Fence line fighting

Hi all - Any ideas how to stop my staffy Milo from running at our fence when next doors two yappy little dogs go into their garden. They start barking as soon as they're out in the 'hope' that poor old Milo is hanging around in his garden.

They have such an awful screechy loud bark it sends me nuts let alone Milo and my hubby and I are at logger heads over it. He moans and shouts at me to get him him or stop it whereas he will chase him and try to smack him which annoys me. I've tried a squirty water bottle which momentarily stops him but he goes straight back.

I have looked into remote spray collars (which I like) but way too expensive. The sound activated ones look ok but he doesn't bark - he just tears at the wooden fence which is covered with chicken wire which of course damages his paws and lips.

If anybody has/had the same problem and solved it - please please let me know.

Thankyou

Oh yes, I know this one! We have 3 'inverse latch key' dogs next door, they never go out, just in their garden (a huge one, admittedly), and as a consequence find their excitement in barking at our dogs and us.

All 3 of ours have risen to the challenge but Chaos was the worst. I've worked with a combination of things and by and large the situation is now manageable. I should say it's helped by the fact that it's not garden to garden, we own the field between us so it does make life easier. However, before working on it Chaos would just hop into the field anyway.

My tools were a) lots of heel/attention/basic obedience work with treats, to the point that he could work without paying attention, b) treats on the ground to snuffle for (head down = relax), again getting closer as he learned and c) play time with favourite toys, or rather toy. Boomer ball tops all! Plus, of course, huge praise any time he ignored them and even huger praise if he looked and came away, and trying to avoid putting him in the position of reverting, which in practice means trying to avoid times when the other dogs are there and bringing him in if they appear. If there is a pattern to your neighbour letting her dogs in the garden, use it to your advantage. If you're on good terms with your neighbours and they are willing to work with you, you could even try and do planned sessions.

The combination should then equal positive associations, relaxation, and control by you, which add up to breaking the habit. It goes without saying that shouting/smacking/etc do the opposite and is in the long term more effective than sprays, etc.

Thanks Liz - I'm afraid he doesn't have toys, never shown any interest in balls or anything altho he does have a boomer ball from way back which is ok but he chipped one of his long canine teeth on it so I stopped him having it. I never know when the dogs are going to be there. It seems she has her back door open most of the time and they wander in and out. I have a little gate that separates my long garden since we had chickens so I shut that now so it does help a little in that it breaks his 'gallop' a bit,then I slip a slip lead on him then at the gate and walk down the rest of the way. I talk quietly to him and it helps a bit but he's not relaxed & doesn't concentrate on toilets needs. Also it'd be nice for him just to go quietly down his own garden for sniffs etc.,

Of course everyone has their own individual setup, with specific issues that have to be addressed in ways that suit them. The above is what has worked for me but clearly that's for my dog, with my facts and circumstances.

All I can say generally is that it is up to us to find the way for the dog to relax and learn to accept, and that they can't do it on their own. For me, that will almost always take time and patience, will usually involve creative thinking ('outside the box'), and will usually involve a combination of management, avoidance and training. You manage/avoid while training. From my years of horse training experience, when you have a situation that you find yourself thinking 'I can't do/change that', 'that's set in stone, it has to be that way', it's time to step back and rethink.

In this case, for example, you're saying 'toys and balls won't work because he don't have toys and because I'm worried he'll damage his teeth again'. How about trying some different sorts of toys, treat balls for example, or teaching him to play tug of war with you with a rubber tuggy toy? How about him learning to sniff out high value treats hidden round the place? And remember that anything new needs to be learned away from the strong pull of his current instinct and habit.

Keep thinking, keep looking through his eyes. There will be things you can do if you remain positive and creative.

Many thanks Liz - you've opened my eyes and imagination and hopefully we'll find a way. He does love his food like all staffs and has a Kong that I put peanut butter in and he's mad over that so maybe I could try calling him back away from the fence with that in my hand

I've got this problem only in reverse.Neighbour has a Jack Russell that ran up and down the fence,a solid one so they don't actually see each other.He ran up and down barking so mine followed him but doesn't bark.
I've trained mine to come inside now when theirs is out,which isn't really fair on mine as she wouldn't bother if his didn't run up and down first.
My problem now is their's has started to try and dig under the fence and they don't even try to stop him.
I've filled the holes when I've seen them but as his is out all day from first light to late at night he may get in without me knowing.If he does and mine sees it I'm frightened he won't be going back as mine is at least 3 times bigger and heavier and won't tolerate another dog in his space.
I mentioned this to the neighbour,he just said they'll sort themselves out,what kind of attitude is that.I suggested he put some wire down to stop the digging,I might as well have asked the dog.It's come to the stage where I have to check the garden before mine goes out but even so it may get through somehow.
Why can't people take responsibility for their dog and keep them safe.I've told him how to train him,not interested.

How utterly awful for you sindento, such a lousy attitude from your neighbours.
Aside the issues with their dog, how do you get on ?
I was thinking of getting town hall/neighbourhood committee or the such involved to help your situation ? They are clearly failing to keep their dog in their property.

How do we get on? He doesn't get on with anyone,he's fell out with virtually everyone on the close.Because of the fence I never see them.The only time I've seen him since the conversation about the dog was when he was pruning a tree and was on a ladder so he was above the fence.
I had a few words about the tree he was doing and that was it.A few days later I had a letter from the housing association saying someone had complained about me having 2 kitchen appliances on the yard.Luckily I was waiting for the council to take them away so when the association came to look they'd gone.It must have been him,why didn't he say something when he was doing the tree? instead of anonymously,as if I couldn't guess who it was,while he was at it he reported my other neighbour for 3 bin bags she was going to take to the tip.He must have a very empty life,both his kids left home as soon as they left school so even they didn't get on with him.Life's too short to even bother about him any more.