# To expand on the "Guarding Instincts" post...



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Jessie is stupid. Ok seriously, she is.







Our next-door neighbors have a Boston Terrier who, whenever they let her out to go to the bathroom, will bark and charge the fence if I and/or my dogs are out in the yard. When they let her out, they open the door, she goes out, they close the door - their yard is not fenced, but there IS an old wire fence (the kind with the big squares - I think they're 6 inch squares) between my yard and theirs, with two strands of electric wire on my side to keep my dogs off of it since it's not all that sturdy. The only time their dog is outside is when they boot it out to go to the bathroom. After it charges the fence barking, it does its business and goes back to the door, but in the meantime, MY dogs are excited about this little black and white thing that's acting like a badass, and are usually running back and forth a few feet away from the fence. By this time, the neighbor's dog is sitting on her front porch barking at us.

If Jessie's out there, she's barking back, charging the fence herself, hackles on shoulders and butt raised, acting like a complete idiot (she would play with this dog if we actually ever let them interact - she's only acting out because the other dog is). 

To be honest, I could care less if my dogs bark at the little turd, because SHE starts it, and she's only outside for about 1 minute total. Here's where the annoying part comes into play...




When I let Jessie out now, she immediately hackles and goes charging towards the fence barking (as if there was something over there, even when there is nothing), skidding to a stop about 3ft away, and then running down the fenceline barking. It's as if she's saying "I DARE you to come out, you little bitch!"







Then, she trots back to me, huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf, I remind her that she's out there to go to the bathroom, she does, and then we go back inside, or for a walk, or whatever. I've thought about putting the prong and long line (or electric) on her so I can correct her, but I haven't yet.


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## Pauline Michels (Sep 1, 2006)

I have a similar issue. No one dog is really at fault with the exception perhaps of my JRT. She's a 10 yr old ornery bitch. She looks for things to bark at, no matter how far away it may be. Two neighbors have invisible fencing, I use the e-collar on my Dobe. The JRT turns into a statue if I put a correction collar of any kind on her. Luckily she listens to me due to our early agility training.

Like you Kristen, my male Dobe would be okay with the neighboring Lab and Golden females. However the doggone JRT gets everyone in an uproar. So when the Dobe gets the badass act going I zap him if he charges the property line. In my opinion these dogs and people are "NEIGHBORS" and I expect him to act like a neighbor. If there's no threat don't terrorize everyone! I have to "remind" him about once every two weeks.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

OK so Gary doesn't have a fit for me not helping LOL

1, Your dog is not stupid.

2, Animal aggression is a completely different subject, and has nothing whatsoever about what we were talking about, so shut up.    

3. Animal aggression should never be confused as, or worded along the same lines as Human aggression. They are so completely different. When I hear people tell me that their dog is protective, and then it is always another dog that their dog saved them from.........Oh brother.

4 Animal aggression is useless

5, I really don't think that I would correct or even bother to acknowledge a dog that was a bit blustery at the fence.


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## Pauline Michels (Sep 1, 2006)

Here's Fritz remembering not to terrorize the neighbors.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh I know full well that animal aggression is a totally separate thing from aggression towards people (I do participate in several pit bull related things and that's one of the things that we, as advocates of the breed, try to make people understand about them). I didn't mean for it to sound like 'because she goes ape shit towards the idiotic neighbor dog she's going to protect me from a mugger' or whatever. :lol: 


So you wouldn't correct her for charging the fence and barking for no reason? I'm sure the neighbors don't enjoy it at 11:00pm :lol:


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Before this spring when I moved "outta da hood" nobody got upset about barking dogs. It was actually kinda interesting to lay in bed at night and figure out where the creeps where at based on what dogs started the barking first. Still no fence fighting was allowed by anyone. Some would beat the crap out of thier dogs with anything handy. I, luckly, have voice control over mine. 
Now, where I live, everyone's dog wares those cute ^&*(%$#, red or blue hankies around thier precious necks. The Bearded Collie behind me wont come near the fence. My oldest GSD just walks back and forth with that tail up, stiff legged gate that says "this is my fence now". The younger GSD still thinks life is a game. When the JRT is out back by himself, the Beardie gets brave and comes over to the fence for a sniff. My JRT then tries to piss in his face. 
Sissy a$$ burb dogs! :lol:


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I have always been amazed at some "city folk" and their aversion to dogs barking at night. I can see the nonstop idiot dog, but across the board????

Then they wonder why they got broken into.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

that would drive me crazy! I can be a bit like "That's MY yard, MY fence and MY business what is on the other side of it, so shut up and pee already." ahh... life with APBT's. :lol: I keep a tight lid on this sort of thing because IME, it only escalates.

However - in reference to the other thread, I do appreciate a dog that has a defensive bark when something unusual happens - IF the dog respects an "enough" command.


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