It is an ill wind that does not blow somebody some good.
Ramblin-Randy (not his real name) was one of the neighbor's dogs and he is no longer with us. I have no details other than that the dog is no longer in the neighborhood.
The end result is that I can now walk around my property with Zeus, our aging German Shepherd.
Ramblin' had a firm disregard for property lines and his owners didn't bother to control him or couldn't control him. They had the odd belief that it was sufficient to clip a leash to his collar but they didn't hold the other end (you can't make this stuff up).
Ramblin' was also notorious for not coming when called by the owner. He went walk-about when he was called. Basically turning away from his owner and high-tailing it.
My nightmare scenario was Ramblin'-Randy coming onto our property and tearing into Zeus and then Zeus chased him back to his owner. Zeus would look like the aggressor and ill feelings would be generated. Zeus would likely be hurt. Damages would be charged if it appeared that Zeus hurt the neighbor's dog on the neighbor's property.
This almost happened. I had a leash with me when I saw Ramblin' heading our way. I got Zeus on the leash before they started fighting. I was able to separate them. I tied Zeus' leash to a tree. Then I grabbed Ramblin's leash and walked him the quarter-mile back to his owner who seemed oblivious that Ramblin' had left their property.
I avoided future conflict by keeping Zeus in his kennel. It sucked for Zeus. He struggles to get into the truck so the only walks he got were in the road which is no life for a dog who likes to sniff around.
Free at last
But Ramlin-Randy rambles no more, at least not in our neighborhood.
Zeus has gone out-back with me while I trim trees these last few days. The battery on the pole saw lasts about 20 minutes in the 20 degree cold.
Zeus sniffs around. He sniffs down animal holes and around trees. He pees copiously on everything in his domain. He saunters about in a leisurely jog. 20 minutes in the woods is plenty to make Zeus happy.
Dogs don't hold grudges, for which I am thankful.
Odds are a different person shot Ramblin Randy for being aggressive. Which is what needs to happen to ANY dog allowed to roam free causing trouble. People who can't or won't control their dogs should not have them. If that means they get shot so be it. Nothing is worse than a dangerous dog allowed to roam.
ReplyDeleteMaybe. If so, then the neighbors are likely to get another pooch and ignore it creating Ramblin' 2.0
DeleteOr perhaps the neighbor decided that the small amount of attention the dog got was too much of a burden and they got rid of Ramblin'
We've got similar issues with a family nearby who thinks it is perfectly reasonable to have their large aggressive dogs run loose.
DeleteOne of them was shot this summer - they are doing the same thing with his replacement.
Jonathan
S.S.S.
ReplyDeleteProblem solved.
Roger that! An old school 22 with a 26-28 inch barrel, is very quiet! Use CCI 40 gr., Quiet-22, (that's the name) 710 fps, they have adequate energy out to about 40-50 yards, even better, standard/subsonic velocity, 1050ish fps is very low noise signature, placement is critical (brain). I'm talking spring/air/piston, pellet gun quiet, not pneumatic (pump/co2), they're louder. I've tested this combo last November. I love dogs, but aggressive, semi feral, is NOT OK. Full time kenneling is not acceptable or fair to your dog. You're TOO good a neighbor. "STOP THAT!" in my best Monty Python.
DeleteEnd of How-To-Run-Your-Life, chapter 6. You're welcome.
Our former neighbor had a dog with similar tendencies. The dog was a rescue and probably tormented by others. Unable to run away and its behavior was extremely aggressive as a result. The neighbor contained the dog in their backyard and would have likely been sued by a person who had been attacked is it had escaped. The dog died (I'm guessing poisoned) and the owner had the dog cremated, its ashes kept. She considered it a child of her own and to its credit, Zeus never did attack the other dogs owned and kept there. All of them were Rottweillers - Zeus was a scary animal !
ReplyDeleteThis sounds exactly like the behavior of the great white pyrenees. Intensely independently minded. (Ask me how I know). Extremely low energy dogs and gentle to a fault. Youtube is full of *funny* videos of pyrenees running the other way when called.
ReplyDeleteThey are well known for their ability to protect livestock, even including poultry. Which means they will fight, when necessary.
You did the right thing Joe, assuring the respect of property rights the way you did.
Around here we would describe what happened to Ramblin-Randy as a "serious farm accident". nuf said.
Milton
Had an encounter with those notoriously cute and cuddly pit bulls when a neighbor moved in next door. I had a low chain link fence, and they pb's were staked out with logging chains. One managed to get the stob worked loose and came at me while I was cleaning the ac. If the chain hadn't gotten stuck in the fence, I'd have been Alpo. That was the last time I went unheeled while they were next door.
ReplyDeleteMark Twain once said that dog you pepper spray will never jump up on you again.......... [or anybody that looks like you].
ReplyDeleteWe have some of "those neighbors." They have a full grown German Shepard that considered our place as his territory to the point when I would sometimes round the corner of the shop and he would be there and bark at me. I did manage to pretty much persuade him to stay on his side of the fence.
ReplyDeleteUntil about a year and a half ago when we got Trip Hazard. As a pup she was naturally exploring things and I did not want her over there. I started adding hog wire to the existing fence line and the closer I got to their house the more Shep became agitated to the point of ole' girl coming out to see what was going on. "Don't worry, he won't bother you, he's just a big baby." Yeah, right lady....
So now down the side and across the front are fenced tight and we keep the gates closed. Shep still patrols, but only on his side and the only poop in the yard belong to TH.
Neck