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[OceanAnnie]

Well, happy Spring, huh? That's about the nuttiest thing I've read in awhile. What does this lady think she's accomplishing?!

It's a time bomb and anyone can be the target. I echo carrying mace with you until you can get it resolved. Have it in your hand whenever you leave your house.

You've gotten a lot of good advice. I just hope you can get the dog out of the picture before something terrible happens. Good luck, C.Ann and keep us posted!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

please think of all of the children that you could be saving or even saving from a life full of scars on their bodies if you ACT NOW.

Please do something......

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I just caught this thread, and I agree that this woman is nuts! How can she possibly expect everyone to run and hide in their homes when she decides to take a potentially dangerous dog for its walk?

You've received lots of great advice, so I won't repeat what others have said.

One thing that came to my mind was that you mentioned that the dogs bark loud enough that you heard them from your mailbox. Is there a noise law in your town? I believe many places have ordinances that address the issue of dogs barking for longer than a certain amount of time. If they bark for even a minute longer than the "allowed" amount of time, you could call and make a complaint. Obviously, this is hardly the real issue, but it would get the police out to her place and add to the record of problems with this owner.

 

[C.Ann]

....................................

 

[MareQ]

Libraries have special phonebooks that are organized by street and when you find the street, look down the list of house numbrers till you get your neighbor. That way you can try calling her.

Or maybe try this http://www.whitepages.com/10583/reverse_address link. It may help you get her phone number.

Personally I vote for baking up a batch of cookies and walking over there when you know she's home and the dogs are inside. Knock on the door - she'll let you in if it's safe - and just talk. Get to know each other - tell her how concerned you are - ask if there's any way to get a better area for the dogs so everybody can be safe and enjoy the spring/summer.

Situations like this are tough and even if the dog issue is addressed - it could lead to an uncomfortable neighbor issue. Maybe there's a way to address the dogs and make a friend at the same time.

 

[Tantor]

The only advice I have is document everything.

I would do this too (with date and time) along with the pictures you are taking.

 

[jipsy]

I'd keep the note the woman left me, and call the dog officer and police department and tell them about it. I would also tell them that if I step outside the door and the dog bites me on my own property, I'll shoot it. I would also tape that in a note on the woman's door. And if I happened to shoot the dog off my property, well, by the time the cops got there it would be on my property for them to examine.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

any updates on this?

 

[daisax]

OP, I'm so sorry you're in this predicament. And I feel for the Great Dane folks --- they're usually fine, gentle and noble dogs.

Can you not suggest your neighbour gets her dogs muzzled when they are outside?​

Unattended dogs should never be muzzled. Too many accidents waiting to happen. That said, she could still muzzle the dog every time he leaves the home on leash and sit in her own yard and supervise the dog when he is outside in his own yard.

Also, I'm kind of alarmed and puzzled as to why the service dog in the picture is muzzled. ??? I've never seen such a thing.

 

[Amlee]

Our neighbors once had a big yellow mix of a mut. This dog had already chase our pups back into the house, we called animal control and nothing happened. "Until he bites someone, nothing can be done!" Well one day my mother and I were getting out of her van, and this dog came out of know were. Teeth bared, ears back! We took off running for the door screaming for my dad. My mother made it to the door about the time, my dad opened the door with the gun. I was between him and the dog, so I just fell flat on the ground. He shot and killed the dog as it was mid air to attack me. We called animal control again and told them what happened. They came out and took the dog to the owner. The owners had been warned about the leash law earlier, but refused to do much with it. They tried to have my dad arrested for animal abuse, but animal control just rolled their eyes.


Call Animal Control and file a report about this. If your having problems with Animal Control, call the police and insist on an officer to come out and file a report. Get something on record showing your concern about this.


LOL the dirty side of me, says to find out who her homeowners insurance is and put a little bug in their ear. I willing to bet, that they might have something to say about her having two such dogs and one being a biter!

 

[olena]

Any news, C.Ann?

 

[C.Ann]

.....................

 

[Cass]

Meanwhile I guess I'll just have to be extremely careful - carry something I can use for a weapon of self-defense - and hope for the best..

Our house backs on to a public park, there is a house back there with a vicious pittbull that barks through the fence at people and tries to dig under the wood fence to get into the park. I would go crazy digging and putting his head under the fence trying to squeeze through

Whenever DD and I went through that park I carried a steak knife in my purse or pocket, just in case

 

[NikiM20]

I keep seeing how this dog is a rescue and she is trying to "retrain" it. I think it is more of an owner problem than a dog problem KWIM.

I personally have a Great Dane that was rescued, my best friend has 3, and another friend of ours has 2. Out of 6 dogs, I have NEVER seen any of them be aggressive to anyone. My best friend weighs less than 100 lbs and can walk all 3 Danes by herself and have complete control. We take our dogs to obedience school and socialization classes.As a result, my 7 yr old can handle Ozzy with no problems.

It is very important for any size dog to be properly trained and that the owners know how to handle it.

I would definately contact a rescue group and have them talk to the lady, I just dont want people to think all danes are bad, or all rescued danes are bad. They are wonderful dogs, who have no idea that theyre not any bigger than a chihuaha

ETA The uncontrol of the dog is the owners problem. She should have a properly secured area for him. The biting is a dog problem

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I would speak to the man who was bitten. It is very admirable for her to have rescued this Dane. My parents had 2 when I was a teen and they were the biggest babies ever.

However, my Dad was over 6 feet tall and incredibly strong. The 2nd Dane died a month before him and my mom did get another dog after my father died, but a small mix. Because she cannot physically control a 175 pound Great Dane. No matter how nice a dog is, the owner should always be able to control it on a leash.

If she truly wants to train this dog, she needs to enlist a professional to help her. The dog won't learn anything just by avoiding people, except maybe not to bite HER.

Seriously, the gentleman who was bitten should tell her he would like to change their deal. She gets the dog professional training, or he will inform Animal Control and the Sheriff about the bite.

I understand that she warned you about the dog running loose, but it also sounded like she warned you about when she was walking the dogs. If she cannot control 1 Great Dane, she should not be walking 2 at once. The poor dog needs proper training and an owner who can properly handle his size. It is when people don't train and cannot handle a dog that they end up in rescue in the first place.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

They are wonderful dogs, who have no idea that theyre not any bigger than a chihuaha

This made me laugh. One of our Danes, Zeus, would curl up next to me on the floor and try to lay his head on mine. He was a BIG time drooler, too.

The second was a "lap dog" No matter where you sat, the big goofball thought he could sit on your lap and could not figure out why people didn't want him there. He was the bigger of the two and weighed about 165.

 

[JR6ooo4]

-------------------------
I always have something with me that I could beat the dog on the nose with if need be..

Do not think you will have the steadiness to swing something and make contact with a moving, terrifying, attacking object with enough force to change his mental mindset of attacking you.

I would use the mace or a stun gun or better yet a stun rod so you can be farther from the animal.

Maybe if the neighbor sees you with the weapon she will make more effort to contain the animal.

Mikeeee

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I absolutely love dogs, but I have to agree with the above poster. Mace or pepper spray. You don't have to get too close and it will incapacitate him enough for you to run without killing him.

You don't want to get close to those teeth if you can help it. I used to play ball (with a soccer ball) with our Dane, if he ran past me and just caught me with a shoulder, I would go flying.

And he was playing.

 

[NikiM20]

I absolutely love dogs, but I have to agree with the above poster. Mace or pepper spray. You don't have to get too close and it will incapacitate him enough for you to run without killing him.

You don't want to get close to those teeth if you can help it. I used to play ball (with a soccer ball) with our Dane, if he ran past me and just caught me with a shoulder, I would go flying.

And he was playing.

Soccer balls are the only ones strong enough for Ozzy. I am always bruised from playing , he stepped on my foot once and it was so swollen I had to have it xrayed. Or he jumped up to give me a hug and his paw hit my face and I had a black eye. Or the bruises from the tail. But he is so worth it

 

[dzorn]

For some reason this thread popped into my head tonight and I was wondering if there is any updates. Hopefully no news is good news and the crazy lady came to her senses.

Denise in MI