Q:    I would like to remain anonymous as I live in an area  where I am pretty well known and I just do not need any hassles but I have an issue that I really need help with. Some others in the area also have this same concern, but no one will speak up here's the issue: Certain "residents" have four very large Rottweillers, what we think are very mean aggressive dogs. Whenever anyone walks by the fence the dogs will charge and hit the fence ( that's enough right there to scare you out of your boots ) followed by a deep mean growling bark.  We don't want to be prisoners of our homes, but are terrified to walk about the development near this house afraid these dogs are going to come through or over the fence. What should we do if they break through that fence? How should we handle these dogs as most of us are pretty afraid of them?


A: The first step would be to contact your local dog control officer. Explain your concerns to him or her. However they will tell you that the owners are really doing nothing wrong and the dogs are only doing their jobs but if it continues, they could file a nuisance complaint.They can also check the fencing to make sure that it is secure. The next step would be to stay calm. 

The more calm and controlled you stay, the less of a threat you become to the dog. Once you have control of yourself you begin controlling the situation. Now you can work on over coming your fears. ( fear that the dogs are coming through,over, under  that fence ) . Your fear empowers those dogs and that's just what they want, to keep you stressed so you cannot think clearly.  It sounds as if they are guarding their territory and  they feel that you have come to close to it, so to them you must want to try to take it from them.

Without seeing or observing the dogs behavior this is just general speculation. You need to show them that you are not afraid of them. Make yourself appear bigger than you really are by puffing out your chest and standing a little straighter to appear taller, even carry something with you .

DO NOT SWING IT AROUND OR WAVE IT AROUND THE DOGS AS IF THEY ARE TRAINED FOR CIVIL AGITATION THIS WILL SET THEM OFF WORSE.  BE CAREFUL THAT YOU ARE NOT PRESENTING YOURSELF AS CHALLENGING THEM,

But rather letting them know that you don't want their space. You want just the one that you are in right now.

You carry yourself past those dogs as if they weren't there at all. Do not look at or talk to them. Hold your body language tall and firm and you will begin to notice that they will carry on less and less as you pass by. 

If you are truly terrified, then in our professional opinion, avoidance may be your  best policy.  Dogs do not attack for " just no reason" They attack when they are fearful,territorial, possessive, in predatory mode ( hunting) parental

(new litters)or in highly stressful situations. Believe it or not, but they are more afraid of you, than you are of them but when they are in a pack, they are not only stronger bodied, but now also stronger willed gaining strength from each other.

It is difficult to teach people who have such great fear this "out of sight out of mind, ignorance" concept but in most cases, you can stop a dog by not moving and not being afraid. Remember our 3 C's rule : Stay CALM, stay in CONTROL  of yourself and the situation and most important stay CONFIDENT that you can do the first two C's we just taught you. 

 
  As for the owner of these Rottweillers,whomever you may be  please take the initiative to control your dogs as you are making your neighbors very uncomfortable.  Dogs that run in packs like this, with little to no guidance can become a very dangerous liability to a neighborhood. 

To the person who wrote us this letter, thank you as it takes great courage to speak up. We hope that this helped.

This article was published on January 11, 2009, Page 22 of the Sunday Sentinel