That pissed me off and they're not even my dogs! I would like to punch that lady in the face! I don't understand how owners of small dogs think that it's OK to take their tiny dogs in with the BIG dogs. That person who posted last on 6/4 is completely right! I'm sorry, but some small dog owners are STUPID! I'm glad that Sierra was written off as safe and that was great reply Jenn!

Oh, and that lady even got Jack's colors wrong..lol.

Like yesterday for example...I'm walking Mya and this guy has his Pomeranian loose outside while he's smoking a cigarette. He sees me coming...does nothing...then the dog starts running to Mya barking....still DOES NOTHING! Finally when he sees that i stopped walking and pulled Mya close to me is when he simply calls the dog...of course dog didn't listen...so he then slowly gets up. At this point I was crossing the street with the stupid little dog at Mya's feet. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! It freaks me out b/c i'm pretty sure that Mya will attack the dog if it keeps messing with her.

This pisses me off to no end! It used to happen all the time with my last husky. I'd be walking with her on a leash and another dog (usually small) would come running and attack. I would be trying to calm down Tasha and keep the other dog off her, when the owner would show up screaming, "Stop kicking my dog!" When I would explain that MY dog was leashed and hers wasn't leashed or under voice command, the owner would usually say that my dog "incited" hers.

I simply just cannot understand how people bring little dogs into the big dog area. I really just don't get it.

Meh, guess my experience with small dogs and big dogs is the polar opposite of the forum norm. I readily admit that I'm one of those stupid people who would piss y'all off with my four and a half pound dog. Maybe the dogs in northern Colorado are just that much more socialized?


Back on topic; I wouldn't have any problem telling the neighbors to pound sand. Or letting them think they made me pound sand. I have two cats with the exact same setup running around my yard all day. I'm in the process of boundary training them and completely understand the risks. I wouldn't blame anyone else if something like this happened. Conversely, this is why I Koehler train my idiots.

harrise wrote:

Back on topic; I wouldn't have any problem telling the neighbors to pound sand. Or letting them think they made me pound sand. I have two cats with the exact same setup running around my yard all day. I'm in the process of boundary training them and completely understand the risks. I wouldn't blame anyone else if something like this happened. Conversely, this is why I Koehler train my idiots.

Not gonna lie, John and I are one step away from this with Koda. His upbringing as a stray really gives him a headstrong, fearless personality and as much as I HATE to be rough with my dogs, as I get closer to having children and with situations like this, I would hate MORE to put my kids or my fur kids at risk because of unwanted behavior.

For what it's worth though, I would consult lots of books and professional trainers before I embarked on anything outside of positive reinforcement. And Koda is the only one who needs it. Hailey is more suited to positive reinforcement. In my world, it totally depends on the dog.

harrise wrote:

Meh, guess my experience with small dogs and big dogs is the polar opposite of the forum norm. I readily admit that I'm one of those stupid people who would piss y'all off with my four and a half pound dog. Maybe the dogs in northern Colorado are just that much more socialized?

I took Koda on the small dog side all the time and I've never felt bad about it, haha. He loves small dogs! At all the parks in AZ, there were always a few small dogs with big personalities on the big dog side and no one ever cared and nothing ever happened.. and most of the time there were 3-5 huskies, I've really never seen another husky in person pick on little ones.

But to be honest I don't look at (your) Koda any differently Tori. He killed a cat. It isn't like it's unexpected, it's a well known fact that these dogs are prone to such things. I never felt any different about my Koda when he got a cat, it's his nature and doesn't make him some dangerous creature. It isn't his fault and you can't always eliminate that trait out of the equation. As for with kids.. he is just excited and jumps, as like you said he doesn't get enough exposure to kids to learn his manners.

Well I'm worried sick about the brownies. Do you think they ate them or hubby would be spiteful and throw them into the trash?

In WI, if that cat was found alive, it would have been put down and its brain submitted for rabies testing due to the fact it bit a human and wasn't current on vaccinations. Wouldn't matter that the cat bit her during a rescue attempt. When I worked at a vet clinic I explained this to many angry and/or heartbroken cat owners. I'm not big on any vaccinations, but the consequence for skipping the rabies is just not worth it. I really think you did all you could. Koda is a great dog. Your neighbors took a risk keeping their declawed unvaccinated cat outside. They should have thought more about the possible consequences.

I think I've finally moved from the grief/guilt stage to anger... Not gonna lie, the more people I talk to, the more I get annoyed with my neighbors for putting the entire blame on me and my dogs. As if it was no fault of their own for having an outdoor cat! And I get that reaction from people BEFORE I tell them he was declawed.

I'm also rather annoyed right now that he threatened us and the dogs... Ugh. Clearly I'm still remorseful to no end about the poor kitty, but I'm now angry at the way his owners are reacting. I can't tell anyone how to grieve, but it seems like making us their scapegoat for all their pain doesn't seem like it's productive especially when I could have just NOT told them and we'd all be better off. Boo

Tori,
you are 100% right that you could have said and done nothing but i bet if you would have done that you would still feel bad not knowing the out come, but by doing what you did you gave yourself peace of mind and were a good citizen. your neighbors are being asses and that is wrong! i hope they come around and realize that. glad to hear others are on your side but that still does not fix anything, stand strong work on Koda and know he is a good boy. this has and could happen to any of us regardless of the breed of dog. thank you for sharing this with us so we can talk about it because it will not be the last time we hear this kind of story... accidents happen and we should all be prepared to make sure they don't happen often and when it does to do the right thing regardless of the outcome, that is what a good owner does.

try to have fun at your BBQ!

Tori, I thought you said your neighbors we're pretty understanding of the event? Or did I read that wrong...

There isn't anything wrong with Koda, he has a high drive. There is a lot of training which works with a dogs prey drive, giving you an upper hand when they're in that "mode." I've been using it with my dogs for a few months now and i'm able to call them off of squirrels and birds, Mickey I can even call off mid-chase.

arooroomom wrote:

There is a lot of training which works with a dogs prey drive, giving you an upper hand when they're in that "mode." I've been using it with my dogs for a few months now and i'm able to call them off of squirrels and birds, Mickey I can even call off mid-chase.

I'd like to get G&S to that point! What training did you do?

http://www.preydrivedogtraining.com/

This is the website I started off on. I use a lot of these techniques as well as games with my dogs. The best is "hide and seek" and pretty much every game from the book 'Control Unleashed'

Koda wrote:

I think I've finally moved from the grief/guilt stage to anger.................... I could have just NOT told them and we'd all be better off. Boo

No your better off letting them know what happen so this way you now know what ass-hats they are.

I can see this in the future they'll send their kids to play in the street at night dressed in black and then blame the driver of the car that hits them.

arooroomom wrote:

http://www.preydrivedogtraining.com/

This is the website I started off on. I use a lot of these techniques as well as games with my dogs. The best is "hide and seek" and pretty much every game from the book 'Control Unleashed'

Thanks!!

Kristina, did you buy the DVDs? If so, is it worth it? I so need this!!!

Kristina- they started out that way and then the husband threatened us two days ago.

And FWIW- I wasn't truly serious about not telling them. I would never be able to let something like that go... the situation could have happened a hundred times over and I most likely would have handled it the same way. However, based on their reaction and what they've said... I'm just saying that THEY would be less upset if we had not told them. They've had 5 cats die in the past 10 years and 3 of them were hit by cars... this was less offensive to them than us telling them that Koda killed a cat. Clearly they have a warped sense of responsibility when it comes to their outdoor cats. If it gets hit by a car, "this sh*t happens." However, if a neighborhood dog gets it, "we're irresponsible and to blame." It just doesn't make sense.

This has to be hard for you but some neighbors just suck....period!!! Some people become energized by being a victim, and that seems to fit Hubby Neighbor. My advice to you is let it go ... you did just what you should have. Keep looking at July's Husky Of The Month......That picture cracks me up every time I look at it!!!!!!

I know

Update: we got a phone call from the neighbor yesterday. Wifey thanked us for the memorial card and donation, then said we were good neighbors and good people and could not have handled the aftermath any better. She apologized for her husband and said they wanted to move on and put this behind us. She said it would take time to trust the dogs again but that they know that these things happen with outdoor cats, etc. I was shocked, but very pleased.

We had the neighborhood bbq Friday. I'm wondering if the other neighbors said something. Thy others were very supportive of us and said that they were over wifey and hubby's house the day before and they were like "are you still going?" And the neighbors that came were like, "uhh, yeah. We're all adults here." So in the end, it's working out fine. I feel much better and wifey said she didn't feel right letting us think they were pissed at us over the holiday weekend.

Let's hope this truly is the end of this situation.

I'm so glad wifey is being reasonable! I certainly understand they will still need time to grieve over the loss of their pet, but am relieved that wifey let you know she still respects you and know you are good people (because you ARE!). I do hope hubby feels the same as wifey...

You went over and beyond, and I'm so glad that the other neighbors supported you and back you.

Dee&Frankie wrote:

I don't understand why it's ok for cats to roam neighborhoods. My neighbors cats, who torment my dogs, kill birds and lizards and leave it in my yard but I guess that's ok. Grrrrrr, makes me so mad.

I AM SO PISSED OFF! need a little rant
The darn cat that ususally sits in front of my window tormenting the dogs thought it would be a good idea to hang out in the backyard this morning. I had already left for work, but both of my parents were home. After my dad let the dogs out back, he heard the dogs going crazy and thought that they were in a serious, nasty fight with each other (which never happens). He went running out and saw that they were not fighting with each other, but BOTH had a hold of the cat. Of course both dogs are in a frenzy at this point and they barely listen to my parents as it is. I have know idea what my dad did, but all I know is that Frankie is pretty scared of my dad right now. The cat got loose and jumped the fence. Haven't seen it since
I am not even sure who's cat it is. If it is the neighbor I think it is, this is the same neighbor that recently lost her dog because she left it outside all day when it could easily get out of her yard and got out of the yard almost daily. She really shouldn't have pets.

A few days ago, Frankie had something wrong with his paw pad. Looked a little cut and swollen. I treated it and has been ok. Well since he went nuts when the cat got away (digging at the fence, trying to jump it, claw up, etc) I think he reinjured his paw. He was hobbling around and not putting weight on it but is getting a little better as the day goes on. And not to mention he is all scratched up from the cat.

Cat, what were you thinking??!!

Thanks for letting me rant

Stupid cat If it had to happen, at least it was in your yard.

Koda wrote:

Stupid cat If it had to happen, at least it was in your yard.

Agreed. I really do hope the cat is ok though. I have a feeling the doggies were getting ready to play their favorite game of tug-a-war if my dad didn't get out there. I hoping that it is a good sign that he was able to jump the fence. I think if I do see it out again I'm going to call animal control for his own safety since he apparently isn't that bright.

Oh my goodness Dee! Your poor dad must have freaked! I don't know what I would have done if Mya and Kody BOTH had the cat!

Poor Frankie...I'm sure his paw hurts. I hope it heels up soon Does Bruiser have scratches also?