Gus-Gus
Canine Addict
Sep 3, 2004, 11:53 AM
Post #2 of 4
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Re: [thedogghouse] Need some help here
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I'm sorry to hear your problem of your dog barking at your neighbour. First and foremost, you have to discourage your dog from barking unnecessarily - your action of removing your dog from range of your neighbours when he barks is a good initial move in teaching him not to bark at them. However, it strikes me as strange that he still barks at your immediate neighbours (how long have you had him?) - whether or not he is friends with them or not, most dogs know not to "bother" to bark at people that they see regularly as long as those people behave in a manner that is "regular" to the dog. For example, your dog sees your neighbours everyday. If they have nothing to do with him - they walk in and out of their compound and ignore him - he will come to learn that they have no interest in him and come to ignore them likewise. However, if your neighbour were to walk to your front gate and ring your door bell one day - NOT their regular behaviour - your dog would immediately react to this change in "routine" and bark at the "stranger" at the gate. It makes me wonder if they are doing something which provokes him to bark. It may not be intentional - they are obviously not exposed to dogs. When your dog goes near the common fence, they might be shoo-ing at him and accompanying that with waving their hands at him. In his dog language, that is provocative. I would like to suggest that for the next few weeks, when you let your dog out into the garden, you should stay around the garden with your dog and keep an eye on your dog. Watch his behaviour. Are your neighbours in the garden? Is there any change in his behaviour when they are in the garden and when they are not? Are they doing anything which your dog might view as being threatening like shooing at him and waving their hands at him? If they are doing anything like that, speak to them about it and explain calmly and politely that what they are doing is provocative and that is what is causing the dog to bark. No one likes to find out that what they are doing is "stupid" to those who are more knowledgeable so pls make sure you speak to them nicely. It may help to get a friend to go with you to speak to your neighbours - someone neutral. If you should find that your neighbour really is not to blame for your dog barking at them, then still go and talk to them with a neutral friend and ask them for patience and tolerance while you take your dog for obedience classes and MAKE SURE YOU DO TAKE HIM. Whether or not your dog is being provoked into barking, you should still take him for obedience classes. The classes would be a socialising opportunity for you with your dog as well as improve your skills in controlling your dog to prevent him from barking unnecessarily or misbehaving. Part of resonsible pet ownership is to make sure that your dog is not a nuisance to others. While there are non-dog people who just cannot be pleased, you have to make sure that you have done your part to ensure you are as blameless as possible. It's infuriating that your neighbour can get MPSJ to come so easily to give you a summons over dog poo when there are so many things not attended to in the area. I really sympathise with you over that but you should clear up your dog's poo from your garden and dispose of it - either by flushing it down the toilet or burying it in the garden. (It's free fertiliser.) It's a health risk to you and your family if you don't clear it away. Also, ensure you wash away his pee in the garden. I have had problems in the past with an anti-dog neighbour who had friends in the local council. I'd like to share some tips with you on how to safe guard your dog. You mentioned your concern that someone may attempt to poison your dog. As a precaution, you should never let your dog out without supervision. Let your dog out, stay with it while it does it's business, clear up after it and take your dog back in. The other danger your dog also faces is dog-napping. Have you got a padlock on your front gate? If not, get one. I have personally seen the lengths to which a local council would go to "get" a dog - including trying to open a gate to let the dog out so that they would have an excuse to round it up as a stray. A padlock prevented them opening the gate. Never let your dog out without a lead. The council enforcement officers cannot go on to your property without your permission. If they are at your gate, you are not obliged to let them in. If you are not in, they still cannot just enter your grounds. It's trespass unless you invite them in. I hope I have given you some tips on taking the pressure off you and your dog from your neighbour and the local council. "The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated" Mahatma Ghandi.
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