Advise please?

Allise

New member
Well, I'm at my wits end...not sure how to handle this and would love some collective Newf.net advise. Our neighbor has acquired a mature intact male boxer. This boxer, who is indeed friendly has seized our lawn as his new potty. I really would prefer not to have Brandy enter our yard uninvited and leave his calling card. Steps I have taken; called-no one answers and left messages to come retrieve their pup, sealed one area of entry off, and today gathered two of his gifts in a plastic bag and left it on their doorknob with a note to please leash their dog...I love dogs but this has really turned into a problem with my getting Olivia to do her buisness in a timely fashion...she will track his path around the yard and lead me to his pile. At 5:15 in the morning and 6 degrees I am not in the mood for tracking... What should my next step be...by the way, never have I received a call back to appologize for the issue and to complicate matters further the owner is a local police officer who, quite frankly should know better! I know you're chuckling..but at this point this is not a laughing matter to me...I await your advise...
 

ladybugnessa

New member
What does Animal Control say? Call them and ask the policy. they are seperate from the police so his big bad badge should not matter.
 

Allise

New member
Animal control is a 30-40 minute drive away...so, by the time he'd get here...well, 20 minutes is the longest I'm aware that he has been lurking in our yard...but, yes I should call and check on the protocol...and it would be "her" big badge...you'd think a woman would be more sensitive...sorry guys...
 
Wow!! If what you have done already hasnt gotten any cooperation from her you may be in a hard spot. I guess as a last resort you could always catch him next time he is in your yard and call Animal Control to come pick him up. Maybe his owner having to pay a fine would make a difference. Not an easy thing to do, especially since you're neighbors, but may be an option if nothing else is working. I hate when people do this. We live in a rural area and have a neighbor that walks his dog in our field and thats where he poops every day. We dont let our own dogs go up there, simply because I prefer to clean only one area. I havent figured out how to handle our neighbor yet either, but at least his dog isnt going in my actual yard. Good Luck

Mary
 

RetPara

New member
spend a few bucks and put a web cam on the yard. send the video to the local animal control with a copy to the neighbors. IF they are coming in the yard or have any control of the dog when he is in your yard it may be trespassing. Forget the 'I want to get along stuf' they have no inclination to and no manners.
 

lola

New member
I'm kind of evil so i'd actually go pick it up and take the time to move it into his backyard where he wouldn't miss it, and just keep piling it up in that pile. Sometimes you can't reason with people..
 

Jeannie

Super Moderator
My husband was dog warden for awhile. The law here is: Animal control does not need to see the dog on your property as long as you are willing to make a statement and go to court if it comes to that. In most cases once a statement is made and a ticket issued the owner will do whatever to keep from going to court.

On another note. My sister had the same problem. For a few weeks she picked up the dog's poop and out it in a bag in a bucket. She dumped on their front door - maggots and all with a note saying to keep their dog out of her yard or she would keep depositing the dog's waste on their porch or patio. It worked.
 

Windancer

New member
I hate dog deals with neighbors,. It CAN get really nasty...going to them poisoning your dog. You could never prove it. It is too bad you can't just knock on their door when they are home and say. "Guys, can we talk about this?" Is this your back yard or front yard? If at all possible put up a fence. One of my daughters just had to do that for this very reason. The neighbor said their dog barked at him in his garage..I am out here where dogs run loose..There have been all kinds of problems...dogs chasing stock thru fences, dogs getting shot...randomly....etc....mine are NEVER loose.
 

Allise

New member
Our property is just under an acre, on a corner lot with stockade fence on one side, and very thick tall privet and spirea hedges on the front and side roads and a lower barberry hedge on the remaining side. There are 3 points of entrance a front driveway (not being used by this dog) and a 2ft. wide break in the hedges and a back driveway. This dog is coming in the later two areas. I have blocked the 2ft. wide area successfully. I really can't nor do I want to put a gate across our back driveway as I would also have to rig something between 3 large white pine trees that fill in between the driveway and the spirea hedging...but, it just might come down to that to keep the peace...thank you all for your suggestions...I value all of them...I thought I might wait until everyone is home and walk Olivia over to take a dump in the middle of their backyard after all its only fair, right???
 

Windancer

New member
They might not care, since their dog runs loose. Actually he may be leaving his calling card for Olivia..so that won't help...Isn't there something you can put on borders to deter dogs ? bad smell or something? There is always an electric wire,,,,,,
 

migrandl

New member
Definitely check with your local dog warden - I'd lay odds there is a leash law on the books. Also, if the dog is loose and coming into your yard to do his business, he could be considered to be running at large, another no-no in many towns. If these neighbors haven't responded to phone calls and "calling cards" left on their doorknob, they never will, and it's time to get the dog warden involved... they don't care about being good neighbors, cuz if they did, you would have gotten a response by now.
 

wrknnwf

Active member
Send a polite but firm certified letter to him. If you get the card back, you'll know he got it. Keep a copy for yourself and one for the warden. At least you'll have proof that you tried. And he should figure out that you mean business if you went to all that trouble.
 

lenovo

New member
Well, it is not right, but as the saying goes pick your battles. I personally think talking to the warden at this point is severe, you might be opening a bee hive. Remember they are your neighbours and unless you or they sell, they will be there.
Things might just turn ugly. Keep trying to knock on their door, leave the poop on their property, leave notes etc. I know it is a pain and it is rude of them, just thank god your not dealing with aggression on the dogs part.
 

CMDRTED

New member
You could try to go to the Police Department when she is working and ask to speak to her. Be police and state your case, and tell her your just trying to resolve it without a hassle.
 

NessaM

New member
You could try to go to the Police Department when she is working and ask to speak to her. Be polite and state your case, and tell her your just trying to resolve it without a hassle.
I favor this approach. Clearly catching them at home isn't working. But I wouldn't attempt to have the conversation at her workplace, because no one likes to have their private life intrude on their work. Showing up at her work place WILL let her know that you are serious in your complaint though - I'd approach her at work and ask her to stop by your house when she finishes her shift, if possible, for coffee and a conversation. Emphasize that you'd REALLY like to speak to her, and soon, if she tries to say she's got something else to do.

Here's my thought on the subject - they probably don't realize how FREQUENTLY he's doing it, and I'm SURE they don't realize the inconvenience and misery it's causing you - because they don't take their dog out to potty on a leash they won't be considering the fact that you DO, nor what that involves. So they are probably thinking that you're just complaining about poop in your yard, which since they are clearly not responsible dog owners no doubt doesn't seem like a big deal to them. I'm betting they've complained to one another about it in the house, "oh our neighbor is being such a b****. What's the big deal?" Not the case, of course, but the first obstacle you have to overcome before things can become constructive between you folks will be their hostility/wish to totally reject your complaint as "whining."

So first things first: establish empathy. Once you've got your captive audience, explain to her that you walk your dog early in the morning in your yard, when it's freakin' cold, and she won't go because this strange dog is invading her territory and the smells are all wrong, and it's making you late for work and causing you to have to stand out in the cold for long periods of time, and in general it's making your mornings miserable. I'd explain the areas that the dog is invading through, and how it's impossible for you to close off your driveways although you DID fix the break in YOUR hedge fence.

I'd remind her about the leash laws in your town, and whatever regulations cover this situation, and the possible consequences - (but couch this gently).

And then to keep the peace I'd throw out some phrases like, "don't want to ruin our good relationship" and "just want to be good neighbors and hope we can work something out" and "didn't really want to involve the dog warden...yet" and "very sorry that this is becoming such an issue for all of us." And then ask her if she's got any thoughts about how the issue can be resolved. Offer up advice/cost analysis about invisible fences and above-ground fences, boundary training techniques etc just to show that you're being constructive about the issue, but make it clear that the issue is HERS to resolve because it is her dog that is wandering onto your property. You might also mention that the testicles are a big portion of why he's roaming, and looking for love in all the wrong places. :)
 
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