Thursday, January 14, 2016

5 Tips to be a Bad Pet Neighbor

   A few weeks ago I shared 5 tips for Being a Good Pet Neighbor. It seemed only fair to give equal time to ways you can become a bad pet neighbor. I could have also titled this post, 5 Ways to Ensure that the Neighbors will Hate You and Your Dog, but that seemed a bit too long. Let's start with #5 so the anticipation can build.
Pierre the Westie running with toy in his mouth
#5 ~ Have overconfidence in your dog’s recall
    If you want to guarantee your neighbors will hate your dog, be one of “those” people that think it is okay to allow your dog in the front yard or on a walk without any type of restraint. Imagine a neighbor walks, jogs or rides a bicycle past your home and your dog decides to run out to join them.  You are confident that calling your dog’s name will immediately have it running into your loving arms. That is until it actually happens. Then you are screaming the dog’s name and “NO! I said come HERE!!” using the high-pitched voice of a lunatic. The dog is barking and nipping at the person’s feet or pedals and they are frantic to get away from you both. Congratulations, now they hate you and your dog.
Basset and Westie smelling two Great Pyrenees
#4 ~ Allow your dog to approach a neighbor’s dog without permission.
   As hard as it is to believe, your dog is not irresistible to every dog or human that's outside getting exercise. When you take your dog for a walk, other dog walkers don’t want yours invading their space without permission. If you let your dog get close to a random dog’s face while walking, it is at risk of being bitten. This is not only dangerous but will lead to a verbal confrontation with the other person. This person will now cross the street or turn around when they see you because they hate both of you.
Bentley Basset Hound barking
#3 ~ Allow your dog to bark loud and often
   All dogs bark with the exception of the Basenji and one of our former neighbor’s Doberman that had its voice box removed. That’s an entirely different story for another day. If your dog barks before the sun is up or after normal bedtime hours, your neighbor HATES your dog. Even during the middle of the afternoon, if your best friend is barking non-stop while your neighbor is trying to tend their flowerbeds, drink a cup of coffee or relax, you are a very bad and hated pet neighbor.
Sooty Paw Paw dog poop bag
#2 ~ Don’t pick up their poop.
   You don’t like picking up after your dog. I get it…we all get it. There is only one thing worse than grabbing a big warm pile of your dog’s poop with a plastic bag and that's having to grab a pile of another dog's poop. If your dog takes a dump in a neighbor’s yard and you don’t pick it up; they HATE your dog.  *They also think you are a jerk.  
Bentley Basset Hound and Pierre Westie spraying graffiti on a fence
#1 ~ Let your dog run loose.
   If you allow your dog out of the house or fence to roam the neighborhood, the neighbors HATE your dog. Not only is it causing havoc, it is taunting the indoor/fenced dogs. Your dog is strutting around marking its territory in front of them without any restraints. This makes other dogs crazy. You can hear them trash barking to your dog. Now, the neighbor’s dogs hate your dog too.

   Let’s face it; nobody wants the neighbors to hate their dog. It only takes a little effort on your part to have a dog that your neighbors can enjoy. Good dogs make good neighbors.

   I have a guest post on BlogPaws™ today in celebration of National Dress-Up Your Dog Day. I’d love for you to take a moment to read and comment on it. Thanks!
This is Thoughtless Thursday’s blog hop with Ruckus  the EskieLove is being owned by a Husky, and me! No fancy rules and no need to think…just link!


39 comments :

  1. Omg yes scoop your poop, people! I can't stand when people let their dogs poop in our yard.

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  2. I wuz finkings of haffing a go at these but Mum won't let me...isn't she a spoilt sport eh?
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  3. Okay, I was a bit worried when I got to #3, but it says barking, not howling, so I think we are alright. We love to give some good howls out in the yard during the day, or in the evening if it is dark and we are hunting wabbit, but Mom won't let us be out alone in the early or late hours. Such a party pooper. I know our neighbors enjoy our howls at any time.

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  4. #3 is our problem, but we work on that front and I don't let Easy bark in the back yard at an unhowly time. by now we had no complaints (knock on wood 3 times) probably because all our neighbors are no angels when it comes to loud noises. think if we all take a deep breath and try to be tolerant we can live together in peace :o)

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  5. Living in a semi-rural area we have dogs loose, poop, and barking. Poop gets mowed and disappears or disintegrates, but incessant barking - that I don't like.

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  6. I especially love number 4 but certainly agree with all of them!

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  7. These are great tips! Let's hope they end up in the hands (and computer screens) of the folks that really need to read these! Now off to read your guest post!

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  8. Great tips, I would really like to send these to some people in our neighborhood! My biggest neighborhood pet peeve is the woman who walks her little dog on a retractable leash and lets him wander as far as he wants right up on our property. One of these days the Goldens are going to bust through our window! lol Off to read your guest post!

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  9. There are a few people I would like to pass this on to! All very good tips!!

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  10. we recognize all those tips from our own neighbors :) You know Mom use to have a Basenji - she was the Australian and New Zealand Champion and even though they don't bark they make the most amazing sounds

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  11. Those are all so darn true since I have neighbors that have some dogs that do all those things. BUT, I don't blame the dogs and blame the humans. They just need to take better care of their dogs. The dogs used to come down my driveway so a to chase my cats and I have taught them with no problem what so ever to 'Go Home'. If I see them anywhere and they do run lose all over the neighborhood, and tell them to go home, they turn right around and go home.

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  12. Omg I love that last photo - the graffiti one! hahahaaha! Well done, and great tips too!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  13. Oh my goodness these are the best!! I agree with them all. I love dogs but get mad when people do not know how to responsibly take care of their dogs!!

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  14. BOL - now those sure are 5 ways to be a BAD neighbor!

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  15. Don't pick up the poop and off leash! Mom says HBO words
    Lily & Edward

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  16. WE are BARKERS.... and MOM does her BESTEST to Stop us... One thingy she does is Never let us out after 10:00PM or before the butt crack of Dawn.... and then those are FAST Potty times...
    WE always have poop bags on our leashes...
    We stay INSIDE our Fence 99.99% of the time... we are only allowed OUT of our Fenced yard... under STRICT supervision... Or when we go fur Walkies.... and THEN it is OUR JOB to keep MOM ON the WALKIN STRINGS... So SHE will be a good neighbor, too!!!

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  17. Our Bad Pet Neighbor just made a huge improvement . . . he moved out!

    Keep Calm & Bark On!

    Murphy & Stanley

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  18. If we are not in our fenced yard we are on a leash. OUr neighbors NEVER scoop their dogs poop in their own yard. It is unpleasant for us cause we smell it - UGH
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel

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  19. LOL this post is so awesome! Love it!

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  20. Such a great post...and yes, there are more than a few of my neighbors I would like to pass this on to!!

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  21. Thanks for making me laugh with your catchy title and article. I agree with all 5 tips you listed that makes one a bad pet neighbor. Tip #4 always makes me crazy. I think people assume when they see me walking my two dogs together that my dogs would love to meet their dog. However they couldn't be more wrong. #wewantspace

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  22. I think these are great....the letting the dogs run free, not picking up poop are my faves. Shetland Sheepdogs are known barkers...Dakota DOES bark but he does NOT bark around the clock or non-stop...we aren't hated because we have the bedroom baby gated. He isn't allowed in there because I was fearful he would bark in the morning if he were in the bedroom and wake our neighbors. He sleeps in the living room and there is a hallway outside our apt door DakotasDen

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  23. Perfect!!! It's a good thing I don't live by too many neighbors. The ones I have already probably hate me as I'm yelling for my dogs at 2 am!

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  24. Oh dear! That's a lot of hate... but so easy to correct all of the situations... Love and peace restored! Purrs from Deb and the Zee/Zoey kitties

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  25. The number of people who let their dogs run loose is maddening! My sister owns a dog grooming shop and there is a dog that runs loose onto the commercial property, every day, and the owner is fully aware. She is a dog groomer and the loose dog is dog-aggressive, so that puts her clients at risk. What a nightmare!

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  26. Unfortunately, we have some neighbors like that.

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  27. WHAT? I'm not everyone's favorite??? Hee hee hee! These are great reminders of how to be a good pet parent and neighbor!

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  28. BOL, this post made my day!!!! Thank you so much for sharing! :)

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  29. All so true. My pet peeves. Kilo is still reactive so invasions of space are so bad then poop bandits annoy me no end.

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  30. Oh, you hit them all - all things that bug the s*** out of me. Hope some of my neighbors read this!

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  31. Oh my gosh, all of these!!! I wish I could send this to all of my neighbors. Living here is awful. No one respects anyone else and nobody picks up their poop but me.

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  32. OMD, I encounter every single one of these bad behaviors on an all too frequent basis, drives me nuts!
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

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  33. So true! Some folks leave it up to the kids to watch the dog in the yard. Of course, the dog doesn't listen to the kids... not really the kids' fault.

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  34. The last picture is hilarious! Made me laugh! :) Pierre's smile is priceless! <3

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  35. I love your #2 Tip: I cannot believe people don't pick up poo, sometimes I pick up other dogs messes I find in the neighborhood by my house as it's disgusting!

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  36. We live in a pretty good neighborhood for dogs. Other than occasional poop not picked up everyone seems very respectful and keeps their dogs under control.
    My sister has some really bad neighbors....the have two dogs they let run loose and one chased her on her bike, nipping at her, and the owners were completely oblivious! One of the dogs will run up and down the street barking...I really fear something bad will happen to him.
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

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  37. You must have been walking around my 'hood...these kinds of events happen far more often than I care to admit. Maybe I should have a sign posted with these naughty traits on a large tree so the clueless will take note...and be reminded to strive for the 5 good things instead. ღ

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  38. Excellent list. I ask my neighbors to let us know if the dogs are barking too much when they are kenneled outside. Their response is, they are outside sometimes? Funny, but I truly hope they would say if they were being loud. Guess they mostly sleep....lol.

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  39. I know how you feel. My dogs have been harassed, even attacked, by aggressive loose dogs on our walks. My dogs have been injured and so have I. I have come to detest people who won't restrain their dogs! They are arrogant, blind and don't care about anyone but themselves. Do I sound angry? I wonder why. :)

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