Purley

My neighbours are nice people. The husband told me the other day that he and his wife said 'NO DOGS". Their 18 year old son came home about a month ago with a Rottweiler German Shepherd cross - a girl he knew could not keep it. They said "NO DOGS" but their 14 year old daughter started crying - so they have a dog.

Becuase the parents don't want the dog and if they were truthful, neither do the kids, its outside in the yard 24/7. Every few days, the girl comes out and says "sit, sit, sit" and then goes back in the house again.

I had some friends over the other day. One has two Rotties. He said - "that 40 year old 5 foot fence of yours will not keep that dog in when its full grown. If that dog is kept outside to its own devices, I GUARANTEE that it will become an aggressive, predatory, territorial monster. A dog of those breeds needs a strong master and socializing with a family. When that dog is full grown, it may weigh 100 lbs and if it decides that your yard is it's territory, you will not be safe in your own yard."

This same person had his two Rotties in the house as family pets and one of them killed one of their own cats!

I also have 3 shih-tzus and an old arthritic golden retriever - none of us would be safe.

So - I discussed the problem with my son. He said whatever you say, even though they are really nice, they will take it as a criticism. They might listen to what you say, but they obviously believe that sticking a 4 month old puppy in the backyard with food, water, shelter and lots of toys, is an appropriate way to treat a dog (especially when you didnt want it in the first place). They will get all defensive and when you leave they will say, stupid f**ing broad - what the f does she know?" He said that they can have whatever dog they want and you should just go ahead and build a high chainlink fence.

Anyway, I have people coming to quote me for the fence. I have a huge yard and I intend to leave the wooden fence where it is and build the chainlink fence on my own property.

However, the lady across the back alley has a daycare and the kids are out playing in the back alley all the time. This dog could decide to jump the fence and a full grown rottie shepherd cross could kill a small child.

I just don't know what to do about the bigger problem. My rottie owning friend says I am not overreacting. These people have acquired a smoking gun but all they see is a 4 month old tail wagging puppy!

I am sure that if I talk to them about it, even if they don't get defensive, they cannot see beyond the friendly puppy. I think they may well listen, but the best scenario would be that they think I am overreacting and exaggerating.

They, like lots of people, cannot see that this dog is going to be huge when it's full grown. They also cannot see that they may be the ones who get attacked because this dog will see their back yard as belonging to it - not them!

I LOVE my house and my garden and my pool, but I have seriously talked to my husband about selling up and moving.

I have two questions.

1. What height chainlink fence should I build in order to feel safe?

2. What could I say to the neighbours that they would not resent and that would bring the seriousness of the situation home to them?

Almost Canadian

Liz - we have 2 Rotties and I grew up with GSD (my father was a dog handler)

I totally agree with your friend - Rotties can be fantastic dogs but they are not for the novice owner without lots of guidance from someone more experienced (ie a breeder).

If it was a pure bred Rottie then I would doubt that it could jump or scramble over a 5 ft fence. My father's GSD's could scramble over a 6-7ft wall with not much difficulty (although they were trained to do this).

I don't know what the build of a Rottie/GSD cross would be but I would guess that a fence of 6ft or so is likely to suffice.

Insofar as your friend is concerned - you say they are nice people so why not just explain your concerns to them and go forward depending upon their reaction. If you get the "f off and mind your own" response then you haven't really "lost" anything (if you are thinking of moving anyway) and you may get a "we didn't think of that - thanks for pointing it out to us" response or something between the two.

Do you have dog warden type laws to fall back on or any type of body that you could report your concerns to who might be able to do the "dirty work" for you

yonk

Is there a dog rescue organisation near you? I think you may need to protect your own property but in reality, how they do stuff is up to them and they will take it badly, however sensitive you are.

Try to get an un-involved 3rd party to approach them, hence the dog rescue people?

I used to give advice on neighbour issues all the time and it's very, very difficult.

Alberta_Rose

I wonder if it might be possible to discuss this with an appropriate authority on these matters..... perhaps an animal rescue, or there may even be a Rottweiller rescue, who could go talk to your neighbours, and maybe persuade them to give up the dog? If you want to avoid confrontation between you and the neighbour I suppose you could do it anonymously. Have you discussed it with any other neighbours?

It seems really beyond anything that you should be forced to build a high fence to keep the dog out!

Purley

Well, I did think of the third party, but I thought that might antagonize them even more than me being critical.

I guess I could ask my friend with the Rotties if he could come over for a "visit" and maybe I could introduce him and say he had commented on the size of their dog and take it from there. The trouble with this is - suppose the neighbours aren't home when my friend comes for a "visit".

The fence needs replacing. There is no doubt about that. It's wood and 40 years old and it's falling down. The neighbour has been "fixing" it. But this involves taking the old rotten post down; replacing it with a metal post and putting the old 2 x 4s and fence boards back. That will keep a golden retriever or a shih-tzu in - but not a full grown rottie shepherd cross.

I just have to find an opportunity when I see one of them outside. I WILL talk to them but I want it to happen casually.

I think the husband is scared of big dogs. When we were talking about the puppy last weekend he was telling me how he is more scared of German Shepherd's than Rotties because he was scared by one as a child.

And I can tell - none of them is REALLY interested. The daughter is prepared to go out once a week and tell the dog to sit. The boy takes the dog for a walk once every couple of weeks but the rest of the time it's by itself in the yard.

yonk

It's neglect - my dog rescuing MIL would be having fits if she read this.

I did mean anonymously so as to avoid confrontation. It's a bit like criticising someone for how they bring up their kids, no good comes of it.

iaink

Liz, discuss it with your neighbour. If you bypass them then that relationship will really be damaged. You are right, casual is the best way, at least at first.

It sounds like they dont want the dog, so your friends advice about it becoming a monster might well be exactly the "out" they are looking for to get the point across to their kid that the dog has to go.

Im sure there are rescue organisations who will take it if they cant find a good home themselves, but I have to agree that it sounds like a ticking time bomb. Do something now before its too late, you are a pretty diplomatic person based on your actions here, talk to them nicely, maybe have your friend with the Rotties talk to them, give them the support they need to make the correct decision.

If that doesnt work then there is certainly a cse to be made for having the dog removed by the humaine society, cos walking a dog like every other week is neglect for sure.

Purley

Actually - no. I did phone the Humane Society. They say that "minimum care" is sufficient. If the dog has food and shelter - that is sufficient.

I had two guys come to quote for a chainlink fence. Boy, what a difference. The first guy from the big company - whined the whole time -- oh you have cement around your yard, you have mature landscaping, you have bushes, you will have to cut your perennials down; you will have to pull the wooden fence down and on and on.

The second guy, what a nice guy - he said - we can do it easily. We will bolt the posts to the cement where necessary. I told him about the other guy. He said - yes, I know Tom, he likes the easy ones. Out in a field with nothing growing! He said yours is nothing compared to the one we did last week at Regina Beach. It was in the bush, up and down hills.

I hope he gives me a good quote because I want an excuse to hire him!

The bottom line is - we need a fence. The second guy does wooden fences too and he says it would be more expensive. So, the problem is solved. We get the fence we need. I WILL talk to the neighbours but I will do it when the opportunity arises so it doesn't seem like I am making a big deal of things.

I think he wants to fix the old rotten fence because it's cheaper than a new one. One guy told me between $1,800 and $2,000 for a chainlink fence. Even if the neighbour did it himself it would probably cost over $500 for the materials alone and then he has to slave away out there in the 30 degree weather building it, because my husband works 6 and sometimes 6.5 days a week so he wouldn't be any help.

yonk

I'm a wimp! Good luck.

Purley

Oh - so am I - big time!!

I know that I am afraid that I will go and talk to him and he will say what a friendly puppy it is, and how he is going to get out there next weekend and replace that one fence post.

And I will say - oh OK then!!

When I really SHOULD say - well fine Kim, but I am concerned about the size of your dog when full grown and the fact that it's a combination of two territorial, potentially aggressive dogs and I am afraid that a "fixed up" 40 year old fence will not give me the protection that I feel I need, so I am going to build a chain link fence anyway!

yonk

Deep breath needed for the latter option! Inhale then cease to think and just say it!