deterring dogs from my garden

[jives11]

Greetings,

My neighbour has a dog which sometimes strays into my garden. We share a boundary but it cuts across thick rhododendron bushes and has some gaps. Technically the boundary is his but I conceded it's hard to secure and we get on very well.

His dog , a spaniel , has started straying into my garden . This causes 2 problems :

1) My front garden has no gate , so the dog could escape onto the road via my garden

2) It is using my garden as a toilet.

My neighbour is wonderful, and I'd hate to upset him as he graciously put up with all kinds of building work on my side.

I wondered if there are any humane dog deterrents that work i.e. ultrasonic IR type devices. I do have electricity at that end of the garden.

many thanks

[Lobster]

Why can't you shift the problem back to your neighbour by focussing just on Problem 1? Point out your concern that the dog will get run over if it gets through into your garden - no need to mention the dog poo which is presumably your major issue - then it's down to the neighbour either to dog-proof his garden or keep the animal on a long lead or something.

David

[robert]

AIUI there is no requirement or obligation on the owner to secure a boundary.

A bit of netting or chestnut stake fencing in the gaps will probably be cheaper than any hi-tech solution, this combined with the excellent advice on focusing on the road issue seems a good way to proceed.

It makes a change to have an OP valuing the importance of good neighbourly relations !

[George]

Buy an German shepard. :-)

[mogga]

Got to be careful for the neighbour not to offer to put a gate on.

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

The Poo would incraese in size! :¬(

[George]

Eh! you train it to go in the neighbours garden. ;-)

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

LOL !! Good call.

[Stephen Howard]

Best bet, as others have mentioned, is to have a word with your neighbour and point out your 'worries' that the dog might get out into the road. Might help if you returned the dog, having 'found him in the road'. Another 'incentive' is to mention that you have rat poison down, and that you'd be mortified ( as would the pooch ) if the dog scoffed any.

You could try training the dog...but you'd have to catch it in the act of coming through the bushes. A stern 'NO - BAD - OUT' will let it know it's encroaching on your territory...but you do have to do it as it crosses the boundary rather than once it's in the garden. I doubt it would learn instantly though.

You could try an ultrasound device - I'd recommend you wait with it by the hedge, and as the dog comes through shout 'NO - BAD - OUT'...and then chuck the ultrasound doo-dah at it, box and all.

Regards,

[John]

Surely you are not suggesting these ultrasonic devices do not work and are a waste of money!! My In Laws have two to deter cats from their garden. I have actually seen cats use them as posts to rub their necks on, but my Father In Law insists they work and it was £50 well spent as the cats are very rarely in their garden (when the in laws are outside).

Cheers

John

[Brian Sharrock]

But; AIUI there _is_ a absolute requirement for a landholder to prevent their animal(s) from straying off their property AND an obligation to secure their property against people suffering injury from hazardous items on their property.

But: AIUI; it's the _neighbour's_ animal that is straying off the neighbour's land.

It doesn't need a secure _boundary_ just a _restrained_ animal.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "John" saying something like:

Depends. Have they noticed any hoofprints in the margarine recently? If not, the deterrent must be working.

[Tim Downie]

Probably bought the ones without magnets inside. ;-)

Tim