How to deal with a neighbor's pit bull?

[KFC911]

OK, I'm looking for opinions/suggestions from the PPOT braintrust. I have a neighbor (who I don't really know, but lives 2 houses over) that has a pit bull puppy (probably 7-10 months old) that he keeps penned up 99% of the time (something I would never do). During the past couple of months, the dog has 'gotten out' on a couple of occasions and has ventured over to my backyard when my 13 year old lab was out. Now this pit bull is full of energy, and runs around like a 'wigged out meth head' (who wouldn't if they were penned up all the time?), and has shown some aggressive tendencies towards my 'baby' (who at her age has extremely bad hips), knocked her down (twice that I've seen), and taken a 'playful nip' at her on some of his kamikaze passes. A couple of days ago, when this happened, I put my dog inside, and was going to take the puppy home (he seems 'friendly enough'), and began walking towards the owner's backyard. After I left my own property (passing through the yard between us), I could sense that the dog was becoming territorial, so I decided to retreat (and go around to the owner's front door) and the dog made what I interpreted as a 'somewhat aggressive move' towards me until I faced him down. I knocked on the owner's door, told him his dog was out, and mentioned that the dog was a 'bit aggressive' towards my dog and myself. The neighbor immediately begain the spiel about how "folks think that just because it's a pit bull, etc. bs", but he was apologetic about the dog being out, said it was just a puppy, wouldn't bite anyone, etc....I got a 'bad impression' from his reaction. I've been around dogs all my life (including many of the 'more aggressive' breeds), and I've just got an uneasy 'gut feeling' about this dog and what the future holds. I hope I'm wrong, but if my gut feeling is correct, this is just the beginning, and this will not be the last time the dog 'gets out'. Here's my delema: If the dog becomes overly aggesssive again (in MY yard), I'd kill the dog in a heartbeat if I thought my lab, myself, (or god forbid a neighbor's kid) was in danger, but I REALLY don't want it to come to that point and am looking for a 'better solution' before it escalates. OK guys, help me out here....what are your thought/suggestions and how would you handle this situation?

[Tervuren]

Had a simular situation when I was a kid. My parents prayed over it, and the guy backed his pickup over his own dog. No one he could blame but himself. This situation was a bit more touchy though - this neighbor had previously made two visits with a shot gun and not to nice intent before.

[Rikao4]

Shoot it the next time it's in your yard.
I own dogs,love them,all breeds,
not the Pit's fault..but the lack of training (both dog/current owner) and a idiot owner like that....it will end like alot of those Pit bull stories do.
Rika

[goat]

Not good.
I would call animal control, I think all complaints have to be filed. They may also be able to tell you what you can do or if you are doomed.
Of course if you do file a complaint your neighbor will surly know its you then you may be really doomed.

[URY914]

If it's on your property it becomes your problem to deal with.
Aim carefully.

[fastpat]

Regardless of the high place we hold for our dogs, legally they are property. In the end, if your neighbor's "property" causes any damage, or it appears damage (grave bodily harm) is emminent, then dispatching the animal with extreme prejudice may be warranted. Remember to remain within the law at all times, and somehow inform your neighbor that you expect him to remain within the law as well.

I seem to remember that Greensboro has a leash law.

[bivenator]

I don't usually advocate calling the authorities in these situations, however you have already expressed your concern to your neighbor and he did not impress you with a willingness to rectify. If the dog is out again, call animal control. How many pitbull attack stories have you read where the owner states something like "I don't understand he has never attacked anyone before." Like baseball and pregnancy, it only takes one.

[Jeff Higgins]

I put up with this for years with an irresponsible neighbor. It can become a pretty helpless feeling. Repeated requests to get him to keep his dog under control fell on deaf ears. Repeated complaints to the city went nowhere. The dog got picked up quite often (not from my calls) but always wound up back at home, then on the loose again. I felt like telling him that the next time I saw his dog in my yard I would kill it, but I own dogs as well. Always fenced or inside, but I didn't think that would stop him from retaliating. So, in the end, I never did solve this problem. I lived with it for years and never mentioned it again. The dog finally died, and they moved away.

Anyway, sorry to sound so bleak, but I'm not sure there is a solution to this one if the guy is not willing to enact one. It's doubly tough if you have a dog as well, even if you are a responsible owner. I always worried about what he would do to mine if I ever took decisive action, like shooting his. While in my area the authorities are of no help, maybe they will be in yours. I would start filing complaints, calling the dog catcher, bringing the dog in yourself, whatever. Let him know you will start doing all of that if he won't handle it. Didn't work for me, but it might for you.

[dd74]

I think it's a legal issue that you're wrangling with. Rika suggests shooting the dog, and I don't disagree if it's a threat. But you know, this is Cali not Tejas, and all sorts of people will come down on you if you put a bullet in this pit's brain. Next thing you know, the SPCA, PETA and everyone else will be on your ass like no tomorrow. Plus, do you even have a gun?

Legally, though, you might have some recourse. On one hand, the dog keeps getting out of its pen and roaming into your yard - that's one issue. Secondly, isn't there a case for cruelty to animals because it is penned up 99% of the time?

Yeah, it's a pain, but I think the court system is the only way around this problem.

[KFC911]

Thank all and keep the ideas coming...I'll be back online tomorrow.

[KFC911]

Originally posted by dd74
..... Plus, do you even have a gun?

.

You ain't from around here are you? (in my best southern accent)

[Tim Hancock]

Antifreeze or a late night car ride. Your neighbor will never know it was you and the problem will be solved.

[motion]

Originally posted by URY914
If it's on your property it becomes your problem to deal with.
Aim carefully.

Things must be different out East. Do that in California and you will be in jail. In a second.

I'd stick with Animal Control. Use the legal means at your disposal. CYA.

[Rikao4]

I just want to be clear on this, I feel sorry for the Pit, but this will end with him attacking someone. ? is, how bad will it be.
You need to see where he is getting in, stop that .
Rika

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by procon
Next time it's out, load it up & relocate it to an animal shelter a couple of counties away.

not as good idea in this age of pets possibly having scanner chips under their hide...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

CA or not, if someone's pit bull is coming after me on my property with the intention of harming me, it's dead as quickly as I can draw, get a bead and pull the trigger. Those dogs tend to attract the biggest idiots on the planet (the chest-beating, beer-swilling "Joe-six-pack" types that think they're never the problem and they're entitled to do whatever they damn well please, whenever they damn well please. . .) I hate to advocate taking it out on the animal, but in a way it's probably the best in the long run for me and the dog alike.

I don't advocate this as a first response but you have to be sensible and prepared. If there's a "next time", I'd call animal control and return the dog to him with A.C. there. If there's a third time, I'd demand they keep it and not let it back to the owner - and start whatever proceedings are necessary to get the animal seized from its obviously neglectful owner.

But yea, if a pit bull came at me with the intention of attacking me, it'd be dead before it hit the ground. No question.

[quaz]

OK here is how I dealt with a very similar situation not too very long ago. Our neighbors dog was constantly in our yard harassing my dogs (one an older lab). We asked the neighbors very nicely several times to take care of the problem and it was never resolved.

So I got a BB gun. Dogs learn very well through negative enforcement so I taught this dog a lesson. Every time it was in our yard I quietly got the BB gun, took aim and shot it. (out of sight of the neighbors) Now at 20 yards or so a BB gun will not kill a dog or harm it other than a nice welt. I only had to do it 4 times and after that it stopped entering in our yard. One time it tried to come back I picked up a stick, held it like a rifle and the dog ran back home. I didn't even have to do anything. It knew what was next.

Now Pit Bulls are fairly aggressive in response to pain and I am not sure it would work, but it may be worth a try.

[Rikao4]

nice thought..but we are talking Pit, not Terrier or the like.This dog has no social skills ,like his owner. Jeff discription of the current owner is correct I'm sure.
Rika

[Par911]

not this f0ckin bull$hit again.......

[Rikao4]

This guy saw an add for Pit bull puppies 100 bucks, doubt his vaccinations are current..micro chip the dog..what are you thinking..you know how much beer I can buy for that. Give him some time..he will be afraid of his own dog.
Shoot it,and put it in the dumpster.
Rika