The truth is when it comes to the public your manners often matter more than your dog’s manners. In our society in every conceivable way including legally, the person that feeds and cares for a dog, is responsible for all of that dog’s actions. If your dog barks and annoys your neighbors, you will be held responsible.
One of the most common complaints about dogs is dog poo left on a neighbor’s yard or on public property to be stepped in by some innocent passerby. Obviously, it is not the dog’s fault, she has to go to the bathroom and she doesn’t have pooper scooping dexterity so it is up to the person to keep their dog off other people’s property by leash or fence and to pick up any doggy waste left on public property. Trust me there is no quicker way to make an enemy than have your dog poo or pee in their yard or along their favorite walking path in the park. So, it is simple pick it up or prevent it.
Barking is probably second on the annoying the neighbor list. Dogs are social beings that want to be with you so do not leave them in the yard alone, this almost always causes nuisance behaviors, if not more serious behavior problems and leaves them in possible danger from strangers, storms and other natural and man-made disasters. Find a comfortable place in the house for them preferably away from outside distractions like rooms that face the street and barking triggers like other dogs, joggers, and trucks. If you live in an apartment or other really close neighbor situations, you may need to invest some time training your dog and providing other busy work for your dog do when you are not home.
Onto common complaint number three, your dog should NEVER be allowed to approach, greet, or jump on a person or another pet animal without prior permission. If you have yet to train good leash manners, move your dog away or off the path so person or person with dog can pass. If the person gives permission and shows a real interest in meeting your dog, you can then let your dog greet the person or dog from a place of control. If you cannot physically hold your dog, such as you will literally be dragged where the dog wants to go, you need to invest in some equipment such as a gentle leader head harness and learn how to use it until you train your dog. Children are often unable to control a dog. An adult or an older child that has learned how to walk the dog should walk the dog. You will run into situations like another loose possibly unfriendly dog that will need the quick judgments of an adult. It is unfair and risky to put a young child in this situation. Involve young children in the dog walk in other ways. Maybe they could hold the dog toys or reward treats. If you cannot get your dog to come to you without hesitation in all situations, like when another dog is approaching, you cannot go off leash in the park until you have trained your dog. Remember your dog may be a lover but someone else’s may be a fighter and people with a fear of dogs can be quick to encounter a dog with violence unfortunately.
You may notice I have said little here about training and a lot about managing your dog’s actions. You don’t need to have a well trained dog to follow this advice just some good planning and preparation, bring the leash, head harness, dog poo bags and the use of fences, baby gates, and such can make your neighbors think kindly of your dog and you. While you are in the process of training your dog, use good management, which is about what you do to prevent your dog from annoying your neighbors. You may have noticed there are laws almost everywhere about all of the things I have mentioned but I urge you to keep your dog literally and figuratively out of your neighbor’s face, not because it is the law but because it is the right thing to do and for all the other dog people out there so they don’t suffer harsh restriction because of your actions.
Don’t wait until someone complains because at that point you and your dog have already left a probably permanent bad impression about your dog and all of us dog people. Stay on the side of being overly considerate when it comes to not allowing your dog’s actions to annoy others.
