Hi, I'm new here. I have been watching the forum for a week now and i seems like here are some good people with great advice. Maybe somebody can help me out.

I live in an urban area of Boston and have a 10 month old female GSD.

My neighbor who lives 2 doors down has a rather large, entire male Shepherd. He might be like 3 or 4 years old, its hard to tell. Anyway, when I first got my puppy quite a few dog owners in the neighborhood warned me about this dog. He doesn't seem to be super aggressive, and it seems that he is fairly well trained.

Still, it is always in the back of my mind that he has gotten into trouble with other dogs. I would walk past him when by myself with out a second thought, but I can't help but to be afraid of him when my dog is with me.

This dogs owner sometimes lets the dog out unsupervised and without a fence. There have been two times so far that he has wandered off come see us all by himself. Also, his owner walks him off leash, and the dog is usually out ahead of him on a walk.

Every time I bring my dog out I'm on the lookout for him, and of course when I do see him my dog absolutely FLIPS out. She goes up on her hind legs and barks her head off. I can get her under control quickly, thats not the problem. The problem is that I just don't want to live being worried every time I bring my dog out to pee.

She knows I'm scared, and while I try my best not to be I just can't help it. I know that if he did come after us here would be very little I could do about it. Male/female fights aren't common, but between these two I could see it happening when she hits maturity.

My neighbor is a nice guy, but I don't see him changing his ways anytime soon. In fact, when I thought my dog might be going into season early I asked him to leash the dog and he never did. If he didn't do it for a very good reason, he probably isn't going to do it just to make me more comfortable.

Sorry for writing a book.

What would you do in this situation?

First, just to clarify: What kind of trouble has he had with other dogs?

Also, I believe that Boston has a leash law that requires dogs off their own property to be leashed, something like "when not confined to the dog owner's property either inside the house or in secured fenced yard." Is that correct, do you know?

If you have told him you would feel more comfortable with his dog on a leash when off of his property, remind him that there is a leash law. Then I would call animal control to help out if he blows you off.

 Quote: connie sutherland

First, just to clarify: What kind of trouble has he had with other dogs?

Also, I believe that Boston has a leash law that requires dogs off their own property to be leashed, something like "when not confined to the dog owner's property either inside the house or in secured fenced yard." Is that correct, do you know?

Well, for the first incident that I know of he went right down my friends driveway and started a fight with her rottie. He also started a really bad fight with an italian mastiff at the park. The owner of the mastiff also told me about a separate incident where the shepherd attacked a smaller dog that was on leash, pulled the dog away from its owner and dragged it down the street shaking it.

Yes, there is absolutely a leash law, and from what I understand the cops have been to his house before.

 Quote: Marcia Blum

If you have told him you would feel more comfortable with his dog on a leash when off of his property, remind him that there is a leash law. Then I would call animal control to help out if he blows you off.

Yeah, that might be what I have to do. I'd hate to be the hall monitor, but I need to feel safe walking my dog.

Absolutely!! In Colorado there are even leash laws in the wilderness areas (and big fines for not complying). Everyone and their dog should feel safe.

Spray,
Boston proper or Mass. for that matter may very well have ordinances etc, etc ,etc.
If mace or a like premade is out of the question, I'd make my own.
No way would I put up with that kind of situation. If the dog and owner are a menace to neighborhood as a whole and the neighborhood is willing to live with it.....well okay, but the dog wouldn't bother me and mine.

Call animal control & let them deal with him. Everytime the dog is off leash, call them.

 Quote: marcia blum

Absolutely!! In Colorado there are even leash laws in the wilderness areas (and big fines for not complying). Everyone and their dog should feel safe.

Yeah. I just feel bad about being that way, because here are definitely times that I am breaking the leash laws myself. Pretty much every city dog owner is forced to, unless you only bring your dog to he boxing ring they call the "dog park".

But there is a big difference between playing fetch with your dog at the park or taking a hike through the woods and letting your dog out unsupervised.

I still use a long line for those activities, but lets face it, I probably won't someday. However, I would never dream of letting my dog out alone, or walk her off leash on city streets.

I am probably hard core about this but I believe that it is my obligation to protect my dog. I always carry pepper spray and have used it when necessary. She needs to feel that you will take care of any problem. If not, she will probably feel the need to do it herself ... a dog fight is something that you do not want to be involved in. A neighbor that is not willing to be a responsible dog owner needs to be told that you will take action to protect you dog (and his) if he won't. I personally don't care if a neighbor like this is not happy about it. Maybe, some one else can suggest a more "neighborly" way to get through to him, but I have not found an easy solution to this kind of problem.