Be a Good Neighbor!

Have you ever heard “good fences make good neighbors.” Robert Frost put it very well with those words. With Summertime approaching and more families enjoying their backyards, it is time to take those doggies and get them under control to ensure neighborhood serenity.

Some of the biggest quarrels among neighbors are the problems with the family pets. There are some "friendly reminders" you need to remember this season when preparing for the block parties, cookouts and keeping the neighbors from hating you.

Barking - A HUGE and LOUD problem. Dogs will bark and bark and bark and sometimes for no reason except they are loud and proud and want to be heard. The problem is your excessively barking dog can keep families from enjoying their time outside and even mess with a good night's sleep. If you are not able to supervise your dog during the day outside, try crate training him at home indoors. Dog crates are a great way to ensure your dog is safe when you get home and also a great way to control his behavior problems.

POOP Patrol - If you are walking your dog in the neighborhood, come on... pick up the POOP! No neighbor wants to take their child into the yard just to step in YOUR dog's DUMP! Not to mention is it rude not to pick up your dog's waste, it is simply not healthy, it can get into water lines or you step in it and bring it into your home. There are poop bags, poop bag carriers and you can even get fancy and get the colored poop bags or the crystal poop bags! There is no excuse not to clean up your dog's poop!

Don't let your dog gallivant around the neighborhood. We all know that little Buttercup won't leave your yard, but what about the multiple personality dog. You know, the dog that is so sweet, and then see's a cat or another dog and switches gears. They can tear up trash, chase children or tease other animals. Not to mention that by letting your dog roam the neighborhood, he could be injured or killed by a car.

Manners are just that, they are manners and use your common sense!
Keep your dog on a dog leash wherever you take him outside the home. If your dog is aggressive, try walking him where there are no other dog's or people around to ensure everyone's safety. Training your dog to be a "good dog" will certainly help you on down the road, but we all have our responsibilities as good pet owners.

Also, there are laws in some states on dog barking and poop patrol. Check with your local law enforcement to see if you pup or yourself just might be breaking the law.

Take to heart the "neighborly advice" and enjoy those budding relationships with your neighbors.