Need to vent about my neighbors!!

[magoo's_mama]

A few blocks from me there is a house that owns a gorgeous female pitbull. During the summer we were driving by and she was wandering in the road so we pulled over and my husband approached her and led her back to her yard (no fence) and re-attached her to her cable tie-out as her owners were not home. She was very friendly and sweet and this was the first time we had seen her there so they must had just gotten her.
Magoo and I often walk by thier house on our daily walks. Well I noticed right off the bat they don't let her inside during the day, not a huge deal we live in central coast california. But then I started looking for her when we drove by at night, still stuck outside. It's been in the 30s at night. So that really makes me mad but now when we walk by she is aggressive and totally unsocialized with humans or dogs. She is not longer happy to see us go by, her temperment is definitly changing for the worse. So if that's not enough. Yesterday I drove by and they got a second pitbull. I will bet you anything they are going to breed them. My jaw just dropped and I started going off about it to my husband who really doesn't think it's that big of a deal (grr). But there is nothing to be done about it, there is no physical proof of abuse (unfortunatly neglect isn't considered a crime) they seem to have food and water and they have a dog house (with a tarp for a roof). Nobody I know seems to think it's that big of a deal, I just had to vent to you guys cause I knew you would understand how frustrating it is.

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

I understand your concern. That's kind of worrisome. What if those dogs get out some day when you are over in that area walking your dog? The next time they get out, I would call the animal control instead of just taking it back.

(This is aside from the whole dog-outside-in-the-weather situation, which I agree is bad. I don't understand why people get an animal and then ignore it and fail to socialize it. Maybe they think it makes them more "tough" to have a scary dog.)

 

[Laurie_Duke]

I Maybe they think it makes them more "tough" to have a scary dog.)

Its so sad that certain dogs suffer due to a persons own self worth.....they need a tough dog to be tough themselves.....I see this all to offen where I live....then you have the biker walking a poodle....now thats a real man !!!!

 

[magoo's_mama]

I will definitly call AC if one of them gets loose again. When it happened last summer, we had never seen the dog before and she was very friendly.
I don't know how it would react if it got loose again,I'm not an expert but I know enough about dogs to know the difference between playbarking and postures and what this dog is now displaying when we go past. It is obviously protecting it's territory. I don't know that it would attack someone but it's definitly unsocialized and unloved =(
I have no idea why people bother to get dogs and then tie them outside and leave them there this happens all to often in my area. Why bother to spend your money on the animal and buy it's food just to leave it out in the yard? It seriously aggravates me, and then the possabilty that they're going to create more dogs for profit? (this is speculation but extremely likely) Well I'm just getting all worked up about it again.
As for wanting a dog to make you look tough, this is so terrible sad and true. Alot of the time when we take Magoo to the beach there will be groups of teenage kids hanging around thinking they're bad asses and will tell us how tough Magoo looks , "I bet your dog is mean, etc" So stupid.

 

[robynkendall]

Is it legal where you live to have a dog on a chain all day?? They passed a new law here where you have to move your dog like every 3 hours or something if it is on a chain.
I too have neighbors who care nothing about their dogs. They have a beautiful little sheltie that is never allowed in the house. The dog runs around and barks all day, I feel so sad for him that he is not loved or properly taken care of. Why have the dog in the first place??

 

[magoo's_mama]

Who would you call to find out about that being illegal? Also I live in military housing, so I wonder if the rules would be different.
If that were illegal 3/4ths of the dog owners here would not be allowed to keep thier dogs. People here move in get a dog, leave it outside and give it to the spca when they go to thier next post. I can't tell you how many comments I get from neighbors about how I spoil my dog. Yes I do spoil him. But walking your dog every day and keeping them inside is not spoiling, it's what your supposed to do when you own a dog!
Now having pictures of your dog all over the place, all the toys, expensive beds, etc..That could be considered spoiling =)
One neighbor actually told me my baby daughter was going to be jealous of the dog because "I am always with the dog, not with her" This is so dumb because I am a stay at home mom, with my daughter all day long. However when my husband gets home Magoo and I go out on our walk and I get a little break and he gets some exercise. Oh well I will never understand why people neglect thier dogs and they will never understand why I don't.

 

[robynkendall]

I'm not sure who you would call, maybe you could try Animal Control?? I'm also not sure what the punishment is if they do catch you, but it might be worth a try, especially if you explain the change (for the worse) in the dog's behavior.
Also, it's nobody's business but yours if you spoil your dogs or kids. I freely admit that I spoil my dogs and kids:D

 

[Suzysmitt]

As an owner of pits that really makes me mad. Pits do not do well in the cold because like boxers they are short haired. That being bad enough there is nothing worse then an unsocialized pit. It's people like that who give pits a bad name. They have to be socialized from day one, and being left on a chain to run in the street is cruelty no matter what kind of dog it is.

 

[xenaprincess]

Everytime I hear of or see a dog outside in the cold, I always think of that commercial the SPCA ran for the longest time. It shows this poor little dog, mix breed, tied up outside at night in the cold, and you can hear the whole family inside talking and laughing..and warm!! The point of the commercial was that people buy these animals, then become detatched from them because they get too big and in their minds are no longer considered to be indoor dogs!! People just don't think and they just don't care!! Too many think that medium and large dogs are outdoor dogs without even considering the fact that some don't have the coat to keep them sheilded from the cold! I agree...dogs...cats...they are FAMILY pets..not wild animals to be left out in the cold! Why even bother having one! I'd like to see how long a human could endure tied up out in the cold with no coat on!
The cold is obviously not a problem where you live...but socialization is! You are right to think that they plan on breeding! How sad! :( Already you have seen a change in the females temperament! THIS is how and why pits have the rep that they do! :mad: I hope that there is something someone can do for these 2 babies before someone gets hurt! Good Luck and kudos to you for being concerned and wanting to do something! The world needs more people like you!