Exactly!! There was just no reason, other than pure spite and hatred, to do what she did. The fence is about 6' high and you cannot see through it. All 4 dogs were snuffling each other under the fence - a very narrow gap of about one inch. I called out to OH how nice and sweet it was that clearly the black lab held no grudge, and I called out to them both that they were very good boys and stuck my finger tips under the fence to allow them to lick my fingers. Clearly the old bat next door was incensed that her dogs should be responding so to the enemy, and once my back was turned started to bang the fence extremely loudly, according to OH. She had no idea that OH was there I don't think, because I had gone back out through our gate onto the drive, into my car and driven off. she was shrieking hysterically at the dogs and clearly managed to hurt them in some way because of the marks on Ben's muzzle. She could easily have hit Tai, she had no idea who she was lashing out at, she could even have hit one of her own cats for all she knew, silly cow.

her sole intention is quite clear - to harrass our dogs every time they are in the garden, and the very next time anything happens, I am calling the police.

I would be tempted to set up a CCTV camera in the garden.

i don't expect her to be understanding. But would you be accepting if someone:-

1. Repeatedly told you that she would not rest until your f'ing dog was destroyed?

2. Repeatedly called you obscene and unrepeatable names?

3. Slandered you in a village of 120 houses where everyone knows everyone?

4. Successfully tried to injure your dog when he was safely locked into his own back garden?

She has every right to be pissed off, thoroughly pissed off. She has every right to refuse to be friends ever again ... but she does NOT have the right to attempt, successfully, to maim my dogs, slander me in public, and hurl foul 4 letter words at me whenever I have attempted to apologise and to enquire after the health of her dog.

Nope! this is bullying and harassment and I am amazed that anyone could think it was anything but.

1 maybe she is on a losing wicket at the moment but in future dog/dog aggression will be more frowned on.

2 Sticks and stones

3 If everyone knew me they'd know that she was talking rubbish---if however she had a point.....

4 My dog would be no where near her and certainly not out of my sight---I'd double fence rather than risk it.

rune

what's your point? Did I not say that Ben and Tai dashed across to our neighbour to say hello to her 2 dogs. Did I not say that it was HER dog who sparked the attack by growling at Ben? Ben was doing nothing wrong, and neither was Tai. All 4 dogs were calmly saying hello, when the BL decided to growl at Ben. Not that that is any excuse, I am just pointing out the FACTS.

I have continuously said that Ben has issues with BLACK DOGS and BLACK & TAN DOGS. Not all dogs are these colours round these parts, though it is unfortunate that all the dogs in the lane are black or black and tan or very dark brown! He is fine with all bitches, all small dogs, irrelevant of sex or colour. His problem is and probably always will be he does not like male black dogs, or black and tan dogs. he is fine with females of these colours, and he is fine with all small dogs. I am not saying he is perfect, and there are certainly no conflictions in my postings. He has in the past, and still does, SOMETIMES let dogs of all colours, ages, sex, type, say hello, but SOMETIMES he doesn't. the dog has issues, so just butt out and look after your own no doubt perfect dogs who have no issues.

Well, as per usual your guesses are all wrong. Our neighbours have never "had to run the gauntlet" as you describe - she hardly ever walks the dogs over our drive, simply because she has no need to. Like us, she has access through her gate onto the fields, and has no need to come over the drive with her dogs. However, of course she is perfectly entitled to do just that, and such an occurrence will never happen again. My dog is DA, so what? It is not his fault and it is not our fault. We will probably never cure it, hence the reason for his muzzle and I will be taking up Ben's advice to see help from a behaviourist. There are several very good ones in our area, so it shouldn't be difficult. The dog is now 6, my own personal viewpoint is that it is going to be a tough call, but Ben is very intelligent and worth it, I will try. What I don't need is YOU having a go just because it is me.

exactly Labradork. Which is why i say there is far moreto this than meets the eye.

thanx darling - I refuse to address those off-post remarks made, but treat them with the contempt they deserve. I am feeling stressed, and as I have said before, I feel so much better for airing my rant! I have received some very good advice from you and others. Do I take it though that you don't like muzzles? I think they are great. Ben has a new type, a Baskerville made of softish silicon rubber/plastic, which is made to fit your dog. It is as kind as a muzzle possibly can be - he can drink, bark, do everything but actually bite.

No she did not - she smacked the fence in rage, and when that didn't work in frightening them away, she rammed something underneath - it can't have been anything very thick because there is only an inch gap at the bottom of the fence - and hurt ben's muzzle. Why on earth should Ben not go on HIS property wherever he wants? The fence is there's, but why shouldn't Ben snuffle at the bottom of it if he wants to. That is our garden! As I say, the gap is only 1" there is no way he could hurt their dogs through it.

And this woman is not spreading malicious rumours. She is telling everybody who will listen part truths, grossly exaggerated - but in particular, she called me an f'ing c you next tuesday to someone who happens to be a good friend of mine. As strange as you might find it, I am very popular in our village, an ex parish councillor, with a lot of respect, and it has been brought back to me that everyone is thoroughly p'd off with her and her lies. However, at least some mud always sticks, and although I care not a jot about what she says about me, I do care about my family and my boys.