Dog Questions

We have a few neighbors whose dogs are constantly loose and another who lets their cats run loose. My front yard is deemed a poo and pee free zone in my book because my kids play more there than the backyard. I actually confronted a lady that pulled over onto my grass and let her dog out to go potty. I came tearing out of the house and told her she was to clean up anything her dog did in my yard. If not I would clean it up and follow her where she was going and drop it off there. She was shocked and yanked her dog in. I saw which house she continued onto and stood in my yard and waved at the neighbor she was visiting. I'm assuming she told my neighbor what had happened but not sure. She hasn't stopped in my yard again thankfully.
So confront the dog walkers. And the other suggestions of talking to the neighbors about the barking dogs are great.

Your "swh" made me smile! Way to put it in perspective! I am a HUGE dog lover...have had 2 dogs for as long as I can remember! LOVE my big babies, but common courtesy does seem to go by the way side sometimes. I don't mind if a dog pees in my yard, it happens, but pooping is another thing...I had a lady who's dog did that while I was standing right there, but she was embarrassed and asked for a bag to put it in immediately.

Honestly, though, since I have 2 of my own, I probably wouldn't notice some extra poop! LOL! As far as the barking, yes, politely ask the neighbors if they know about it...THAT would drive me NUTS! I love having my windows open too and I have a daycare, so barking dogs all day would mean closed windows all day... :(

You shouldn't even consider having to move because of someone's annoying dog...that's not even realistic. haha! Hope this works out ok for you!

Well I once saw a beautiful lawn/garden and right by the sidewalk was a sign that read "I don't pee on your yard. Please don't let your dog pee on mine." I did think the lady was a bit over-the-top but I did respect her sign and made sure my dog did not pee anywhere near her yard! If you did such sign, you may be considered hipocritial since you do have a dog yourself. But eh, whatever.

As for the barking, you'll have to talk to your neighbors. Talk about how you are home all day and hear them barking. Suggest bark collars or "is there anything I can do to help quiet them?" Or say "Sometimes when our dog barks, the key is to say "Quiet, we see" and she stops. Is there anything that your dogs listen to that I can say to them when they're barkking too much? SOmetimes they wake my toddler up." Maybe they have a word or phrase that they obey.

I am so glad I live in the country. No neighbors!

added after your swh: Poop on the lawn is completely uncalled for. A little pee, okay, I know it can happen, boy dogs like to pee 20 times on one 20 minute walk around the neighborhood. When I lived in a neighborhood, I used to wake up and have poop on my lawn fresh in the morning. EWW! My toddler crawled in that grass! I did not allow my dog to poop in it why would I want your dog pooping in it too? It was brand new grass. People should be courteous and carry a plastic baggie in case their dog poops in someone elses yard. My MIL does that - carries around a baggie. Check with your HOA if you are in one and see what rules they have. If you don't kno w for sure who's dog is pooping/peeing on your lawn habitually it may be hard to fix it w/o a fence/sign. Some people just don't have common courtesy. Of course, if you know who it is, you could always get a shovel, go throw the poop from your lawn onto theirs.

I'm with you. I have a 115lb. American Bulldog and her bark is ferocious. She is also trained to stop when we see. She is also very intuitive and doesn't bark unless something is up. If she barks, I pay attention. It's a pet peeve of mine when people let there dogs bark and bark.

Here's what I would do:

Go outside and very authoritatively tell those dogs to Go On. If they can see you, point your finger away and say it. If you are dominant, they should respond. Ive gotten several barkers at different houses to listen to me and obey me.

If that doesn't work, leave a note on their door explaining the incessant barking needs to please stop. You wanted to bring it to their attention before you pursued other avenues. If its not solved, call animal control. They will leave a warning that if they are reported again, there will be a fine. Most people will respond to one of these.

As for the bathroom using, put a small sign in the yard that says this is a yard, not a toilet, thanks for complying...or something more tactful.

I'm not bothered by many things, but irresponsible pet owners is a pet peeve of mine. It's like, know what kind of animal you have. I know I have a dog who is intimidating (but such a sweetie) and I act accordingly. I'd bet money they know their dogs bark, they just don't care because they have no reason to. Give them one.

I'm a dog owner and I also live in a complete "Stepford community" where activities of our dogs are topics at the board meetings.

Do you feel comfortable going up and asking the neighbors if they know their dog may have some issue being outside alone? I have a new, crazy dog that was a stray that I know has anxiety when we are gone. He is ten pounds though and I keep him inside for this reason. My giant dog barks when there are strangers (FedEx, UPS, someone that has no need to be near my home).

Back to my "Stepford community"...we are not allowed to walk on neighbors lawns with our dogs. There are a couple of homes that have creative little signs asking dog owners to stay off. The one across the street is a little wooden, crafty sign in the shape of a squatting dog that says "No Dogs". I think if you are out there in the morning when they are, it is perfectly fine to ask them to not have their dogs pee on the grass.

Ugh. I know how you feel. We have neighborhood dogs that bark a lot too. We trained both our dogs not to bark when they were young and they just don't bark much. Maybe it is their breed. Anyway - I have no solution for you. I once took care of a friend's dog that barked all the time. We lived in Alaska and it was a sled dog. The whole 2 weeks I made it my goal to train this dog not to bark all the time and it worked. By the time they got home their dog was trained. There's not much you can do about the dog poo except say something to that person if you see it happening. You have to be there at the right time which is hard.

If you know the neighbors are non psychos, have a polite conversation, say you work from home, or whatever. If you think they could be lunatics, put an anonymous note in their mailbox. Not rude, just don't say who it's from. People who let their dogs go to the bathroom are very impolite. Stand outside with a spray bottle of water and spray the owner when you catch their dog doing it, and loudly shout NO.
OK just kidding. I would think say something individually as it happens.
I have 2 dogs, we walk them and never do that. They do pee on curb grass - that may be in front of someone's house but is not part of their lawn. And it is considered by law to be public property. I'm not sure if this is what people in your neighborhood are doing or if they're coming up on your actual lawn.

I love dogs too but yea a barking dog would drive me batty. My male schnauzer is a barker, he will bark at everything and especially if he sees you in the other yard. Thats why he is NEVER outside without me. When I let him outside to do his business I stay out with him. If he starts barking at someone for just being in their yard, I have taught him to stop and if he's feeling defiant and doesn't stop, then I pick him up and we go inside. People should be able to be in their own yard and not get barked at, ya know. Now my female schnauzer? she's doesn't bark at anyone at all. Some one could parachute into our yard right in front of her and she won't utter sound. She'll just walk off. ;)
Oh the pooping dog stuff? We have that going on too. There's this 'gentleman' who lets his lab run around the neighborhood pooping wherever he wants. My yard is not fancy, no flowers, no plants, no fountains....I don' t put alot of work into my front yard, we just have grass in the front, but that dosen't mean i want dog poop there either.
When I work my dogs, yea of course my dogs will sniff the ground and they may wander onto someone's yard , they sniff EVERYTHING, but its a walk not a potty break for them.
Good luck, you've gotten good advice.. I know how annoying this is :(

I've seen people put signs on their lawn (just a stake with a sign on it) that say nicely..."No Dogs Please - new grass"...it usually works.

I would write a nice note to your neighbors...just say, "is there anyway you could bring your dogs in during the day? I work from home (say this even if you don't actually have an outside job) and there's a little too much noise.

I've known people who had to put their dogs in a kennel during the day because neighbors complained about barking. This is nothing new. They won't do anything about it until they're forced to.

I understand. We, too, have a GSD. Love her and the breed! :)
We also have a new family in the home behind us. They have a fence. And apparently they also have about 25 small dogs. Ok, well, maybe not 25, but the barking off and on ALL. DAY. LONG. and even after dark (but not usually past 10 pm) makes it seem that way. I thought they had about 2, but my kids said they saw 4. So I'm not really sure. What I KNOW is that they like to sit out on their screened porch overlooking the pool (also all inside the fence) and talk on the phone or to each other while their dogs yip and yap incessantly every time I step outside into my yard. And even when no one is outside.
We have lived here for 6 years and NEVER had a dog barking problem before. The neighbors beside them (also fenced) lived there for 5 years and had 4 large dogs. I never heard them. Ever. Same with our dog. She only barks when someone approaches our house (comes up the sidewalk or pulls into our drive, or walking in our cul-de-sac), and she stops once she has alerted us. You can hear her 50 feet away, but she STOPS. And she doesn't bark at activity at neighbor's houses. She knows it is not her concern, I guess.

Sometimes she yips playing around when our kids are in the pool. But that is an hour in the mid-afternoon here or there kinda thing. These "new" little dogs are going every 20 minutes or so. And to exacerbate it, their barking has spilled over to another neighbors house, whose little dogs are now barking back at them! I rarely heard a peep from them until the "new" ones moved in behind us.

Also, someone in the neighborhood (I am not positive who it is yet) has a tiny dog they walk around the neighborhood without being on a leash, and I have seen him/her coming out of my flower bed after pottying. Yeah...it's tiny poop/pee, but it still is an offense to MY dog--having a stranger go in her territory. And since I saw the woman out walking (I was occupied and unable to go and in say anything to her, to introduce myself or anything), I have driven up at home and seen the dog wandering the yard/cul-de-sac completely unattended.

It will be a sad day if I let my dog out not knowing that hers is in my yard. :( My dog is very friendly, but I have found that generally, small/tiny dogs are super aggressive and tend to instigate. If the little dog does that, it will lose.

I am a huge animal lover. Definitely write your neighbors a nice note letting them know what their dog is doing. If it doesn't work and it is really a problem then you may consider contacting your police department. Where I live they will actually give the owner a warning then a citation they have to pay. That's how it works here. Make sure you give the correct address. As for dogs walking and pottying on your lawn, I also hate that. I try desperately to keep my dog from doing that on our walks but sometimes when you gotta go you gotta go and I always have something with me to clean it up. I don't believe you have to let people's dogs pee and poop on your lawn to be their friend. A sign might help but people that let their dogs do that might not care. How about posting a sign with a little money collection box saying "if your dog goes potty on the grass please contribute to the fund for grass seed." Hmmm, that actually might affect the whole "friend" thing however. ; )

I swear there are a lot of people that do not even seem to hear a barking dog. I'm NOT one of them. I'll be ready to lose my mind from the neighbor's dog barking, and a visiting friend or another neighbor will say 'oh, I hadn't even noticed...' ??? I also agree that it is completely rude to let one's dog poo in another person's yard. Sadly though, I don't have the guts to tell my neighbor her barking dog is very annoying since they are such great neighbors in all other ways, and I have a fire hydrant on my park strip so I'm stuck with brown spots (although it often gets more green than brown - like it's been fertilized ;). I don't get a whole lot of poo though - once a week at most - and I've never 'caught' anyone in the act, or I'd definitely say something. I know they have those cute little signs about respecting your yard, but I don't know if that would work. What about putting up the little signs that you just fertilized or sprayed with poison for bugs or something. ;) That might keep 'em away. As for the barking dog, perhaps mention it in passing if you see the neighbor outside, or maybe drop a polite, anonomous note in their mail box. I too have a dog (B&T Coonhound - quiet one thankfully), and my other neighbor does too, and their dog doesn't bark, but has dug holes along the entire fence line. We have had to board our side up to keep our dog from going in their yard (she's super friendly, and loves other dogs).

Ok, I have a number of things to say on this subject.

Generally there is an easement area at the edge of lawns to the street. For example OURS here is 4 ft. I do not acutally OWN the last four feet of my lawn to the road. So yeah....

I have a gorgeous lawn, I work on landscaping to an OCD degree. However, it doesn't bother me at ALL when a neighbor walks by and their dog pees/poops in my yard. Why? I like neighbors, I LIKE dogs, it's just NICE people enjoying the day, walking the dog, chatting with neighbors. It's just GRASS for heaven's sake.

In fact I don't even really enjoy walking MY dogs anymore cause I'm afraid they might walk on a person's lawn or GOD FORBID squat. Even though I know the spot my dog is walking on is in fact an easement, not even OWNED by the person who lives in the house.

I often wonder why people even LIVE in a suburban setting if they have zero tolerance for their neighbors habits/sounds/smells/dogs/kids etc. Are appearances MORE important then relationships?

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Your neighbors can't actually DO anything about their dogs barking while they're not home.

I'm thinking maybe you'd be better off out in the country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighbourhood

:)

I saw the other day a park here with a sign that said clean up after your dog please and below the sign was a box with a hole in it full of old shopping bags! Maybe you could try that? Or maybe a sign that says this is my yard not a toliet thanks?

As for the dog barking if you call the city they should send out a letter. They don't have to know YOU called all they need to know is that their dogs are annoying.GL!

I've got 2 of my own and they potty in our back yard only. I agree with the suggestions about talking to the neighbors kindly once and making them aware of their dog's behavior and if that doesn't work, you might indeed need to talk to the police. I hate the thought of that and I hope it doesn't come to that but neighbors need to be respectful of each other's privacy and space.

As for the ones that let their dogs use your lawn as a port-a-potty, I personally would keep a high powered water gun near your door and squirt both the dog and owner when you catch them. If the same people continue to do it, make it colored water that will stain their clothes just like they have stained your lawn. And if it still continues, call animal control, as most cities and towns now have ordinances against leaving excrement.