Annoyed with neighbor's dog...

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

It's a small yappy dog who started getting out of their yard last fall.
The first two times it happened when I went out there it ran back under the fence and I knocked on the door and no one came.
Eventually they figured out that it was getting out from under their fence and they would go out and get it.
A couple weeks ago they had a nice new tall fence installed so I thought ok problem soved... Until you realize that the fence is very uneven at the bottom in order to make the top of it look nice so there's large areas that the dog can get out from.
They do know this is the case since I have seen them going out to get the dog after it has gotten out from under the fence.
It has been happening daily now and most of the time they don't know immediately or by the time they come out it has just gone back under the fence.
Now I'm not afraid of it or anything but I also am NOT a dog person so I'm not going to go trying to get it.
It goes into the road and it wanders around my yard.
I fear that if they don't fix the problem soon it will either get hit by a car, get into a fight with a dog being walked by, or potentially even decide to nip one of my family members on the leg.
If I get bit we're gonna have some serious problems!
Not to mention the possibility of it pooping in my yard and me stepping in it. It has already peed in my yard.
I keep wondering why they don't either have the fence issue fixed, put the dog on a nice long lead in the back yard, or at the very least go out with the dog so if it does run under the fence they can immediately get it.

Doesn't it seem irresponsible for them to let this continue to happen?

**ETA**
We do not share a fence.
They have their own fence on their own property for their backyard.
I have my own fence on my property for my backyard.
Their dog does not come into my fenced backyard.
Their dog comes into my FRONT yard which is not fenced as no one's is fenced in my neighborhood.
Also I do not plan on calling animal control unless the situation escalates. I do not want to "punish" them nor do I want to have an unfriendly neighbor relationship.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I'd be more annoyed with the neighbors rather than the dog. They should take care of it. Maybe you should let them know how often he's getting out and that you are worried since he nearly got hit by a car.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I'd be more annoyed with the neighbors rather than the dog. They should take care of it. Maybe you should let them know how often he's getting out and that you are worried since he nearly got hit by a car.

Yes perhaps a better description... I am annoyed with the people more than the dog but its the dog that's doing the annoying things lol.
I did not say it almost got hit by a car but rather that I fear it will since I have seen it in the road from my window.

 

[doggydoc]

Yes it does seem irresponsible. I realize this shouldn't be your issue and certainly not saying you are wrong to be put out however, a roll of wire garden fencing stapled to the bottom of the fence on your side is pretty cheap, easily installed and would save you a lot of anguish while still maintaining a decent relationship with your neighbor.

Again I agree you shouldn't have to do this but is it worth the stress?

I am speaking from experience. My neighbor had a large vicious dog that would get into my yard and threaten my dogs and even charged at my daughter once. Despite my oath to do no harm it almost didn't make it back out alive. After the third time the police were called an officer took me aside and pointed out that the neighbors didn't care, weren't going to care and a litigious solution would be long and arduous. He politely suggested I put my own fence inside theirs. I was angry about having to go through this(we already had an expensive invisible fence) but I did it. You know what? I have never had to even think about those jerks and their idiot dog since. Best money I ever spent(short of a Disney vacation that is!).

Just give it some thought.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yes it does seem irresponsible. I realize this shouldn't be your issue and certainly not saying you are wrong to be put out however, a roll of wire garden fencing stapled to the bottom of the fence on your side is pretty cheap, easily installed and would save you a lot of anguish while still maintaining a decent relationship with your neighbor.

It's their brand new fence fully on their property.
I have no right to touch it so not doing that.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Ugh! Yes irresponsible, inconsiderate, careless... the list goes on.
Looks like you ll either have to politely explain that the dog keeps escaping their new fence and you do not want it in your yard ( and would prefer them Not coming into Your yard to retrieve it daily , where it (has already defecated) and ... what are they planning to do with the large gaps???
Or keep putting up with the situation until something Does happen.
It's not going to be an easy conversation as it appears they simply don't care...so I'd suggest an attempt at a polite, yet Strong clear message, you want it to stop.
Good luck.. the dog is just doing what dogs do...sadly it's the people

 

[doggydoc]

It's their brand new fence fully on their property.
I have no right to touch it so not doing that.

You could stack paving bricks along the bottom then. You can find an excuse against any suggested solution. Who knows? Maybe you could suggest to they initiate either of those options. They did have a new fence built didn't? They may be as frustrated with the issue as you are and willing to take further action but don't know what to do. Bottomline though if your neighbors don't actively seek a solution why not take a course that doesn't escalate things?

 

[jliehr]

Call your local animal control to report a loose dog, or just go next door and talk to them about it.

 

[mummabear]

It's their brand new fence fully on their property.
I have no right to touch it so not doing that.

Is it not on your property line? Then build one on your property to keep it out-you shouldn't have to, but if the fence is in their property there probably isn't a lot you can do.

Keeping the dog contained is their responsibility though, just call dog patrol.

 

[DisneyOma]

You could stack paving bricks along the bottom then. You can find an excuse against any suggested solution. Who knows? Maybe you could suggest to they initiate either of those options. They did have a new fence built didn't? They may be as frustrated with the issue as you are and willing to take further action but don't know what to do. Bottomline though if your neighbors don't actively seek a solution why not take a course that doesn't escalate things?

If they cant put chicken wire up because it is not on their property, then they can't stack bricks either, can they? Yes, they can suggest the neighbor do so, but it seems the neighbors don't care, so why even think they'd be part of the solution?

OP, get a good nozzle on your garden hose and squirt the dog when you see it come out under the fence or on your property.

 

[Klayfish]

Frankly, I wouldn't care if the fence was fully on their property or not. If they don't have the common courtesy to control their dog, I'm not going to be worried about common courtesy of not touching "their property". I would definitely do the brick/pavers idea to plug up all the "holes". End of problem. If the neighbors then complained, I would make it clear in no uncertain terms that I expect them to solve the problem, or I will.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

If they won't repair the fence or take the proper steps to prevent the dog's unwanted wandering then call animal control. What other option are they leaving you?

 

[mjkacmom]

What did they say when you brought this to their attention?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Okay, so the issue I see is that the fence only touches OP's yard on one side. Even if those holes are plugged, what's to keep the dog from escaping via one of the other sides of the fence?

 

[mamamary]

We were sort of having this problem also. It is not the house that backs up to my yard but the house that backs up to my neighbors yard. Their dog was going under and over the fence. It was getting in my neighbors yard all the time. Then not long after that it would come into my yard but by going under the fence. It came in while my older dog was out and was looking to play. Now I am the biggest dog lover there is but my dog is not in very good physical condition. So now the next day or so I look out and it is pooping in my yard. Ugh. Then maybe the next day it was in my yard again. So now enough is enough. My daughter went all the way around to their house to tell them to come and get their dog. I said to the owner that I did not know if they were aware that their dog was now in my neighbor's yard all the time but now coming into mine. She sorta shrugged and mumbled something.

Maybe the next day the dog is in my yard again but then goes under my fence to my other neighbor's yard. Now that neighbor doesn't have a fence so I now watch the dog go out in front of the house and start walking away. Now since I do love dogs I do not want this dog to get lost or hit by a car so I go out with a leash to try and get the dog. It takes about 15 minutes but then I bring him home to his owner and she didn't even know he was out. About a week later I bring him home again and decide to have a nice conversation with the owner. She says they have tried just about everything to keep the dog in (you'd think they would at least go out into the yard with him since they know he is an escape artist) but they have ordered an electric fencing system that should be set up in a week or so. So in the meantime I block the area of my fence where he is getting in from my other neighbor's yard and that has done the trick. I have seen the owner out with the dog training him with the fence. So I thought that was the end of it but then about two days ago my neighbor told me that dog was in her yard again and when she went out she saw he got into the trash and then threw up all over her deck. So now apparently the electric fence is not working either. Not sure what they will do next but I am at least hoping he doesn't get into my yard anymore. In the meantime like I said I blocked the one area he was getting into my yard with some extra chicken wire and I think a big rock - lol.

 

[doggydoc]

If they cant put chicken wire up because it is not on their property, then they can't stack bricks either, can they? Yes, they can suggest the neighbor do so, but it seems the neighbors don't care, so why even think they'd be part of the solution?

OP, get a good nozzle on your garden hose and squirt the dog when you see it come out under the fence or on your property.

Why can they not stack bricks on their own property? Excuse me for trying to offer a civil solution. It is obvious you would much rather OP find a reason to be angry and uncivil. I will take my neighborly and reasonable advice elsewhere so you can continue to offer various schemes to punish the pet and escalate the situation further

 

[weeniecat2442]

Have you had a conversation with the owners? I'd go over there and even exaggerate a bit and tell them that you just grabbed their dog in the nick of time before he was hit by a car and give them some suggestions that you got here on how to prevent him getting out from under the fence. Also throw in that if it continues to happen you will have to call animal control bc you can't keep saving their dog.

 

[MIGrandma]

I totally understand your frustration, and if you're like me you don't want to confront them about it. We live on a farm in the country, and our closest neighbor across the road has a medium-size black dog that is mostly inside the house, but when it's outside (if they or their kids are out most of the time) they do not put it on a leash/lead and they don't have a fence. It is loose, and goes out into the fields around their house, but also our field AND our yard. They have sent their kids over here to get the dog and always say "sorry" but it gets annoying after awhile. It goes into our tool shed too and who knows what mischief it can get into in there, or find rat poison too. I've told the kids their dog shouldn't be loose like that if they can't keep it in their own yard. I have no idea if they told their parents or not, but I really don't want to go over there and confront them about it. The way the world is today you just might be met at the door with a shotgun.

I've heard cars honking, and if I look out the window the dog is in the road and cars have had to slow down for it. One time the dog was actually laying IN the road. I thought it had been hit, but no, it got up and ran back into its own yard after a car stopped for it. I've considered calling animal control, but the dog owners would probably figure out it was us that called so I haven't done that. It is definitely annoying and frustrating when dog owners don't keep their dogs in their own yards though.

 

[TeresaBelle]

Definitely be annoyed with neighbors. The dog is just being a dog. My county doesn't have a leash law, so animal control does nothing when called. I have two of the worst neighbors known to man! Here's a pic from my kitchen porch the other day.. this neighbor doesn't control his kids, his dogs, or his COW!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Is it not on your property line? Then build one on your property to keep it out-you shouldn't have to, but if the fence is in their property there probably isn't a lot you can do.

Keeping the dog contained is their responsibility though, just call dog patrol.

No it is not at all on my property.
We have our own fence but a fence for our backyard does not prevent the dog from going in our front yard...
We don't have fences in our front yards.