Dogs running loose

What do you do about dogs running loose in your neighborhood?

I hate it when they get in our trash when it's up by the road on trash day. A couple of weeks ago our dog was about hit chasing a stray out of our yard. Looking for ways to handle the situation besides getting out the gun. (weak attempt at humor ....I would never really do that.)

We don't seem to have that problem at all. Maybe once in the last 5 years the neighbors ankle nipper got loose and took off. Mine has escaped 3 times in 8 years. But overall it's the cats running loose.

We don't have too much of a problem with it around here. It is usually our dogs back visiting the neighbors. We bought an invisible fence system from Jerry last year and installed it. It worked for awhile until they realized they could cross it w/o getting hurt too bad and it went downhill from there - but they won't come back in the yard. I've seen stronger collars available for the Pet Safe System. I've been going to order, just haven't done it yet. Too many other projects and money to spend on them. Neighbors gave us their dog kennel in the spring since they had to have their dog put down. They now have a space about 14 X 35. Plenty of room for 2 medium dogs.

Once in awhile we do have a 3 legged dog hobble down the road. If our dogs are in their cage it drives them crazy because he takes so long to get by the house.

It is not a huge problem for us, but it's been happening more lately.
We have a Great Dane and we have the invisible fence. The fence works great. It covers about 3 acres (not the whole yard). The strays know Bailey (our Dane) won't go past a certain point so they feel safe crossing that area. It's the trash issue that really irkes me (the trash is also outside of the invisible fence).
Bailey was with me in the truck when one of the strays went by, she jumped out of the truck and chased. She was outside the invisble fence, and like you said they won't go back in. They know. And their collar warns them. That is the one major drawback to an invisible fence.

Are there leash laws in your area?

There are here. Now, if a dog is not bothering anything or causing any issues, nobody calls to turn them in.

But, if the dog(s) are causing problems, the owners get a visit. After the first warning (which is the normal first step), any subsequent calls cost the dog owner $300.

If the dog(s) are harassing cattle or farm animals, the farmer has the right to shoot the dog on the spot.

If the garbage is the only/main issue, maybe a couple new garbage cans are the easiest solution. Ours are (I believe) Rubbermaid and have a handle that locks the lid on. Although I've seen the cans knocked over, nothing has ever gotten into them.

If you know where the dogs live, I would take a picture of them in the act. Show it to your neighbors and tell them to please control their dogs or else.

I am the only one in my neighborhood of 5 houses that does not have a dog. We love dogs, but I am adamant that my neighbors keep their dogs off my property.
Bone

No leash laws here. I am in a very rural setting so we have had our share of strays, but they normally pass through never to be seen again. I don't know who this one belongs to ... maybe it was dropped off by some sleezeball, but it's usually easy to tell when that happens because the dog has no home to go to. They'll stay wherever the food is.
A picture is a good idea ... to help me figure out who it belongs to.

Doc,

I doubt I would have the resolve to do this, unless it really went after one of my kids, especially having two dogs myself, but around here they call it the 3 S's.

Shoot, Shovel, and Shutup. And if your slick you take the colar and throw in the road on the other side of town.

I have had dogs kill chickens and even the occasional lamb. Sometimes I even know who's dog it is. This fall I returned a dog with blood all over it after I watched it take out one of our freerangers and got only a "sorry". In the interest of neighborly relations and the fact the hen was past her prime and the rest of the family wasn't around to witness the carnage, I didn't follow up with anything but I know it is only a mater of time before it comes back.

Unfortunatly this just sets up bad blood. I think the owners should be more responsible, but they just think their family pet is having fun. Boys will be boys kind of thing.

But make sure if you hit the dog, you kill the dog. One guy I heard of got sued and lost when the wounded dog returned home. But the only reason the people with the dog knew who shot it was because their dog had recently mauled some of the farmers sheep and he had done the "right thing" and returned the dog only to see it come back and try to do it again. Interestlingly the judge determined that the farmer would have been in the right IF he had actually killed it as he was protecting his property but because he had only wounded it he was liable for damages.

On the bright side it would be a good reason to buy that backhoe you have been wanting, a cheap alternative to a lawsuit, but on that note I say spring for a used mini excavator instead. Not much more money than an installed new hoe, but many times the digger... a hydrolic pump on wheels

yep, it sure can cause issues for neighbors and the ones allowing it rarely see it as their problem.
Since this thread started our neighbor was over doing some brushhogging for our neighbor on the opposite side of us. The pit bull mix bit the neighbor who was brush hogging. A big ole bite just below the knee. Lots of stitches and it took over 6 weeks to heal. The two neighbors still get along okay but the pit bull mix is NEVER loose anymore. Him being loose attracted in other stray or neighbor dogs. Now that he is not loose our problem is nothing near what it was when I originally started this thread.

One other set of neighbors still do not speak all because one allowed their dog to roam and the dog ate plants in the other neighbors garden. All they said was sorry ...but did not pen the dog up. So it continued to happen. Can you say Stew-pid (STUPID!).

I should add that when I first brought the dog back they demanded to know what I did to their dog. Made me regret my decision a little.

shinnlinger said:

Doc,

On the bright side it would be a good reason to buy that backhoe you have been wanting, a cheap alternative to a lawsuit, but on that note I say spring for a used mini excavator instead. Not much more money than an installed new hoe, but many times the digger... a hydrolic pump on wheels

Click to expand...

Now your talking. I sure like the idea of a mini excavator!!!!

And, that would be one less implement to have to mess with on the 3PH.

I like the idea of dedicated machines, but normally they are not cost effective. I do believe the mini excavator is the exception to that rule.

OhioTC18 said:

We don't seem to have that problem at all. Maybe once in the last 5 years the neighbors ankle nipper got loose and took off. Mine has escaped 3 times in 8 years. But overall it's the cats running loose.

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Yep... Cats are the big problem in my neighborhood. All the dogs are either locked up tight or held in by one of those "invisible fence" deals. I actually feel sorry for the dogs. They look so confused and unhappy sitting behind those invisible fences. I liked it better in the old days when dogs weren't locked in crates at night and weren't held in place by any means other than proper training, discipline and good behavior. They knew and stayed on their own property. Yes... I am very old and that was a long, long time ago in a place far, far away.

Now it is them dang cats. They love to sit up on the roofs of my truck and car. Unfortunately, they do more than just sit.

Dougster

shinnlinger said:

Doc, On the bright side it would be a good reason to buy that backhoe you have been wanting, a cheap alternative to a lawsuit, but on that note I say spring for a used mini excavator instead. Not much more money than an installed new hoe, but many times the digger... a hydrolic pump on wheels.

Click to expand...

Doc said:

Now your talking. I sure like the idea of a mini excavator!!!! And, that would be one less implement to have to mess with on the 3PH. I like the idea of dedicated machines, but normally they are not cost effective. I do believe the mini excavator is the exception to that rule.

Click to expand...

Been looking at several used "mini's" lately and wondering if I can actually make one pay for itself in my little tractor & backhoe business. There sure are some awfully good bargains out there in the smaller 3,000-4,000 lb class machines, but anyone can rent one locally for very short money. I'm focusing more on 7,000-8,000 lb class machines... essentially the limit of my towing capability. At least I wouldn't be head-to-head up against homeowners rentals from the local Home Depot... but the overlapping capabilities with my 509 are troubling in terms of making a new investment that must pay for itself.

Dougster

Dougster,

I have suggested to many people that want me to take my 40,000 excavator to their place and put in a sprinkler system or drain line that they could easily rent a machine on the weekend and get it done themseves for far less cash, but they just don't want to get their hands dirty.

I think a 8-10 thousand pound machine would do nicely.

shinnlinger said:

Dougster,

I have suggested to many people that want me to take my 40,000 excavator to their place and put in a sprinkler system or drain line that they could easily rent a machine on the weekend and get it done themseves for far less cash, but they just don't want to get their hands dirty.

I think a 8-10 thousand pound machine would do nicely.

Click to expand...

A 40,000 lb excavator to install a sprinkler system??? Holy Cow!!! What were they thinking???

Below is one of the local machines I've been looking at. Price has come down and it's in great shape. It even has a thumb. But at close to 9,000 lbs, it's a bit more than I can currently tow. It would require a trailer upgrade and most likely a truck upgrade too.

Also attached is a photo of a new leftover JCB 8027 ZTS that's available up in New Hampshire. The price is right for a new machine... and I can certainly tow it... but I'm concerned that it just doesn't do enough to expand on my current excavation capability.

Dougster

Dougster,

I don't have any means of transporting my excavator myself, but I can hire it done around town for about $100. This just gets passed on to the client.

What I am suggesting is you could probably do the same untill you find a trailer and truck to go with it.

Excavators are far better at digging than a backhoe and the hydrolic thumb is key. A hand with 4 fingers is OK, but a hand with a thumb is far better. When I first got mine, the thumb didn't work and I tricked myself into thinking I didn't need it, but wow what a difference it makes!

You can keep your tractor around with a york rake to support the excvator, but before you know it you will want a bobcat and then you will have to find another forum!

But I would buy one a little bigger than the first one you show (4 metric tons?) and I wouldn't buy one from New Hampshire. No good comes from that state

I've found two for different customers (not my customers). Both were looking for a small mini excavator for all the beam foundations before the slab, electrical, gas and water pipe trenching.

The first was a Yanmar 030 (30 HP) for $7500 with 1900 hours and the second one was a Takeuchi (Yanmar engine about 28 HP) $6200 with 2770 hours. The gray market rigs are excellent, low hour machines...and parts are not difficult to find should you need support.

The local Kubota's have much higher hours....and much higher price$. Good machines though...

Mark

shinnlinger said:

Dougster,

I don't have any means of transporting my excavator myself, but I can hire it done around town for about $100. This just gets passed on to the client.

What I am suggesting is you could probably do the same untill you find a trailer and truck to go with it.

Click to expand...

Having someone else do the hauling makes great sense for a 40,000 lb class track excavator... but when you are talking a machine in the ~9,000 lb category, you are killing your competitive advantage if you can't haul it around yourself. Competition is very tough around here. I am up against some backhoe services with machines and trucks that were paid for 20 years ago.

And yet for all this, the bigger issue is still the legal one... revolving around what the town will allow me to do with this business while operating out of my home/garage in a residential neighborhood.

Dougster

Mark777 said:

I've found two for different customers (not my customers). Both were looking for a small mini excavator for all the beam foundations before the slab, electrical, gas and water pipe trenching.

The first was a Yanmar 030 (30 HP) for $7500 with 1900 hours and the second one was a Takeuchi (Yanmar engine about 28 HP) $6200 with 2770 hours. The gray market rigs are excellent, low hour machines...and parts are not difficult to find should you need support.

The local Kubota's have much higher hours....and much higher price$. Good machines though...

Mark

Click to expand...

Those prices sound excellent... especially the Yanmar... provided they were in good shape, of course. Around here there are precious few used Kubota excavators available... and they are all at sky-high asking prices. Such is the world what it comes to Orange.

Dougster

shinnlinger said:

You can keep your tractor around with a york rake to support the excvator, but before you know it you will want a bobcat and then you will have to find another forum!

But I would buy one a little bigger than the first one you show (4 metric tons?) and I wouldn't buy one from New Hampshire. No good comes from that state

Click to expand...

Hey hey hey, enough of that kind of talk.

Seriously I like this kind of equipment, if the interest is there we can add a forum just for that kind of stuff.