# Fence Fighting with New Neighbors



## brightspot (Apr 18, 2013)

I've read some of the fence fighting threads and will immediately implement the suggestions and talk to our new neighbors.

However, there is a little complication in my case. The area by the fence in question is my dog's self-chosen potty area!

Here are some details:

My boy has just turned a year old and is intact. My neighbors had a mini dachshund who would rush over to the fence (6 foot, wooden) yapping and tail wagging. My pup would sniff back and wag his tail, but stay basically calm. They have moved. The new neighbors have two terriers and a lab. And the fireworks are exploding. All four dogs are running the fence, barking like mad. My pup has his hackles up. He doesn’t respond to me trying to distract him and he struggles when I drag him back in the house. All dogs are indoor dogs so this happens when everyone is let out for potty breaks.

My dog is not dog aggressive, but he is reactive when on leash. Off-leash, he is dog friendly. I don’t know anything about the other dogs.

The main question: Should I move his potty area? I really hate to destroy another part of the yard!


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## FelixTheGSD (Apr 29, 2014)

Are the other dogs intact?

Maybe talk to your neighbors and see if they will have a "puppy playdate" and let all of your dogs socialize. Our neighbors have a bird dog, a min-pin, and a rat terrier. The min-pin thought we were the end of the world, but then we had a puppy socialization with both of our neighbors, and no problems since! It also is helpful, since we are 3 big ranchs, if any of the dogs get loose they end up at one of our houses to play  we've had the bird dog (lab mix I think, but really well trained) show up at our porch begging for treats


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Move his potty area.

Woolf(GSD) is DA. Shadow(Lab) is a typical Lab - social, everyone-dog and human- is a friend. The previous neighbors had untrained beagles and a king of the mountain chi, the new neighbors have untrained mophead fuzz balls. Both sets of dogs charge the fence barking as soon as we open the backdoor. Neighbors have been useless controlling their dogs.

Woolf, we expected problems from and used the neighbor dogs as training. Shadow is now reactive ONLY to the neighbor dogs. She is like us - sick and tired of being barked at <sigh>. So now we are working with Shadow on ignoring the dogs.

There is a privacy fence up and we have installed the welded wire fence 2/3 ft inside that to prevent the nose to nose. Made a huge difference.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I would talk to the new neighbor about coordinating potty times until you can get his recall firmed up a bit more. Mine loved to go visit the fence to see the dogs next door (they had a fit, mine has never barked at them). However, because I have the chuck-it in hand usually when we're out stretching our legs, he focuses on that and not the dogs. Now, he almost never even notices them when we're outside, doesn't even twitch an ear when they bark at him (the dog is chained 24/7 close enough that he can get to the fence and there is a dog that is also loose...both pits). Rarely, (once a month or so) he might charge over there to check them out, but recalls easily as he would much rather play ball. Have you also tried having him potty on leash so you can correct/redirect if he gets wound up? It's good for dogs to be able to potty on leash.


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## brightspot (Apr 18, 2013)

Twyla said:


> Move his potty area.


I think I'll do that anyway. There is a better place on the other side of the yard. 

How hard is that to do? Any tricks to make the move easier?


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

brightspot said:


> I think I'll do that anyway. There is a better place on the other side of the yard.
> 
> How hard is that to do? Any tricks to make the move easier?


Take him on leash to the new potty area, patience, when he goes, party and repeat - just like a puppy. Some would suggest placing some of his waste in the area for the scent.

I would think about spraying his old area down with an enzyme , vinegar (can kill the grass), repeated water soaking and picking up any waste to clear the old area of any scent.

Talk with the neighbors, if they aren't willing to put the work in on their dogs, seriously consider privacy fence and an inside row of fence.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Ok chiming in as a 'pet person."  Moving the potty area and talking to the neighbors is..."cute' both approaches are band aids. They can mask the problem they don't deal with it!

I can control what "my' dogs do! Not what other people do with there dogs.

My guys were taught to ignore other dogs. That what they do! Every now and then an occasional "NO" might be needed, in the yard...problem solved. On walk dogs can bark bark bark at them till they turn blue in the face! They get zero response from my guys.

You can start here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e_1uCQUYvE

It will take time and patience or hire a trainer skilled in the use of an E collar, learn it's proper, use and solve the problem in a couple days or hours?









We have barky noisy dogs on both sides of our house.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Not sure what being a 'pet person' has to do with your response but anyways. I believe I mentioned leashing to control the dog's reaction while you work on it.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Galathiel said:


> Not sure what being a 'pet person' has to do with your response but anyways. I believe I mentioned leashing to control the dog's reaction while you work on it.


Hmm I was not launching an attack on you? Sorry if it was perceived that way! 

"Pet person" means to me...regular folks can solve this issue, simple as that. I have never put a leash on my dogs in their backyard! I expect my dogs to behave! 

For the record my neighbors to the North are A holes! I expect them to not control there dogs! So I don't put much faith in "talking" to some folks myself!

And yes a leash, work on it directly at the source. I would prefer outside dogs as a source for distractions. Ignore and move on, Teach the behaviour you want,
Then at home...they "know" what you expect! 

Clarification is always helpful my bad! thanks.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I'm regular folk too ... and I have and on occasion still do leash my dog in his yard. 1) for working on his leash skills .. an ongoing power struggle we're having at the moment, hard headed sucker and 2) because my dog goes out and about to training and different locales and I want him to remember that he can potty on leash ... some dogs won't. I had one that wouldn't (never leashed him at home) and it was a royal pain when we went on vacation!


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Chip18 said:


> Ok chiming in as a 'pet person."  Moving the potty area and talking to the neighbors is..."cute' both approaches are band aids. They can mask the problem they don't deal with it!


You like the superman bandaids?

Bandaids can be cute, but they serve purpose as well. Perhaps before the cute, snarky replies; give some thought to that as well.

In this case, the cute bandaid will give the GSD a less distracted environment so he can actually learn. Perhaps, if the OP is lucky enough to have good neighbors, the chat with them will wake them up to some responsibility of training their dogs.


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## brightspot (Apr 18, 2013)

I want to talk with my new neighbors. Just trying to be friendly. We all live here. If they don't want to have a play date or don't want to work with their dogs, then so be it. I will control my own dog. (BTW, he doesn’t bother with the lab on the other side at all. She ignores him.)

I will need to make some sort of buffer zone, at least temporarily, so I can get his attention focused on me. I will work with treats and his flirt pole to keep his attention on me and no other dogs. I will use his leash, if necessary; he completely ignored me this morning.

This is a new experience for my dog and he is reacting with joyous exuberance to 3 new friends next door. The other dogs are excited, too. They are in a new, unfamiliar house and here is this big noisy dog running back and forth, raising a ruckus next to the fence.

Thanks for your suggestions.


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## GoldenGloves (Jul 7, 2013)

Get a "no bark birdhouse" and nail it on your side of the fence. It has a sonic sound they hate (you can't hear) that makes dogs on both sides stop right away... I had a fence fighting problem with the neighbors dog, my dogs ignored the other dog but occasionally sniff at the fence and it would charge them full speed. When the "birdhouse" would go off the neighbors dog would stop barking and mine realized to just stay away from that corner. 


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Galathiel said:


> I'm regular folk too ... and I have and on occasion still do leash my dog in his yard. 1) for working on his leash skills .. an ongoing power struggle we're having at the moment, hard headed sucker and 2) because my dog goes out and about to training and different locales and I want him to remember that he can potty on leash ... some dogs won't. I had one that wouldn't (never leashed him at home) and it was a royal pain when we went on vacation!


Haven't had a puppy in a decade! But yeah next dog will get loose leash training in the yard! 

The not going potty on a leash? I have no idea? Not something I ever noticed?? 

"Pet person" was being used as a pejorative by some. As was the term "Bubble dog." Inside jokes I guess. I like both terms myself! My standards are pretty high! My dogs don't have "issues" my guys will never be featured on Cesar 911! 

Dogs barking all the time, running out the door, attacking dogs, biting people ,counter surfing, eating freaking couches!!

It's all alien to me??? I'm not a pro and my dogs don't do any of that crap! Hence for me 'pet person" I gots no problem with it! 

So since I'm "not" a pro I'm either a "pet person" or a conceded condescending A hole! Pet person is a whole lot easier. 

On Boxer forums I get a lot of grief! Those folks are pretty much clueless! When they have a dog with big dog issues! 

Boxers are my first love my GSD was happenstance! But now I get them!
But Boxers different dogs different set of issues! Boxers are not in the top ten on the doggy IQ scale! They pretty much don't give a crap what you want! What they are doing is much more interesting!Pros say they can train 3 GSD's in the time it takes to train one Boxer! Nonetheless "I" raised a near perfect Boxer! But by and large..Boxer folks are kinda soft like there dogs! 

So over there if you say..."pet person" it's more like..who isn't???

No insult intended !


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## Ellimaybel (Mar 16, 2014)

GoldenGloves said:


> Get a "no bark birdhouse" and nail it on your side of the fence. It has a sonic sound they hate (you can't hear) that makes dogs on both sides stop right away... I had a fence fighting problem with the neighbors dog, my dogs ignored the other dog but occasionally sniff at the fence and it would charge them full speed. When the "birdhouse" would go off the neighbors dog would stop barking and mine realized to just stay away from that corner.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Wow. Why have I not thought of this for my issues with the rat terrier charging the fence at people walking by? As long as it won't stop Gunther from barking at a real threat. Awesome!


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## brightspot (Apr 18, 2013)

GoldenGloves said:


> Get a "no bark birdhouse" and nail it on your side of the fence. It has a sonic sound they hate (you can't hear) that makes dogs on both sides stop right away... I had a fence fighting problem with the neighbors dog, my dogs ignored the other dog but occasionally sniff at the fence and it would charge them full speed. When the "birdhouse" would go off the neighbors dog would stop barking and mine realized to just stay away from that corner.


I will try this. I hope it works! It might be enough to diffuse the situation some so I can work with my dog with a little less distraction than a full-on run/bark fest.

I observed the reactions of the dogs this morning. The terriers started the barking, the lab did not participate. My dog joined in! Run, run, bark, bark.

The owner called for the terriers, they stopped barking and went to the back door. My pup stopped barking. I was able to distract him with the flirt pole. However, when the terriers started barking again, so did my dog. Hm. Interesting dynamics.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

I do like the "bird house thing" it's still a Bandaids (yeah I said it) but it sounds like a variable short term solution!

Working on the dog reactive without side dogs will work. Then you can transfer that behaviour home!
Been there done that. My guys don't do dog parks don't do play dates no outside dogs!

Nonetheless ,on one walk, I stopped to talk to a neighbor, her three yappers were behind a fence. They went ape crap barking at Rocky who stood behind me quietly while we spoke! We continued to speak, the little guys barked, barked, barked for a few more minutes...no response from Rocky. They then settled down and shut up and started to wag their tails!!


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## jafo220 (Mar 16, 2013)

Chip makes a good point in working with your dog first and let the neighbors dogs do what ever unless they cross a boundary. 

I speak from first hand experience with this. Not just talking out my backside. I expect my dog to leave that side of the yard alone when they are out and it's still a work in progress, but all I can really do is make sure I control my dog. What ever else happens with their dogs just happens. Funny thing is, this neighbor always comments on how well behaved my dog is and wished theirs were as well behaved and listen as well as my dog. I just shrug my shoulders. I'm on good speaking terms with them too. So being on good terms doesn't always mean they see things the same way, so be prepared for that. I hope it works out for you.

Also keep in mind, these dogs have just met. It may just be a feeling out process.


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## brightspot (Apr 18, 2013)

I had some success this morning. I set up the birdhouse bark control and allowed events to unfold. Wylie did his business and was sniffing around the yard. The neighbor's dogs came out. BARK! BARK! BARK! all around. the birdhouse was sending out the signal: the barks didn't stop but everyone settled down. I was able to call Wylie to me and reward him with the flirt pole. The terriers continued to bark on and off, but Wylie ignored them.

It's early to claim victory, but I think I have a plan that will work with time and practice.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

brightspot said:


> I had some success this morning. I set up the birdhouse bark control and allowed events to unfold. Wylie did his business and was sniffing around the yard. The neighbor's dogs came out. BARK! BARK! BARK! all around. the birdhouse was sending out the signal: the barks didn't stop but everyone settled down. I was able to call Wylie to me and reward him with the flirt pole. The terriers continued to bark on and off, but Wylie ignored them.
> 
> It's early to claim victory, but I think I have a plan that will work with time and practice.


 Well that seems simple.


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## Bob_McBob (Nov 15, 2012)

I'm still working on this with my male. My neighbours have two huskies that live outside in a pen and are left to run wild, and they consider him their greatest source of entertainment. The neighbours don't care at all and will actually let the dogs out of the pen if they see me out there with him. It's a chain link fence, and he will aggressively fence fight them for as long as he can if he's given the chance. I can't let him out there without a line; even after several months of daily obedience training, he doesn't give a hoot about a recall command if he's remotely close to his extremely low threshold with dogs or anything else that interests him. If he's actually fighting, you have to physically catch him and haul him back into the house. I just can't trust him out there untethered, and it makes the garden useless for training, which is a pretty miserable situation.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Bob_McBob said:


> I'm still working on this with my male. My neighbours have two huskies that live outside in a pen and are left to run wild, and they consider him their greatest source of entertainment. The neighbours don't care at all and will actually let the dogs out of the pen if they see me out there with him. It's a chain link fence, and he will aggressively fence fight them for as long as he can if he's given the chance. I can't let him out there without a line; even after several months of daily obedience training, he doesn't give a hoot about a recall command if he's remotely close to his extremely low threshold with dogs or anything else that interests him. If he's actually fighting, you have to physically catch him and haul him back into the house. I just can't trust him out there untethered, and it makes the garden useless for training, which is a pretty miserable situation.


How old is this dog??

No recall in "this" situation or no recall at all..neither of which is acceptable!

I find talking to neighbors that have ill mannered dogs pretty much a waste of time myself. but I guest it can't hurt?

The video I posted will work, get out of your yard to train it, transfer the behavior to home. He has to be taught what you expect before he can do it! 

It will take time and patience but it can be done! 

An e collar would also be a viable option depending on the dogs age and as long as you do the necessary research or find and work with a good trainer! 

And we just heard the bird house thing seems to work, it's at least a quick fix it seems.


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## brightspot (Apr 18, 2013)

Chip18 said:


> And we just heard the bird house thing seems to work, it's at least a quick fix it seems.


It didn't work, per-se. What it did do was calm all the dogs enough to get my dogs attention back on me. Enough to call him off. 

This will give me enough time to strengthen his recalls in a distracted setting and then transfer it to the yard like Chip has suggested.


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