Pesky Neighbors Don't Like My Dog Training

[A team]

Your in Il imagine what we deal with CA.

[Shawn White]

Never go to town.

[Furball]

I groom dogs as a side-job and have a little grooming shop set up in the garage. 95% of my little charges are angels and quite used to the grooming routine. The other 5% are screaming, thrashing, biting idiots. As you might imagine, trying to restrain one of these little beauties to administer their grooming is not a walk in the park. First thing I do when it becomes apparent that we have a problem, I shut the garage door. I really don't need my neighbors seeing me wrestle down a screaming bichon who's trying to bite my face off.
I do train my own dogs in the front yard or street in front of my house all the time. My neighbors think I'm nuts but generally they quite enjoy seeing me work the dogs. (Then again, if I regularly found myself in training scenarios that would make my neighbors question animal abuse, I think I'd change training techniques...) One time the neighbor's kid came over while I was out in the yard, and said "Scuse me I wanted to know if I could pet Fisher but I couldn't tell if you were training or playing." That was a compliment

[Gotta Lotta Zoom]

Be careful with the neighbors. Just in September I went on vacation for a week and had my neighbor feed my dogs which was great until a nosey neighbor beside me thought my dogs where being mistreated so she was sneaking in my back gate feeding them good knows what. Make a long story short my HRCH died at 5 with pancretitis from the food she was feeding her 2 weeks later. Didn't get sorry or nothing. People should mind there own dang business.

[Sharon Potter]

What amazes me is that the vast majority of people from Planet Fluffbunny can be so rabidly against e-collar use, yet think underground fence systems are ideal.

[huntinman]

What amazes me is that the vast majority of people from Planet Fluffbunny can be so rabidly against e-collar use, yet think underground fence systems are ideal.

Great point. The fence is "out of sight" so..."out of mind". Even though they still have to put the collar on the dog.

[2tall]

I think this entire discussion points out why I have never lived in a traditional neighborhood since the first few months of marriage! Even if it weren't for the dogs, I prefer to be master of my own domain to the largest extent possible. I may have just been darn lucky, but I have never encountered anyone that really got upset with my training or having dogs in my truck. I do take the time to introduce my dogs to anybody that shows an interest in what we are doing. They always ask about the e collar, but when I explain using the "safety first" approach, somehow I've never had a problem. I do believe a lot of it is just luck, not running into any nutcases. But I also think it helps to have an open, approachable attitude. Oh yeah, it also helps to have a chessie.

[RookieTrainer]

You are of course correct that it is your right to do anything you want on your property that is not illegal or otherwise prohibited (i. e., subdivision covenants). However, just because you have the right to do something does not mean it is smart to exercise that right in a given situation.

First, are you sure you know exactly who you are dealing with? I am talking about people who have connections as well as people who may be mentally ill or maybe just plain mean. If you keep your dogs outside where people can get access to them, this is a thought. If you offend someone into harming your dogs, is it going to matter very much whether you had the right to do whatever it was that they chose to take offense to?

Second, we all need to realize that there are some parts of dog training that are not pleasant to watch or participate in either for the dog or the trainer - and that's knowing what we are doing and why. Imagine what FF looks like to the uninitiated. You would think someone would ask before they called the cops, etc., but we all know that's not necessarily the case.

It's always good to be strategic. I have a neighbor who just turns his dog out into the neighborhood to relieve himself. Never mind the fact that we live on the access road for several neighborhoods and I have seen this dog get that close to death countless times, I don't want another male dog coming into my yard unannounced or just have him crap all over it. Rather that try to force the issue, I simply walked over there one day and let them know that my dog was fighting Giardia (which was even true), and that I wanted to let them know that their dog might be in danger of getting it if it came into our yard. For the most part, problem solved, and they likely think I did them a favor.

You are of course free to exercise your rights, and we all know that there are some people out there who just can't stay out of your business and who force you to insist on your rights. Others have given the advice to make sure you make the first calls to law enforcement, and I wholeheartedly agree. If you can frame the issue initially you stand a much better chance of success.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have a real problem with allowing a neighbor to decide what I can and cannot do on my own property so long as 1) it is not illegal (and I've got a fairly good grasp on that concept); 2) it is not harmful to their property, health, or welfare; 3) it is not a nuisance or other activity that affects that neighbor directly.

An example: when I was a teen, we lived in a town where the supermajority of residents were Christian Reformed. It was their belief that you should not mow your lawn, wash your car, paint your house, etc, on a Sunday. We were not of the same church being Lutheran. We did not share those beliefs.

On many occasions some neighbors would complain that the grass was being cut, or a car being washed in the middle of the day on a Sunday. My dad politely explained to them where the property line was, and how it was intended to be used. One called the cops because we were "disturbing the peace" with the lawnmower. The officer explained how calling 911 for the wrong reason was a crime, and asked if the person wanted to re-think the complaint.

Allowing others, without due process of law, to dictate what you can do on your own land is how rights get eroded. First it is courtesy, then it becomes expected, then unwritten policy, and soon some schmuck proposes it as an ordinance at a township meeting.

Rant over.

[Colonel Blimp]

Obviously I will not be training in the front of the house anymore where she can make observations but was wondering how some others might deal with this situation. Would be interested to hear what others who have experienced similar situations have done to deal with this stuff in a professional manner. What do you tell animal cruelty if they do show up?

Well I think you should start a new training regime .... for the neighbour.

Look at it this way, if you had a dog that didn't understand the concept you were teaching and gave a poor response you'd take the SOP of going back, simplifying, make it easier to grasp, and rewarding it for good performance. Substitute "neighbour" for "dog" and there is your way forward. All of those who have offered "aversive" methods are undoubtedly sincere, but in my opinion misguided. No one wants a falling out with the neighbours, life's too short for that stuff, and just being aggressive is a certain recipe for a downhill progression where what you want is the exact reverse. Being from UK I don't fully understand the implications of "animal cruelty" being involved, but it doesn't sound too good and needs to be taken seriously.

So if it was me, I'd approach the lady say I was sorry we'd got our wires crossed and offer her to stand in to a training session for half an hour; that I took the implied threats about cruelty very seriously, and so should she. If she agrees, take the collar and place it on your own arm. If that goes all right (and you don't need to be de-bolted ) go through some simple drills offering her the chance to take part. If she doesn't want to play, prepare to either beat her to the punch with the cruelty guys, and /or have a spiel in mind if they do turn up. I've no doubt there is some statutory brief they work to; find out what it is and devise verbal responses and practical demonstrations to counter it.

Eug

[boone11]

I have first hand knowledge of an individual in a similar situation. The authority that permitted the facility and animal control inspected the kennel and found know problems. However a few minutes of selectively recorded video resulted in arrest and charges. After 5-8K in attorney fees a plea was reached. Don't underestimate a nosy neighbor or an aggresive DA. Discretion is the better part of valor.