Quote: Mallory Kwiatkowski

One house has 2 chow mixes, a pit mix and 5 little dogs of various rat terrier or something a-poo mixes.
They are behind a fence, but it is a short fence, and the kids there do leave the gate open at times.

I'd probably be modifying my route, and/or logging and reporting gate left open and dogs loose.

Or were you asking more about how to handle it as a training question?

i'm with Kristel. I have the same problem (opposite of the OP). My property backs on to a city park and about 4-5 times a day, people will go by about 2 feet from my chain link fence with their off leash dogs (yes we have a leash law but it is not enforced very well). These off leash dogs will run back and forth along the fence line with my dogs going nuts.

I have rescues and fosters, that are not trained and even if I were to somehow train them out of it, after they are adopted, I would have another new dog and go through the same thing all over again.

I honestly feel these ignoramuses are harrassing my dogs, most of the time people just ignore their dog and my dogs carrying on and continue their stroll, sometimes people will actually bring their dogs up to the fence to "meet" my dogs (who are going ape) and when I had pups I had a lot of people stop to chat. I always ask them to take their dogs away and they give me a look or ask what is wrong with my dogs. Hey, I don't take my dogs right up to YOUR backyard fence several times a day.

My dogs get into such a frenzy that they won't listen to me and if they are on a line, need to be dragged away. Very frustrating when you are at the stage where you are training a sit, and you can't use your recall because the distraction level is way too high and not fair to the dog. And all we want to do is potty and play ball.

It is one of my biggest pet peeves (no pun intended).

I don't know the people in the OP's post, but if they are anything like me, they go through the same thing like 5 times a day and are just so jaded that they have given up. It's so much easier to just let them bark. (Easier, not better). My dogs can never have a peaceful day in the yard, now they are always on edge, sitting and scanning for the next idiot and dog to come along.

I made a mistake when I bought the house, and so did the people in the original post, they really need a house with a secluded back yard where their dogs will not be so riled up all the time.

Angela,
I completely sympathize with you on wanting your dogs to have a secluded back yard and not get so riled up all the time by other dogs.

Our Nickie has been taught to ignore other dogs so he is not a problem out in the back yard when the neighbors on either side of us let their dogs out into their yards. Roxie is the problem child (dog). As soon as she steps out the back patio door, she can smell that the neighbor dogs are outside in their own yards and her hackles go up. We can never just let her out in the back off leash unless we are close by to supervise. She will try to jump up on the 6 ft block wall and see over it, barking and snarling the whole time. We have blocked off her access to the neighbors on the north side, and thankfully the neighbor on the south side is moving in another week. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the new people will not have a dog.

it was more of a frustrated rant.....
my dogs are 9 times out of 10 really good at ignoring them.
But i can't....

 Quote: Mallory Kwiatkowski

it was more of a frustrated rant.....
...

That was my point... and you were quick to see it.

I don't blame you ... it IS frustrating.