Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I'm sorry you have to deal with such an awful situation. I would continue to get in contact with the police. Mention specifically that you have the order, and yet you have photos of the kids hanging over the fence, and that you are worried because the father and possible kids are purposefully taunting the dog. Think about mentioning that you are worried about their safety as well since they are antagonizing your dog and hanging over the fence - two bad combinations. Also mention you're worried about him being baited. Also well worth reinforcing some training with your dogs not to accept food from anyone but the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Surely it is a term of the order against the father that he is not allowed to incite others to harass you etc? If the kids are hanging over the fence then I'd be calling the police and discussing with them whether he is in breach. I'd buy some mature and fast growing bamboo and put that between the fences and I'd also be splitting the yard so the dogs cannot get near the fence - and they cannot throw something far enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 We have had issues with the neighbours - we fenced off that side of the yard so our dogs could not get near the fence (really annoying that your dogs can't use all their yard but necessary). And then trained the dogs to ignore the idiots - the dogs were already trained to eat only if given a release word. And yes they tried to throw food to the dogs most of which fell into the no go area and the dogs were terrific made no effort to get in to eat it or eat anything that made it to their area. When they stopped getting a response from us and our dogs they stopped bothering to cause issues - no doubt found someone else that was better sport. Morons like this pester you because you react and unfortunately moving does not ensure you won't end up living next to idiots - they may just be other idiots. Goodluck at finding a solution you can live with - shame that some people need to make other peoples life hell but our society seems to reward the behaviour so its not likely to stop anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeytrunks Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Surely it is a term of the order against the father that he is not allowed to incite others to harass you etc? If the kids are hanging over the fence then I'd be calling the police and discussing with them whether he is in breach. I'd buy some mature and fast growing bamboo and put that between the fences and I'd also be splitting the yard so the dogs cannot get near the fence - and they cannot throw something far enough. You are right about the order. The kids in the past have hung over the fence, but now what they do is just rattle the top of it or bang on it from their side - at least that is what is happening while I am home. It may even be the Father doing it. It is hard to explain but it is like they bang it every now and then - just once not to make it obvious they are doing it so I can't ring the Police and complain if you know what I mean. They would just say they were doing something on their side and accidently hit the fence. Lets just say that as soon as I brought the dog inside all of the noise stopped. I will speak to the Officer I dealt with on Monday though to see what I can do. I am going to get a camera to catch them and in the meantime I am going to have a word to my other neighbours. I may be able to get them to ring the Police every time they hear the dog barking and that may help my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 (edited) We have put a fence down the middle of the yard so our dogs can't go near one of the side fence because the visiting kids were throwing stones at the dogs - the dogs were starting to react when anyone was in the yard. We can now choose when the dogs have access to that side of the yard ... and it allows us to spray the lawn with weed killer without the dogs having access to it. We are now having issues with the neighbours on the other side (lets just say years of alcohol abuse is catching up with him) so we have double paled the timber fence, put a no-bark collar on our dog (to record how often he barks) and are now considering setting up surveillance cameras to monitor the situation. I know it is a pain but removing your dog from the situation is probably best ... Edited July 9, 2011 by Tilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burkes Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I had the same problem with my neighbours kids, fortunately no crazy dad. They were banging on the fence, throwing things over and constantly shouting at and teasing my dogs. My own two dogs didn't get all too fussed by it but as I foster I was very concerned about the potential reactions of new foster dogs. I started filming and taking photos of them very obviously. In fact, I even caught on film a large rock (tennis ball sized) being thrown over the fence and hitting my poor 10yr old Rotty on the head. I built a chicken wire internal fence so the dogs couldn't get near the fence. I had shouted at them a few times but it wasn't till I spoke to them like normal people and told them they were really frightening the dogs that they finally stopped. Can you extend the fence in anyway so they can't hang over it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Oh what a horrible situation for you to be in. I really feel for you. We had some awful/ scary neighbours a few years ago. I was afraid to go in my backyard with my toddler at times because of one drug-affected abusive person who lived there. One thing that helped us was creating a higher fence-line. We didn't touch the actual fence as we would have needed their consent. We concreted posts into the ground and attached timber privacy screens to the top just inside our side of the fence. Our fence went from being 1.7m high to being 2.3m high. As you have already created an inner fence maybe you could add some height to help deter your neighbours from being able to lean/see over? They sound like the sort of idiots who enjoy seeing the effect they are having. That doesn't stop them banging on the fence though.... I was lucky, our awful neighbours moved. The privacy fence stayed (nice plants growing against it). Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keetamouse Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I would put the hose on them when they do it when you are home, this weather they wouldn't be happy and it might deter them. Maree CPR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 what an awful situation to be in. I know this isn't the best solution but what about buying a small portable electric fence controller, you can run them with D cell batteries and set it up a few feet inside you boundary fence. Once the dogs get zapped they will keep clear of it. It doesn't seem fair punishing the dogs like this for something that probably isn't their fault but if it keeps them away from the fence it might still be worthwhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirate Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 We have been in that situation and know how hard it is. We ended up selling and moving because of the nieghbour reporting the dogs all the time. We got to the stage where the dogs were left inside when we went out because of the threats. We came home from work and found the side fence had been pulled down, he was always calling the dogs names trying toget them to leave the property. The annoying thing was that he had 2 little terriers that were unregistered and barked all the time and then tried to blame our dogs for barking even when they werent home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I would put the hose on them when they do it when you are home, this weather they wouldn't be happy and it might deter them. Was the hose for the kids, or the dogs? I assume it's past the point where you could invite the kids to take a walk with you and your dogs sometime to start building something other than malice. I once had neighbour kids who teased cause they were afraid of my dogs and didn't know how to handle their fear. They were fine after they met the dogs and played a few games of fetch. But it sounds like the father is the real problem . . . and the situation is pretty far gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracdog Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 We had a similar situation and ended up planting boganvillia all along the fence but they where hanging ovet their veranda teasing them so I planted a mature thorny lemon tree at that spot. One or 2 pricks from it and they stopped trying. They tried to put a complaint to council about the tree but got nowhere as the tree is inside my boundry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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