Neighbor lets his dog poop in my yard

#Middlebury #Dogs

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My neighbor constantly lets his dog come into my yard and do his business. Sometimes the dog is off leash, and other times he is on the leash while the neighbor just stands there. I’m tired of picking up after this dog! What can I do? Should I go out and squirt the dog in the face with water? – Frustrated in White Plains, New York

DEAR FRUSTRATED: This isn’t the dog’s fault at all – it’s the fault of the owner for allowing his dog into your yard. Squirting the dog in the face (or the owner) will not help things and will only escalate the situation.

The next time the owner comes by, talk to him – calmly – and ask him not to let the dog poop in your yard, to keep the dog on a leash, and to pick up after the dog. Explain that keeping him on a leash keeps the dog safe.

If the neighbor keeps letting the dog into your yard, or if you don’t feel safe talking to this person, then contact the city. White Plains, like many municipalities in the U.S., has a leash law and imposes fines on owners who don’t keep their dog on a leash, who don’t pick up after their dog, or who allow their pet to go onto someone else’s property without permission.

And please, whatever you do, don’t take this out on the dog. Pets are unaware of boundaries unless they’re trained to stay away from certain areas. They don’t realize they’re doing something wrong, especially if the owner is not correcting them. It’s up to the owner to control his dog while outside.

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