Big Dog "meets" Little Dog

Every morning, Titus starts barking at 6am. I put on my robe, open his kennel, and take him out to go potty without any problems.

This morning started the same way. However, when Titus was sniffing the ground, a large dog appeared from behind the chain link fence that separates us from our backyard neighbors.

The dog came from our next door neighbors. They have a total of five dogs, three of which are very large and can be clearly seen when they jump above an eight foot wooden fence. About a month ago, these three dogs broke a plank in the fence that contains them (the eight foot high one) and escaped. They ran into our backyard and went under the chain link behind our house.

Thankfully, there are no houses directly behind us because it's just a large patch of land. When I saw Titus and this dog staring at each other, I knew that there were two other dogs roaming around, probably in the land behind our house.

Suddenly, the large dog entered into our backyard the same way he had left: going under the chainlink fence. Immediately, Titus ran right and the large dog tackled him. I could hear Titus whimpering as this huge dog overtook him. Titus ran left and was again tackled by the dog that was about six times his size.

At 6:05am, I was screaming, "Titus! Titus! Come here!" I must have sounded hysterical as my dog was being overpowered. Finally, Titus escaped and ran into the house. I yelled at the dog to leave and went to take care of Titus. He was okay, but he was shaking and scared at what just happened.

Brian came out of our room and asked what happened. I filled him in on the details and let him take care of Titus.

I was very angry. This is the second time the neighbor dogs have escaped and the first time Titus was out when it happened. I found the number to animal control and called it, but was told by the person who answered the phone that they only respond to emergencies when their offices are normally closed.

It wasn't an emergency and Titus was okay, but I was very upset that our neighbors weren't being responsible dog owners. I decided that if the dogs get out again, I will make sure that animal control comes and does something. West Valley only allows two dogs per household, so my neighbors are in violation.

I don't want to be a bad neighbor and would normally mind my own business. Their dogs bark all the time, yet I won't call animal control on that because I don't care (mostly it's because I went to bed with hundreds of stray dogs barking in Mexico). But when their dogs "violently play" or "attack" my dog, then it becomes my business and I have to protect Titus.

I actually think that their dogs will get out again. It's only a matter of time.