Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor has a very aggressive dog and I am very afraid it will bite me. I have done nothing to aggravate it. I am not sure what to do.

I live in a townhouse community. The neighbor has a belgian malanois or german shepherd dog that has been very aggressive to me and other people in the neighborhood. It has lunged and barked at me while walking on the street. The neighbor told it to stop and that worked. The guy’s wife walks it and has less control over it. It looks like the dog pulls her down the street.

It barks and lunges at me from their ground floor window. I see and hear its nails hit the window. This is a daily occurrence.

I can”t avoid it because the doors are side by side. I take a different walking trail to avoid them in the afternoon and evening.

It barks at the children playing in the street, other neighbors, cars, and other dogs.

The neighbor is not particularly nice and I don’t feel comfortable talking to them. The HOA and the City of Alexandria don’t seem to address this situation unless one is actually bitten. I am concerned the neighbor might lose control of the dog during a walk or accidentally get out their door and attack. The dog seems triggered by everything. I’d appreciate any advice. I am ready to move away because it is such a bad situation.

What people think as aggressive may in fact be a fearful dog. His barking and lunging is a way for you to keep away. First, he has the right to bark in his own home. I know it can be unnerving but, there is nothing you should do. He is protecting his family. Lots of dogs are fearful of children because they are unpredictable. Not every dog likes dogs. People think they need dog friends but, not everyone do. If the dog has only barked at you or lunged that is not a crime. Cross the street when you see them or turn and go the other way. Don't give eye contact, obvously. There is no need for you to talk to the owner. They might be working on these issues and either way you stating the obvious isn't helpful.

Typical. OP, look out for yourself.

The dog has not actually done anything so what do suggest? I have a hound and she barks and lunges and Im quite some people on here would think she is "aggressive" and she does not have a mean bone in her. She's alerting me that you are there and trying to get to you (esp if you have a dog that she'd like to meet). We've trained here. A lot. But it's just in her nature. If I see people are nervous (and my neighbors all know her so it's a non-issue), I just tell the she's a barker but if you're scared you shouldn't come near us. She's actually very submissive that if you yell at her she backs off. But, her barking and trying to get to/point out the things that excite her is part of her breed.

Is it possible the GSD/Malinois is aggressive? Yes. Is it possible, too, that it's not? Yes. If you're not willing to speak to the owners and get the scoop, then avoiding the dog is the only thing to do here. There is a truly aggressive dog on our street -a lab mix, who ripped open another dog's hind quarters while on a walk. The authorities did nothing on a technicality of some sort. It has no record. The owner is clueless and a moron. So I just turn the other way when I see it.

I don't understand how people can say that a lunging dog isn't a danger. A lunging dog that "doesn't have a mean bone in her" can cause injuries. My neighbor had a small dog that was fearful and lunged at another dog one day. My neighbor fell and broke her hip. The other dog was a larger lab/shepherd mix and he bolted due to all the commotion and the owner fell and broke her wrist. I saw all of this happen from a distance while walking my own dog and it happened in the blink of an eye. Whether dogs are lunging and barking because they are truly aggressive or reacting in fear, they aren't being controlled by their owners and can overpower them, and that's a problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor has a very aggressive dog and I am very afraid it will bite me. I have done nothing to aggravate it. I am not sure what to do.

I live in a townhouse community. The neighbor has a belgian malanois or german shepherd dog that has been very aggressive to me and other people in the neighborhood. It has lunged and barked at me while walking on the street. The neighbor told it to stop and that worked. The guy’s wife walks it and has less control over it. It looks like the dog pulls her down the street.

It barks and lunges at me from their ground floor window. I see and hear its nails hit the window. This is a daily occurrence.

I can”t avoid it because the doors are side by side. I take a different walking trail to avoid them in the afternoon and evening.

It barks at the children playing in the street, other neighbors, cars, and other dogs.

The neighbor is not particularly nice and I don’t feel comfortable talking to them. The HOA and the City of Alexandria don’t seem to address this situation unless one is actually bitten. I am concerned the neighbor might lose control of the dog during a walk or accidentally get out their door and attack. The dog seems triggered by everything. I’d appreciate any advice. I am ready to move away because it is such a bad situation.

What people think as aggressive may in fact be a fearful dog. His barking and lunging is a way for you to keep away. First, he has the right to bark in his own home. I know it can be unnerving but, there is nothing you should do. He is protecting his family. Lots of dogs are fearful of children because they are unpredictable. Not every dog likes dogs. People think they need dog friends but, not everyone do. If the dog has only barked at you or lunged that is not a crime. Cross the street when you see them or turn and go the other way. Don't give eye contact, obvously. There is no need for you to talk to the owner. They might be working on these issues and either way you stating the obvious isn't helpful.

Typical. OP, look out for yourself.

The dog has not actually done anything so what do suggest? I have a hound and she barks and lunges and Im quite some people on here would think she is "aggressive" and she does not have a mean bone in her. She's alerting me that you are there and trying to get to you (esp if you have a dog that she'd like to meet). We've trained here. A lot. But it's just in her nature. If I see people are nervous (and my neighbors all know her so it's a non-issue), I just tell the she's a barker but if you're scared you shouldn't come near us. She's actually very submissive that if you yell at her she backs off. But, her barking and trying to get to/point out the things that excite her is part of her breed.

Is it possible the GSD/Malinois is aggressive? Yes. Is it possible, too, that it's not? Yes. If you're not willing to speak to the owners and get the scoop, then avoiding the dog is the only thing to do here. There is a truly aggressive dog on our street -a lab mix, who ripped open another dog's hind quarters while on a walk. The authorities did nothing on a technicality of some sort. It has no record. The owner is clueless and a moron. So I just turn the other way when I see it.

I don't understand how people can say that a lunging dog isn't a danger. A lunging dog that "doesn't have a mean bone in her" can cause injuries. My neighbor had a small dog that was fearful and lunged at another dog one day. My neighbor fell and broke her hip. The other dog was a larger lab/shepherd mix and he bolted due to all the commotion and the owner fell and broke her wrist. I saw all of this happen from a distance while walking my own dog and it happened in the blink of an eye. Whether dogs are lunging and barking because they are truly aggressive or reacting in fear, they aren't being controlled by their owners and can overpower them, and that's a problem.

No one said it wasn't a problem. Some people are saying it isn't necessarily aggression. Some dogs who are fearful will lunge to keep you away.

There are people here who are saying it’s not a danger. It’s not the responsibility of pedestrians to read your dog’s body language. A lunging dog needs to be under 100% control.

“ OP, I have fostered dogs for years. The behavior you describe is called fear reactivity. I don't think you're in any danger, but I understand why you find the behavior so disconcerting.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor has a very aggressive dog and I am very afraid it will bite me. I have done nothing to aggravate it. I am not sure what to do.

I live in a townhouse community. The neighbor has a belgian malanois or german shepherd dog that has been very aggressive to me and other people in the neighborhood. It has lunged and barked at me while walking on the street. The neighbor told it to stop and that worked. The guy’s wife walks it and has less control over it. It looks like the dog pulls her down the street.

It barks and lunges at me from their ground floor window. I see and hear its nails hit the window. This is a daily occurrence.

I can”t avoid it because the doors are side by side. I take a different walking trail to avoid them in the afternoon and evening.

It barks at the children playing in the street, other neighbors, cars, and other dogs.

The neighbor is not particularly nice and I don’t feel comfortable talking to them. The HOA and the City of Alexandria don’t seem to address this situation unless one is actually bitten. I am concerned the neighbor might lose control of the dog during a walk or accidentally get out their door and attack. The dog seems triggered by everything. I’d appreciate any advice. I am ready to move away because it is such a bad situation.

What people think as aggressive may in fact be a fearful dog. His barking and lunging is a way for you to keep away. First, he has the right to bark in his own home. I know it can be unnerving but, there is nothing you should do. He is protecting his family. Lots of dogs are fearful of children because they are unpredictable. Not every dog likes dogs. People think they need dog friends but, not everyone do. If the dog has only barked at you or lunged that is not a crime. Cross the street when you see them or turn and go the other way. Don't give eye contact, obvously. There is no need for you to talk to the owner. They might be working on these issues and either way you stating the obvious isn't helpful.

Typical. OP, look out for yourself.

The dog has not actually done anything so what do suggest? I have a hound and she barks and lunges and Im quite some people on here would think she is "aggressive" and she does not have a mean bone in her. She's alerting me that you are there and trying to get to you (esp if you have a dog that she'd like to meet). We've trained here. A lot. But it's just in her nature. If I see people are nervous (and my neighbors all know her so it's a non-issue), I just tell the she's a barker but if you're scared you shouldn't come near us. She's actually very submissive that if you yell at her she backs off. But, her barking and trying to get to/point out the things that excite her is part of her breed.

Is it possible the GSD/Malinois is aggressive? Yes. Is it possible, too, that it's not? Yes. If you're not willing to speak to the owners and get the scoop, then avoiding the dog is the only thing to do here. There is a truly aggressive dog on our street -a lab mix, who ripped open another dog's hind quarters while on a walk. The authorities did nothing on a technicality of some sort. It has no record. The owner is clueless and a moron. So I just turn the other way when I see it.

I don't understand how people can say that a lunging dog isn't a danger. A lunging dog that "doesn't have a mean bone in her" can cause injuries. My neighbor had a small dog that was fearful and lunged at another dog one day. My neighbor fell and broke her hip. The other dog was a larger lab/shepherd mix and he bolted due to all the commotion and the owner fell and broke her wrist. I saw all of this happen from a distance while walking my own dog and it happened in the blink of an eye. Whether dogs are lunging and barking because they are truly aggressive or reacting in fear, they aren't being controlled by their owners and can overpower them, and that's a problem.

No one said it wasn't a problem. Some people are saying it isn't necessarily aggression. Some dogs who are fearful will lunge to keep you away.

There are people here who are saying it’s not a danger. It’s not the responsibility of pedestrians to read your dog’s body language. A lunging dog needs to be under 100% control.

“ OP, I have fostered dogs for years. The behavior you describe is called fear reactivity. I don't think you're in any danger, but I understand why you find the behavior so disconcerting.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor has a very aggressive dog and I am very afraid it will bite me. I have done nothing to aggravate it. I am not sure what to do.

I live in a townhouse community. The neighbor has a belgian malanois or german shepherd dog that has been very aggressive to me and other people in the neighborhood. It has lunged and barked at me while walking on the street. The neighbor told it to stop and that worked. The guy’s wife walks it and has less control over it. It looks like the dog pulls her down the street.

It barks and lunges at me from their ground floor window. I see and hear its nails hit the window. This is a daily occurrence.

I can”t avoid it because the doors are side by side. I take a different walking trail to avoid them in the afternoon and evening.

It barks at the children playing in the street, other neighbors, cars, and other dogs.

The neighbor is not particularly nice and I don’t feel comfortable talking to them. The HOA and the City of Alexandria don’t seem to address this situation unless one is actually bitten. I am concerned the neighbor might lose control of the dog during a walk or accidentally get out their door and attack. The dog seems triggered by everything. I’d appreciate any advice. I am ready to move away because it is such a bad situation.

What people think as aggressive may in fact be a fearful dog. His barking and lunging is a way for you to keep away. First, he has the right to bark in his own home. I know it can be unnerving but, there is nothing you should do. He is protecting his family. Lots of dogs are fearful of children because they are unpredictable. Not every dog likes dogs. People think they need dog friends but, not everyone do. If the dog has only barked at you or lunged that is not a crime. Cross the street when you see them or turn and go the other way. Don't give eye contact, obvously. There is no need for you to talk to the owner. They might be working on these issues and either way you stating the obvious isn't helpful.

Typical. OP, look out for yourself.

The dog has not actually done anything so what do suggest? I have a hound and she barks and lunges and Im quite some people on here would think she is "aggressive" and she does not have a mean bone in her. She's alerting me that you are there and trying to get to you (esp if you have a dog that she'd like to meet). We've trained here. A lot. But it's just in her nature. If I see people are nervous (and my neighbors all know her so it's a non-issue), I just tell the she's a barker but if you're scared you shouldn't come near us. She's actually very submissive that if you yell at her she backs off. But, her barking and trying to get to/point out the things that excite her is part of her breed.

Is it possible the GSD/Malinois is aggressive? Yes. Is it possible, too, that it's not? Yes. If you're not willing to speak to the owners and get the scoop, then avoiding the dog is the only thing to do here. There is a truly aggressive dog on our street -a lab mix, who ripped open another dog's hind quarters while on a walk. The authorities did nothing on a technicality of some sort. It has no record. The owner is clueless and a moron. So I just turn the other way when I see it.

I don't understand how people can say that a lunging dog isn't a danger. A lunging dog that "doesn't have a mean bone in her" can cause injuries. My neighbor had a small dog that was fearful and lunged at another dog one day. My neighbor fell and broke her hip. The other dog was a larger lab/shepherd mix and he bolted due to all the commotion and the owner fell and broke her wrist. I saw all of this happen from a distance while walking my own dog and it happened in the blink of an eye. Whether dogs are lunging and barking because they are truly aggressive or reacting in fear, they aren't being controlled by their owners and can overpower them, and that's a problem.

No one said it wasn't a problem. Some people are saying it isn't necessarily aggression. Some dogs who are fearful will lunge to keep you away.