Need Help with Dog Problem ASAP, Please!!!

[frustratedearthmother]

I think you did the right thing!

 

[goatboy1973]

In most counties throughout the US there are leash laws to protect pets, their owners, and communities. In Knox County, Tennessee there is a law that says your animals must be in control at all times and any damages incurred by others as a result of the owner's negligence is the responsibility of the owner of the offending animal. This law protects everyone and irresponsible owners just irritate me terribly! If a person takes the responsibility of pet ownership then they owe it to their neighbors and the animal to make darn sure they can provide food, shelter, love and attention, and containment. You do have some crazy idiots living beside you. I would suggest putting up signs that state the place is under surveillance even though you may not even have any cameras, no trespassing signs, and talk with your neighbors about possible animal thieves in the neighborhood without accusing them and ask them if they have seen any suspicious activity. Tell them that you have had to resort to putting up surveillance cameras throughout your property as a result. You may also want to provide the neighbors with a printed copy of the laws concerning theft, trespassing, and the local leash laws. Good luck!

 

[alsea1]

That is pretty good advice goat but in this case I think it would be like pouring gas on a fire to discuss this with the people. However I would def. put up the signs. I would even hide a few game cameras just in case. They are fairly cheap but get the job done.

 

[goatboy1973]

The surveillance signs can be bought at your local Tractor Supply or Nasco Farm Supply online and they are cheaper than actually putting up real cameras. I would also put up "No trespassing" signs every 50 ft. That way there's no question about signs being "clearly posted" if any of this goes to court. Also, I would keep Animal Control's number on hand at all times and next time those pesky poodles start terrorizing your livestock, give them a call and tell them a pack of stray dogs are endangering your livestock. They will come capture the dogs and a report will be filed and when the owners come to pick the offending dogs they may be fined. You may also try using electric fence 6" above the ground on the outside the fence perimeter. Pepper spray may also be a great tool to use on the dogs when they start nonsense directed at your livestock. I have used this stuff with great success. This is called negative reinforcement. A couple of incidents and the dogs learn their lesson.

 

[MsDeb]

Pepper spray may also be a great tool to use on the dogs when they start nonsense directed at your livestock. I have used this stuff with great success. This is called negative reinforcement. A couple of incidents and the dogs learn their lesson.

Just have to share because this brought back a memory of my grandpa. I apologize in advance because the story doesn't really end well. When I was little I remember him telling about the neighbor two doors down having a pair of prize hunting dogs. The neighbor, who constantly bragging about how great his hunting dogs, would not keep them penned and the dogs would constantly come over to my grandparents yard causing disruptions. My grandpa would take them home and ask the neighbor to keep them out of his yard.
My grandpa finally had his fill one day and sprayed them with something called Hot Shot. I've heard that this is very potent stuff. Probably more so than pepper spray but you've got to keep in mind that this was some 60 years ago. The dogs left and didn't come back. A few days later my my grandpa ran across the neighbor and was told that he had had to put his prize hunting dogs down because they came home acting all crazy and they must have had rabies.
I realize this doesn't make Grandpa sound very nice but he was. And he was an animal lover, always taking in strays, and even as a child I remember how bad he felt when he talked about the dogs. He always had a little chuckle about the neighbor though and he never did tell him what had really been wrong with the prize hunting dogs.

 

[babsbag]

I like your plan...and then a fence would be next. Fences make good neighbors.

 

[BrownSheep]

Just a warning. I some states if you have possession of an animal for more than a certain period of time the animal becomes your property. I don't know how this would apply to your situation since the puppies where know to be yours.

I would-
A) document every time their dogs enter your property. If you see them take a picture. Notify authorities.
B) Signs!
C) Pad locks or combo locks on all gates.

It sounds like the authorities are backing your claim to the dogs. I would not give them back. You offered them the chance to purchase them that's more than what you have to do.

 

[Robbin]

You will probably have a harder time selling them at 5 months. Giving them th dogs stops all other complaints. They can't complain because you have big dogs, because they have big dogs. If a little dog gets hurt, how do they prove it's not their big dogs. I'm all for locked gates and fences, but you have a landlord. That means you can be evicted. Giving them back the puppies might go a long way towards protecting the rest of your investment....
If you owned the property, I'd tell them to pack sand. But you don't. It can get a lot worse, hot dogs soaked in anti freeze thrown onto the property as they drive by in the dark. Do what you need to do to stop this from escalating. I wish you good luck, I've suffered thru some real problems with other peoples dogs killing my animals. I love my big Toli so much....

 

[babsbag]

I do agree that you have to watch out for retaliation from them, that is always a worry. But they stole the dogs and if you give in to that who knows what they will take the next time. They are evil people to begin with. I would seriously get a fence between them and you as quickly as possible; maybe even two of them so your dogs can't run the fence line.

If the dogs have not been around any livestock then you might have a hard time finding them LGD homes, but then again they aren't too old to learn if they haven't had any bad habits already started. I would certainly be monitoring these pups and evaluating them for their future job.

Is your landlord on your side?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Yes the landlord and the authorities are on our side.

I presented them with a letter stating that we've made a police report and that it's a felony theft because the dogs are worth over $900 and dogs are considered property. I also offered to sell them back at asking price, when they were 8 weeks old, which was $400 per pup, and I put a spay, and "no harass/ slander" stipulation in the contract. The husband called us back and apologized profusely for everything including his wife, said he appreciates us offering to let them buy them and he agrees to all the terms. So he came and bought them from us and signed the contract, said he's grateful we can "wipe the slate clean" and "start over", as neighbors, even though I had only met the wife once and him never before this day.

So they have them now and everything seems fine except now they are letting the pups out every day to "run the hills" just like their poodles, and the pups are coming down here to the farm and hanging out with my dogs. (It's amazing as soon as they smelled Toli they recognized instantly she was their mother! Siblings, not so much). They aren't causing any trouble yet, but I won't be able to free-range my turkeys as I had planned.

So I know we need to put up a fence, but the back half where the farm is is 5 acres and the total property is 12 and it's not even ours, plus we can't really afford to put up a fence, (fencing material is SUPER expensive out here). So I'm kinda at a loss what to do except try and train their pups the best I can in the limited amount of time I see them (usually in the evenings).