maybe your little dogs are smart, not wimpy!

The fence he jumped over is mine, into my yard. This is the first time he's figured out he can do it, so it likely will be happening a lot from now on. Before this, when I need to cut the grass/weedeat next to the fence, he is totally excited and charging the fence. A lot of the time the neighbors have him chained up.

This is a graphic from the internet, which looks like a puppy (pit bull?). Max is waist high and mature. He wants to play with us, is often sitting "calling" or sitting looking AT US sad, which I interpret as wanting to socialize with us. I can't even stand to see the commercials for the ASPCA that break hearts, so it's a constant pang to see this animal being miserable every time I go outside, so am I supposed to be a prisoner. I thought that by "making friends" I would be able to occupy my own space. The Chihuahua & mini-dach below are actually mine, not internet, and *are* wimpy.

Is the dog ferocious to people/animals he doesn't like? Or is he just a big, normal dog who, as you say, doesn't know his power and that he's not a Chihuahua?

to be ferocious at. But I know of an incident where a dog his size snapped the neck of a tiny dog that was yapping at him, and I don't think the big dog meant to kill it but did. My dogs don't yap at Max, basically ignore him while they sniff around along the fence, while he's bouncing and trailing them on his side of the fence. They've never been in the same yard together, and as I say he's jumped the fence just this once so far. Luckily we weren't out there at the time and the neighbors were home to take him.

As for "ferocious," maybe it would be ME who would elicit that in this dog, since he is powerful enough to knock me down with "playful" lunges.

And by the way, the neighbors have multiple "Beware" signs, so they intend to warn about *something* or just to stave off intruders or avert liability?

there is a lot of good experience there on dogs

non-neutered males.

From the signs, it sounds like the neighbors want this dog to be protective (aka "aggressive&quot . I would talk with the nabes and then proceed with caution if they think it is a good idea. Would be nice if all could get along but finding out could be risky. Hate to mention this but if he gets one of your dogs or you in a death grip, you have to kick him in the stomach -- nothing else will work. You can't get your hands in his mouth and pry it open. You have to knock the air out of him for a second.

You might reach out to a pro trainer too. They know what works. Good luck.

into your yard.

1- If he's chained, I feel bad. By the way, he BROKE the chain to get to jump. Thicker chain?

2- If he's not, I'm uncomfortable.

3- I don't have the right to want him not to be there whether for me to pity or to fear. Just have to look over my shoulder every time I go outside.

I still can't really tell if this dog is acting viciously or playfully or what. Were your dogs in your yard when this happened? Everything else aside though a fence that a dog can jump is like a fence that doesn't exist. Your neighbors must contain the dog in some way whether that's building a dog-proof fence, only walking it on a leash or securing it with a chain it can't break or otherwise escape from. Where I live you aren't allowed to chain a dog since it's dangerous for them. I don't know if where you live has such a law against tethering a dog, but I'd really hate to see your neighbors do that in trying to keep the dog from escaping the yard.

Have you talked to your neighbors about their dog jumping the fence into your yard and your worry for yourself and your dogs? Even if this dog was friendly I would be wary of it being able to interact with your small dogs without supervision or control. Just being so much bigger a small dog can be injured or even killed by a much bigger dog accidentally.

If this were me I'd talk to the neighbors first about keeping their dog secure, and if that didn't work call the police. No one should have to worry about their neighbor's dog getting on to their property possibly with disastrous consequences. You have the right to enjoy your yard without someone else's dog getting in it uninvited.

You need to leave the neighbor's dog alone. Don't try to make friends with it, pet it or try introducing your dogs to it. If they want to get to know each other the dogs can do that through the fence, and if this dog wanted to make friends with you or your dogs it would have already been making friendly overtures on its own side of the fence. Since it hasn't, err on the side of caution and leave it alone. The fact that they have "Beware of Dog" signs is a big clue that this is not a friendly dog.

I don't know whether temporarily or other. (Sad, the chain was strewn in front of the dog house.)

To tie all the loose ends, beginning with the degree of friendliness/rambunctiousness: O.K., my dogs and I were inside the house and he was in the backyard fenced part, barking with my dogs on my bed barking back out the window. He was calling them outside and they were alerting. But he's way powerful and not socialized for "playing" and whatever he does with his excitement can be deadly. Next, the neighbors are tenants and rely on the landlord for upkeep so they won't be reinforcing the fence and the landlord won't either. I don't know about a chain law, but I see dogs chained everywhere in this region (differing neighboring towns).

What did the dog do, and what did I do, well he was contained in the back and I went out the front to get the neighbors and they came right over with a leash, and we communicated. They were apologetic and I relayed that, frankly, I was afraid of the dog for all concerned and that now he had learned the jump once he would do it more. That's when they said he had busted the chain, which turns out to be a light weight one, that is, light for his power.

Thanks for the advocacy about my (anybody) having rights. Actually, it's been ages since I've heard that much agreement on my few rights. The neighbors have been fairly cooperative about a different issue (loud parties) over the past couple of years, and they were apologetic about the dog so I wouldn't want to call the police. And you solidly convinced me not to mess with dogs belonging to others.

As I say, today the dog was gone although I don't know how permanently. Really, thanks for the kind interest.

It's good that the neighbors are cooperative about their dog and are trying to fix the problem. Since they rent the property I get it that they can't do anything to the fence at least not without the permission of the property owner (I'm a renter myself). They could also do invisible fencing. I've seen that work remarkably well with people that have dogs in homes that have no fencing at all. I really hate to see them resort to chaining the dog in their yard.

No need to thank me just for advocating your rights. Hey, you PAY for that yard you have, and have absolute right of free enjoyment of it without having to worry about other people or other dogs or cats or whatever inviting themselves in that have ill or objectionable intent. I've spent a lot more money to finally live in a house that has just a postage stamp sized yard when I could spend quite a bit less and live in an apartment that would also be a lot nicer than this old run down dump. This is the first place I've lived since I was a kid where I had any yard at all, and it's REALLY important to me. As a kid growing up in my parents' house we had a big front and back yard with a pool, and I spent probably more time in the yard than I did in the house, and after having to move out at 18 I've REALLY missed having no yard at all having to live in apartments.

So, it makes me absolutely nuts when people treat my yard as if it's public space. The neighbors that used to live on one side of me used to have a cat (that they NEVER let in the house and left the poor thing here when they moved!) that all summer would catch mice and shrews and leave the carcasses on their back patio as little furry dead "gifts", and they would toss them into MY yard instead of discarding them in their own trash! They even did that once right in front of me and nearly hit me with the disgusting thing. And yeah, I totally freaked out on them for that, but it didn't stop them pitching their cat's dead "gifts" over the fence into my yard - they just did it when I wasn't out there to see it). EVERY DAY in the summers I couldn't let the dog out into the yard until I checked it all over for dead critters, and there was at least one or two of them I had to pick up every single day. And the one neighbor on the other side STILL tosses his cigarette butts into MY yard - I don't even toss my OWN butts in my yard, why on earth would I want anyone using MY yard as their personal ashtray??? This seriously pisses me off because for some strange reason my big hairy beastie really want to eat them (I have to hide the ashtrays from him in the house where he can't reach them because of that).

So, the very idea that if one of my next door neighbors had a big dog of unknown friendliness jumping the fence into my yard especially if I owned little vulnerable dogs or had little kids or hell, just ME in my yard I'd go so ballistic I'd be charging them to pay the amount of rent that I have to spend for having a yard (and have a huge shovel handy to brain their dog with if it invaded my yard with ill intent - and call the police).

Any news on whether they still have the dog or how they're securing it?

The first day, around 11 P.M. the truck arrived, doors closing, then Max did a few "arriving" barks. Actually, I don't know whether he was just in the dog house all day. There's nowhere to "hide" (be out of sight) in that yard, no shrubs or anything.

Anyway, the following days he was chained and sitting quietly, often just looking over here. One other day he was out of sight again till late. A day or two ago he was off the chain and running around his yard, fine. (I really don't "spy" all day!1)

For now it looks like it's back to the pattern of the past year, when he just looked over here and "called," no change in how they're securing him. I haven't had to use the machines near the fence so no charging.

I'm fine with them (anybody) occupying their own space the way they want, if they reciprocate me -- funny how this simple concept seems to escape so many. Actually, if these tenants move out who knows what worse problems the next ones will bring. These have cooperated about the parties and the dog.

But Torch, you really changed what I was going to do: Before you posted I was on course to approach the dog. Thanks.

both the tenant and landlord would be liable for any damage by the dog should the do attack you or your dogs. If the dog returns I would first chat with the neighbor and, if he does not fix the problem, chat with the property owner. The landlord may not realize the liability issue that he/she may be facing with the dog.

On the one hand, whether the landlord knows or cares about liability or even whether I myself am forfeiting by not pressing the issue legally, things are being left to the potential good nature of the animal, on both sides, for now. I *did* tell the tenants I am afraid for my dogs and myself, which is the mildest form of objecting, and they were "apologetic." (Apology is not really pertinent to the issue.)

to the wrong tenant and when things go very wrong will find herself in a world of hurt legally.

Then, after he starts associating your arrival outside with food, start making him sit & calm down before treating him.

toss him a little treat for a few days in a row.
Then try the chair thing.