Advice needed, my neighbour hates my dog

[casper26]

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Dear fellow members,

My neighbour can access my garden to take out their bins out, therefore they have a wooden door to my garden. The wooden door is a big door, we cannot see each other through the door.

I am new to dog, bought my angel over the internet classification early December, so nearly 4 months now. My angel is a Jack Russell, 2 years old, she is not the most obedience dog, but she is not that naughty also. I love her so much. Lockdown was harsh to me because I live alone. But my pretty angel saves me, and she wont leave me like human female do.

My neighbour has 5 dogs, they let their dogs out to their garden constantly. (I never see they walk their dogs). My neighbour has 5 dogs, so I think she must love dogs.

Back in Christmas time, my neighbour like my angel at first, tried to take her dog to introduce to my angel. Her dog was at my neighbour's arm, but my naughty angel jump up and bit her dog's paw (My angel was hanging in the air for 1-2 seconds with her mouth biting my neighbour dog's paw.). This happened in front both my neighbour and myself, though my neighbour's dog didnt scream nor bark, I didnt see any bleeding also. She told me my dog breed is naturally naughty.

Since then, my neighbour didnt want to have interaction with my angel anymore.

Anyway, I trained and let my angel out to the garden to do her business. So, she will be out at garden a few times a day. When she is out at the garden, she likes to bark and scratch the neighbour wooden door. I believe it is because she smells the scene of my neighbour's dogs. Sometimes the neighbour dogs will bark back. I always call her back to me to avoid unnecessary fighting.

Recently, my neighbour got annoy and banged loudly at her wooden door. It was so loud that, not only my angel got scared, I was shock by the banging sound also. This had happened >20 times over the last few weeks.

The weather is getting warm now, but I am sad that I cannot let my dog out at my garden because of this.

My relationship with my neighbour is not at the best, though we will greet each other if we meet. Over last 5 years, she complained me a few times through letters (too noisy at night, my angel barks when I was out for grocery shopping and etc).

Any advice please?
*sorry for long story, I am trying to tell the actual situation without emotion, so that I can get best advice.

From my observation, when my angel barks at the wooden door, her tail was swinging, so she was not trying to fight, probably she want to make friends. I am thinking to write a letter to my neighbour if she is ok to let my angel to play with her 5 dogs. But this probably still not fix the issue where my dog like to bark at her wooden door.

Thanks. I just want my angel to be happy also.

My angel's photos, click to see larger photo:
She meets squirrel sculpture at the park


I work from home, she will accompany me all the time. When I use headphone, she knows I am in a meeting, she wont make noise too.


When I was watching TV


Muddy run during weekend day out


My angel visits the castle

 

[JoanneF]

I wouldn't encourage her to meet your neighbour's dogs, if she bit one before that isn't a risk I'd want to take.

A simple step would be to block her access to the gate so she can't scratch it. Problem solved.

If she barks, train her a ”quiet”. You can use a yoghurt pot smeared with wet dog food, meat paste, squeezy cheese or plain yoghurt - when she barks, give her the pot to lick and repeat ”quiet” or whatever word you choose to become your cue word. She cannot bark and lick at the same time. After a number of times, when she understands, you can say the word to tell her to be quiet and give her the pot as a reward.

Also -

If she is barking when you are out, is it because she is being alerted by something or does she have separation anxiety? This might help -

Separation anxiety

 

[JudyN]

While your neighbour is being difficult, the best approach is to try to stop your dog scratching on the door and barking. JoanneF has suggested a couple of approaches, but you might have to resign yourself to always being in the garden with her, and taking her for more walks to make up for her lack of freedom in the garden.

Don't be misled by the wagging tail - dogs also wag their tails when they're generally aroused - she's not necessarily being friendly.

 

[Biker John]

Further to JoanneF's reply, I have always found that the best way to teach a dog to stop barking, is to first teach it to bark on command. This automatically teaches it to stop.

 

[casper26]

I wouldn't encourage her to meet your neighbour's dogs, if she bit one before that isn't a risk I'd want to take.

A simple step would be to block her access to the gate so she can't scratch it. Problem solved.

If she barks, train her a ”quiet”. You can use a yoghurt pot smeared with wet dog food, meat paste, squeezy cheese or plain yoghurt - when she barks, give her the pot to lick and repeat ”quiet” or whatever word you choose to become your cue word. She cannot bark and lick at the same time. After a number of times, when she understands, you can say the word to tell her to be quiet and give her the pot as a reward.

Also -

If she is barking when you are out, is it because she is being alerted by something or does she have separation anxiety? This might help -

Separation anxiety

My angel seldom barks at home, she will only bark when there is someone by the door eg. postman. I think it is good to alert me. I suspect the same happen here, she bark because she sense other dogs behind the door. I cannot block the door because neighbour has the right to use it...

My angel is ok to stay at separate room for hours as long as I am at home. So, I think it is not separation anxiety. Her problem most probably is she loves to go out so much. If she know I am going out (without her), this probably upsets her and she barks.

 

[JudyN]

If she's upset when you go out, then regardless whether she hates being on her own or just fears she's missing out on fun, then it is a form of separation anxiety and best avoided. How much walking/training/other exercise does she get apart from when she's in the garden?

 

[casper26]

If she's upset when you go out, then regardless whether she hates being on her own or just fears she's missing out on fun, then it is a form of separation anxiety and best avoided. How much walking/training/other exercise does she get apart from when she's in the garden?

Ok, I will need to train her more so that she can allow me to go out, if not the lockdown life will never end for me...

on a good day (no rain & snow), 5 miles a day - approx 80-90min
if rain or snow, it depends, I try to do a minimum of 45min
a long 10-15miles walk over the weekend

I love walking, normally do 10-20miles walk with friends weekly at peak district before lockdown. This is the reason I picked Jack Russell terry because they are small yet ok for long walk

some of my angel's videos to share She love walking in the snow

 

[malwhit]

Can you not fence off part of the garden so that she can't get to the door or fence? Even s small area made of of puppy panels would do for toilet breaks then you can use the rest of the garden for play times.