What do I do in this situation?

[STEVSH]

We have an invisible fence around the entire property. We live in a typical 70's style midwestern neighborhood on 1/4 acre lots with nice wide driveways and sidewalks everywhere. Both Topaz and Blue know the fence line very well, and neither have ever broken through it. We have some guy in our neighborhood though that just loves to antagonize the dogs. He has a cocker spaniel that is bonkers and he will purposely cross the street and come STAND on the sidewalk in front of our driveway and let his dog bark and lunge at mine. Well, this just sets mine off, especially Topaz and her deal with small dogs now (two small dogs have gone after her, so she goes into kill mode with little dogs now).

Blue is a barker and just sits there and barks her head off, but Topaz gets frantic. She charges, jumps up and down, snarls and growls, and has her hackles raised full up. This guy loves it. He's just asking for it for some reason.
Now because I can't control this idiot and what he does on a public sidewalk, how to do I handle Topaz in this situation? I try and grab her and lead her away, but she is super strong and I have spinal arthritis and can't pull too much. I've tried the "watch me" but she is just so worked up that I don't exist in her eyes at that moment. Plus, I feel like i"m teaching her that every time she sees a dog now, that I tense up and she goes into even more protective mode. It's just because I know if she ever DID break through that fence, it would be all over for that cocker spaniel. Do I resort to keeping her on a tie out rope now you think? Because that's not teaching her anything, it's just preventing her from breaking through.

I really want to know how I should react and behave when she goes nuts. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[musicdeb]

IMHO, I would expose her to small dogs. Once Topaz reacts the way you want her to react to small dogs, then offer a treat/reward. This will take consistency and lots of patience. It's her fear of small dogs that is causing her to react this way and she could kill the dog. It's best to take away the fear of small dogs. I undertand this is easier said than done, but it could save your dog's life as well as the small dog's life. Again, my 2 cents...

 

[STEVSH]

On the leash that's no problem because I have full control of her and she behaves very well now. She has been leash reactive, but we worked on it the past 6 months and she's much improved. It's just at home when we are outside hanging out in the driveway. As soon as a dog walks by she goes ballistic. Most people cross the street because they don't know we have an invisible fence, but this guy does. He just lacks a brain.
I want to give her treats when she sees other dogs, but I don't want to give her treats when her hackles are raised and she's lunging and growling. Know what I mean? I guess I just need to get to her before she notices another dog.
She's fine with my friends' dogs, but they are also bigger and she knows them. And a neighbor was jogging last month with her golden and when she stopped to talk to us, she dropped the leash and he went right up to Topaz. They immediately started playing and there was no problem even though it was a strange dog. But with little dogs, yowza. The little dog that first started a fight with her lives right across the street too. So when Brownie is outside, she just stands in our driveway dead still and eyes locked on her.

 

[aphayes96]

Man. The neighbor guy sounds like such a jerk. Have you tried speaking to him and putting a positive spin on it... such as, Hey... I'm really trying to work with my dog about small dogs as she had a bad experience. Do you think you could help out and not stop in front of her so she's not so freaked out since she's obviously stressed when you do it? Maybe he'll get the point. Maybe not. Can't hurt to try. If he doesn't respond friendly... perhaps "Hey man... want me to turn off the fence barrier so they can play?... I think my dog would LOoooove yours." would do it. hahaha.

 

[STEVSH]

We have talked to him about it before. He's that dense. My husband even said last weekend "Do you realize that you are making our dog react like this?". You know what he did? SMILED, CHUCKLED, and then said "Have a nice day". I don't know if he is practically deaf, or if he really is mentally handicapped or what? He's in in fifties, wears a stocking cap year round, and kind of "putters" down the sidewalk. So I've abandoned him cooperating what so ever.
I get frustrated when I lose control of my dog. I hate that feeling more than anything. Every dog I have ever owned before has been a dog's dog. Never a problem. So this is the first I've had with dog issues. And it's really frustrating for me because we go up to my parents' cabin every year and there are dogs everywhere roaming free. I don't think I can do that with Topaz. Which is a shame because she LOVES water (half weimaraner) and people, so she'll want to be on the beach with us all. But I think I have to keep her tied up in the trees
Also that fact that she is half weimaraner is part of the problem too. The prey drive is very strong in this one (that sounded like Yoda - LOL). But it's like a light switch. Once she turns it on, she is oblivious to me. Which pisses me off because she listens to me very well in all other areas. She is STAR puppy trained and CGC trained, but I'm not sure I can untrain a prey drive if you know what I mean.

 

[Smart_Family]

Man. The neighbor guy sounds like such a jerk. Have you tried speaking to him and putting a positive spin on it... such as, Hey... I'm really trying to work with my dog about small dogs as she had a bad experience. Do you think you could help out and not stop in front of her so she's not so freaked out since she's obviously stressed when you do it? Maybe he'll get the point. Maybe not. Can't hurt to try. If he doesn't respond friendly... perhaps "Hey man... want me to turn off the fence barrier so they can play?... I think my dog would LOoooove yours." would do it. hahaha.

I would absolutely do this. I also agree that the small dog thing is something to be worked on. Do you have any friends with small dogs? People can have bad enough misconceptions about big dogs as it is but if they see topaz going crazy every time she sees a small dog then that's only going to make topaz look bad ya know? It's something my husband struggles with with his shepherd but she goes crazy over any small animal and luckily there's not too many small dogs around here.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

Wow I would more than have a problem with my neighbour! But since you have talked to him and there is no success I think you need to work on re-direction. I would get a retractable leash (this is not to contain, just to teether him to you) and when you see the dog, (any dog... big or small) immediately call him back to you and reward making a big fuss over the fact that he came when called. I would keep at him so that he learns when you call, no matter if the a**hole is standing there with his dog he will turn and return.

My other option would be... walk up to him when the guy is there and grab the collar saying just a sec I think my big guy wants to get off and play with yours... let me just let him free and they can have a little play date.

 

[STEVSH]

We know two small dogs. Both are not obedience trained and allowed to go ballistic and behave how they want. These are the two that have attacked Topaz. The chihuahua mix across the street (size of a beagle actually) who is no tied up and tends to wander off when the kids leave the doors open. When they moved in, they told us "Yeah Brownie likes to fight and kill any animal she comes across. They were right. She went right at Topaz on our driveway. I wasn't home, so it was my husband (who doesn't know much about dogs) and her husband who doesn't know squat about dog behavior either. And the other was my friends' neighbors rat terrier that lives next door to them, Romeo. He came bounding over barking (more like a screeching) and flying all over the place nipping and chasing the big dogs. Then he came over to me barking, turned around and barked at Topaz, and Topaz snapped. She launched him into the air with her head and thankfully the owner caught him. She apparently didn't like his over the top energy. I don't think that lady will be back. Just a guess. AND, we are leaving the dogs with my friends that have her as a neighbor next week too while we go to Disney. So I said that if Romeo heads over to their property (they are out in the country), tie Topaz up. I don't want to get a phone call at Magic Kingdom that my dog just killed Romeo.

 

[Smart_Family]

Yikes. People suck plain and simple. That's part of the reason my end game when my husband retires is to move somewhere in the country where neighbors aren't exactly close. Where we are right now people are pretty much stacked on top of each other and we can't let our dogs off leash when people are home because they don't control their animals. The being constantly vigilant thing is a necessity but it does get old after awhile!

 

[Oak Hill Farm]

For the neighbor (non-dog training advice related) I would get this on video for proof, perhaps get neighbor affidavits and file a harassment charges against him. That behavior is totally unacceptable and harassing when done repeatedly. What a jerk.

 

[Bentley]

Agree with Oak Hill Farm completely!

 

[STEVSH]

Going to give the retractable leash a try, thanks! I have one from my golden retriever about 10 years ago.
What makes me angry is it's not really my dog. Every small dog she's come across is just a $&%^$ to her and made her this way! ARG!
Going to do the video too next time he does it. I always have my phone on me and I can't easily hit record and show you what he does.

Thanks all.

Another thing I just thought of. There are two irish setters that live next door to us. We share a fence in the backyard (it's their fence). One of them (Kelley), can literally jump straight up to the top of the six foot fence and stand there on all fours starting down at our dogs. And you know what Topaz does? Nothing. She raises her hackles, but will just sit down and stare at Kelley teetering on top. So I swear it's just a little dog thing that triggers her.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

Going to give the retractable leash a try, thanks! I have one from my golden retriever about 10 years ago.
What makes me angry is it's not really my dog. Every small dog she's come across is just a $&%^$ to her and made her this way! ARG!
Going to do the video too next time he does it. I always have my phone on me and I can't easily hit record and show you what he does.

Thanks all.

I don't think we are at all surprised that it isn't your dogs fault. Try the leash and just look at it as firming up the recall for when you need it. I also think the getting it on tape is a good idea...and probably what will make him back off, cause you know he is going to be stupid enough to ask what you are doing so tell him you are taping what he is doing so you have the rest of your proof to lay harassment charges

 

[STEVSH]

That's just it. He will stop and be like "What is that in your hand?" and probably start walking towards us. I seriously think he has mental issues because I've never seen someone so blatantly ignore what we are telling him. I can't figure him out. If I can train Topaz to ignore this, the most extreme of annoyances, then I will be proud of myself! I love a good challenge, so I'm going to try it out with this leash and see what I can accomplish. I just wanted to make sure I'm going about it the right way and not hindering it.
To add to it, my five year old daughter is standing in the driveway too, so I would like her to see how I can make our dogs behave as well. It's a good lesson for her. For all of us really.

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

Ditto what Oak Hill said

 

[AKBull]

I'd turn a sprinkler on him.

 

[Tiger12490]

I'd turn a sprinkler on him.

Mhmm.... all of these neighbor troubles including mine before I scared her to move confirm my theory to move on 40 acres in the sticks

Tapd on my skyrocket using 2.0 beta 5

 

[ravendarat]

Turn off the fence and call it a day, problem solved lol. In all honesty I would record him, or at the very least tell the guy that you have him recorded and then tell him that the next time he decides to be a 12 year old prick that you are gonna press charges for harassment.

 

[STEVSH]

If I could find an affordable 40 acres in the sticks (or even 4) I would! I really don't know how I ended up in suburbia, I just did. I am full on country at heart. That's why I hang out at my friends' house in the country all the time. It's not totally out in the sticks, but closer to it than mine is.

Hose is actually a good idea, because then Topaz would be focused on attacking the hose instead. She is obsessed with water and will do anything for it! Only dog I've ever seen that wants to be sprayed in the face and comes back for more. I have to put her in the house to wash the car.

 

[dmouse66]

My opinion, if this guy is aware enough of where the fence line is, he's doing it on purpose and pretending to be addled so you do press menacing charges. I would call the police and get it on record. That way if anything does happen, your better covered in a liability sense.