Advice please about a neighbours dog...

[trt]

Their back garden fence joins mine and about 6 months ago a fully grown Rottweiler appeared on the scene.

They have built a small paddock (no roof) at the end of their garden and during the summer due to it spending most of its time outside it was a nuisance with its barking at all hours.

I called the Environmental Heath who came to my place and heard the dog and told me to fill in a diary of times, dates etc, and they would send them a letter of warning.

They now keep it in their garden shed at night even though the past few weeks has been Minus 5 degrees, and still barks at night.

My Q is, Do you think its worth calling the RSPCA as I think its cruel to the dog when its so cold?

[NazNomad]

It's unlike a Rotty to bark for nuthin', so it's obviously in some distress.

I'd ring the RSPCA, but don't hold your breath for a positive result from them.

[karenmac60]

Try your local council's dog warden.

[KARL]

This may come as a complete surprise: Animals originated beyond the realms of man and only relatively recently have animals in some cases been incarcerated indoors. This is not the natural state of affairs, animals actually belong outdoors.

[lankeela]

Absolutely no point at all. Provided the dog has shelter and food and water they consider it is ok. The barking would have to be dealt with by the council, and if you complain again they may put in monitoring equipment, but it has to be really bad and constant for them to take action, and even then it takes months for anything to happen.

[lankeela]

Karl, they may have originated where they could live outdoors, but man also lived in caves in those days. Don't think you would like to live in one these days, and dogs that have been domesticated over thousands of years couldn't cope with it either.

[dotty.]

buy them an anti-barking collar from the vet for christmas

[slinky.kate]

I thought dog's with furrier coats could cope with being outside but that's just cruel leaving the dog outside at this time of year; especially at night! I don't know if the RSPCA would do anything but I suppose it's worth a try. Rottweilers don't have furry coats so I'm sure the dog will be absolutely freezing.

Maybe the RSPCA would be able to advise the owners on how to properly look after a dog. It might just be simply they don't understand that the dog can't be outside all day and needs company. After all I'm sure it's a nice dog and if they can't look after it I'm sure somebody would. The only problem is that Rottweiler's are not the most popular of pets and it would likely get put to sleep if it was in a shelter as people are scared to own one. But I do believe a dog is like a child and is a reflection on how loving and caring a family it belongs to!!

[seadogg]

Of course you are right Kate but how to stop people with no idea of a dog's needs getting them? Most of these individuals dont even know how to look after themselves properly so the poor dog has no chance.

[ummmm]

In Ireland...our parts anyway...the dogs always live outside. So do the cats.

They have shelter and bedding and food. If they get sick they get taken indoors...

I suppose they are more working dogs than pets....they become pets when they are too old to work. Then they spend their retirement years lying in front of the fire..

[NazNomad]

By that reasoning, maybe stoke is being a pr1ck for a reason?

[Andyvon]

Why have they got this dog then? It's obviously not treated as a member of the family like most dogs so what's the point of them keeping the dog outside in the garden? To scare off burglars possibly?

It certainly doesn't sound as if the dog is being treated fairly trt - not to mention they're obviously the sort of arrogant and selfish people who don't give a damn about the neighbours. No one has the right to stop you enjoying the peace and privacy of your own home - whether they enter your home physically or project themselves into your home by sending smoke across the fence, playing loud music or having a dog barking all the time.

I would pester Environmental Health, call the RSPCA and anyone else you can. You haven't got much to lose by the sound of things and it's not fair on the dog. Good luck.

[starone]

I can't see that it would frighten burglars away if it is shut into a shed. In fact the burglars would think, yes, good, the dog is out of our way.let's go, where's the nearest entrance. If you are going to have a pet, however, then it should be treated as a pet, not left outside in the cold. Having said that, I am sure someone on tv with a doggy programme said "Never forget if you have a dog in the home, you are harbouring a wolf", or words to that effect.

[Andyvon]

Good point about the burglars S. I wasn't on the ball there!

I've had several dogs in the past which have alwasy lived in the house as a member of the family. I has Jack Russells, a fox terrier, a Manchester terrier etc. My problem here would be the fact this is a Rottweiler! They are dangerous animals and can hardly be classed as 'pets'. Why anyone would want to keep an animal like a Rottweiler in a domestic environment is beyond me.

[NOX]

Rotts are perfecty fine as pets as long as the woners are on the ball and not total macho idiots.

[NOX]

owners even

[NazNomad]

^^ Absolutely ... I've refused people that wanted to buy my pups. It's not a matter of the dog being suitable, if I thought the potential owner wasn't suitable they were given the big F.O.

[starone]

My daughter used to breed cats (I know it's not the same), but the point I was going to make was she always checked the buyers carefully, even looked at their homes and also checked how they were getting on after they had bought them. A bit fussy but she was always concerned about the welfare of the animals, as anyone should be. I think she would have liked to have kept all of them if the truth was known!