Pitbull Concern/vent

I almost have to agree with getting a small gun. Pepper spray will not deter a pit. Also, once they lock their jaws, they can't be opened easily. This is a serious situation. And I can vouch for the fact that Florida cops won't do anything until something bad happens.

I would be a thorn in the side of law, and code enforcement as well as animal control. Call everyday no matter what until something is done.

Can you call animal control instead of the cops? The next time the dog jumps the fence, call the SPCA or animal control and report a dangerous dog acting aggressive and on the loose. Usually, animal control will take the dog, and the owners at least will have to pay a fee to get the dog back. I personally love pitbulls, and they are rarely people-aggressive, but it doesn't matter much about the breed. A big dog charging you is not something you should have to deal with. I hope you get it under control. Good luck.

I really do not think it is the "breed" - the dog seems aggressive. My dogs (german shep mix and golden mix) are fence aggressive as you call it. They act like the meanest dogs when people walk past my fence. I think that is normal, dogs protecting their "space" - I will say it is NOT normal for a dog to hop the fence and charge people! Omg. How scary. It sounds like you have done everything you should have. Last thing I can think of, is you or your husband (or both) go over and confront your neighbor and tell him to his face to keep his dog on the side with the higher fence! I would have done that the 1st time that dog charged me and had me locked in my car. I hate irresponsible pet owners!!

Just an FYI.....I was told to use Wasp spray instead of Pepper spray...more effective and it can shoot up to 20feet...this would include from inside a cracked window of your car. The police department here recommends wasp spray for intruders instead of pepper spray.

well i can't really agree with the breed issue - an aggresive dog is an aggressive dog regardless of the breed. anyway, i vote pepper spray. a really good one with a strong stream - spray the hell out of it if it gets close to you. maybe harsh but i didn't say shoot it! :) although you would be in your rights to do that as well. i'm sorry, i am a dog owner and i love my dog to pieces - which i think makes me even more staunch about responsible pet owning. oh yeah, and maybe call animal control instead of the police. i guess :P

i hate "fence aggressive" dogs as well - we have a few on our walk route and i have to fight not to be scared because that just freaks my dog out worse. but if they are staying behind their fence that's a whole different story. this dog came onto your property and threatened you. be bigger and badder. pepper spray. it's not your responsibility to be nice to this dog. pepper spray will teach him not to come over.

You could legally purchase a gun in Florida and when the dog charges you again shoot it. I know that is harsh but if I felt my life or my child’s life was threatened by an aggressive dog (or any other animal) that’s what I would do.

Does this animal seem neglected? Or is there any indication that the humans are causing it to be aggressive? Maybe put a call into the local ASPCA, most states have strict laws about the mistreatment of animals.
Good luck and pick up some pepper spray just in case.

While it's true that other breeds can be aggressive, etc., make NO MISTAKE about it: Pit Bulls are extremely unpredictable. They are known to be sweet, etc. and then can turn on a dime without warning. The daughter of a friend of mine -- 3 years old -- just had her face bit off (no exaggeration) by a Pit Bull. I know of numerous stories - here in the Chicago area alone - where folks have been seriously maimed or killed by Pit Bulls. Please -- do whatever you need to in order to protect yourself and your child.

I have been bitten by a Pitbull. He was on a leash with his owner, and the owner was introducing us (new neighbors). Do I think a pitbull can be a good pet? Yes. Would I own one? Absolutely not. Will I let my kids be around one -even a "nice" one? Absolutely not. They are bred to be aggressive (pit fighting), and they account for a fairly large percentage of attacks/fatalities in ratio to their percentage of the total dog population. I like the idea of the pepper spray. You should not be afraid to get out of your car in your own yard. And the pit that bit me? He bit two more people and eventually had to be put down.

Hello, you're in Florida! Don't you all have a "stand your ground" law there? If you feel threatened, you can pretty much do whatever you want to protect yourself, right?? Tell the neighbor that you will not hesitate to defend yourself against his aggressive dog, and to please install a higher/sturdier fence, and maybe even an electric collar on the dog for the dog's own safety. I definitely wouldn't wait for the dog to bite someone. It's an aggressive dog - arm yourself with a metal baseball bat, a gun, whatever you need to.

Well since it seems you have tried other things, if you own your house and have home owner's insurance I would call them to see if you have and ground to file a claim with his insurance. If you don't own your house and rent, contact your landlord about the same thing.
I've known a few people who have had to get rid of their pit's because of insurance reasons (or violation of renter's agreement). Just an option you might want to look into.
Good Luck =)

I posted almost this exact question about a year ago. Then the dog (also a pitbull) jumped the fence and attacked the mailman. I got him to write a statement and submited it to the police and animal control. Finally they removed the dog.... and then... the neighbor got another. Back to square 1. Finally we moved, in no small part due to the dogs/ neighbor's inability to train or control them. I was shocked when I was told the same thing you were- that the dog actually has to bite some one off their own property before they will do anything. Sorry this is no help to you, but I understand.

I was bitten a few times as a child by an agressive dog, and charged by another. It is very scary. And it is even more scary, that a law enforcement officer has to tell you that you must be bitten for him to do anything about it. Can a code enforcement officer, and a police officer, get together with you and your neighbor, and discuss this? Sometimes that is the only way. Some people with dogs just don't get it. Not everyone loves your animal, or wants it around. Have you thought of getting some pepper spray and keeping it with you in the car? I'd spray him if he came near me, and see what your neighbor says then. You are right not wanting your daughter out of your sight while this is going on. Good luck to you.

IMO, I would let that neighbor know that if that dog comes near you again in that kind of aggressive manner, you will do what you have to do to protect your family, up to and including taking the dog's life. I'd secure a gun to carry (legally) to protect mine and my children's rights on our own damn property. Have you talked to the neighbor at all? Whoever that dog's owners are are incredibly irresponsible. I would have a good talking-to with them and make sure they know you're not putting up with this.

I would pepper spray the dog the next time it came in my yard. Maybe even shoot it with a BB gun. Dogs aren't stupid. You get it good enough and it won't come back.

i would get an electric wire (if you have room to put one in). then i would put it on your side of the fence on your own fence polls (if the fence is his not yours) then it should deture the dog from jumping the fence.
i got charged by a dog (not a pit) while walking at night. this dog was also fence aggressive. one night i was out walking my usuall route and the dog got out. thankfully i carry my husbands flashlight/stun gun when i walk and i stunned that damn dog! that dog has not bothered me since.
if i was in your predicament i would put my own wood fence or something up so the dog cant get in your yard....

If it were the police and the dog charged them, they would shoot it. I would be so sad as a pet owner, but really, what would one expect?

It would be wonderful if you could coexist, but it is not happening.

We have the same problem with our neighbor. Luckily her dog is small, and we can not put up a fence (they are expensive! and the law in our town says we can't put a fence in our side yard because it broders her front yard and could make it impossiable for emerency vehicles to get through.) I don't know the laws for your county/state but most places have leash laws. Even if the dogs owner is not in violation of the agressive animal law (seriously look up the defination of vicious or agressive animal in your county because in our county a dog that growls and chases someone is considered one) they are most likely violating the leash law. We had a pittbull here in our small town that had to be put down because it attacked a small child. And then the owner got mad because they were stuck with the bill from the clinic (my cousin is a vet assistant there) It is very sas when owners don't take responsiability for their pets.

This is not a pit question at all...it's an aggressive dog question. Any dog can be nasty based on how it is raised. One of my brother has two blue pits that are the best dogs in the world and my other brother has a lab/pit mix...any of the 3 dogs I'd have as my own if I wasn't newly allergic and had time for a dog, which we learned last year we do not.

Anyways, this is a serious issue and I feel bad for you guys. I'd be calling the cops EVERY TIME. I'd also call animal control. Is there no leash law in Florica? This is a legit safety concern and something is wrong with the neighbor for NOT having a more secure fence.

We have two neighbors who have pits, and one knows his dog is not the sweet, loving dog that I know them to be. He has a privacy fence and only walks him early in the morning or late at night, never when kids or a lot of people are out. The other has sweet pts, and has them trained well.

Like the other mom's have suggested, I'd find a way to carry a gun, if you're comfortable. It would be a sad thing for the dog to pass, but it's better than you or your daughter being hurt. Also, the wasp spray was a neat idea - I think that was Casey C's advice.

ETA: I just saw where you said animal control isn't really helping. I think you have no other option than to tell them man you will take whatever means necessary to protect your family.

So the dog jumped the fence ONE time - one? or am I reading this wrong? Sounds like the dog is just guarding his territory. Bet no one breaks into his house! His insurance company should give him a discount!!!! My dog has been attacked 4 times this year just being walked down the street. Not by the pit bulls on the street, but by the shepards & labs. My boss owns a cocker spaniel that has bitten SIX children (one girl where his tooth tore her tear duct). He also owns a wheaton terrier that bit a man on the property next door. Is the dog fixed? 95% of dog bites are by unfixed dogs. And the GREAT MAJORITY are by dogs other than pitbulls. Offer to pay to have his dog fixed. You can get it done cheaply through Animal Control.

I was attacked by my aunt's pit bull. It put up one hell of a fight so be warned. They get in the zone and it's downright scary trying to fight them off. I was able to keep my feet by some miracle but it was a truly frightening experience. The thing was going after both me AND my 60 lb Shar Pei. It did unbelievable amounts of damage to my Shar Pei (over 400 stitches down the side of her neck to put a huge flap of skin including her ear back in place). I managed to keep it off me except for one glancing bite which hurt like the dickens. I wouldn't trust a baseball bat, spray or anything else. I think if you see that dog on that side of the fence, you shouldn't tempt fate especially with your daughter. I would sit in the car or go somewhere else for a while until the dog is put up. A pain but trust me far less painful than the aftermath of a dog attack. I will never ever trust a pit again and I just don't care what anyone says. I would keep reporting the owner to animal control and the police. I would keep my child and all other children and pets as far away as possible. Better safe than sorry. My aunt's pit had a history of eating the neighborhood dogs. If I had known that, I would have never have set foot in her house. Some dogs regardless of breed cannot be trusted. Good luck and stay the course of fighting this matter for everyone's safety. The dog is a public menace and safety hazard.

Is the pitbull actually being aggressive? Maybe if the owner said he's very sweet, he's just super hyper and anxious outside ( like a lot of dogs can be outside), maybe you can go meet the dog while the owner is home.. That way the dog will know you and not be so loud and aggressive out back..And the "owner" is introducing you to his dog..
I had an American Staffordshire Terrier (pitbull) for almost 15 years. He would chase someone that was on any motorized device.. NOT because he was about to attack the person, AT ALL, but because he was obsessed with motors and the noise... (ps. I did not condone him doing that, if he was outside off his leash, he would NEVER be a problem, until he heard a motorcycle or something) He was an AWESOME dog... He was a barker when he had to be, and someone that didn't know , would probably think he was aggressive "because" of his breed.. It was just him barking though....
If you know the dog IS aggressive, then that's a whole different story!!!!!!!!
:)
Good luck~

I do agree that he should have to put the higher fence since its his dog jumping it, but to say if you have whats to be considered as an aggressive breed, you have to do more.. I have been bit by 2 dogs my entire life. both were little ankle biters. They both hurt, and drew blood. so to say Agressive breeds have to be more confined is a bit extreme, I already have to sign papers on my home owners insurance for my Rottie, and she is so friendly its rediculous. Just kick the dog if it comes near you. I kicked a stray dog the other day, it was some mutt, and he wouldnt leave out of my yard, after throwing sticks, and other random things I found in my yard. He left real fast. and you migt have to call animal control whenever he is out and have them take him away...