# dobermans next door



## beowolf (Sep 3, 2010)

I have a 7 month old male GSD. The fence between my place and the neighbors is an old fashioned wood picket fence, his two dobermans can squeeze their snouts between the spaces into my yard. A few days ago my dog was off his leash when they were let out into their yard and proceeded to run to the fence and bark at my dog. He of course ran over to them and started barking in a really aggressive manner which I have never seen him do before. He went up to the fence and very confidently and authoritatively barked at them both, with his teeth showing. I secured him back up and assured him everything was cool, I didn't give him any corrections for what he did. Anyone been here before? What pitfulls should I be mindful of? The dobermans are not social dogs seem to be really aggressive and eventually I want my dog to be off leash in his own yard...
Anyone seen this movie before? (My previous dog was a female terrier and she never gave two craps about those dogs, she ignored them).


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## Franksmom (Oct 13, 2010)

My neighbors have 2 agressive dogs in their back yard, it's fenced in with underground electric fence so to my dogs there is no barrier between them and the other dogs when they come growling towards them. 
What I've done with all my dogs is a lot of training on coming to me in the back yard and ignoring the other dogs. I start on a short leash and work up to a long line. 
it's a long process that Frank is just starting the long line part of now (he's 7 months)
he just doesn't understand the dogs wont' come all the way to our yard since he can't see a fence. 
My older dogs will actually go out in the back yard and just sit and look at the dogs or ignore them. that's my goal for frank too.
And before anyone asks Yes I do worry about the other dogs breaking through that underground fence.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

The dobes are agitating your pup and he is finally old enough to care. I would nip this in the bud if at all possible. First, mention it to your neighbors. See if you can get the dogs to meet each other outside of this area. Our neighbors had a Weimareiner that kept escaping and coming to our house to "play" (this is what they thought), of course it was only agitating the dogs. We spoke to them numerous times, but they didn't see any harm in it. We would catch the dog and crate him in our kennel until they got home from work. One day the dog broke into our yard when we were out there playing with our 2 Australian Cattle dogs and the Weim made the mistake of butt biting the female when she ran by. Needless to say she was not pleased and snagged him by an ear and just froze. Luckily all of our dogs have a reliable "Out" command so she let go when we yelled Aus. A few months later, the dog broke into our yard again and this time we weren't there. The 2 cattle dogs almost killed their Weim. When I got home I saw there had been a battle but couldn't figure out what had happened since my 2 dogs were there, with just a couple of nicks. I noticed the neighbors side gate standing open and went and closed it, but didn't see their dog anywhere so assumed he was in his crate in the basement(where he spends 90% of his time). I assumed the Weim had been running the fence again and caused a scuffle between the 2 cattle dogs.The neighbors came home later and found the Weim under their porch and we helped rush him to the ER Vet. Then had the nerve to call Animal Control on my dogs who had never left our yard!!! Needless to say, we explained our side to the husband and he admitted the electric fence was turned off and the kids probably didn't shut the gate, so Animal Control dropped the charges. They now keep the dog secured!
If the neighbors won't cooperate, you need to correct your dog for fence fighting, it will only make him and the dobes escalate. If worse comes to worse, you could sit there with a spray bottle of water with some vinegar mixed in and spray the dobes noses when they poke through the fence. Or you could run an electric wire on your side. First and foremost, though, try to work it out with the neighbors first. Our dogs never reacted to the idiot Weim and his fence agitation, but him breaking into the yard was a whole different ball of wax. We were sad the Weim had to pay the price due to the owner's idiocy, but at least they now see how it was not "play". We are still very friendly with out neighbors now, which is the best outcome.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

You are lucky you have fence! I have a very large yard and it is not fenced in but I will be getting it fenced in once tax money comes! My GSD absolutely will not leave the yard, my GSD/Husky mix is on a leash at all times, my cousin's Rott does not leave the yard either and everytime the dogs go out so do my cousin and I. They are never outside alone. I cannot wait to get the yard fenced in, there are alot of Pitbulls in my neighborhood (I absolutely do not have anything against Pitbulls, in fact I really like them, but I live in the ghetto and these are not friendly Pits) and although none of them have come into my yard when the dogs are out I have seen them in my yard before (owners let them run loose). My GSD is friends with the English Bulldog and the Pug next door but my GSD/Husky mix is not and they always venture into my yard and they poop in my yard and it will be nice when they cant do that anymore. 

Is there a way that you can put a chain link fence up? If you dont want to do the whole yard then how about putting up chain link against the fence where the dobermans are?


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I live next to 2 dobermans-have a chain link fence. The neighbour introduced me and my older female to the dobermans and they are both friendly. Both of my girls ignore the dobermans so far. Anja I think because she is just wise and Rorie is used to me spending time with her-if I was the neighbour I would be very angry if someone sprayed vinegar at my dogs


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah Bianca and the dog next door (some type of small fluffy mixed breed) do that, fence-running, bark-bark-growl-bark acting as if they wanted to kill each other-- then after a minute or two they'll stop barking, and instead wag their tails and sniff each other through the fence. :crazy: 
I used to call her away as soon as she started heading for the fence, but she seems to have gotten used to the dog lately and she will only do it when she is on her way inside the house, because the porch stairs are right by the fence so when she approaches the stairs the dog next door will run to the fence and start off and so she'll do the routine I mentioned above (except now it's more like 5-10 seconds of growl/bark, then wag/sniff then continue towards the house .)


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

holland said:


> I would be very angry if someone sprayed vinegar at my dogs


I'm sure you would be, but you seem to be someone who is dealing with neighbors with some sense. Believe me, that is the exception most of the time. I stated that the OP should try and deal with this in a sensible way, discuss it with the neighbors, have the dogs meet (and hopefully become friends), etc. But if all else fails, I would absolutely protect my young dog and not allow the neighbors dogs to teach my dog to become a fence fighting menace. The OP's dog's reaction will NOT be limited to those dogs in her backyard, it will translate to his interactions with every other dog he comes in contact with in the future, especially when a barrier is involved. Barrier aggression will morph into general aggression issues pretty easily, so some vinegar sprayed on the initial offenders would be the least I would do to stop it. If the behavior is allowed to continue, imagine the brawl that would ensue if the dogs get together, and they probably will. I also suggested she correct her dog when he engages in the behavior, because when you are standing at the vet getting your dog stitched up from a fight, it doesn't matter how or who started it, the end result will be the same. And in her case it will be 2 against one, so the odds are against the young GSD if it happens. 
If need be, have a trainer come to the house and get their advice on how to redirect the dog when this starts up, but this means the OP must supervise every single time her dog is out in her own yard. What a nightmare, and we all know that won't last long. So either establish a truce with the dobermans (through making friends, with the trainers help if possible) or learn to live with it and be waiting for the axe to fall.
I can't tell you how many clients we've had tell us about their dog either attacking or getting attacked while on a walk through their suburban neighborhood, when we finally get to the nuts and bolts of the story there has been animosity building for a long time and the "unexpected" attack while out on the walk was just an opportune moment that the dog took advantage of.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I would not spray vinegar at someone elses dog-there are other solutions


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