Kids teasing dogs. How to stop it?

[Jinglebob]

[FONT=Microsoft JhengHei UI, sans-serif]Three boys, ages 6, 8 and 9, live across the street. They have been running up and down the sidewalk banging on the fence and teasing my two dogs to make them bark. I've been training the dogs not to bark at people walking down the sidewalk and these kids are undoing the training.[/FONT]

[FONT=Microsoft JhengHei UI, sans-serif]I asked them politely not to tease the dogs but they continue on. I put a sign on the fence, "Don't Tease Dogs, Stay Away From Fence". I pointed out the sign to the kids when I caught them teasing the dogs yesterday. The oldest kid said, "We don't have to do what that sign says." I then walked across the street and spoke with their dad. His response was, "Boys will he boys."
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[FONT=Microsoft JhengHei UI, sans-serif]Coming form a rural farming community I have not lived in close proximity to neighbors until I moved to the city. This is a new experience and I'm not liking it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Microsoft JhengHei UI, sans-serif]
[/FONT] [FONT=Microsoft JhengHei UI, sans-serif]If you've had a similar experience, please share how you resolved the problem.[/FONT]

 

[moralem]

Turn the garden hose on them.

 

[LoadedRound]

Get a dog that can jump the fence

That bites........

 

[bigwheelzip]

There is the "Eastwood option".

 

[Ματθιας]

The only thing you can do is bring your dogs in when they show up.

 

[dasnake]

Baloney

Boys will be boys is baloney, my opinion is talk to the kids again, level headed, level voiced, if it happens again, (and it sounds like will) talk again with the parents, explain what is being unraveled with your training with their actions, if nothing is done then contact your local police on their business line and tell them your problem and if there is anything they can do or your local animal people and explain to them what is going on, you can't threaten or act inflammatory at all, the parent talk is the most vital the brats need parental supervision.

Good luck, your main problem is the idiot parents.

 

[ladder13]

Let em out.

 

[Protocall_Design]

An electric fence to "keep the dogs in" might give them a wake up call...

 

[jeffrefrig]

Local humane services, (Animal Control) can speak with parents. The water hose, via sprinkler system sounds like a good idea. They are only 6, 8, & 9 years old, but, you could ask their dad to the local gym to work it out. The kids could not give a care at that age in these times. I'm in a nice (people) neighborhood where dogs are fenced out back, but not all yards work out that way. I like to hit my speed bag in the garage just to keep my arms a little in shape. Go talk to dad about the gym thing after animal control services do nothing.

 

[hoosierone]

If one of the dogs bite a kid, the parents will no doubt make a big deal of it. I would talk to the police and ask for advice from them. Under no circumstances would I "hose" the kids or do anything else top them that can be deemed to place liability on you.

For now, I'd bring the dogs in when these idiots show up.

 

[MRB1]

Document it first, then consult the Police. Being a good neighbor only goes so far, and you shouldn't be held liable for their inaction.

 

[JcMack]

When I was married my wife bought me a German Shepard puppy for my birthday. Dog's parents were big and my dog was very big by a year old. "Wolf" spent his days in my fenced in yard. Neighbor brats used to come by and rake the fence to agitate the dog. It soon became apparent Wolf hated anybody under 3 foot tall. My son was 4 and the dog was good with him but I was afraid the dog would get out and attack a kid or my son would walk through the door with a little pal and he'd get mauled. After trying all kinds of solutions we gave Wolf to the Chicago PD. They were happy to get the dog but said they'd have to change his name.

 

[boykinlp]

Be careful, if you do something to the kids, they may do something worse to your dogs! Most kids these days have no respect.
Larry

 

[Mule Packer]

 

[quikdraw67]

I have a few opinions on the matter, but none are legal or politically correct.

 

[6518John]

My lord, these people are your neighbors, you don't want trouble with them. The last thing that needs to be done is involve the government—the police and animal control have better things to do. Don't hose or harass a bunch of little boys either.

You and your wife cook the family a nice meal and invite them over in friendship and fellowship. Introduce the boys to the dogs. Find out when their birthdays are and go to the Dollar Store and blow a dollar or two on some rubber snakes or spiders or little green army men—all young boys love them. Same at Christmas.

I bet you can turn this into lifelong friendship rather than make a family of enemies. I know I am eternally grateful to the adults that reached out to me in kindness when I was a kid and messing up.

 

[jscheck]

Sadly I don't see a real solution to your problem. I've met kids I thought were rotten little brats until I met their parents and learned where they got it from. Law or Animal Control "may" help if they will make the effort but don't get your hopes up. If you can put them in the back yard I suggest you do so.

P.S.-Do not, under any circumstances, hose the kids down.

 

[Rpg]

I suspect that you could solve the problem by befriending the kids. No way to make the kids disappear: they're your neighbors.

Introduce the kids to your dogs. Make the dogs friends of the kids. Enlist the kids in helping with the dogs; you'll change the kids' perspective about you and your dogs.

Don't be the spooky old guy across the street (there's one on every block) that the kids both fear and delight in annoying. Be engaging. It's not hard and beats being the crazy old coot everyone loves to hate!

 

[Clarke Hammer]

Regarding people here suggesting that you turn the garden hose on the kids, the last thing you want to be charged with is assaulting minors.

I think I would speak with the father more firmly and let him know that you do not regard this as a light-hearted situation, and that it is causing severe stress to your dogs. If that didn't work, I might try to get the city animal control involved and frame it as that the kids are teasing and intentionally riling up your dogs so much, that their behavior is bordering on cruelty. Hopefully a visit from the police or animal control would scare them straight.

I remember a time when a stern talking to from an adult would scare a kid straight.

 

[Doug627]

Do you know anyone with boys aged 10 to 12? Invite them over. If the neighbor boys get thumped, well "boys will be boys." On a serious note, set up a video camera to capture what the boys are doing. While on camera, tell the boys to stop teasing the dogs and why. Make sure you get on camera that you have asked them to stop before. Do this on several occasions. Show the tapes to the parents. If the conduct continues, then call the police and have them watch the tapes. The police can have a much better conversation with the parents after watching the tapes. Don't bribe the little hellions. This just rewards their conduct.

 

[2152hq]

Not a front yard situation but along a back yard stretch of fence.
Kids were always up against the fence on their side trying to get my dogs to bark or pestering them some way.
I was most afraid of one of the dogs biting one of them or one of the kids getting a cut and blaming it on 'your dog bit me',

So I put up a second fence back about 2 feet from the main fence.
That keeps my dogs 2 ft away from anyone right up against the chain link boundry fense.
The extra fence is nothing more than that simple open mesh 2x2" green wire stuff. It's only 30" high I think but even the big dogs never jumped over it as the room betw it and the main fence is only that 2ft or so.

Then I planted fairly quick growing shrubs inbetw the two fences. That packed the space inbetw so the dogs really won't attempt to jump in.
The shrubs grow thick as the dogs never enter under or betw them while growing because of the second fence.
The lightweight second fence blends right into the growth. It's easy to install...pound the cheap green garden posts in and hang the fence on it and wire it tight.
(Plant your shrubbery first,,,it's easier before the secondary fence is in place!)

Even now that those little monster kids are long gone, I still like the second fence there in case someone is on the other side tending a garden or working close to the fence on their side. Keeps the dogs away from them and there's no chance of an encounter.

You can talk with Animal Control (AC) or the local PD about the problem. But if either one of those agencys ends up contacting the problem parents & kids, you know it'll start a 'war'.
That just judging from the attitudes you recv'd already from the kids and from the father.

No one can say much about prettying up the yard with some shrubbery and landscaping.
Let it grow out and up as much as you like. The dogs will always be at least that 2 ft away from anyone inside the yard.

Just my experience.

 

[fishwishin]

My lord, these people are your neighbors, you don't want trouble with them. The last thing that needs to be done is involve the government—the police and animal control have better things to do. Don't hose or harass a bunch of little boys either.

You and your wife cook the family a nice meal and invite them over in friendship and fellowship. Introduce the boys to the dogs. Find out when their birthdays are and go to the Dollar Store and blow a dollar or two on some rubber snakes or spiders or little green army men—all young boys love them. Same at Christmas.

I bet you can turn this into lifelong friendship rather than make a family of enemies. I know I am eternally grateful to the adults that reached out to me in kindness when I was a kid and messing up.

This is the direction I was going to go. Give those boys some buy in and responsibility in the matter. Have them come into the yard and meet the dogs. Show the boys how much you love your dogs and show them what obedience "tricks" they can do, then have the boys run them through the tricks.

Let the boys know they can have a semi-active part in the proper behavior of the dogs, but if they go astray of what you expect they will lose your respect and they will let the dogs down.

It may just work. It works on the normal human psyche, so let's just hope those boys have some normalcy in them.

 

[Puller]

I rue the day when I might ever have to move to town.

 

[Alpo]

Get a dog that can jump the fence

That bites........

That will end up with the dog being put to sleep.

 

[Mule Packer]

My lord, these people are your neighbors, you don't want trouble with them. The last thing that needs to be done is involve the government—the police and animal control have better things to do. Don't hose or harass a bunch of little boys either.

You and your wife cook the family a nice meal and invite them over in friendship and fellowship. Introduce the boys to the dogs. Find out when their birthdays are and go to the Dollar Store and blow a dollar or two on some rubber snakes or spiders or little green army men—all young boys love them. Same at Christmas.

I bet you can turn this into lifelong friendship rather than make a family of enemies. I know I am eternally grateful to the adults that reached out to me in kindness when I was a kid and messing up.

My previous post was done with tongue firmly planted in cheek. This, however, is excellent advice! As my dad used to say, "You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar."

 

[Bozz10mm]

Leave the gate open.

 

[wood714]

There is the "Eastwood option".

Just finished watching that...again.

 

[BigBill]

My neighbor had a problem with his neighbors kid he brought up his grandson to kick his butt problem solved.

 

[vt_shooter]

Gotta be careful with this one. I'd bet those kids will graduate to nasty vandalism in another 3 - 7 years, and you'll be on the receiving end of it if they remember you as the one that caused them problems.

 

[Doug M.]

Good luck, your main problem is the idiot parents.

*
Keep the dogs in when the kids come around; protect the dogs from the kids at all costs.

The quoted is true, with this qualifier. Those are not parents; they're gene donors. Parenting is a social behavior. Gene donation is a collateral consequence of a recreational activity.