;) Hi All. I was wondering if anyone has a problem with theirs or anyone elses dog swimming in their pond!
Our dogs run around with our neighbors dog (a Lab) and when she (neighbors dog) gets hot she gets in my fish pond. How do I keep her out? I am afraid she will hurt our fish and frogs!
Has anyone else experienced this?
Thanks

Our neighbor's Neopolitan mastiff and boxer went full body swimming in my ponds last year and did hundreds of dollars in damage to the plants, running around with my lotus tubers like a chew toy and dumping all the pots. The only way for me to keep them out would be fencing. I tell the story of these dogs in my old pond newsletters (can look them up if you want). It is the responsibility of your neighbor to keep his/her dogs off your property. Speak kindly to them and explain the problem. If they are not willing to control the dogs, you have to either fence in the pond, prepare for a big mess, or let things get nasty by calling Animal Control (which we ended up doing). I hope you have a nice neighbor who understands and not a horrible person like we had to deal with! If they really want their dog to be free (which is not safe for the dog), maybe they would help pay for fencing around your pond or fence in their yard.

Yes, yes, yes...... Happens to me all the time too. Last year a neighbors black lab, another free-running lab, and a free-running golden retriever used to visit the pond for a swim quite often. Not always do I see the dogs, but I always see their mess. Rocked side walls get knocked down, plants get torn up, and I even had a fish come up missing on one occasion.

I have no idea how to keep them out either. Maybe a net would work.

I would suggest a BB gun :D

I guess I am pretty fortunate, we have a Sheppard/Husky cross & a Black/Cocker Spaniel cross.... yes lab & spaniel... :) They come pretty close to the pond when the fish are being fed & are more amazed at them swimming around. Once in a while they will drink from the pond. Otherwise, we really don't have any problems with them. A stern voice pretty much keeps them away :D

Tiia