I need a little advice on how to handle a situation. My neighbor built a house perhaps 4 years ago. They had Rottweilers when they moved in. Sometimes I would hear them bark, but I never saw them. The dogs have passed away now. Late last summer, I was coming home with my service dog, Josie, from somewhere - it was after dark. There was a dog on my front porch. I got out of the car, leaving Josie in the car. I called to the dog, and he came right over to me. He had on an ID tag, so called the number. It was the neighbor's dog. A large red merle Border Collie. The wife came and got him. Said he was about a year old and that they were not going to neuter him because they wanted to breed him.
Well, over the winter, he has started to come over more and more to our house. There is probably 2000 feet between our houses - we are out in the country - so he comes a ways to get here. The neighbor came over once during all the snow and plowed our driveway. He asked if we saw Rudy much. I said yes, nearly every day. I told him he pees on things, but does not chase our cats, but he does get in our pole barn - he squeezes through the cat door - and eats whatever cat food is out. I warned Jim that Rudy could get very sick doing this - Pebbles almost died when she was young from eating several cups of dry cat food. Gave her pancreatitis ... Jim said they like to leave Rudy out so he can run and get his energy out - after all he is a Border Collie and needs lots of exercise. I said, well, Josie is half Border Collie, and I don't leave her out to run - I play fetch with her and take her for walks. I have had two other Border Collies, and two Australian Shepherd since I have lived here. All needed an outlet for their energy, but I NEVER let them out the door by themselves to run the neighborhood at will.
So, now Rudy has developed a routine when he comes here. My little veggie garden is right at the end of my house, the tomatoes are about 15 feet from my house. He pees on my tomato cages, on the little fence around my lettuce bed area. Then he comes round to the front of the house and pees all over where our two female dogs (spayed) go out - on flexi leashes - to potty. He comes up on our porch, eats what ever cat food, or milk is there and pees on our front storm door. He continues down the walk, peeing on the name stakes of my best daylilies - which are underground now, but won't be for much longer. He pees on our car tires on the way to the pole barn to squeeze through the cat door to eat the cat food, etc etc etc
When he first started to come over here, he was outgoing and friendly. I think people in the neighborhood have been mean to him, because he is very very skittish now. If he hears the door lock click, he is GONE! I have taken photos of him out the windows to prove he is here all the time. With him being so skittish, that rules out getting ahold of him. He is so skittish, there is no way I could spray him with the hose, for example.
Now - I am thinking of what is going to happen when it's time to plant the tomatoes and lettuce. I really don't want to think of my lettuce getting "sprinkled" with dog urine every day.... or my tomatoes. Plus, I don't want him killing my daylilies. I can't afford to buy them anymore, but my friend still gives me daylilies worth $150-$200 a fan. That's a lot to lose to urine.
I might be able to get my friend's Trail Cam and set it up, so that it takes pictures of Rudy even when I don't see him over here. This would prove that he is coming here all the time. As it is, I have taken pictures of him about 2 or 3 times a week for the last couple months. It is getting more difficult, because now, if he sees a curtain move, he is GONE
In the nearly 30 years I have lived here, there has not been a dog that is just let roam. Strays once in a while, but nothing like this.
I don't know how to handle it. I am out in the country - there is no leash law.
Am I over reacting? Should I accept that his dog is coming over here peeing on everything to keep peace in the neighborhood?
Since I am unable to do much physically, I was thinking of asking Jim to come and set some posts I have in the barn to fence off my veggie area, and for him to pay for fencing to put on the posts to keep his dog out of our veggies. This does not solve the issue of him peeing on our door or my daylily beds, or getting in the barn...etc. A friend suggested electric fence - but I have 3 garden cats. I don't know how I could keep Rudy out with the fence, without shocking my cats.
I have 16 acres, and my house is right in the center of it. I know two of my cats do not go far from the house. They are lazy. But the third cat does not like cat food, and she hunts for her food. I have seen her down at my pond which is quite a ways away. I have never seen her anywhere off my property, and other neighbors that I have asked say they have never seen her, so I **think** she stays on my land. But, there is a chance that Jim has seen Cider at his place. But, I doubt she is peeing on his front door, or all over his veggie garden.
Plus, when he is over here peeing everywhere, it causes my two dogs to want to sniff EVERYWHERE he has been when they go out. It is a hassle. And, my dogs are getting to the point where they do NOT like him over here, and are barking furiously, and charging the windows when he is out there. I am worried about what will happen when summer comes and there is only a screen between them on our screened in porch etc. I am trying to train my dogs out of this behavior, but it is not easy.
Any suggestions?
Here is Rudy about 10 feet from my front door, marking over where one of my female dogs has peed. I have several shots like this, with him with one leg up caught in the act of peeing.
