Saturday, September 15, 2007

Love Your Neighbor's Dog

Our next-door neighbors got a new dog about six months ago and it stays outside in their backyard. When they told me the dog was half Rottweiler (a breed that I am deathly afraid of!) I decided that I better make friends with it while it was young so that it would learn to know me and like me. I don't ever want to be on the bad side of anything that has Rottweiler in it. So, I would talk to it and pet it over the fence when I could just to make sure we were friends. The poor little dog craves attention and apparently is not getting it from her owners. When she sees us out playing with our dogs, we can tell that she desperately wants to be over here enjoying all the affection and fun. She was jumping so high that we figured it was only a matter of time before she was coming over the fence. Well, that has happened now. She has decided to climb into our backyard and just live with our dogs. We have told our neighbors already a couple of times. We have taken her back to her yard and we have also just let her loose outside of our yard. She always ends up back in our yard with our dogs. I know the Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself, but does that include their animals?

I am not sure what to do about this. I don't want to make the neighbors mad with us -- they are like 78 and 80 years old. They can't be out chasing a dog constantly. I mean, I know what the solution is -- they need to get rid of the dog since they aren't taking care of it properly. But how can we make them get rid of their own dog? The only thing I know to do is put up a tall privacy fence between our yard and theirs, but why should we have to fork out money for something they are doing wrong? Or, we could call the animal control people, have them pick up the dog and then have a bad relationship with our neighbors. I am at a loss here. Please, if you can help me know what to do about this problem, share your solution with me! We cannot afford to feed and take care of another dog. If dogs are taken care of properly they can get really expensive. What would you do?

10 comments:

Sindi said...

I know how you feel. My friend had gotten a dog too. She lived across the street from me and when she came over for visits she would bring the dog. This made the dog use to me. They would go to work during the day and the dog would get so lonely that she would bust out the screens or the glass windows to get out.

This would cause a real problem because any time you call the pound to have an animal picked up 9 times out of 10 it is put to sleep. I could not see me doing this to my friend or her children. I just didn't know what to do so every day I would chase her down and try to put her back in their home through whatever opening she got out of.

It had become a real bother for me to chase her all the time and if I had children to watch that day I could not just leave the children to go chase her down. Then I would start to feel bad because I was afraid the mail person would call out the pound or maybe mase the poor thing.

I finally took the direct approach and talked to my friend and told her she needed to do something because I could not keep going after the dog. We got together and went around the inside of her home and found a place that the dog could be pinned up and could not get out.

I say to just go and talk to your neighbors and see if together the two of you can come up with a solution for the problem. If they are good and friendly people they will understand your dilemma and that you have the best intentions at heart.

Antolín Martínez said...

Hello Kathy. Well, I live in South America, and I suppose you live in USA. I think you have legislation, laws, regarding these kind of animals (in Spain they have because dogs have murdered their owners). Suggestions: 1) suggest to the neighbors to change the dog by another kind, as german pastor, or other good dog not so dangerous, 2) suggest to the neighbors to add some security devices attached to the dog, 3) notify the authorities, 4) the fence. My best regards,
http://antolintinez.googlepages.com

Simon said...

For the sake of the dog, I think you should immediately contact the local humane society.

shadow and pete said...

The dog just wants some of your love. Talk to your neighbors for them to feed the dog and for you and your dogs to play with their dog. It is not the dogs fault. It is so sad because animals need love and affection. It doesnt matter the breed. I work for an animal shelter and I see it all.

Lori said...

Oh Kathy, You are such a sweet woman. I know this has to be very hard on you. I can't offer you a solution because I don't own a dog. I can, offer up my prayers for wisdom on your part.

Amel said...

Oh dear, this is tough. I don't know what to say. :-((( Maybe others have a better solution for you.

Amel said...

GOOD LUCK anyway, so that it'll all end well enough for everybody!!!!

Frasier said...

I would go with the fence but its expensive but may benefit in the long run.
Thats a horrible problem to have !

Sandi said...

I came across your site and do enjoy it. I'll visit often. I like this site about your neighbors dog and the fact that they are in their 70's. My parents want to get a puppy and I am looking for stories to share with them to help them decide if they really should. I can see the same thing happening with them.

Please stop by and visit me http://sandimahorsky.blogspot.com/

Sandi said...

I just had to update you. After sharing your blog with my parents I convinced them not to get a dog. They don't have the time and neither do I. They decided to get 2 kittens instead. The story behind this will make an interesting blog one day soon.