I think op you need to make it crystal clear to the neighbors that unleashed dogs can’t be on your property. No excuses and not about what dogs, just true.

Then if they don’t listen you call animal control about there being … unleashed dogs in your yard

As far as a fence I do agree it would solve the problem but the solution is for your neighbors to get a fence to keep the dogs on their property , not for you to get a fence to keep the dogs off yours. So I’d go with animal control and just keep doing it. If these are really 100 lb badly trained dogs it doesn’t matter how “friendly” they are (I also love dogs, and large dogs) but animal control will clearly see this is not ok and pick them up

Dogs that run up to you but stay back a few feet and bark are not friendly dogs. Those dogs are exhibiting territoriality, they believe that your property is theirs because they haven’t been taught differently, and they see you as a threat. That barking is aggressive territoriality and because EVERY DOG IS UNPREDICTABLE it is not out of the realm of possibility that under the right circumstances those dogs could escalate to biting you on your own property. Thousands of people are attacked this way every single year in this country by dogs whose owners think they’re ‘friendly’. Multiple dogs pose and even greater risk because when dogs run in pairs or packs, they are more subject to their base instincts to attack other animals (humans are animals) they are as a threat - the same mob mentality applies to humans, as we all know from observation.

Your neighbors are lazy dog owners who cannot be bothered to adhere to the local leash laws or to properly train their dogs. Dogs absolutely can be trained to a property line, but it takes the hard work of daily training over a period of weeks or months to do this. My aunt and uncle used to have dogs they allowed to roam at will on their property abutting a very busy road; I remember once as a kid watching one of the dogs chase a squirrel to the front property line and being certain the dog would run into the road after the squirrel - but it did not. It stopped on a dime at the property line and watched the squirrel cross the road. My aunt spent weeks walking the property lines with the dogs when they were puppies. They also had actual perfect recall, which means coming when called Every. Single. Time. Perfect recall takes time and effort to train. Most people don’t invest the time or effort and their dogs actually only come when they feel like it.

My border collie mix has at will roam of our property, and the adjacent neighbor’s property at his acquiescence. We are at the end of a culdesac abutting woods, so I feel okay letting her out unleashed and she has been trained not to leave these two properties to venture up the road. When my neighbor is in his yard garnering, she will approach him quietly and happily accepts his greeting and petting. THAT is how a friendly dog behaves to neighbors. Staying of a distance and barking incessantly with hackles raised (the fur behind the head - have you noticed this?) is territorial aggression. This is NOT okay!

I know it sucks to deal with neighbors, but you need to stand up for yourself here. You need to confront your neighbor. You can do it in person or write a letter. Let them know that you expect them to keep the dogs on their property and off yours - train them to the property line so they are 100% reliable, use an electric fence (dogs will break through these and it can cause greater aggression), install a fence to fence in THEIR yard, or install an outdoor run/kennel to put the dogs out in. No more encroaching on your property, period, or you will call out animal control every time.

What if you have family or friends visit who have small kids? When small kids get aggressed on by large dogs the way you describe, they usually scream and run. Then they get chased and attacked like the prey animals they resemble while exhibiting those behaviors. These dogs are an attack waiting to happen. Don’t let it happen to you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your options are

1. The dogs are friendly and no issue .. do nothing, pet the dogs, move on
2. I don’t care how friendly the dogs are I’m possessive of my property and property lines are meaningful to me … call animal control

I have kids, dogs, deer, fox, squirrels, etc run through my property … who cares but if you care call animal control

Oh, how superior you are.

Talk to the adults again. When they say their dogs are friendly, say "That's not the point. They unleashed and coming into my yard, and you are responsible for stopping that."

I have a relative who will not take no for an answer, so be prepared for argument. Don't engage. You don't have to justify not wanting their dogs in your yard. "I am telling you to keep your dogs out of your yard. This is not up for discussion."

Calm down and take your Prozac.

Why would an already calm, rational and 100% correct individual need Prozac?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your options are

1. The dogs are friendly and no issue .. do nothing, pet the dogs, move on
2. I don’t care how friendly the dogs are I’m possessive of my property and property lines are meaningful to me … call animal control

I have kids, dogs, deer, fox, squirrels, etc run through my property … who cares but if you care call animal control

Oh, how superior you are.

Talk to the adults again. When they say their dogs are friendly, say "That's not the point. They unleashed and coming into my yard, and you are responsible for stopping that."

I have a relative who will not take no for an answer, so be prepared for argument. Don't engage. You don't have to justify not wanting their dogs in your yard. "I am telling you to keep your dogs out of your yard. This is not up for discussion."

Calm down and take your Prozac.

DP. No, this person is correct. You don't tell the neighbors that the dogs 'make me nervous'. You tell them that you don't want the dogs on your property. The former is a feelings statement, and the neighbors react by brushing your feelings aside because the dogs are friendly. This calls for a factual statement - This is my property and I don't want the dogs on it.

If they don't listen, call animal control or put up a fence. Those are OP's choices.

Whatever you do, don't harm the dogs as some as said. It's not their fault they have irresponsible owners - and since this seems to have happened a lot as you say then it appears they really aren't aggressive (but I get the desire to avoid any confrontation).

I would tell the neighbor you are not comfortable with the issue, warn them that if they don't address it you will call animal control.

Yes another reason why fences make good neighbors.

I love dogs with a passion and have 2 large ones of my own that I walk off-leash in the city and do not allow them to walk up to the people AT ALL. My dogs are so used to ignoring every person and animal that walks by us, that when people ask to pet them they don't even register it until I have them sit to be petted. As much as I love dogs I don't want anyone's dogs running up to me. I don't know or trust them. This situation would piss me off. After asking the neighbor nicely, I would definitely either call animal control or have a spray ready if they were on MY property. Even when I lived in the suburbs, my dogs could go out into the unfenced yard but did not leave the perimeter of the property. Anything else is annoying and rude to your neighbors.

Film the dogs NOT responding to the teenagers. Then email your neighbor and reiterate you’d like to find a way to keep these dogs from charging you. But that you do not want even friendly dogs bounding up to you while you are in your property and that they need to find a way to contain their animals.

I think having some of these discussions in writing is a good idea.

I would not spend my money for a fence. Call AC.

Just call animal control. Say there are large unleashed on your property and you’re afraid to go outside. They will come pick them up.

Also, if you can get a ring camera, do so. Start saving for a fence.

Your neighbors are jerks.

Anonymous wrote:Get a gun and shoot them if they run towards you, on your property.

No don't do that. Shoot the owners maybe.

Fence.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your options are

1. The dogs are friendly and no issue .. do nothing, pet the dogs, move on
2. I don’t care how friendly the dogs are I’m possessive of my property and property lines are meaningful to me … call animal control

I have kids, dogs, deer, fox, squirrels, etc run through my property … who cares but if you care call animal control

Oh, how superior you are.

Talk to the adults again. When they say their dogs are friendly, say "That's not the point. They unleashed and coming into my yard, and you are responsible for stopping that."

I have a relative who will not take no for an answer, so be prepared for argument. Don't engage. You don't have to justify not wanting their dogs in your yard. "I am telling you to keep your dogs out of your yard. This is not up for discussion."

Calm down and take your Prozac.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your options are

1. The dogs are friendly and no issue .. do nothing, pet the dogs, move on
2. I don’t care how friendly the dogs are I’m possessive of my property and property lines are meaningful to me … call animal control

I have kids, dogs, deer, fox, squirrels, etc run through my property … who cares but if you care call animal control

It has nothing to do with being possessive. These are large dogs that run right to you and bark less than 5 feet away and continue to bark. Yes, that makes me nervous, especially when it goes on no matter how calmly I respond to them.

Kids, deer, fox, squirrels, all can and do run through my property.

So you are scared of the dogs. That’s not friendly dogs. So mean menacing dogs are on your property is different than sweet living dogs are running around.

Get a gun and shoot them if they run towards you, on your property.

Call animal control and play dumb as to whose dogs they are. I have done this in the past with a neighbor who let his dogs roam the neighborhood.

"Hi, yes, I live at 1234 Main St. and there are two dogs roaming free in the area. One is black & white and the other is tan. Their breed looks to be ___. I last saw them at ___."

And yes, I and several other neighbors spoke to this person who let their dogs roam. His response was always "they are friendly and have perfect recall."