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Article posted Thursday, April 28, 2011 10:29am

Dear Mary Pat,

Now that the snow has finally melted (I think), everything is starting to come alive outside. Daffodils and tulips are starting to pop up through the ground and the grass is slowly getting greener. This would be ideal if not for my neighbor’s dog, Fido (name has been changed to protect the guilty). Fido comes over to our yard quite a bit since there isn’t a fence between us. Since he isn’t leashed and is apparently never supervised, he roots around in my flowerbeds and does his “business” all over my lawn. My husband usually discovers just how much Fido has been over when he is mowing the grass and has to look down to avoid any unpleasant surprises. My husband and I work during the day so don’t often catch Fido in the act, but we’ve seen him enough on weekends to know he has to be the culprit. My neighbors have never been friendly, and I’m afraid if I say anything it will make matters tense. Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Signed,
Dodging Doggie Bombs
Sturgeon Bay, WI

Dear Dodging Doggie Bombs,

This is really annoying and something you shouldn’t have to deal with. Unfortunately, the situation is not going to change unless you address it with your neighbor. Even if they aren’t friendly, you can give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they aren’t aware of what their dog is doing. Perhaps you can place a call to them to let them know. First, ask if this is a good time for them to talk. If so, say that you would like to bring something to their attention that is a little awkward. Then you can say that you’ve seen Fido relieve himself in your yard. Then ask for their help and keep it positive. “I’d really appreciate your help in keeping Fido out of our yard. We’ve spent a lot of time working on our landscaping and don’t want anything to sabotage it. You know how hard it is to find time for yard work” (chuckle, chuckle, nice and friendly banter). Thank them in advance for their help and end the call.

Hopefully, they will reciprocate by agreeing to fix the problem. If not, you may want to check with your town office. In the state of Wisconsin, dogs are considered property and dog owners are responsible for their dogs’ behavior.

I’m hoping that your neighbors see the reasonableness of your request and supervise “Fido” while he’s outside so that your grass and flowers are spared.

Good luck,
Mary Pat