Next doors big dog is scary!!!!HELP PLEASE

johnnie66

Hard one this as I am just about to move into a new flat, I popped into it to see what the garden was like now the weather is nice.both mine and next doors garden is a communal garden and next to that is the neighbours.I went out my back door to be confronted with a great big Rottweiler dog on the other side of a 3 foot wall barking at me.I just froze.I thought it was going to leap the small wall and eat me.I spoke to the elderly chap in the ground floor next to me who said he never goes out there so hes not bothered.But the builders are going to be finished soon and I have to sign the lease,and not sure if I should.I called at the owners door and said what had happened and she said hes harmless and wont jump the wall.I said are you intending to put a fence up.I mean a big dog is a big responsibility and if he jumps no one will stop him in time.I explained I intended to have kids around and she shrugged it off.So they wont put fence up.and the landlord wont.Iv waited 15 months to move while work is being done and feel its unfair that I should have to put a big fence up.Whos in the right here.Ohh and while that dog was frothing at the mouth and barking at me,she was in her garden just watching it.she didnt say stop it or anything.any advice please would help.Its the biggest dog I have ever seen:eek:

POPPYOSCAR

Nothing you can do other than do not sign the lease if it bothers you that much.

mummybearx

I think this needs moved to the family/relationships board.....

However, if that huge dog wanted to get at you, no height of fence will stop it. If it's barking and barking at you, throw a treat into the garden and get it to shut up!

And frothing at the mouth is common in bigger dogs, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Have you always been scared of dogs? You should maybe get help with that before you sign the lease, otherwise you are setting yourself up for a bad experience x

Owain_Moneysaver

The Rottweiler will probably be nice and friendly once you've been introduced to it.

The owner, on the other hand ...

Looking on the bright side, it may deter burglars.

Looking on the less bright side, that might be why the neighbours have it in the first place.

johnnie66

zepsgal wrote: »

I think this needs moved to the family/relationships board.....

However, if that huge dog wanted to get at you, no height of fence will stop it. If it's barking and barking at you, throw a treat into the garden and get it to shut up!

And frothing at the mouth is common in bigger dogs, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Have you always been scared of dogs? You should maybe get help with that before you sign the lease, otherwise you are setting yourself up for a bad experience x

Im not scared of dogs at all.but when i say its a 3 foot wall and a big dog as soon as you open your back door its got 2 paws on the wall barking away thats how it is.What im trying to put across here is a big dog is a big responsibility and they look like they like and enjoy the power trip it is given em.Fairs fair I dont have to sign the lease for a quiet life and go somewhere else.I was just asking if anyone knew the law on this as they dont give a monkeys.I cannot explain enough how stupid she was about it.I dont think there is going to be a compromise even if I said I would go halfs on a fence 2 gardens away from me and she shut the door.So you can see to me it looks like an ill educated dog owner who dont give a fig.i dont need help thanks to over come a fear of dogs.Most people I know have dogs.never really thought about dogs to be honest.I only wanted to know opinions thats inside the law.Just find ir peculiar someone can have a huge dog and no responsibility for how it effects the nighbours.The barking even I could put up with.But I dont see why I should have to throw it a sausage everytime I want to go in the garden lol.

johnnie66

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

The Rottweiler will probably be nice and friendly once you've been introduced to it.

The owner, on the other hand ...

Looking on the bright side, it may deter burglars.

Looking on the less bright side, that might be why the neighbours have it in the first place.

I did think burglars.But its not that type of area.Infact I live on the street now and have done for 15 years.But moving due to flat I am in being redeveloped.Look they have only been in the house 4 months themselves.Heres a quick one.While i was typing this my friend that lived in there house before them said there was a fence there when he sold it to them but the dogs been chewing it and pulled the slates off it.So they took it down.

Owain_Moneysaver

If both your and their houses are council/housing association I would suggest speaking to them about dogs/fences/children. There may be a condition in their tenancy that they have to keep the garden fenced.

Unfortunately some people do just have big dogs as status symbols. While there are laws about nuisance, it's a long and slow process to go down.

nonnatus

I think the problem is yours OP.

If the "big dog" was a large, soppy Irish setter (which stand taller than a rotty) you would have much less of a problem. In your head, though, you have an association between rotties and uncontrolled aggression. In fact, most Rotties are really WELL trained because of their size and they are very bright dogs. Obviously, their natural instinct is to protect their pack, wheras a Terriers instinct is to chase small, furry creatures!

I agree with the previous answers. Either you go round to the Rotties house and make friends with the dog so you are accepted into his pack and he stops frightening you, or you look for somewhere "safer" to live. The neighbour is under no pressure to build a wall to make you feel more relaxed I'm afraid

Avon2001

I can see both sides here. I think well-trained Rotties are lovely unfortunately I've seen too many used as status dogs and if the OP's description of his potential neighbour was anything like reality then I suspect she may be one of them. From a legal perspective there are various points of law which basically make a dog's owner(s) responsible for its actions, unfortunately like most points of law they can only be applied after the fact, which may be of very little comfort. There are ways of dealing with dogs which are out of control however I'm rather uncomfortable dealing with them here. Excessive barking can be dealt with under noice-nuisance legislation however I'd suspect that is hardly going to make for good relations with your neighbour and speaking personally, I'd be a lot more concerned about the attitude of your neighbour and your landlord (both of whom are likely to feature significantly in your life if you move into this flat) than about the dog per se. Speaking as a dog-lover and former owner, if I had a large animal I would certainly want to keep it properly fenced in (for its safety if nothing else) and if I were a landlord in that situation, I'd be doing everything possible to manage it and if that meant forking out for a decent fence then so be it. Frankly on that basis, rather than the dog, I'd walk away...

tanith

I'd also be concerned enough to ask the other neighbours if the dog barks a lot... nothing more annoying than a dog that barks outside when its owners are out..

mazza111

I too can see both sides. Rotties are lovely dogs when they are well trained. However I wouldn't just want a 3' wall separating them from my kids.

Of course, if it's somewhere you're planning to stay, you could always put a fence up yourself. Which is what I'm going to have to do due to next door's annoying kids.

Love to see the kids playing next door, but when I see them trampling all over my garden and dropping sweet papers here there and everywhere it makes me want to get a rottie just to scare the sht out of them!