How to Keep a Neighbor's Dog Away from Your Yard

How to Keep a Neighbor's Dog Away from Your Yard

How to Keep a Neighbor's Dog Away From Your Yard

Watching a canine desecrate your lawn in any fashion makes it hard to regard dogs as “man’s best friend.” The animal is doing what dogs do naturally, and what his owner permits. Unfortunately, thoughtless people sometimes allow a pet to misbehave, which teaches the animal that the actions are acceptable. Home remedies may occasionally help keep a neighbor’s dog away from your yard, but results are unpredictable. Repellents are often a gamble and only work under certain conditions. You may need to resort to creative ingenuity to solve the issue.

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Visit the offending dog’s owner. Inform him politely about the animal’s unacceptable behavior. Explain that you wish to solve the issue amicably. Don’t be belligerent. It is possible and understandable that the dog’s transgression may have been a single isolated incident. The owner may even be mortified to learn that his pet is a neighborhood nuisance. Convey nicely how the dog’s actions are negatively affecting your property and your life. Offer a helpful reminder regarding local leash laws. Don’t threaten action, legal or otherwise. If the dog reappears, contact area animal control authorities.

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Fence your property if local government cannot make your neighbor keep his dog away from your yard. This expensive option is not for everyone. Even low, cheap do-it-yourself fencing panels may deter some dogs. Consider electric wire fencing if there are no children that might come into contact with it in your area.

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Surround your perimeter with sturdy thorny or prickly plants or shrubs, which add value to your property. While you’ll have to protect new plantings until they’re well established, the result will be a practically impenetrable fortress.

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Spread 1-inch chicken wire over newly seeded beds to protect them from digging dogs. Seedlings will grow up through the wire easily. Lay wire over all exposed garden soil. Cover it with attractive mulch. Construct cages out of the wire to protect single specimens or small area plantings.

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Eliminate interesting odors from your yard. Spay your female dog so that her urine won’t attract males. Pick up and dispose of your dog’s droppings immediately. They command investigation by other dogs. Feed your lawn and gardens with materials devoid of animal products such as fish emulsion, bone meal and blood meal. They can attract canines to your yard.

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Feed your own pets indoors to avoid attracting neighboring canines. If you must feed pets outside, take food and water dishes indoors as soon as they finish eating. Clean up under bird feeders daily, particularly suet feeders. Store pet and bird foods indoors. Keep tight lids on your garbage cans.

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Remove standing water so the neighbor’s dog won’t have a reason to look for a drink in your yard. Don’t over-water lawn or gardening areas to prevent excess pooling water.

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Install a relatively inexpensive electronic scarecrow sprinkler. These devices are motion activated when pests invade. Invading pests are surprised with a thorough dousing, day or night. The sudden strong burst of water quickly sends dogs packing, frightening most of them enough to keep them away from your yard for good.

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Set several small wood mouse snap traps in areas where you have discovered dogs digging or other desecrations. The sudden loud snap startles dogs enough to chase them away. Repeat as necessary. Don’t use rat traps, which are large and powerful enough to injure a dog and can even break bones.

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Assist dog walkers who allow pets to drop landmines in your yard. Supply plastic bags, leaving no excuses for walking away from a stinky pile on your lawn. Purchase a cheap, light-colored plastic garbage can and line it with a plastic garbage bag. Tape some plastic grocery shopping bags to the side of the can. Write a message with permanent marker on the front of the can. Something such as, “Did your dog forget to bring a bag? Take one, please” might prompt someone to take advantage of your kind hospitality.

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