# Need help with a serious dog problem



## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

This is a really difficult situation. 

My brother (who has a wife and three children) has bought the house next door to me and is currently renovating it (has been for the last year actually). They are not living there yet, they are living in a rented house five minutes down the road. 

About a year ago they bought a dog, a Blue Heeler cross Kelpie. It is currently living on a chain at the reno house. They havent bothered to train her so she jumps up all over you, doesnt sit or stay, doesnt come when called, doesnt heel when you walk her on a lead, and is basically the dictionary definition of unruly. She jumps the fences and gets in with my goats, where she just chases and chases and basically I have to chase her down and catch her because she doesnt come when you call her. They dont spend any time with her and she is stuck at a house by herself with no human contact, which is why she amuses herself by chasing my goats (she manages to get off her chain quite often, I'm not sure how). 

So if that wasnt enough, about three months ago they got three - yes three - mini jack russel pups. One for each of their kids, see. They are currently in a pen at the reno house too, because the rented house doesnt allow dogs. There three are already managing to get out of their pen, in fact one of my nephews said yeah I taught that pup how to climb up and out of the pen. A number of times now we have found them in my paddocks, chasing the goats (just because they are little doesnt mean the goats arent scared of them, plus they fit through my fences) and we have put them back, told my brother they are getting out and yet he doesnt do anything to modify the pen. 

And on top of it all, all four dogs are beginning to show aggression. The pups have on more than one occassion growled and run at me and tried to bite and my sister in law said they have done the same to the kids, and they often fight badly amongst themselves. The other night the heeler had knocked over her water and I went over there to see why she was yapping so much, I filled her bowl up and as I was leaving she nipped my hand. 

Honestly, I just dont know what to do. They werent looking after the first dog properly, now they have four that are being neglected, and they are posing a danger to my goats as well as people. Personally I believe any biting dog should be put down, but they dont see it that way. If it was anyone else I would simply catch the dogs once they were on my property and call the pound. But it is my brother which makes it a whole lot more complicated. 

I'm worried that someone (goat or person) is going to get hurt. I hate the way I'm thinking but I almost think it would be good if they tore into one of my goats, that way I would have a legal, legitimate reason to call the police and have the dogs taken away.


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## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

I don't have any sugestions, but i know exactly what you mean. My grandpa's german shepherd dog got in with my goats numerous times and chased them around. our guard dog sam (bless his soul, but he ain't smart) snarled and barked at her through the fence, so I always knew when she was in there. My grandpa ended up sending her to the green pastures because she harassed the stock. :shrug:


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

I see. Being your brother it would make it awfully hard. We have a tomcat that out neighbours dont keep in or get neutered and it's ferral and sprays on things.
Anyway, i think you should put your foot down about the dogs. Tell them that if they don't stop it, or try to take better care of them, that next time you will catch them and you will call the pound.
I know it's kind of harsh but if those dogs kill one of your goats, what are you going to do?


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## MissMM (Oct 22, 2007)

The next time the dog (s) gets out of the pen & comes onto your property, I'd shoot it, burn the remains, and not tell a soul. 

Around here, we call it "shoot, shovel & shut up." Sounds cruel & is a lot easier to say than do, but when you're protecting yourself, kids, and animals against an obvious threat, you have every right to do so.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

yes I was just thinking invest in a shot gun/rifle whatever.
IF i really didnt like the dog, I would be able to shoot it, but burning it, then burying it would freak me out to the max


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## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

I can't help too much with the fact that they are getting loose, they need a lot more work to get better about that. But when anyone is feeding them take a spray bottle with you and fill it 1/4 with vinegar and 3/4 with water (half and half works too though, they hate the smell) and spray it right in their faces if they growl or come at you or anything else that you don't want them to do. It's done wonders for some problem dogs at the kennel where I work. They really need some attention, those are all very active dogs and with nothing to do they will probably go "nuts". (severe boredom)

There's actually a dog at the kennel right now, a beautiful Aussie/Border collie mix that is having that problem. Her owners don't have anything for her to do and don't walk her enough and she compensates by chasing ANYTHING she sees! I feel so sorry for her.  

I really hope it works out. You might suggest that they take them on at least a 10-15 minute walk whenever they can. :shrug:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

keren, that is a tough situation, but the again any "bad" situation is always worse when family is involved. I don't know how close you are with your brother but maybe telling him that it was not a very wise or responsible decision to get the pups when things are so hectic with the rennovations...and that the heeler really needs to be trained or you'll be investing in a "training" collar.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I've tried most of that ... suggested ways for them to try and get them under control ... I have a friend that has offered to get rid of them for me ... kindof like SSS but in my case I cant do the first S ... so maybe when they next get out they might just run away and disappear ...


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Personally, if it was me, I would round up all 4 of them and take them to a shelter in a different county. In this case it is not the animals fault - it is the owners. The dogs deserve a home where they will be loved and trained.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

That is terrible. I know without proper training a heelers and jack russels can be TERRIBLE!! We have a blue heeler and JR, that JR is stubborn enough as it is and I can just imagine how bad it would be if he wasn't trained. My heeler goes out and does chores with me everyday and follows me all over while i'm driving the 4 wheeler so she ALWAYS gets excercise. For a heeler to be chained up and not do what it was bred to do is cruelty. And those JRs are some high energy, stubborn, little dogs. I cannot even imagine getting three at one time and not training and disciplining.

Since the heeler basically has had no training or socializing, there's no future for that dog unless it's staining on the chain and getting loose and chasing the goats. I honestly would shoot it if it was chasing my goats. Do the old SSS thing...I like it MissMM! Or get your friend to do it. As the the jack pups, I would catch them and take them to (like Allison said) a different county shelter. Maybe they'll find a good home. If not, your brother needs to take care of his animals and realize what they're doing. If he's not going to take care of the problem, then you or your friend should. An untrained or undersocialized dog could definately hurt a child or animal.


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

the dogs are being neglected 
plain and simple
that is a form of abuse that they do not deserve
you need to call the pound 
i don't know if you have to give your name to them or not but i don't think they can share your name with your brother
"we had a call..." is all they can say
I THINK
please
for the love of the animal
release them from their neglect and help them find homes that will truly love them
when your brother gets settled in with his family THEN he can get more dogs...


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

If the dogs are receiving food, water, and shelter, animal control can do NOTHING.

These dogs sound dangerous. No, it is not their fault, but how will it feel when a goat becomes injured or even killed. Or worse, what if its a person?

The next time I caught one of the dogs loose and on my property, it would either be shot, or if I can safely catch it, removed and taken to the shelter in the next county over. I would then say nothing. After all, the dog was loose, anything could have happened to it. Not to mention, a quick death from a sure shot or a trip to the shelter is a lot better than being hit and badly injured on the roads, poisoned, or any other of the possible outcomes for a loose dog.

Harsh, but what other options are there for these dogs? Educating your brother is a hard road and a very unlikely one, speaking from experience.

Good luck and I hope nothing terrible comes from this.


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Yes, I'm pretty positive you can send in an anonymis (can't spell) call.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I dont think I could go the animal welfare route, because they would come to see the dogs but then would see my place and I would probably get locked up lol or have my goats taken away. Because I have a lot of goats on a small acreage. Not that my animals have welfare problems, they are all really well cared for and fed properly etc. but I am still worried that they would try and take my goats away saying I had too many. 

Next time they chase my goats, they are going in a feed bag ... into my car ... and to my friends place.


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

I just re-read my reply and realized I sounded very harsh and uncaring.

Please forgive me.  

It came at a bad time, two days ago my friend called me crying because a couple of dogs from the neighborhood attacked her bottle calf and injured it so badly that when I got there, I had to put it out of its misery. No other choice for the poor baby, waiting for the vet would have just prolonged her suffering. I then spent yesterday over there waiting for the dogs to come back with no luck.

I will be back again over there soon. I have had pets of my own killed by dogs, along with numerous livestock. I just WILL NOT tolerate a neighbor's dog killing someone's pets or livestock. 

While I may attempt to capture a dog that is just hanging around and being a pest, I don't hesitate to put down a dog harassing or killing other animals. 

So your post hit a little too close to home and I was tired and wrote without thinking about how I was coming to my point.

Sorry for the harsh tone of my prior post. I hope you succeed in your plan to rid yourself of the dogs. :hug:


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## Victoria (Dec 20, 2008)

Keren, 
You are one tough cookie. I can't blame you one bit!!
Shame on your brother for putting you through this!


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Epona, no worries :hug: I'm sorry that you and your friend have both had that happen. 

I have no problem with people having dogs as long as they keep them on their own property.


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## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

> I have no problem with people having dogs as long as they keep them on their own property.


I totally agree, Well said! :thumbup:


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## Haviris (Oct 7, 2007)

I agree w/ taking them to the shelter, atleast that way they will have a chance, it's really not their fault, who can blame them for acting that way after what's been done to them.

I know people like this and even have a sister that did something similar w/ her dog. Thankfully she's been smart enough not to get another one. 

I would bet your brother will never be responsible, no matter how much talking you do, he may even get another dog if you shoot or haul off these ones. 

My only other suggestion I can think of would be to lie and say she tried to injure one of your goats and that if it happens again you will have to do something about it. "Maybe" it will get him to atleast make sure they are properly fenced (or chained), but the dogs will still be suffering.


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## farmgirl (Jan 5, 2009)

What an absolutely horrible situation! Things like that are always so difficult when family is involved.
I can understand your frustration, I cannot stand it when people just do not take care of their animals! Our neighbours never get their cats neutered and a couple of years ago we had to pay several different vet bills because we kept having feral cats attacking our dogs and cats. It is their yard and no other animals should be coming into it unless we humans purposfully introduce them!
I hope that you can find a suitable solution for dealing with those dogs (Truth be told ithe situation doesn't sound much different than losing a bunch of my turkeys to cyotes this past year, except for the fact that none of your goats have been killed - thank goodness) It is too bad that you cannot just have the pound come and pick them up. I'm not certain what the laws are where you live, but if you are worried about animal wellfare coming after your place I know that where we live you only legally need a certain amount of square feet per animal as required by whatever commersial standards are in place. I looked up the standards on the internet and it looks like each goat is required to have about 15 square feet of space, but that may be different depending on the area. Hopefully the dog problem will be settled quickly, poor goats getting chased around!


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