Suspected dog abuse

Bufflefrog

Hi everyone,

My mum's neighbour bought a border collie puppy around a year ago and has been keeping it in her back yard. The only problem is that the back yard is tiny (no bigger than a large living-room) and the dog is absolutely bored silly. It often barks non-stop at everything from birds and cats, to when my mum opens a window.
I know that collie's are very intelligent dogs and need a lot of exercise, but she never takes it on walks, and lately when it barks, my mum has seen her hitting it with a stick...
My mum brought it up in conversation the other day, and my neighbour didn't really seem too keen on my mum talking about it, and quickly changed the conversation.
Anyway, my question is what to do? I really want to report her, but she'd definitely know it was our family who did and, and my mum and her have been neighbours for over 10 years.

Any advice would be welcome!

Phsyche

why don't you report her just don't tell your mum so she won't be involved. And if it comes up in a conversation, plead ignorance. Or next time you're talking to the neighbour say you heard someone complaining about her dog barking all the time.

If it was me personally I'd offer to take the dog off her hands if its so obvious she's got no time for it, and find it a good home.

sorella

Where are you? If there is a good dog warden there, give him a call and ask advice; the hitting is beyond anything acceptable.

Here I would know who to call and what to say.

Poor wee dog deserves far better than that; collies need a huge amount of exercse to stay sane and balanced.

Yes, report it asap.

cowzerp

Report it, and dont even hide you did-she needs to learn that this is unacceptable behaviour.

Bufflefrog

cowzerp wrote: »

Report it, and dont even hide you did-she needs to learn that this is unacceptable behaviour.

Well I need to hide it! My mum would be highly disappointed in me if the neighbour and herself fell out because of this.

I really don't know how to approach this situation. All I want for her is to stop hitting the dog with that darn stick!

Anyone got any ideas as to how I could go around this subtly?

(I don't think the dog would be so yappy if she just took it on walks, eliminating her need for violence)

Arcee

While I think doing that to the dog is reprehensible and she should be told as much, it might be better in this situation to play the sympathathetic card. You could call into her and just come out with the fact that you can see she's having a difficult time looking after the dog and tell her you realise how much work they are and what a nuisance it is. Ask her if there is anything you can do to help or would she like it if you can see if anyone will take the dog off her hands. Basically make it look like you don't think she's in the wrong at all and you just want to help her out. Might not work but anything is worth a try to help the poor dog.....

sorella

Better to lose that friendship than to let this carry on.

If the woman has any feelings for the dog she will not argue long. If she does not then better off without her surely.

We know how hard this is; we have been there and done that, and, thankfully, the people involved then were amenable.

Do it through a third party?

But please do something soon, or the dog will not be recoverable. It will put up with only so much, then will retaliate against the beating and attack the woman; then it will be put down as dangerous.

Seen that so many times.

if you need more advice, mail us at anchoresscj at yahoo dot com.

Bufflefrog wrote: »

Well I need to hide it! My mum would be highly disappointed in me if the neighbour and herself fell out because of this.

I really don't know how to approach this situation. All I want for her is to stop hitting the dog with that darn stick!

Anyone got any ideas as to how I could go around this subtly?

(I don't think the dog would be so yappy if she just took it on walks, eliminating her need for violence)

sunshinegirl

Report her,its cruel she doesnt even walk the dog.No wonder the dog is barking.

Clare Bear

Not walking the dog and hitting him? Report her, simple. She'll never need to know it was you. If she suspects you she'll never be able to prove it anyway.

Even for your own sake, won't it wreck your head if you know this continues and the dog is suffering and you never did anything about it?

Discodog

Talk to your local SPCA. The inspector will call & say that he heard the dog barking & decided to take a look. They are very experienced in making good excuses & will never mention you. Even if he can't remove the dog he will call back & may pursuade her to release it.

If it were me I would try & photo or film her hitting it. The problem is that unless it is in bad condition or cruelty can be proved there is not a lot one can do legally.

hotredhead

I agree with Discodog,your local SPCA will be very tactful.The most important thing is to get the dog away from harm.Maybe this neighbour just cannot cope and will probably be relieved to give the dog up.Good luck.

Mhmm...weetabix

hotredhead wrote: »

I agree with Discodog,your local SPCA will be very tactful.The most important thing is to get the dog away from harm.Maybe this neighbour just cannot cope and will probably be relieved to give the dog up.Good luck.

Or more likely she's a cold hearted gob****e who shouldn't be allowed take care of a pot plant, let alone a dog. OP, why would you even want your mom associating with someone like that?

ElizabethRose

I personally would report it. Hitting any animal with a stick is just plain, horrible, and Collies need so much attention and need to be worked of at least an hour and a half a day.

doolox

As a milkman in my first job on leaving school I came across this more often than I care to think about:-People buying innappropriate pets on the basis of sentimental misinformation.
Films like Lassie were popular in my childhood and idealised dog ownership and nothing was done to warn people of the difficulties involved in keeping a dog, especially working dogs like spaniels, collies etc which require access to large open spaces in which to run and exercise and constant companionship.
These are not dogs for urban landscapes and working couples. They need lots of open land and constant supervision and companionship.
A neighbour of ours has one who is always barking his head off with boredom when the household is off to work.
Likewise another neighbour has two hysterical toy dogs who bark at anything that moves, not properly trained or exercised.
People need to be warned about the huge commitment involved in taking on a dog. If both parents are working, arrangements need to be made to supervise the pet while the houshold is away, you might get away with a few hours with a docile breed but the more hyperactive working breeds need constant attention and exercise and space, difficult to do in an urban setting.
On a final note perhaps the most odious result of Lassie Syndrome is the wiping out of sheep farming which I remember occurring around the outer regions of Galway City due to the encroachment of non-controlled packs of dogs at night "worrying" (ie. killing ) sheep.

cnocluinge

Hopefully the back gate will open some day soon and the dog will run as fast as it can away from that stupid ignorant woman, and some kind person will find it & hand it into a sanctuary.

Scober11

Can you not bring it for a walk yourself? When i go with my two labs we collect another two from our neighbours who never walk them.

sorella

cnocluinge wrote: »

Hopefully the back gate will open some day soon and the dog will run as fast as it can away from that stupid ignorant woman, and some kind person will find it & hand it into a sanctuary.

luckat

Hang on, lads, hang on.

May I propose a scenario here? The neighbour has got a dog, which she probably loves.

The dog barks, and other neighbours have complained to her about its barking.

She doesn't know how to train or treat a dog, and thinks that punishing the dog for barking will stop it; when the dog (being a dog) barks again, she thinks it's defying her, and hits it more.

Bufflefrog, if you want to help this poor dog, and your neighbour too, may I suggest two actions (with the permission of your parents):

a) First, call in to your neighbour, bring some biscuits or something in your bag, and if she offers you a cuppa, say "Oh, I happen to have biscuits with me".

Sit down quietly with her and chat - and admire her lovely dog. Ask her if she'd let you take the dog for a walk sometime. What about now?

If she's ok with this, take the dog for a walk, and start training it. (Karen Pryor's book Don't Shoot the Dog - http://www.clickertraining.com/ - is my all-time favourite).

Repeat ad lib, and when you have the walks established, try to lure your neighbour out walking with you and the dog. Make it a pleasurable experience for her, chatting to her and praising her lovely dog.

b) Start training the dog not to bark from your own garden. Here's a piece on barking training from the Karen Pryor site: http://www.clickertraining.com/node/272

It seems to me, Bufflefrog, that you have a great opportunity here, to make both your neighbour and her dog happier, and to give your neighbouring dog a loving home. It'll be less work than you think, and you'll do a lot of good.

Sorry for the long post.

sorella

Whoooaaah

She is hitting the dog with a stick. Repeatedly.

luckat wrote: »

Hang on, lads, hang on.

May I propose a scenario here? The neighbour has got a dog, which she probably loves.

The dog barks, and other neighbours have complained to her about its barking.

She doesn't know how to train or treat a dog, and thinks that punishing the dog for barking will stop it; when the dog (being a dog) barks again, she thinks it's defying her, and hits it more.

Bufflefrog, if you want to help this poor dog, and your neighbour too, may I suggest two actions (with the permission of your parents):

a) First, call in to your neighbour, bring some biscuits or something in your bag, and if she offers you a cuppa, say "Oh, I happen to have biscuits with me".

Sit down quietly with her and chat - and admire her lovely dog. Ask her if she'd let you take the dog for a walk sometime. What about now?

If she's ok with this, take the dog for a walk, and start training it. (Karen Pryor's book Don't Shoot the Dog - http://www.clickertraining.com/ - is my all-time favourite).

Repeat ad lib, and when you have the walks established, try to lure your neighbour out walking with you and the dog. Make it a pleasurable experience for her, chatting to her and praising her lovely dog.

b) Start training the dog not to bark from your own garden. Here's a piece on barking training from the Karen Pryor site: http://www.clickertraining.com/node/272

It seems to me, Bufflefrog, that you have a great opportunity here, to make both your neighbour and her dog happier, and to give your neighbouring dog a loving home. It'll be less work than you think, and you'll do a lot of good.

Sorry for the long post.

Ainm

While I think it's totally wrong for her to be hitting the poor dog like that, in fairness she probably doesn't think it's that bad. Presumably, since she's a friend of the OP's mother then she's probably of an older generation that thinks tht's the only way to train the dog.

My Granda adores his dog, he's a really kind man and would be the first to speak up if he thought an animal was being abused. However when he was training his dog I saw him slapping her because he genuinely thought it wouldn't hurt her but it would teach her. (I convinced him not to use that 'method' and showed him how we trained our dogs at home so all's good.)

My point is that Luckat's suggestions may be the best thing, as it is possible she doesn't realise there are better ways to stop the barking.

gypsygirl

I agree with Scober11, why not offer to walk the dog?
(pretend its in your interest, i.e I want to excerise and feel safer with a dog)
My neighbour has a beautiful GSD but never walks it, poor thing goes crazy when I walk by with my dog, at first I was so angry that he wasn't walked and he was becoming aggressive as a result, then I realised I couldn't change the owners behaviour but I could help the dog, now I walk the dog about three times a week alongside my own, not perfect for the GSD but at least he's getting out more. Turned out he's a really friendly dog, just hasn't been socialised. Report the neighbour if you think its right, but in the meanwhile, try to do something to excercise and therefore help the dog. Hope it all works out ok for the poor Collie, sounds like she's having a rough time.

cowzerp

Its good in theory to walk the dog etc..but it does not change the fact that the dog will get hit whenever the owner feels its not doing as she wants, either have a word with her telling her it must stop or you will be forced to report her or else report her,or get your mam to talk to her about it or drop a letter in without saying who its from..

either way it has to stop.

Bufflefrog

Hi again guys,

Just want to clear something up, I live away from my mum, so bringing it on a walk isn't really possible to do.

My mum said she was talking to the neighbour again, and at the request of me, I asked her to bring up the dog. The neighbour mentioned that she was thinking of getting a special collar :P Apparently it gives the dog a shock if it barks or something?

Anyway, my mum mentioned to her that this was very extreme and a bit cruel and the neighbour got annoyed at her.

My mum said she doesn't want to cause any more grief with her relationship with the neighbour over a dog... (I don't want anyone bad-mouthing my mum here by the way, they've been friends for over a decade and she's old fashioned) Anyway, she thinks it'd be best if we don't say anything more, but I just can't stand to see the dog suffering....

So does anyone have any ideas of how I could go about this now that my mum doesn't want me interfering...

sorella

This is so hard now, isn't it?

I know what we would do.

see cnoclingue's mail' quiet and effective..c

we had several ideas in one situation; one was to say that we knew someone desperate for a lovely dog who had seen this one and fallen in love with it; a child maybe:)

No we are NOT blaming your mum; as you say, it is a different generation with different ways

Simply concerned for the dog is all .

Blessings and prayers

Bufflefrog wrote: »

Hi again guys,

Just want to clear something up, I live away from my mum, so bringing it on a walk isn't really possible to do.

My mum said she was talking to the neighbour again, and at the request of me, I asked her to bring up the dog. The neighbour mentioned that she was thinking of getting a special collar :P Apparently it gives the dog a shock if it barks or something?

Anyway, my mum mentioned to her that this was very extreme and a bit cruel and the neighbour got annoyed at her.

My mum said she doesn't want to cause any more grief with her relationship with the neighbour over a dog... (I don't want anyone bad-mouthing my mum here by the way, they've been friends for over a decade and she's old fashioned) Anyway, she thinks it'd be best if we don't say anything more, but I just can't stand to see the dog suffering....

So does anyone have any ideas of how I could go about this now that my mum doesn't want me interfering...

here.from.day.1

Bufflefrog wrote: »

Hi again guys,

Just want to clear something up, I live away from my mum, so bringing it on a walk isn't really possible to do.

My mum said she was talking to the neighbour again, and at the request of me, I asked her to bring up the dog. The neighbour mentioned that she was thinking of getting a special collar :P Apparently it gives the dog a shock if it barks or something?

Anyway, my mum mentioned to her that this was very extreme and a bit cruel and the neighbour got annoyed at her.

My mum said she doesn't want to cause any more grief with her relationship with the neighbour over a dog... (I don't want anyone bad-mouthing my mum here by the way, they've been friends for over a decade and she's old fashioned) Anyway, she thinks it'd be best if we don't say anything more, but I just can't stand to see the dog suffering....

So does anyone have any ideas of how I could go about this now that my mum doesn't want me interfering...

That wasnt the best idea. Getting your mam to bring it up over and over again kinda rules out the option of reporting this and not letting the neighbour find out.

To be honest I wouldnt really care about saving agro with the neighbour as the dog is suffering and i'd rather sort that than save face.

Is there neighbours at the other sides of the house in question? do you get on with them? Maybe they could help?

luckat

Bufflefrog, please don't assume that people of any one generation behave and think and feel the same. That's just another kind of racism.

In relation to this dog, you have to look at what you want to happen, and work out how to get there.

I assume that ideally you want the woman to love her dog, take it for walks and treat it kindly.

What is the best way to get that result?

cowzerp

TBH op you seem to have genuine concern but in the situation you explained nothing is going to change. this is a waste of time.

themacdaddy

luckat wrote: »

Bufflefrog, please don't assume that people of any one generation behave and think and feel the same. That's just another kind of racism.

WOW serious over reaction there....my god!

I think now that if you report it to your local SPCA your neighbour may suspect it might be your mam because you got her to enquire. I understand you are unsure what to do but no one here can really make the decision for you. I know I would do it if it was my neighbour but everyone is different. I just could not live with myself if I knew the dog was going to be very unhappy for the rest of its years!

Mhmm...weetabix

Bufflefrog wrote: »

Hi again guys,

Just want to clear something up, I live away from my mum, so bringing it on a walk isn't really possible to do.

My mum said she was talking to the neighbour again, and at the request of me, I asked her to bring up the dog. The neighbour mentioned that she was thinking of getting a special collar :P Apparently it gives the dog a shock if it barks or something?

Anyway, my mum mentioned to her that this was very extreme and a bit cruel and the neighbour got annoyed at her.

My mum said she doesn't want to cause any more grief with her relationship with the neighbour over a dog... (I don't want anyone bad-mouthing my mum here by the way, they've been friends for over a decade and she's old fashioned) Anyway, she thinks it'd be best if we don't say anything more, but I just can't stand to see the dog suffering....

So does anyone have any ideas of how I could go about this now that my mum doesn't want me interfering...

No ones bad mouthing your mom. Fair play to her for bringing it up but that approach hasn't worked and you've now taken the privacy factor out of the equation. Your neighbor is a callus bitch, I'd hate to see how she'd have been with children, seriously a shock collar for barking? Take some respobsibility if you're that concerned, call your local DSPCA warden and tell your neighbor it was YOU not your mother who reported her. If she blames your mother for this so be it, she's not worth it, you claim concern so do something about it!