Developing problem with neighbors dogs....

[Gerard]

EDIT:Sorry for the novel...But I wanted to be in depth ha

 

So it has been a while since I've last posted (bathroom issues) and about the last 3+ months or so I have had a developing issue with what is becoming all of the neighbors dogs. A little background on Raider is that I have had him from 12 weeks old. Before he was fixed, I had an issue of food dominance with my parents Chihuahua a few times, even when the chihuahua wasn't near his food just in the area. I got him fixed and the issues when away. There has not been an issue when I take him to dog parks so this is puzzling. Our back yard is lines up against 5 different houses and we have the biggest issue with the dogs to the left and the back right.

 

The dogs to the left are more of an aggressive breed. One is a Boxer mix and another I couldn't tell you what it is. The neighbors just let them run rampant out front and when they are out there, they will occasionally use the bathroom in our front yard. They have a doggy door out back so the dogs tend to wander the back yard. Whenever Raider hears them out he goes sprinting to that side of the yard to the fence and they start barking and going back and forth on the fence line. Raider has his teeth showing and it's almost like a protection thing, however when he's over there and the dogs aren't out he becomes on high alert and tail raised when in that area. I call his name, clap, snap, go over there and he is just so into what's happening he doesn't listen. I grab him,turn is attention away from the fence and it's like he snaps out of it.

 

The dogs in the back right of the yard are smaller ones. These are the ones that began the whole issues with Raider. Raider used to be fine, but then the dogs started attacking each other and acting a fool with other dogs that border their house, not just ours. Once they started acting like that Raider would run over there QUICK to see what was up and then he gets in the "zone". The dogs then try getting under the fence and just go crazy. Their owners just bang on a window, which does NOTHING.

 

It's gotten to the point where Raider will Sprint right to the fence when he thinks or knows there are dogs out in the neighbors yard. There is a Lab to the right and he is fine with (maybe because we have a lab too). But there are a few puppies in different yard straight back and to the back left that will bark once and Raider goes running right over there. Once I remove him from the situation, he will be ok and we will play ball or frisbee. But if the other dogs go cray-cray again, he runs right back over there.

 

I'm getting to my wits end with this situation. I am outside him Rain,sleet,snow, sun,cold multiple times a day to get him to use the restroom and then play... I unintentionally have him on command for "poop" and "potty" since I used to live in an apartment until he was 6 months old and he learned command words for the actions. He knows his name, he comes when I call, but when he's in this action he loses his mind. We have issues with walks/runs too but we are working on that. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas as how to correct this behavior and issue with the neighbors dogs??

 

Thanks!

Gerard

[d112358]

It's not likely to get better if he gets to keep practicing the behavior, and this isn't one with an easy fix. Unfortunately, that means you can't let him off-leash in the backyard until you're pretty sure he's not going to beeline to the fence and start stalking/fighting.

 

I would probably do some Control Unleashed exercises in the backyard with him every day. Box work (mark and reinforce any indication that your dog is paying attention to you and not to the environment) and Look At That (mark when the dog notices the dogs in the other yard - they should bounce their focus back to you for a treat). Start work on-leash as far away from the problem areas as possible, then progress to closer distances or a drag line as he's successful at refocusing on you.

 

Beyond training, you could do something like put in a secondary barrier to create a no-mans land and force some space from the obnoxious dogs.

[Camden's Mom]

I'm dealing with an incredibly similar situation at the moment. My neighbor has two small dogs that go ballistic when Camden and I come out into our yard. They will bark like lunatics and scratch at the fence... they've almost broken one board completely and will likely be making a jail break into my yard very soon.

 

D112358's advice in spot on. You can't let him practice this behavior, but do try to remain patient with him. I think this is a tough situation for a dog to remain calm while other dogs around him are acting like fools. Work with him in the backyard, often. Reward him for giving you his attention, not the other dogs.

 

With my guy, I had to start with "body blocking" him from the commotion and then would reward for keeping his focus on me. I'd also sprinkle really delicious treats around the yard for him to sniff out. This gave his brain something else to be focused on while the other dogs were acting stupid. A game of frisbee or fetch is a similar tactic. He needs to understand that just because the other dogs are acting like idiots doesn't mean he's allowed to as well. Over time we've built up to him being able to approach the fence calmly, sniff and then come back to me for a treat. That's not to say he doesn't get swept up in the moment on rare occasion... but I can call him off the fence in a heartbeat. He knows there are bigger rewards for staying calm then there are for acting dumb.

 

In general, "impulse control" training while the dogs on the other side of the fence were barking did us the most good. I agree that Control Unleashed exercises and focus games are the best.

 

Probably the single most important thing is that you really won't be able to leave him alone in your yard... at least until you are 100% sure he won't feel compelled to engage in the fence fighting (which could be never). Sorry you find yourself in this spot... it really stinks. Work with your boy, try to be patient, this is a tough situation for him too.

[Cedzz]

Neighbour's dogs can be a real problem, I find myself in a similar situation, Duke has no problem with other dogs, when they're going crazy Duke has no interest in it, in any situation. However, recently he snuck out the front with my mum off lead, my neighbours Staffy (Duke usually avoids Staffys like the plague, he had a run in with 2 Staffy pups at Puppy Preschool and has avoided them since) was out the front as well, which isn't unusual, he has also been in our front yard while duke is inside and they've barked at each other through the window but this was the first time they had been face to face, Duke who is overly friendly decided to go give Zeus (Staffy) a big wet kiss and ignore Zeus' growls which then escalated into a fight, lucky neither dog was hurt and it was easy enough to breakup because as soon as I went out the front Duke ran for me to hide behind his mummy and I got him inside before Zeus caught him again. Since that moment Duke has tried to get over our fence whenever he hears Zeus outside. My fences are quite low, which is I think the biggest issue. Now, I cannot let Duke outside on his own, when he goes for the fence there is no distracting him, except that if I go inside he is quick to follow and if he sees his lead he'll come running. I take him out on a lead and he is calm, doesn't care about Zeus, but lead comes off his right back there. I'm not sure how to fix the problem, however this weekend, similar to what d112358 suggested, we are making a makeshift fence to fence of the area where he tries to jump over (almost successfully might I add) until we move out in August. Please let me know how you progress with this issue and I will let you know if fencing off the area helps.

[Tommy Coyote]

Dogs just love to run the fence and fence fight.

 

I have dogs on both sides now. Two big dogs on one side. I was afraid that was going to be a problem but those dogs come out and run over to the fence and try to play and then lose all interest and wander off into their yard. So that is working out OK. And their owner works all day so I can let my dogs out during the day and bring them back in when I hear her open the garage door.

 

The other side has different dogs at different times. Right now there is a pyrenees over there and a little min pin. The little min pin is a lot bigger fence runner than the pyr. Fortunately the owner comes out to help if the dogs all get to running up and down the fence line.

 

When I call my dogs and they come right in they get a treat. That works pretty well for the two older dogs. Joey is still learning but even he is getting better.

 

But before this neighbor I had an intact boxer next door and that was a much bigger problem. He and Zeke would try to fight thru the fence. And neither one would back off. What a pain in the patooty that was. They moved.

 

I really considered putting up a privacy fence all along the side of the yard. But even that doesn't work if you get dogs that are determined. They just dig down to where they can see the other dogs. Or they start to pull the boards off.

[Cedzz]

I really considered putting up a privacy fence all along the side of the yard. But even that doesn't work if you get dogs that are determined. They just dig down to where they can see the other dogs. Or they start to pull the boards off.

I thought about this too, but luckily my boy isn't a digger nor is he distructive. If he tried hard enough he would have pulled the boards off the fence. He just wants to go over the fence, not through it.

[Tommy Coyote]

Actually, I was more worried about the dogs on the other side of the fence. They will dig down and try to pull the boards off. One of my customers put up this beautiful fence for her dogs and the neighbor's dogs (to little dogs) come running over and cause all kinds of chaos. They dug down so she put long fence posts along the bottom of the fence. That helped for a while.

 

One member here suggested that I buy some of that black plastic sheeting that is sold for weed control and put it up all along the fence so the dogs can't see each other. She was having trouble with a neighbor's dog that would come out and run the fence like crazy.

 

I had another customer that ran a hot wire along the fence and put up a sonar birdhouse. I don't know who successful those things were.

[Gerard]

I actually have started bringing treats outside with me and at random calling his name and calling him over. I then give him a treat, pet him, tell him good boy and then he is on his way to wonder or do whatever... hopefully this reinforcement helps, will find out soon I'm sure.

[Cedzz]

Actually, I was more worried about the dogs on the other side of the fence. They will dig down and try to pull the boards off. One of my customers put up this beautiful fence for her dogs and the neighbor's dogs (to little dogs) come running over and cause all kinds of chaos. They dug down so she put long fence posts along the bottom of the fence. That helped for a while.

 

One member here suggested that I buy some of that black plastic sheeting that is sold for weed control and put it up all along the fence so the dogs can't see each other. She was having trouble with a neighbor's dog that would come out and run the fence like crazy.

 

I had another customer that ran a hot wire along the fence and put up a sonar birdhouse. I don't know who successful those things were.

At the moment they can't see each other at all, I think that is why Duke jumps. The fencing I want to put is to just block off the entire corner which is the problem area so Duke won't go over there. The other dog doesn't go at the fence or try get over just gives warning growls that Duke takes as an invitation to play. He has a very "you don't like me? Let me lick your face and mouth until you want to be my best friend" approach to everyone and their dog. I have to be careful who he socialises with because he doesn't take warnings as the warnings they are, so I can only let him around dogs I know that won't fight.