B****y dogs

We are the only neighbours who share a boundary with their property, Dumpling (they are in an end terrace), so I don't know if the other neighbours are affected by the smell, though they can't fail to be aware of the noise problem.
In fact, these neighbours have been told on several occasions to clean up their act, so to speak, but they are experts in sob stories and knowing how to do the minimum that will get the powers that be off their backs again and normal disorder resumed.

For reasons that I won't go in to here - we could write a book on it - we are on very poor terms with them, barely acknowledging each other unless absolutely necessary. Despite that, DH plucked up the courage a few weeks ago to ask them, very nicely, if they would mind clearing up the mess in the back garden, explaining that now the weather was warmer, it was starting to smell a bit. To our surprise, within an hour one of them had cleared some of it. Trouble is, "some" was where it ended, so the problem didn't go away and the 'some' was soon replaced by a lot more. We've lived here long enough now to know that nothing is ever going to improve where they are concerned.

It's not just our neighbours' dogs that are a problem, though. On three or four occasions over the last year, we've been on a beach, and loose dogs have come racing over and relieved themselves on our belongings or tried to get at sandwiches in our bags, while their owners have either tried in vain (from the distance) to call their dogs back, or simply turned a blind eye.
Yes, it's the owners who are really to blame, not the dogs, but knowing that really doesn't make the end result the slightest bit less unpleasant.

Right, rant over - I'll go and have another cuppa and keep my head down now

B****y irresponsible owners again. Dogs can't pick up their own droppings and I'm betting they never get taken out on good, long walks regularly.

Have you tried contacting Environmental Health over the smell?

Perhaps it's time an animal organisation such as the RSPCA did an advertising campaign to make more people aware of dog training. And there hasn't been a dog training series on TV for ages. Too many cooking /gardening programmes. I thought it was common knowledge nowadays that by shouting at dogs for barking only makes them worse. In their minds you're barking with them! Your neighbours sound awful - and as for not clearing up the mess - yuk! Perhaps a quiet anonymous word to environmental health? Their other neighbours must be suffering too.

Mamacaz I think anyone would find that situation awful. Your neighbours sound a nightmare. The worst people seem to have the worst dogs. As usual the thread running through this seems to be inconsiderate (stupid?) people!

Oh dear Mamacaz, where do you live? Around here the vast majority of dogs are well behaved. They get used to being pretty much ignored when out on a lead and just sit or stand waiting patiently for their owner to stop chatting. I can't remember the last time a dog jumped up at me. Perhaps it's a country /city thing.

Luckygirl: I used to be a dog-lover, but now feel like you do about them.
What happened to your GD was really awful, but is the sort of thing that is just so common now. I do hope that she eventually overcomes the fear that the incident caused.

My own 2-year-old GC will not walk down our front path now because she is terrified of the neighbours' dogs. They have three of them, and they go crazy ever time anyone or anything moves out there.

Even though I'm not afraid of dogs, they have given me quite a shock on many occasions - I can be mowing the lawn when all of a sudden, seemingly from nowhere, one will shoot across the gravel and throw itself at the chainlink fence inches from me, barking furiously.
Even for me, this is scary, so I can well imagine the fear felt by DG.
The owners' response whenever the dogs do this is to come to the door and shout at the dogs to shut up, for all the good that does. Though when they reacted like this to a friend of ours as she walked up our path, the neighbour blamed her, saying that she was making them nervous!

Then there is the smell of their muck! It's rarely, if ever, cleared up, so the smell in warm weather is awful. Even if the dogs were well behaved, we couldn't sit or play with the GC in our garden because of that.

Things are no better when I'm out and about. Almost without fail, if a dog comes within reach of me, it will jump up on me with its muddy feet and try to lick my face, or worse, while the owner either ignores it or utters those infuriating words about it 'just being friendly'.

Grrrr!

So a whippet cross dachund - the perfect family pet!

She was probably fat because instead of taking them for long walks she just sat on the sofa watching television with them #whichiswotido. They're quite happy doing absolutely nothing#mykindofdog

Aw. Whippets are lovely but I don't know why I like them so much. I once knew a very fat lady who had whippets. Our theory was that she wasn't actually fat it was that she looked huge compared to the wee dogs. Now if she'd had a Newfoundland she'd have looked like Twiggy

We only allowed them to live with us because we found that we both benefitted from it in different ways. I read that, when they realised that whippets weren't as good at hunting as they'd been bred to do, they were used to sleep with the children to keep them warm [because whippets crave any sort of warmth and don't wriggle in bed; they're far too blissfully happy there]. Which is another reason why they were bred for temperament. But I am biased of course. And they can't really be let off lead when there are children around; not that they'd deliberately hurt them but they run so fast they can't stop suddenly and have a habit of running into people [as my knees know only too well].

Dogs do a variety of amazing jobs in our society. As already mentioned there are Pets as Therapy dogs, who visit the old and lonely, and help children overcome their fears. There are dogs who act as guide dogs and companions, hearing dogs, sniffer dogs in customs and disaster situations, police dogs, dogs trained to sniff out cancers, and so on.

So all we are doing Lucky is showing the responsible side of dog ownership.

I hope your little GD has had the support she needs to move on from her fright?

What I think we're trying to say Lucky, by giving examples, is that it's not entirely the fault of the dog. Too many people get a specific breed of dog because they like the look of it without thinking through the characteristics of the breed. My parents should never have had a Staffie knowing full well (and why) we wouldn't home her when they died and the dogs home were barmy giving a springer to an elderly couple. Too many people take on energetic dogs, dogs bred as working dogs, dogs which should only really be kept on farms. Any dog can be affectionate and loving - but it will still have the underlying characteristics it was bred with. Be it defending, hunting, scenting, etc. It's time for more pretty, soft mouthed, flop dog breeds!

Dogs have a valued place in society as do cats - and horses, guinea pigs and rabbits! if a pet - any pet - is well integrated and looked after it goes unnoticed. But when it turns vicious or noisy and becomes a problem then all pets become tarred with the same brush. All dogs should be muzzled and kept on leads. All cats should be kept indoors. Horses should only be ridden in their own fields.

I feel for you Lucky. What happened was really REALLY scary. A similar thing happened to me with our eldest DD when she was little - only it was a pony who sucked her entire face into it's mouth! She was luckily unscathed, but it was really scary. It didn't stop her being horse mad though so hopefully there'll be no lasting effects on your DGD. The dog obviously was 'just playing' - but it shouldn't have been loose and should have be introduced and taught how to behave around children as part of it's training. (My mum's dog was afraid of children so she knew to avoid them, leave them alone. Those of us who walked her were always alert to this and made sure she never felt cornered).

It sounds to me like an example of the wrong breed of dog in the wrong hands.

Not a dog lover Luckygirl. I have worked in A&E.

You ought to have called it 'b****y dog OWNERS '

still not shouting

Help! - the dog lovers are taking over the world!

I start a thread called b****y dogs outlining the horrific experience my DGD had, and everyone starts chatting about their dogs - please no!

That's a very reasoned post Nfk

Very true Merlotgran....our dog was given to a rather quiet couple in their 70s and they tried very hard to enjoy her but she was just too much of a handful. Her breed was wrong for them and also their home was too confining. After the lady was pulled over several times when trying to walk her they handed her over to Dogs Trust. It was all very sad because they adored her but just could not cope with the day to day demands of a very bouncy half Springer.
We are both fit and able to exercise her as she needs, we are also off the beaten track so she has access to open countryside as her breed demands
Would have been so much better if they had re-homed an older quieter dog if they had wanted a pet for a few more years.
Once again its about that rather old fashioned word...'Responsibility' so many people fail to truly accept what they have to do, expect others to pick up the pieces when it goes wrong, and sometimes it ends tragically....and the dogs are seen as the sole culprits.

I've said this further up the thread so I'm repeating myself but I really can't see the sense in elderly people having dogs that are known for boisterous behaviour and dodgy temperaments. It's highly likely that someone else will have to pick up the pieces when it all goes wrong and it's just not fair on the dog.

I'm 68 now and I made the decision four years ago not to have another large dog. I was fitter then could easily have been tempted but none of us knows what's around the corner health wise and a dog is a long term commitment.

I have an elderly friend who owns an Akita; not a dog for the faint hearted but she knows the breed inside out and he makes her feel very safe. He's so soft he's used as a pat dog. We met a Staffie when we were on holiday the other week and, although the owners assured me she was very sweet she growled at me a few times and barked quite a lot in the pub when she saw other dogs so I felt quite nervous around her. I think I'm a lot more nervous of dogs than I used to be [also with cats as my daughter had one that used to lash out for no reason].

I'was brought up with a Staffie (which looked more like a pit bull 60 years ago) and my parents had Staffies all their lives. They aren't naturally vicious dogs - unless you're a rat! Mum said they were known as the Nanny Dog because they were/are so protective of their family and children. However, this means that they can mistake the intentions of visitors which, having been bred with such strong jaws can lead to horrendous results. I believe Jack Russells are the dogs most likely to bite, but the damage done is far less as they tend to go for ankles.

My parents aquired their last Staffie when dad was 78 and suffering from cancer. They wanted a dog which would make mum feel safe and be good company. She certainly fulfilled this role. However, living a sheltered life alone with mum she was timid around children. I used to walk her and once on the beach I struggled to calm her when a boy turned a cartwheel really close by. She was terrified. Children are such unpredictable creatures!

When mum had to go into a care home I refused to take her on. I'd always made it clear I wouldn't have a Staffie - even if she hadn't been afraid of children. Their bite is too strong - and they only have to do it once - and we have visiting GC.

Luckily the Cinnamon Trust managed to rehome her (bless them) with an experienced family in the Dales with a teenage son and a very shy mongrel. She thought she'd arrived in heaven!

All this in-breeding truly gives me the creeps - it is just a power trip really; as it is for those people who own a vicious dog. Creepy stuff.

If every dog [or pet] that turned round a childs life made the headlines it would be headline news every day. But I do hope that all of these cases are being analysed in some way to find out what triggers it. Good dog breeders breed for temperament and they do so to eliminate those dogs with a bad temperament. When I bred a few litters of cocker spaniels, everyone wanted golden ones...one in fourteen of which were being euthanised because they bit people [that didn't include the ones whose owners were bitten but ignored it]. It was because they were being mated daughter to father etc to obtain the correct colour. No matter how good and knowledgeable the owner, these dogs would snap out without warning. I even had people phoning me up wanting a golden coloured dog even though their last one had been dangerous. Thankfully, as far as I know, that is no longer the case.

Oh yes. Dogs definitely shouldn't be allowed to just roam around or burst into other peoples gardens. Its quite true good owners have good dogs. Mind you I can remember startling the children when they were young and we came upon a steaming mound of something that shouldn't have been there. I foolishly said 'thats not the dogs fault its the owner's'. The children were horrified -could hardly believe the owner had done it!

I was brought up with dogs, but find myself increasingly wary of them now when I have my DGC with me. We have a boxer here that roams the street - just let out "to play" by its owner and popping up in gardens uninvited after crashing through hedges. It's a big, powerful thing and scared my DGS1 the other day racing into our garden with another dog it had picked up somewhere. Fortunately DS was holding DGS at the time - he's a slight 2 year old, and would have been bowled over at least. The majority of our neighbours are indulgent dog lovers who all think it's a lovely dog. Well, it growls at me every time I look its way - obviously reading my mind! Nobody wants to be the old misery that reports the owner, who when spoken to has trotted out the "only playing, wouldn't hurt a fly" reply, but I think the time is approaching.