• First Basenji's

    Lately, the people in my community have been letting their dogs roam the neighborhood. I can't take Cody for walks anymore because some of them are aggressive and have tried to attack us or they follow us, so for about 1/4 of the walk, I have had to carry him. So now most of Cody's exercise is coming from running off-leash in the backyard, not that he minds.

    There are 2 dogs about his size that have broke into our yard twice, the break-in resulting in Cody getting out of our yard (luckily he just chased them out of our front yard, which isn't fenced in, and then squeezed back in through the fence into the backyard). Just now, one of those same dogs was just in our neighbor's yard taunting Cody and Moe by peeing through the fence into our yard. Cody tried climbing the fence to get to him, but luckily I caught him before he got to the top. I've called the owner of the 2 smaller dogs a few times to come get them, but he just says they are chasing rabbits and will come home on their own. I've tried calling animal control, but unless they see them roaming, they can't do anything. They set up a kind of trap once, but after 2 weeks they came back and got it.

    I hate that I can't take him on walks around the neighborhood anymore because this summer we will be moving, and in case we end up living somewhere without a fenced in yard, I want the transition to be smooth. Plus, we both enjoyed the walks. Living in a house with 3 other people and another dog, leaves us little bonding time, and exploring the neighborhood and waterfront was the only way we get time to do so.

    I'm just annoyed.


  • Call the police, especially if they're a threat. That's just not right!


  • What if you take photo's of the dogs when they are roaming around Then you have proof of whats going on. If you can find out the address of where the dogs live that would be best so animal control can send warning letters or fine's to the home's. It must be a rual area where you live, I too would find that to be very annoying. There is a time and a place for dog's to be off leash..dog parks, dog beaches and such


  • Two solutions that will net you immediate results and not do permanent harm to the dogs:

    1. Dog Fog. Capsicum spray that is an intense irritant. Take it with you while you're walking your dog. You have every right to protect yourself and your dog. Just be careful not to get it in Cody's face. It has a burning sensation. Once or twice around with it and the receiving dog will learn to keep its distance.

    2. A pump-up air rifle. (Not a CO2 cartridge type!) Give it a single pump and keep it handy for those times a foreign dog invades your property. One single pump will send a plastic BB to the dog's skin surface with enough oomph to sting but not pierce the skin. Again, you have every right to protect your dog and your property.

    What if you had your kids or your friends' or family's kids out there and one of those dogs got into your yard and attacked them? By the time animal control arrives or cares to give a crap and do something about it, it is already too late and you are on your way to the vet or, worse, to the hospital.

    Not everyone will agree with my solutions, but since the neighbors don't seem to care and animal control can't be bothered, you are left with few other choices. This is a safety issue much more than a nuisance issue. A dog who is willing to pee at your dog through the fence to show his dominance is willing to show his dominance in more destructive ways.


  • @AJs:

    1. A pump-up air rifle. (Not a CO2 cartridge type!) Give it a single pump and keep it handy for those times a foreign dog invades your property. One single pump will send a plastic BB to the dog's skin surface with enough oomph to sting but not pierce the skin. Again, you have every right to protect your dog and your property.

    Would a paint ball gun be better? I've wondered if having your dog turn bright pink would be a deterrant for letting them run loose.

    Another option would be put Cody in the car and drive to a local park where kids are. Maybe AC would be more proactive in patrolling that sort of location. (not that you should have to resort to that inconvenience)


  • @agilebasenji:

    Would a paint ball gun be better? I've wondered if having your dog turn bright pink would be a deterrant for letting them run loose.

    Another option would be put Cody in the car and drive to a local park where kids are. Maybe AC would be more proactive in patrolling that sort of location. (not that you should have to resort to that inconvenience)

    I've never tried paint ball, and not know how much it hurts to get hit. Many people say it hurts a lot, and I've seen the bruises. Paint ball guns might be too extreme.

    Can you take a video and prove that they've been taunting Cody and even you?

  • First Basenji's

    Yes, it's a rural area. Our town is so small that we don't have a police dept or anything, just one deputy that patrols 1/2 the day and the county sheriff's dept is on call for the other half. The county Animal Control is short staffed, and with the economy and the budget, they won't hire any more people. The county is actually short staffed in almost every department.

    I can take Cody to a small park, but part of the reason we walk here is that if he escapes (fingers crossed that he won't!), he will hopefully be able to find his way home.

    My aunt mentioned the paint ball thing too. In her neighborhood, people let their cats roam and they spray in her garden, so she and her son shoot them (from a distance) with paint balls. She said it seems to stun them a little, but it doesn't seem to be too bad, and it definitely sends a message to their owners. I may borrow one of their PB guns. My brother also has a soft air BB gun with the plastic BBs, and we are keeping it by the door and taking it outside with us when we go out with the boys.

    I'll try the photos and video if I can, but usually I don't think about it until after it happens. My first thought is to get away. I'm not sure who the larger dogs owners are, but I am going to keep calling the other dogs' owner every time I see them out of their yard. I think I may eventually annoy him enough that he will do something about it. I'll also try to find the dog fog, that may help more than Animal Control. As for Animal Control, I talked to some people today who are having the same problems, and we are all going to call them every time we see any of the dogs roaming, whether we are walking or driving. Hopefully, with all the phone calls, they will patrol more often. I'll also tell the others about the dog fog.

    It's all just so frustrating. Even if there weren't leash laws, people should take better care of their pets and have more respect for others. Moe would never leave the yard even if the fence was open and he was off-leash, and he wouldn't run away like Cody does, but we still keep him in "his" yard (inside the fence), and if he goes in the front yard or out for a walk, he is always on a leash. It's not because we think he will do anything bad, because he's more apt to give a stranger a big hug and doggy kisses, but for his safety and out of respect for our neighbors. Plus, while we know he is a big teddy bear, to others he is intimidating.

    I'm more angry at the owners than the dogs.


  • I think I would be very careful with things like air guns or paint ball guns… you could wind up being the one charged with assult.... regardless of the situation... just my opinion...


  • @crystalncody:

    but I am going to keep calling the other dogs' owner every time I see them out of their yard. I think I may eventually annoy him enough that he will do something about it. .

    There was someone down the street (we're all on 5 acres) who had a GSD type dog that would hang out on the unfenced front poarch and charge cars as they drove by. I figured I couldn't do anything about the dog's behavior, so whenever that happened and I was driving, I stopped the car and laid on the horn until someone came out and called the dog out of the street. My hope was to change the owner's behavior. Unfortunately (?) they moved before I could really gage if my experiment was successful. Oh well.


  • A paint ball gun can be lethal IF the shot was at close range. I've paintballed before and even at a distance of 30 paces, a paintball on bare skin can be excrutiating on a soft spot. An airgun would be just as dangerous if the bb were lodged in the animal's eye. What's more disconcering would be the unwarranted attention you may garner with a concealed weapon.

    Seeing as it's not the dog ~~fault for being loose, perhaps - if possible, try hitting the owners through their pockets. Again, If it's possible; how about the option of carrying an extra leash / collar or even a noosed rope and capture the dog when free roaming. Many may disagree with this option, but if the dog is willingly coming near you and if the dog were people friendly and non-threatening, this could be done. And once captured, I'd drive the dog to the local animal control center and leave it there and have the owners and the centre deal with the dog.

    Otherwise, the next best thing to have while on your walks, would be to carry a walking stick to fend off loose dogs around yourself and Cody. Cody would think highly of you as the leader of the pack and the loose dogs will respect your space…

    Hope this helps!

    Emm~~

  • First Basenji's

    I agree, it's not the dogs' fault, and that's why I am leery of anything involving PB guns or soft air guns. I would never take it with me anywhere, but we may use the soft air gun if they break into our fence again and start trouble. I've been shot with it on numerous occasions on bare skin (my brother thinks he's funny), and it just stings a little. Hopefully, we won't have to use it at all, but it will be there as a last resort.

    Agilebasenji, I am definitely going to try that, especially when I find out where the owners live.

    Thanks for the advice everyone!


  • Personally I would get something to spray the dogs with. I have been told you can buy skunk spray.

    Spraying the dogs with that would stink up the owners homes a lot, also make them think twice in letting them loose. Just go for a walk, and whenever a dog comes up to you spray him!

    I would NOT shot them with anything, because then you are punishing the dogs, and not the owners. Not to mention there is the danger of hitting their eyes.


  • I did not suggest an air gun for when they're out on walks. That's for when the offending dog enters the yard. Again, a single pump will not do permanent damage unless the aim is so precise as to hit the eye, which is very unlikely. And who said anything about a concealed weapon? I'm not quite sure how you'd conceal this…run it down your pant leg and walk like a peg-leg pirate?

    Dog Fog is a police term for capsicum, or pepper, spray that is designed for dogs. I don't think I would want to try to lasso a strange dog due to safety concerns. Animal Control uses those long sticks with slip-leashes on the ends for a reason. Cody's person already said the dogs are aggressive when they are out walking.

    Another idea: If you are out in the yard when the dogs show up and try to come in or pee through the fence, turn the hose on them. The startle effect may be enough. I love the paintball idea...just the visual impact of seeing a polka-dot dog...:D My understanding of paintball is the apparatus used to send the paintball can be adjusted for force, but I've never used one.


  • Could you have someone take photos of the dogs menacing you on your walk and charge the owner with assault?

  • First Basenji's

    We are going to try to take pictures/videos when it happens again. A large group of us are going to get together and walk our dogs at once.


  • Good for you, I can't walk my dogs safely either between coyotes and loose dogs its not even worth it.


  • @tanza:

    I think I would be very careful with things like air guns or paint ball guns… you could wind up being the one charged with assult.... regardless of the situation... just my opinion...

    Assault does not apply to animals. Animals, while living creatures with feelings of their own, are considered to be property. There are special stipulations applied to animals in the legal system such as cruelty, however, we're not talking about holding the dog down and fire branding it or cutting its ears off or other such heinous acts. I'm talking about inflicting a temporary stinging sensation that teaches a dog that a particular fence bites, but does not cause injury aside from a temporary bruise if at all.

  • First Basenji's

    @NerdyDogOwner:

    Personally I would get something to spray the dogs with. I have been told you can buy skunk spray.

    Spraying the dogs with that would stink up the owners homes a lot, also make them think twice in letting them loose. Just go for a walk, and whenever a dog comes up to you spray him!

    I would NOT shot them with anything, because then you are punishing the dogs, and not the owners. Not to mention there is the danger of hitting their eyes.

    The skunk spray would get the point across. Like I said, I blame the owners more than the dogs. Dogs don't care if the stink, but I think the owners would get the message if they had to wash their dogs every day. That's cool. I'll look for it.


  • I don't think the skunk idea is so great. If the owners don't care enough to keep the dog in the house in the first place, when they stink, they are probably going to be left outside. Thus defeating the purpose of the skunk spray.
    I went the trap route. I have trapped three dogs over a year ago and sent them to Animal Control. They are now kept on leashes at all times.
    The other dog I had an issue with, I followed him with a broom to his home. The owner came out to yell at me and I explained that his dog was loose, in my yard, and attempted to bite my dog. I didn't know about him, but me personally, I would prefer to have my dog chased my a broom and a crazy lady, than pay for a vet bill to fix a rare champion breeding dog, then of course the legal fees that would be incured by my suing his rear, especially for psychological and emotional damage from having my baby being mauled infront of me… I never saw that dog again... 😃


  • @crystalncody:

    (luckily he just chased them out of our front yard, which isn't fenced in, and then squeezed back in through the fence into the backyard).
    .

    :eek: WOW - you have a wonder-Basenji, having gotten out of the yard and just coming right back in! When mine escapes the leash, it's an all-out run and trap situation with all the people I can find trying to catch her.

    It is too bad the other people let their dogs roam free, though - that would really ruin our walks since any distraction sends them into bounce, chase mode!:D

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