Ugh the fence!
The fence in our back yard has been the bane of our existence since we moved into our house 13 years ago. When we first moved in, we let Shasta out to explore. Stepped inside to grab something and stepped back out to find...No Shasta. Ensuing panic and high pitched calls and finally Shasta appeared on the top of one of the terraces. Closely followed by a pretty golden retriever
How did this happen you ask? Well there was a hole in the fence hidden by the ivy that had taken over while the house was on the market. Shasta had gone off to visit our neighbor. We quickly patched up the hole and meet our neighbors. To be honest they are not the friendliest people around so we have kept our distance over the years.
About a year later a storm knocked the whole fence down. Back and forth arguing over the cost and labor to build the fence. Eventually it got completed.
Fast forward to now...we have been here13 years. Shasta and Cosmo (the Golden ) have since left us. Sophie and Stitch joined our family and our neighbors adopted a mix of some sort a few years ago.
Our dogs have all loved to sun bathe...so we would let them out for a period to relax outside. We have a narrow yard so they would wander around and then lay down by the pool to snooze. We leave the door open and are always within hearing and viewing distance (the back side of our house is all windows).
Well as of last year our neighbor's dog has charged the fence line anytime she hears someone in our yard this includes people or dogs. The fence is now tipping over into our side from the repeat beating its taking (their house is situated on a hill behind us so the fence is at the bottom of the hill. Dog comes charging down the hill and throws herself against the fence).
Stitch just grumbles and ignores the crazed barking and slamming. But Sophie can't let it go. She has taken to jumping up to the top of the terrace and engaging in barking and growling back at the other dog.
At first, I would just go outside with her and figured that would be enough. That she wouldn't engage if I said leave it or recalled her since both of those commands she has a firm grasp on and does well with off leash. But no, she is fast and her recall goes out the window when she hears the other dog. She is also starting to look for the other dog every time we step foot outside.
So now my dog is not allowed outside alone and off leash in our own yard. Our neighbors could care less and don't call their dog away from the fence nor are they usually outside with her to stop the behavior.
I am beyond frustrated. I feel bad because Sophie can no longer relax in our yard nor can I. She has to be accompanied out on leash. That also means no fetch outside. Basically our yard is for potty purposes.
There is nothing my neighbors will do. We even pointed out the dog is damaging the fence and they ignored us (like I said not the nicest people). So fellow bloggers...any advice? I know short term solution is the leash but I would like to get back to Sophie being able to play in our yard. I know that supervision is key as is working her recall. But how do I break the cycle she is now in where being in the yard is enough to have her on guard?? Help please!
Sprinklers with a remote way to turn them on, facing toward their yard. Maybe if their dog gets hit by the sprinklers when it charges the fence, it will knock it off. Or maybe they will get so sick of muddy footprints when their wet dog comes back inside that it will make a difference.
ReplyDeleteThe only other option would be to call a noise complaint in on their dog if it is barking consistently enough or at night to be considered a noise violation.