More neighbors from h-e-double hockey sticks

[:@] Oh my God. Does this woman have ANY idea about what a parent would do to her (if indeed she runs a daycare) should she get one of her kids bitten in this fashion? Sure, she'd probably blame your dogs, but I think the legal responsibility for the kids would fall smack dab on HER shoulders!

I hope you can talk some sense into these fools.

And just to make sure, why don't you smear some nasty substance on the top of the fence where they were leaning? Something that will mark their clothing or make it smell bad....my first thought was tar, but I wouldn't want a bird to land on that and get stuck....maybe axel grease?

Oh my!  I think I might lie and say that they WILL bite if arms are extended into their yard.....

I don't think I'd tell them my dogs would bite, because if they did, well then you knew your dogs were vicious.  Maybe a taller fence or some nice holly bushes?  Bird poop on top of the fence might work, although how you'd get the birds to poop there, I'm not sure.

Yep, Agile, you're right.  Jeans got a good idea with the axel grease tho.  Isn't holly something dogs shouldn't ingest?  I know it grows rather quickly, but for some reason I thought it was toxic.

If it was me that had neighbors like that I would invite them over and introduce them to the dogs, then I would politely ask that they not lean over the fence and antagonize the dogs, they might bite.  If this doesn't work, go to a farm store and buy an electric fence and run a wire around the top, this definately will deter any leaning over the fence!  I know I'm cruel, but a gals got to do what a gals got to do!

ORIGINAL: classycairn

If it was me that had neighbors like that I would invite them over and introduce them to the dogs, then I would politely ask that they not lean over the fence and antagonize the dogs, they might bite.  If this doesn't work, go to a farm store and buy an electric fence and run a wire around the top, this definately will deter any leaning over the fence!  I know I'm cruel, but a gals got to do what a gals got to do!

I don't think that's cruel at all. It's your fence if you feel you need to do that then so be it. It may be wise to post that it is electric though. Parents need to teach their children to act right!

Being that I have a full grown rottweiler and a pit bull puppy I absolutely DO NOT want to say that they'll bite so I'm trying to think of a way to state my case without mentioning biting. How do you explain something to someone that everyone else knows by common sense??

FWIW for my protection I'm going to hopefully snap a picture of it this weekend.

Jean and Lisa I like the way you think!

I would think that you tell them that you are concerned because you have a puppy and that you are afraid it may make the puppy jump on the fence and ruin things.  Do not let them think it is about you, make them think it is to protect their fence and the way it looks.  Simple.  You always get farther with sugar than you do with vinegar.
Julie

I don't know about Holly bushes, but maybe if you put up a bird feeder you could get birds to poop on the fence like someone suggested to keep them from touching it. Either that, or the electric fence thing doesn't sound so bad. You'd only really need enough to run it on the side that borders their yard. 

I agree with what others have said about saying your dogs may bite. I have heard dog owners can get in trouble for putting up a "beware of dog" sign up and then their dog bites some idiot who decides to ignore the sign. They say that the owner knew the dog was vicious, therefore put the sign up...[8|]

I would try and explain to them that you don't want to teach your dogs to jump on the fence and if they lean over that just encourages this. I would also say I was trying to teach my dogs not to bark and when they reach over the fence it makes them bark. Usually most people are fairly resonable and when you make a request, they listen (hopefully).

Our neighbors have kids and when we first moved in the kids would sometimes stand near our fence (its a lattice type 6' fence) and try and pet or talk to the dogs. Whenever I saw them out there I would just call the dogs in...didn't take long and now thier parent is very good about this, they never acknowledge the dogs when they are outside. If my dogs start to bark at them I bring them in right away. Luckily, now that the dogs do not get attention from the neighbors they usually will not bark at them anyway (even when I talk over the fence to them).

Good luck!

Smear dog poop on the top!  [sm=rotfl.gif]I would bet they only hang over the fence ONCE.  It won't hurt the dogs or anyone else, but is thoroughly GROSS.  After they aren't bothering the dogs, scrub it off with some bleach and-Presto!-no more mess!

kelly, the problem doesn't seem all that bad to me...the mother sounds like a fun, friendly lady, and it's good that the kids aren't scared of dogs...
 
it sounds that they are a bit clueless about dogs, so i think a friendly educational chat over coffee would do the trick...there's no reason to fight over ignorance...it's stubborness you have to watch out for...a friendly neighbor is much better than a etc etc

Joel, I sure hope that your train of thought is the right one!  Much better to have a friendly neighbor that is just clueless that you can educate than one that is out for trouble, unfortunately my first thought wasn't that they were friendly.  Guess I am just cynical....
 
For now until the rest of the story comes in, I 2nd Joel's suggestion of "coffee talk".

Lori!  [sm=eek.gif][sm=lol.gif]
 
Kelly, how about this?  Bring over a coffee cake or cookies and introduce yourself, you're new to the neighborhood, blah, blah, blah.  I say it that way so you can check out the house and determine if there really is a daycare over there, or just a few kids of their own. (forearmed is forewarned.)
 
I'd say that you were working on training your dogs to be good canine citizens, and you are working on not having your dogs bark at kids/birds/balls flying over/cats/whatever.  You'd like the kids to meet the dogs, but don't want barking encouraged by them hanging over the fence, or something like that.  Real sweet and innocent.  And you'd hate it if one of the kids slipped and fell over the six foot fence - you'd feel terrible if they hurt themselves.  [sm=proud.gif]