Help! How do I keep dogs out of our yard?

[Jessd]

Hi. We had our house built a year ago. We don't have a fence around our back yard yet and there is nothing in our back yard. We will be putting in sod in the next few weeks.

We have a rather large back yard and it would be a huge expense to put a fence around the whole thing. So this year it is either sod or a fence and I am getting tired of looking at dirt so the sod won out. The fence will have to wait until next year.

The neighbor directly behind us let their dog run around all the time (they do not a fence either). He is constantly going in our yard and using it as his personal bathroom! Plus he comes up to our back door and growls at our cats.

I am getting real tired of the dog coming around. I don't want to start fights with the neighbors since we are relatively new. Is there any way I can keep this dog out of our yard? Is there anything that I can buy besides a fence? I don't think talking to them will help much, they are an older couple. They even leave this huge spotlight on at night so when they let fido out he can see in the dark. We don't live in city limits so there is no leash law.

Any ideas? I have nothing against dogs, but if someone is going to have a pet they should be responsible pet owners and these neighbors are definitely not responsible.

Thanks

 

[gris gris]

Is there any way I can keep this dog out of our yard? Is there anything that I can buy besides a fence?

It shouldn't be your responsibility to buy a fence!! This neighbor should be a responsible pet owner and keep his dog in his yard. Or move himself out to the woods with a lot of acreage. When we bought our house before we even moved in we put up a fence in order to keep our dog on our own property! I'd be horrified as a dog owner if my dog was in someone else's yard all the time.

 

[SC Minnie]

If you find out let me know.

Our next neighbor's dog uses our yard as his personal potty. Ticks me off to find dog poo in my yard since we don't have a dog.

 

[jbdreamer]

I think your first step is to just nicely ask your neighbor to keep their dog out of your yard. They are not going to know that it bothers you until you at least tell them.

 

[golfgal]

I would start bringing the poop to their front door, ring the bell and say your dog left this in my yard and leave. If you do that enough, they might get the hint. If they don't answer the door, just leave the poop on the step.

 

[andromedaslove]

Get a big super soaker and squirt the dog everytime he comes in your yard. Of course that means you'll have to stand guard and watch for him!

I would be wary of trying an attempt like this. It has been my experience that doing something like this only agitates the dog, which can cause the dog to become aggressive towards the person doing the spraying.

I do agree that it shouldn't be your responsibility. I suggest calling Animal Control, even if your area doesn't have an actual "leash law" people are required to keep their dogs out of other people's yards.

 

[Bunchkin]

I would talk to the neighbor. His dog should be his concern, not yours.

Most towns have ordinances about dogs roaming freely. Ours states that all dogs must be leashed. I would check into this. Get a copy and put in your neighbors mailbox.

If nothing improves call the police or animal control, they will clear it up for you. They will issue a notice or ticket stating he will be fined for not leashing his animal and for letting it deficate on your property.

We've had the same problem and had to call the police on neighbors at our old house. Some people are just so rude!!

Good Luck!!

 

[golfgal]

I think your first step is to just nicely ask your neighbor to keep their dog out of your yard. They are not going to know that it bothers you until you at least tell them.

You know, this statement really bothers my, WHY should any pet owner assume it is ok for their pet to use someone else's yard for a bathroom or playground? They shouldn't even need to say something to the owner, it should never happen in the first place.

Maybe you should just start walking in their house an using their toilet with out asking and when they question you just tell them that since they felt it was ok for their dog to use you yard, I thought it would be ok for me to use your toilet.

 

[gris gris]

I would be wary of trying an attempt like this. It has been my experience that doing something like this only agitates the dog, which can cause the dog to become aggressive towards the person doing the spraying.

Oops! I was only kidding!! I wouldn't try a super soaker on anyone's dog. Maybe a squirt gun on my own dog when he was a puppy and we were training him, but not on a dog I don't know! I'll go back an edit my post.

 

[Feralpeg]

Have you considered a hedge? You can buy bushes relatively cheap that you plant every so many feet. When they get larger, they will form a solid hedge. It is cheaper than a fence although there is some maintenance to keep them trimmed when they get bigger. If the dog is good size, he'd have trouble getting through them when they get larger. Just a thought. Good luck!

 

[jbdreamer]

You know, this statement really bothers my, WHY should any pet owner assume it is ok for their pet to use someone else's yard for a bathroom or playground? They shouldn't even need to say something to the owner, it should never happen in the first place.

Maybe you should just start walking in their house an using their toilet with out asking and when they question you just tell them that since they felt it was ok for their dog to use you yard, I thought it would be ok for me to use your toilet.

I agree, the dog owners should be more responsible. I am not defending them.

The point that I was trying to get across is that she should at least speak to her neighbors first before taking silly passive aggressive actions like leaving poop on their steps , calling animal control, or spending money on a fence. These things are last resorts.

 

[DVCLiz]

Honestly, I think the best thing for you to do is call or go by and say, "We are getting ready to put new sod in our yard, so I'm afraid it's no longer possible for your dog to roam here. Could you please keep him in your yard?" Done in a friendly way, you've at least told them you have a new expectation, and they may in fact do what they should (which is to walk him on a leash or fence their yard.) If not, you've established what your expectations are and you can go from there (ie. animal growling at your pets, damage to new sod being their financial responsibility, etc.)

Good luck!!!!

 

[Chris and Pooh]

message duplicated see below

 

[FullStride]

I did a search on "how to keep dogs out of your yard" and I came up with this tip:

"Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it around your yard's perimeter. This should keep most dogs out."

I have not idea if it would work but what the heck....It's worth a try.

Good luck. I like some of the other ideas too like delivering the goods to their front door.

 

[Chris and Pooh]

Would I be right in saying that it is not kept on a leash, that being the case I would have thought that it could be classed as a stray and therefore the authorities would have a right to remove it if they are made aware, eg. "Excuse me but there's a loose dog in my yard and I'm afraid it might bite a member of my family"
From a responsible owner of a Golden Retriever

 

[Chris and Pooh]

I did a search on "how to keep dogs out of your yard" and I came up with this tip:

"Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it around your yard's perimeter. This should keep most dogs out."

This certainly works with foxes it helps to stop them raking through rubbish bins/bags

 

[SC Minnie]

I did a search on "how to keep dogs out of your yard" and I came up with this tip:

"Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it around your yard's perimeter. This should keep most dogs out."

I might have to try this. I work with our neighbor and our kids play together so its a touching situation. They don't have a fence and are the only ones on our street that allow their dog to roam.

It really ticks me off the find big piles of dog poo in my flower beds and in the yard. DH has taken a shovel and 'tossed' it back in their yard before. We are having a hard enough time getting grass to grow in the Carolina red clay without adding dog urine and poo to it.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I feel for you. I also posted something like this a while back. My orphan,unemployed, living on his dead daddys money etc. neighbor lets his unleashed lab and rotweiller use our yard as their personal toilet too. We have a fence and so does he except he lets the dogs unleashed, probably unliscenced in the front yard. I go up to the property line with the shovel and throw it back as far as I can close to his driveway so the goal is to get him to step in it. I also keep the shovel on my porch as a means of self defense. Our animal control will only do something if the dog attacks you and you have to go to court and file something with a judge. Totally useless for us taxpayers with problems like this. I might even try that vinegar thing. I dont have anything to lose for sure. best of luck.

 

[FreshTressa]

No advice, but definine sympathy...that is soooo rude!

 

[Jessd]

Thanks for all the replies! I am going to try the vinegar thing and the next time the neighbor is outside I will have DH go talk to him. I mean with all the people in the neighborhood, we can't be the only ones fed up with the dog.