Confused and worried

Has anybody else had similar problems with neighbors before? When I first moved into my house (before I got my fur baby) my neighbours were alright. Not super nice, but they were civil. Before I went to the shelter I informed them I was getting a dog, and they seemed fine, until I got him home. It was as if they suddenly hated us, the first week we had him he whined through the night as he found it difficult to adjust and they threatened to call the council and tell them our dog was keeping their kids up all night (bearing in mind we deliberately got him during school holidays so we didn't disrupt their kids school life, and he would whine for about an hour when it got dark then go quiet). After that they started complaining because they could "hear him running up and down the stairs through the night" (he is kept in our bedroom through the night with the door closed). I've managed to convince myself that maybe they just don't like dogs and just to ignore them until a couple of weeks ago, when they got a German shepherd puppy. At first I was really pleased (I thought maybe they would understand that it takes a little time for a dog to get used to a new home) but then they got worse, they encourage their puppy to bark at our dog, and they say it's "just playing", but if our dog barks back it's being "aggressive", and the final straw was today when my dog barked at one of them when they passed my garden, he started shouting angrily at it and the dog was getting worked up (in his own garden, safely behind a seven foot gate) when I went out to see what he was barking at, my neighbour told me that he was sick of my "vicious" dog and that I either had to have him muzzled at all times (even though he has never actually showed aggressive behaviour on my property before today) or get rid of him otherwise he would call the council. I would tell him to go right ahead as I haven't done anything wrong, but I have a niggling feeling that my dog isn't a "staffy cross" as the shelter said, he looks a hell of a lot like a Pitt bull, and (as far as I'm aware) they're illegal to own in the uk?

I'm totally stuck, we already have a muzzle for walks (Baskerville ultra, more as a safety measure incase he gets off the lead as he's not good with other dogs) but it seems unfair to have him muzzled in his own garden when he's just minding his own business any advice?

yes pitbulls theres crosses and 'type' are illegal to own

I'd beat him to it and go to the council first and report him, for his 'antisocial' behaviour

Hi & welcome to the forum.

Believe it or not, you're not the first person to join this forum with a similar problem! Small minded people being nasty because of what they think is a pitbull. 

If the rescue centre said he's a stafford cross, then that's what he is! There are very few true pitbulls in the UK - most are crosses just like yours.

Your neighbour can't force you to muzzle your dog on your own property as long as he isn't being aggressive or a danger to your neighbours/passers by!

Do you get on well with other neighbours? Would others stand by you to say your dog is friendly & (reasonably) quiet?

As Ella says, I'd go to the council to complain about them 'training' their dog to bark at you/your dog - that just isn't on!

P.S. I don't suppose you'd like to share some pics of your boy? 

Can I do that? Like I say, most of what he ha said is entirely unfounded, and both of them can be quite threatening at times. I would understand if they were just worried about their kids but nothing has ever been said about them since he stopped whining at night :(my OH seems to agree with you, as he has seen how upset I am after they've had a go, I'm literally at the point where I just want to move away but I just can't afford it right now
And I think some of the neighbours would agree, but a lot of them would take their side as they've lived here a long time. I do know though that according to the vets he's an American staff cross, so I guess that has to count for something! I'm actually relieved I'm not the only one

Lwoelttil wrote:Can I do that? Like I say, most of what he ha said is entirely unfounded, and both of them can be quite threatening at times. I would understand if they were just worried about their kids but nothing has ever been said about them since he stopped whining at night :(my OH seems to agree with you, as he has seen how upset I am after they've had a go, I'm literally at the point where I just want to move away but I just can't afford it right now
And I think some of the neighbours would agree, but a lot of them would take their side as they've lived here a long time. I do know though that according to the vets he's  an American staff cross, so I guess that has to count for something! I'm actually relieved I'm not the only one

don't go around saying he's an american staffy cross, as people will see that as pitbull x, he is just a staffy cross and thats all you say he is.

Even the vets are probably wrong! There's no such thing as an american stafford, but there is an American Staffordshir Terrier (the show version of the pitbull) which is also illegal in the UK - so it's hardly likely he's that!

Go to the council & document the things that have been said (with your own counter-arguments) and done. Make sure they understand that your dog is a staffordshire bull terrier cross (don't use any other terminology) and that he was from a proper rescue centre and is friendly and well behaved.

Get your retaliation in first! 

You might never get on with your neighbour afterwards, but it sounds like you wouldn't anyway - bigotted idiots that they are! 

Yeah if people in real life ask me what he is I just say he's a staffy, and all his papers from the shelter and his insurance etc all say staffy so that should be fine, well looks like tomorrow I'm paying the council a visit! And caryll, I'll pop some pics of him up when I get back on my proper computer, I can't work Out how to do it from my phone lol, I've had an account on here before but I've lost all the details from it so I've had to make a new one

Awww, what a shame you can't remember your details! If you want to pick up your old account, just use the 'contact' button & Steve will send you your details!

Rescue centres are believed by councils! If they say he's a stafford cross, then the council will believe he's a stafford cross as long as he's well behaved!

If I'm honest the worst thing he does is fart on me and then leave the room hahaha, and regarding the old account, can he do it even if I can't get in my old email? I've lost all of my old accounts on everything other than Facebook because my boyfriend tried to be helpful and totally wiped my whole old computer before I had a chance to back it up

Ah, probably not, then!

Never mind - just post loads of pics & we'll pick up soon enough! 

P.S. Why is it that men try to be 'helpful' with things they haven't a clue about? 

I KNOW! i wanted to cry, it had loads of really nice family photos on it, all of my account information for everything, but ah well, we have a nice shiny new computer!

Are you able to get any video evidence of what your neighbour is up ?

Do you have any paperwork from the rescue centre where your dog came from which will state what his breed is be it Staffy cross or whatever.

Also get back in touch with them (the rescue centre) and ask for some training advice for your dog, this action will always go in your favour with any local authority should you need it to.

kathy my mum suggested the same thing, she said if they were being threatening on my property if i could prove it i could get something done.

and i still have all his paperwork from the shelter, i'm pretty sure most of the different parts have his breed on, and i believe there's some stuff from the vets they use.

i'll definitely get back in touch with them as well, even if it's just to cover my back

Have you had any more problems with them?

They had a bit winge last night as I got home from work, went to the council yesterday and basically if I keep a record of everything that's said and try to take a recording of some of their threatening behaviour they might be able to do something about it. As for Thor, he's safe for now so long as he isn't aggressive to other dogs and people. Oh and in regards to their dog if I can show that they're pretty much training her to be aggressive towards other dogs they can get done too, much more Productive than I thought!!

That's great news! Mobiles can be very useful for this you could pretend you're just messing on it whilst videoing

Yeah when I hear them opening the gate I'm gonna set it up to record, last night their problem was apparently that my dog barks when their dog barks, well duh, he's a dog, I would understand if it was through the night but apparently this was mid afternoon lol

Lwoelttil wrote:Yeah when I hear them opening the gate I'm gonna set it up to record, last night their problem was apparently that my dog barks when their dog barks, well duh, he's a dog, I would understand if it was through the night but apparently this was mid afternoon lol

So it's their dog that starts barking first but it's supposed to be your dogs fault ???? I don't think so.

Are you able to go outside and video your dog and by coincidence happen to catch other things on video too  

People are sooooo small minded makes me glad I live on a smallholding. Must say SA don't seem to have such major breed issues...yet anyway. Also got data and batteries for my cameras so will try post photo's soon.

Lwoelttil wrote:They had a bit winge last night as I got home from work, went to the council yesterday and basically if I keep a record of everything that's said and try to take a recording of some of their threatening behaviour they might be able to do something about it. As for Thor, he's safe for now so long as he isn't aggressive to other dogs and people. Oh and in regards to their dog if I can show that they're pretty much training her to be aggressive towards other dogs they can get done too, much more Productive than I thought!!

Sounds like you're on the right track. You definitely sound a little more at ease! 

Yeah I'm definitely less worried now, I think I just worked myself into a state where I was convinced my baby was gonna get destroyed and I was so angry, tbh I just laughed when he was on about the dog barking yesterday, he said "just cos my dogs barking doesn't mean your dog has to" and I said "well if your dogs barking mine is probably gonna bark as well, it's sort of what they do" he went purple, he's so used to me just agreeing and running back in the house feel so liberated! Haven't heard anything today, saw their curtains twitch when I took Thor for his walk, nosy buggers lol

Lwoelttil wrote:If I'm honest the worst thing he does is fart on me and then leave the room (

     My wife loves that too

Just picked up on this thread . I have a1rseholes as neighbours too and it stems from a problem with my little boy. Fortunately for me they are all mouth and trousers, and we tend to be the more overpowering ones so I just take odd opportunities here and there to let them know we are around and keep them down . They know by now I am absolutely furious over their actions which all came to nothing but saw it as a deliberate attack against my dogs and thery will never be forgiven . They will move before I do , guaranteed . You just keep up with the bottle and shut them up

Lwoelttil wrote: saw their curtains twitch when I took Thor for his walk, nosy buggers lol