The neighborhood kids driving dogs crazy!

[tabbykatty]

I've been in this townhouse for over 3 years. Neighbors here have come and gone. Since this summer I have a fluxuation of neighbors moving around me. I have two yorkies. A male and female. I let them out several times a day. The male yorkie LOVES outdoors and never wants to come in. The female plays awhile and then comes back to the door. I have a nice large yard that is fenced from the side to the back. He just loves it. For months I have been hearing them bark excessively. So during some of the times I let them out , I sit and watch. No problem. I figured they just wanted company. Unfortunately the male likes to run and play alot and I can't. It takes awhile to get him back in! What I noticed was when there is alot of barking and I come to see whats going on, there are kids going past. One day I noticed a child picking at the fence and teasing the dogs. I went to the parents and politely asked them to stop their kids from teasing the dogs. I started bringing them in when the kids come around. Now all of a sudden I have complaints about my dogs barking alot. When they start barking I look and see these kids teasing them again. During Halloween I gave out candy with one of my dogs.( we were dressed up as twins) People said how cute we were and rubbed her. The minute one of the neighborhood children came by she started growling and trying to get to them. I was shocked. When others came to the door she shot past and wagged her tail and took in the attention. I thought it was just a moment she had earlier. later another neighbor kid came and she did it again. What I noticed, for 3 hours she was fine with everyone except for the neighbors kids. They are very socialized and NEVER growled or barked. They were the more docile less aggressiveof each litter. They go out around other people and dogs and have always been the type that has been friendly and sometimes a little too open. Now they are changing. I asked the neighbors about their kids teasing them and to please stop. Now Im getting constant complaints about my dogs. Of course they never bit anyone and the rent office says that constant complaints will force them to do something about it. It is to the point I let them out early in the morning and at night when the kids are gone. My dog runs to the door and looks longingly to go out. I do not think its fair to punish my dogs from enjoying the outside as much as they would like because their kids are teasing them. Im wondering have anyone had this problem and what they did. I am considering moving.....alot.

[LILBIT1]

We had that problem with a house we owned and our 2 chows. The neighbors kids harrassed, picked on, threw things at our dogs. Once we finally sold the house we moved, the dogs were never the same. They were very aggressive after all the drama. We ended up taking them to a chow rescue to be adopted back out. They got a great KID free home. I know those were large dogs. But id think the same could happen. You have to keep them away from the kids, so they dont turn like our much loved dogs did. We had no option but to find them a new home after that. They hated our own children because of the situation. Hope you can work it out. Its a terrible situation to go through. I know.

[CouversMom]

I would make sure to go out with them when they are outside. You do not know what those kids are doing to your dogs... If you are out there to stop them from barking, you also won't be getting complaints.

I'm sorry... It sounds like a crummy situation. This is why I'm glad I own a house

[orlnurse]

Originally Posted by tabbykatty

I've been in this townhouse for over 3 years. Neighbors here have come and gone. Since this summer I have a fluxuation of neighbors moving around me. I have two yorkies. A male and female. I let them out several times a day. The male yorkie LOVES outdoors and never wants to come in. The female plays awhile and then comes back to the door. I have a nice large yard that is fenced from the side to the back. He just loves it. For months I have been hearing them bark excessively. So during some of the times I let them out , I sit and watch. No problem. I figured they just wanted company. Unfortunately the male likes to run and play alot and I can't. It takes awhile to get him back in! What I noticed was when there is alot of barking and I come to see whats going on, there are kids going past. One day I noticed a child picking at the fence and teasing the dogs. I went to the parents and politely asked them to stop their kids from teasing the dogs. I started bringing them in when the kids come around. Now all of a sudden I have complaints about my dogs barking alot. When they start barking I look and see these kids teasing them again. During Halloween I gave out candy with one of my dogs.( we were dressed up as twins) People said how cute we were and rubbed her. The minute one of the neighborhood children came by she started growling and trying to get to them. I was shocked. When others came to the door she shot past and wagged her tail and took in the attention. I thought it was just a moment she had earlier. later another neighbor kid came and she did it again. What I noticed, for 3 hours she was fine with everyone except for the neighbors kids. They are very socialized and NEVER growled or barked. They were the more docile less aggressiveof each litter. They go out around other people and dogs and have always been the type that has been friendly and sometimes a little too open. Now they are changing. I asked the neighbors about their kids teasing them and to please stop. Now Im getting constant complaints about my dogs. Of course they never bit anyone and the rent office says that constant complaints will force them to do something about it. It is to the point I let them out early in the morning and at night when the kids are gone. My dog runs to the door and looks longingly to go out. I do not think its fair to punish my dogs from enjoying the outside as much as they would like because their kids are teasing them. Im wondering have anyone had this problem and what they did. I am considering moving.....alot.

Believe me, I feel your pain. My situation is very similar to yours. I too, live in a TH community. We are not allowed to have fences here. My 2 loved to lay on the rug in the sun and look out the back slider. That is, until the new young neighborhood kids moved in. They would run back and forth in my yard past the door and drive my dogs crazy. The would torment them...actually stop and just stare like a deer in the headlights at my dogs barking. I put a barrier up on the glass to make it "frosted" so they can no longer see out, and the kids can't see in. Then one day, I had my 2 on a tie out when one of the kids that my dogs now hate, ran by and Max broke the tie out cable and chased her and nipped at her leg. Of course I was very apologetic to the mother and offered to pay for her to take the girl to the doctor, but really? IMO she asked for it. She harassed my dogs for months! She still didn't learn her lesson. I put up a 4 foot gate type fence to enclose a small area behind my house (illegally of course). The girl, still continued to run by and stop when to dogs are out to torment them. Finally I shouted out the door " and you wonder why they don't like you!" She hasn't done it since. But how frustrating...I will never live in a TH or apartment again for this reason!

Phew...I ended up venting didn't I? Sorry....

As for the neighborhood complaints about the dogs barking, I would complain to the HOA about the kids. They are the culprit. Sorry, that now your babies probably will not ever like kids. That's what I've noticed with mine.

[My lil friend]

I would call the management office and complain (giving names and apartment numbers) every time this happened. Remember to point out to management that you never had a problem until the kids started picking on the dogs,not the dogs barking at the kids. You need to be standing in your yard when the dogs are out,you dont know if the kids are going to slip something to the dogs or dig a hole for them to escape.

[Teresa Ford]

Protect Your Yorkie, please do not allow your Yorkies to be outside unless you are with them. They could be fed something dangerous, or injured by the kids that are teasing them. Sadly we have no control over children that are not ours. We are responsible for our dogs barking and behavior. Not everyone likes dogs (or children for that matter.) I am sorry you have bad neighbors, that do not supervise their children. ( I would have to move, it would drive me nuts to live in a condo or apartment.) It is NEVER lawful or acceptable for your dog to chase or bite at a person. Even a scratch can cost you thousands in impound and legal fees. A dog bite can also be a death sentence for your beloved Yorkie, different states/ counties have different laws. Too bad you can't put up an electric fence to keep the vermin away and cameras to catch them in the act. Being the sickos they are, they will make your life miserable by calling complaints in on your dogs. Hugs

[ilovejoel]

I would definetly stay out with them and maybe have a special treat only for when they come in to make it easier for getting them in the house.
As for the kids, were known as "the mean people that will yell at you if you go near the fence or bother the dogs" people, lol
We used to have alot of kids messing with and even climbing over the fence trying to steal toys! We would make the kids show were they live and tell the parents, and surprisingly the parents seemed like they cared, and it hasn't happened again.
Just the other day I was out with the dogs and there were two kids teasing/barking at Rosco, they didn't see me, so first I yelled at them, lol and then explainded about never teasing dogs.
Anyway I would stay out with the dogs so the kids know there is always someone watching, MOST the time kids won't act up if they know an adult is there.

[AngelFae]

Torment, intentional or not, definately changes dogs! My next door neighbors have a fenced in yard and a day care. The neighbors next to them have a large Boxer mix who attacks the fence trying to get at the kids. The kids don't tease him, they are just there BUT the dog has become HUGELY aggressive and goes after them if he gets off leash and the kids are in the front yard (as recently happened while the kids waited for the bus one morning.)
My big dog, a GSP, doesn't like teenage boys, men in hats (until he figures out who they are,) or the color day-glow yellow. All of this stems from casual, passing, long ago "torment."
I'm with the others, do NOT let your dogs out without you, ESPECIALLY if the kids are out and YOU need to report the KIDS every time they cause trouble. Also, talk to the kids if you get the chance, they may not understand that what they are doing is harmful to the dogs. They may just want to play with them or look at them or whatever and not understand that it is really bothersome to the dogs. Tell the kids the dogs names so that when the dogs bark at them they can call them by name and tell them that everything is ok. Seriously, sometimes it's just those little things that make a huge difference.
GOOD LUCK!!!!! =D

[Yorkiemom1]

I can only tell you how I handled a simular situation. During the late '80's-mid '90's, very same issue with kids tormenting my babies in the afternoons, when the kids got off the school bus at the corner, then they walked down the sidewalk, alongside my side yard fence, and they tormented my babies mercesslessly (not even sure that is a word!!). I saw which little urchins were responsible, and approached the parents....my requests and complaints fell on deaf ears...then the HOA started getting the same complaints about excessive barking and "vicious dogs", trying to attack "those precious little children" through my fence. So, after almost 8 months of trying to resolve this issue like an educated, civilized adult, I went certifiably, chitfaced crazy....I decided to start watering my yard/flower bed down the length of the fence, at the particular time these little heathens were getting home from school. I stood out there with the hose going, and when the little snots started running down my fence, poking thru the fence at the dogs, I "accidently" sprayed them with the water hose as I "misted" my roses and watered my beds alongside the fence. Kids went home wet, couple of weeks in a row, eventually parents started meeting their kids at the corner bus stop to walk them home so they didnt get sprayed, a couple of days some of THEM ended up getting sprayed "accidently" as they let their kids drag sticks down the fence making the dogs crazy, and FINALLY, these trouble makers and their batheads ALL walked down the OTHER side of the street. Problem solved......but you must NEVER leave your babies out there unsupervised/unattended....these thugs and their uncivilized parents will definately do harm if given a chance. This event was the lesson that taught me to NEVER leave my babies outside, unattended, for their own safety. They are not only in danger from rogue humans, animal/bird predators are a clear and present danger.

[Lovetodream88]

I would complain to the rent office every time the kids are tormenting your dogs. I would also not let the dogs stay outside by themselves because they could get hurt or even poisoned. If you saw the kids doing it I would yell at the kids or even call the police on them.

[Verbena]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

I can only tell you how I handled a simular situation. During the late '80's-mid '90's, very same issue with kids tormenting my babies in the afternoons, when the kids got off the school bus at the corner, then they walked down the sidewalk, alongside my side yard fence, and they tormented my babies mercesslessly (not even sure that is a word!!). I saw which little urchins were responsible, and approached the parents....my requests and complaints fell on deaf ears...then the HOA started getting the same complaints about excessive barking and "vicious dogs", trying to attack "those precious little children" through my fence. So, after almost 8 months of trying to resolve this issue like an educated, civilized adult, I went certifiably, chitfaced crazy....I decided to start watering my yard/flower bed down the length of the fence, at the particular time these little heathens were getting home from school. I stood out there with the hose going, and when the little snots started running down my fence, poking thru the fence at the dogs, I "accidently" sprayed them with the water hose as I "misted" my roses and watered my beds alongside the fence. Kids went home wet, couple of weeks in a row, eventually parents started meeting their kids at the corner bus stop to walk them home so they didnt get sprayed, a couple of days some of THEM ended up getting sprayed "accidently" as they let their kids drag sticks down the fence making the dogs crazy, and FINALLY, these trouble makers and their batheads ALL walked down the OTHER side of the street. Problem solved......but you must NEVER leave your babies out there unsupervised/unattended....these thugs and their uncivilized parents will definately do harm if given a chance. This event was the lesson that taught me to NEVER leave my babies outside, unattended, for their own safety. They are not only in danger from rogue humans, animal/bird predators are a clear and present danger.

Perfect

[DBlain]

I love Yorkie Mom's response, that type of thing is exactly what I would do You never said how old the kids were or what the parents said when you complained. LOL you can't hit someone's kid but you can discipline them with words, I would say things to them that would scare the crap out of them to the point they would be the ones hiding inside. oh and get a good hose and put a garden in between the two homes.

[BellarousasMom]

On the lighter side an mean at the same time...in the middle of the night, run an electric wire on their side of the fence. Oooopsss...I just don't know how that got there. I know I shouldn't have said that, but that was the first thing that ran thru my mind.

[gemy]

I like the automatic sprinkler system put on a timer. A video camera to record any damage to my property the little hoodlums make!

But I also have installed a lock on my back fence gate and the fence is 7feet tall.

[Lilly bug]

if this was me i´d video tap tho´s brads and show it to the parents and the landlord