Dog Attack!

Since November I have tried and tried to be friends with the neighbors dog. It hasn't been going well. She is a medium sized blue healer and very territorial and doesn't understand just exactly where her territory begins and ends. They let her run loose, their gate is open and she roams the neighborhood all the time. The mailbox in on the other side of the street directly in front of their gate. I have had a few incidents with this dog at the mailbox and thought we had come to a slight agreement. I ignore her (but keep my eyes on her) and she just barks her fool head off.

Well back in February they added two puppies to the mix. At first these puppies were extremely friendly and would let me pet them, but if she saw me reach for a puppy she would come unglued on me. In the last few months she has been teaching these puppies all the bad habits and they are getting to be as vicious as her. I have had to yell at her to back off and that just makes her madder. I think adding these puppies into her life as made her extra protective of them and more ferocious.

She has launched at my legs before and did scare me a little, but I really thought it would pass over time. This has not been the case, it has gotten worse. Like she has gained bravery, now that she has her posse backing her up.

Last week...
I was working in the yard, all hot and sweaty. I was fanning myself with my wicker fan while I was on my cell (waiting for that repairman) with my bf. I decide to walk over to the mailbox, hoping for the next disc in the series Tudors from Netflix. (I was wanting something to distract me from the yard work! LOL!) I didn't even get halfway to the mailbox and they had surrounded me. Barking, growling and snarling. Like a pack of wild dogs or starving coyotes.

Sorry I forgot to tell ya, Nikki is her name. Nikki was being even more aggressive than usual and I was inching my way to the box. I had my wicker fan hanging down in front of my legs, trying to protect myself. I was also waving it back and forth in front of me trying to deter them. Nikki lunge at me, I screamed and hung up with bf. She didn't get me, but she did take a bite out of my fan. I was trying to inch my way back my gate. She lunged again and again only got my fan. I manage to get back to my gate and squeezed in, but as I was shutting it she just had to try one more time. This time she got a face full of metal, that pissed her off and so she took it out on the mudflap we have attached to the gate that closes the gap so my dogs can't get out.

Phew! I made it! Even unharmed at that, but extremely shaken up! I know I shook for a good ten minutes! I had told hubby on many occasions that I'm going to have to report her to their landlord, but I never did. Well not anymore, I have had it with this dog! I called the landlord and turned her in. He calls me back minutes later and says that they are going to tie her up. Well they didn't do that, instead they started shutting their gate.

This did not work because their gate is so bad and has gaps all over the place. As soon as they left all three dogs were out in the street again. Although they did do their best to retrieve the dogs as soon as they got back or noticed them leaving the yard.

Thankfully my dogs have a nice fenced in yard and are never allowed out when the gate is open. I just don't understand how someone can have a dog/s and not give a hoot if it gets into the street and could potentially get killed or harm someone. It really doesn't take much effort to be responsible for our four legged friends.

Friday...
Hubby and I went grocery shopping and left the gate open. When we got back Nikki and one of her posse was in our yard. I stayed in the truck till hubby got her out of the yard, not an easy task with a dog that likes to try to take a bite out of you. I thought it was just me, but that girl has mental problems. Hubby was out there being as big as a great dane and she could care less, she was trying to get at him too. He was yelling and the stupid neighbors were witnessing it all. They didn't even try to call be back! Again she tried to take a chunk out of the mudflap!

They have so many people living there and are coming and going at all hours of the day and night. I'm guessing they got tired of hassling with the gate cause Nikki is now tied up, but her posse is still allowed to do as they please.

Now honestly it breaks my heart to see a dog tied up, it is no life for a dog to be stuck in one place. If they would just fix the fence/gate then the neighbood would be safe and the dogs could still have some sense of freedom.