Help any Ideas ?

[papbouv]

Ok I'm married to a man who does not talk over things about the dogs he does not care or have a clue about dogs. Last fall a new neighbor moved in next door to us. Tries to pawn off there dog as a Bird dog its id a Pit Bull mix not a problem but figured he did not have to lie about it. Over the winter Mary Jane the pit Bull has a litter of puppies they keep one I think Years ago my husband who was a welder put up a sheet metal fence galvanized so it would not rust. He also put a cement curb down both sides of the yard the fence was put on the inside of the existing cyclone fence. Over the years this stupid tree has grown into the fence is pushing the fence loose. Now Mary Jane knows where the fence is weak so she has been running into the fence pushed it out at the bottom.
Today hubby fixes the fence says the angle iron on the other side is broken by the tree so not much he can put a rivet into BUT he puts the hog wire fence that we put up last fall it was about 5 ft out from the original metal fence. He put the hog wire fence right next to the metal fence so Patches wants to play though the fence with the puppy its about 3-4 months old they can smell each other + there is a small space where the cement curb has dropped so there is a space there.
The Buddy & Mary Jane want to fence fight and Buddy will run right over Patches he is so intent on fence fighting with Mary Jane. I'm scared patches will get hurt she does not know she is little she gets right in there to fence fight too but her tail is wagging.
I have been thinking of going to Pets Mart getting Buddy a harness and tie  out cable also getting Patches a tie out cable just tie them both hate to do that the old man will be mad as hell at me + hate to have to tie my dogs up in there own back yard. No use talking to the neighbors already did that to the owner of the house and to the renters they do nothing + the back yard is one giant trash pit.
Thanks for reading this long post any ideas would be appreciated.

[Roberta]

how about the council..................My only problem with putting them on a wire is if the other dog gets over then they cannot run.
Roberta

[Deb G.]

I think that you have to do something-that PB will find a way through the fence, and then your pups pay a painful price.  I personally would bulk up the fence, but I would also make sure that the Pit Bull's owners were complying with every state, county, city and local ordinance pertaining to how this dog is kept.  Perhaps cornering off the area of the fence so that your dogs can't get to it (with like an X-pen or something) could ease the situation--your dogs and their dog are working themselves up and tormenting each other visually.  When the fence fighting is eliminated, the pit bull may give it a rest.  I would not tie my dogs out, since they may need to run for safety.  Not much, I know, I hope that the situation gets better.

Deb G.

[Barb]

Ditto to Deb's thoughts.  Keep us posted on what happens !

[Leslie]

HOLY Sheep!  Secure that fence, woman. Give hubby a deadline and then hire a contractor if ya have to.

And p.s. it's against most borough ordinances to have an area that can harbor rats and mice.  An anonymous, but nice note to the municipality or health department might do the trick. "Please inspect 123 Whatever street for excessive amounts of rubbish which are harboring vermin"

[Kathleen]

If it's financially feasible, I'd put up a second fence about 2-3 feet inside your existing fence.  It'll give the dogs a buffer space and a second layer of protection in case the pit breaches the first layer.  Be aware that pits are known to be able to scale very tall fences-most pit owners know a 6 foot fence is an absolute minimum for safety.

[papbouv]

We had a second fence hubby just put it right up next to the metal fence,metal fence is solid metal and 6ft dear sweet hubby says no way she can jump a 6ft fence. I say depends on how bad she wants over the fence.
I have been right on top of Buddy all day if starts in barking and starting to run the fence I jump on him verbally so far he is getting the idea also gated him in the garage for about 5 minutes telling him off. All OK as long as I'm home guess if we go any where will put Patches inside the house in her crate since she is a trash dog.Not worried about Buddy and the pit bull he can take care of himself since the Pit Bull is a girl dog. I just worry about Patches since she is little.Do not think Buddy would protect her.

[Leslie]

We had a second fence hubby just put it right up next to the metal fence,metal fence is solid metal and 6ft dear sweet hubby says no way she can jump a 6ft fence. I say depends on how bad she wants over the fence.
I have been right on top of Buddy all day if starts in barking and starting to run the fence I jump on him verbally so far he is getting the idea also gated him in the garage for about 5 minutes telling him off. All OK as long as I'm home guess if we go any where will put Patches inside the house in her crate since she is a trash dog.Not worried about Buddy and the pit bull he can take care of himself since the Pit Bull is a girl dog. I just worry about Patches since she is little.Do not think Buddy would protect her.

Great news on the new fence!! I was worried.

BUT I wouldn't assume that being a female makes any dog is less dangerous.  It's all in the temperament and the situation at the time.  You should read what Caesar Milan says about the "red zone". Red Zone means a total, absolute focus to fight and kill whatever animal or human the dog targets. A dog in red zone will not stop on it's own, and intervention means risking some serious injury.  Beserk is really the word that comes to mind.

And size doesn't matter, either. I have seen my Zuzu--a 14 pound dog-- instigate a fight and  take on Loki--the 23 pound dog--several times and each time, it was the bigger dog that would get hurt before we could fully separate them.

Now, back to temperament, when Loki was only in what we classified as the middle stage of "doggie dementia", SHE instigated the fight and was fully, without a doubt, "Red zone".  You all know the story, so I won't go into that, I just point out that temperament can be a moving target, and can change on a dime.

And personally, having met some really sweet pit bulls and gotten close to them I can tell you that the jaw structure on these critters is a force of nature.

You are doing the right thing, by guiding Buddy out of this excited behavior, that has the potential to escalate into a new pattern.  Good for you for taking the right steps and being the alpha here.

If anyone on the board has any other ideas or if ya think I'm way off base, let me know.  It's all MHO.

Good luck with the process and keep at it to protect your dogs!!!

[Roberta]

can you have buddy in a pen etc in the garage when you are not there, so making them both safe. If he barks and they complain well it may be a way of getting them to see reason. Also it may not just be the dogs if it comes over the fence.
Roberta

[papbouv]

Found my old base ball bat put it by the back door inside the garage if Mary Jane comes over or though the fence i know where it the base ball bat is. I love dogs I had a American Staffordshire terrier years ago I love Pit Bull types they are a great size have short hair are great loving dogs but if I have too I will swing on a dog of any breed if it is trying to hurt my dogs or me. Getting mean in my old age or not going to put up with any BS any more. If the base ball won't get it have a 380 in the house.

[Delia and girls]

You might try one of those sound/sonic devices. We have 3 labs in the house behind us. They just moved in a few months ago. Our backyard is not very big. We talked to the owners and they said they would pay more attention but we didn't see any change. So, Ron bought it on ebay (smart home was the seller) for about $50. It is called Super Bark Off. It did not work on 2 of the 3 labs but that third one must have been going insane because the owner asked Ron if we were using one of these things. After Ron told him we were, he asked him not to use it anymore - that he and his wife would pay more attention. They are now "johnny on the spot," as they say. We also worked with our dogs. They are now to the point where they ignore the labs, even if they are barking.

If it does not work on the dogs, you can turn it on audible. Maybe that will get on the owner's nerves. You might also video tape the PB in action, just in case you need it legally - hopefully not, but you never know.     

What Leslie said about the vermin and trash is a very good idea. The rest of her opinion was right on, too.

[Guinness]

If the base ball won't get it have a 380 in the house.

WHOA DERE, AUNTIE BERNADEE!!!! Put the weapon down, pardner! :meme:

Whew! All you aunties need to get a grip! Have y'all been watchin' "Steel Magnolias" on cable AGAIN???!???

Guinness, Mr. Studly