My next door neighbours have a lovely GSD rescue bitch. Unfortunately she hates my dogs :( The feeling is now mutual. They snap and snarl at one another through the fence until we can separate them. Now, although this is not a good thing, we are managing the problem and they were getting better. However, my bitch had a litter 3 weeks ago and they will be going out into the garden soon. I'm starting to get paranoid about what the GSD will do. Or the pups mum. As I have said, Heide is a lovely people friendly bitch, but she doesn't like my dogs and I'm afraid that something serious may happen if they are out at the same time. My neighbours are lovely people and we have discussed it but there is bound to be a meeting some time in the next few weeks. Any suggestions as to how we deal with it?

I had a rescue GSD bitch that was the same with adult dogs she met, however with puppies(not hers BTW she was spayed by me at 11 months after her season) she was totally different & was positively googy with them & as they grew up she was fine with them(my BC puppy for example)

You could try to ensure someone was with the dogs if they were out together although avoidance would be the ideal situation so that none of the dogs got stressed out this might always be possible.

I'm lucky that my garden has 6' + high concrete walls so that any confrontation was impossible

I never let my dogs out into the garden unless I am with them (problems with a different neighbour ;) ) and Heide is usually out with someone as well, so having people there isn't the problem. I suppose I'm just paranoid that mum will go into overkill, knowing that this strange bitch is next door near her babies :( I spoke to a friend this morning who suggested letting the neighbours know when I'm about to take the pups out. That way they can keep Heide in for the short time we'll be in the garden. I don't know why I didn't think of it - must have been a bit tired last night :D

The neighbours have only had Heide for a couple of months and we don't know her background, but she is such a sweetie that I wish we knew why she reacts this way with other dogs. They are aware of her problem now and are working to sort it as best as they can. They've had GSD's for over 40 years should if anyone can help her they can. It might just be that we don't let them meet at all. There are only 8 houses where we are, and only 6 have dogs so it shouldn't be too difficult.

I spoke to a friend this morning who suggested letting the neighbours know when I'm about to take the pups out. That way they can keep Heide in for the short time we'll be in the garden.

This sounds like a great idea in principle but in effect it probably won't work, thinking of my last litter the pups spent most of their waking time rushing straight out into the garden from 5-6am until dark having fabulous fun playing and exploring and also toilet training was so easy with continual access.

Although I agree with Moonmaiden that dog aggressive dogs are usually not pup aggressive, your bitch will be extremely guarded let's face it bitches with new borns even will go for their own pack to keep them away, she may well be extra defensive in the garden with her enemy next door.

Can you not add some extra trelising or something to your fencing, now is the time to do it and make sure there is no way that either dog can ever get to the other.

Let's face it pups don't start going in the garden until they are approx 4-5 weeks and they need to be able to come and go with supervision.

If the GSD should begin to bark and growl, then for the remaining 3-4 weeks your neighbour really should bring their dog in, they should do this anyway the minute she begins to bark aggressively how will Heidi learn it is wrong if she is allowed to continue.

Heidi is going to need lots of behavioural techniques luckily she is with an experienced home, I would ask if they could be extra vigilant just for the 3-4 weeks left that the pups will need the garden, you don't want your little pups becoming afraid to go outside either if they are nice neighbours as they sound could you just fix it with them to bring her in if she barks or keep her distracted, it would be for just a few 'tiny' weeks. :-)

I've spoken to the man of the house tonight and we think we have come up with something. I've now got some plastic material, like webbing, and I'm going to attach it to the fence so that the dogs can't see one another. We'll know in the next few days if it works ;) Heide only barks when she sees my dogs, and mine retaliate now :( It's such a shame, as their last GSD was so friendly with my dogs that they are a bit confused with this new one. Heide is immediately recalled when she starts, and is quite good at that, but I really don't want the pups frightened.

My dogs are never given free access to the garden any more after a different neighbour complained when a pup from my last litter (aged 13 weeks ;) ) growled at them when he saw them in the garden for the first time. They didn't complain to me, but to the local authority :( I'm always out with them, just in case. I've actually seen their son throwing stones at my dogs in the past :(

I had the very same problem with my last litter and house. I had an Akita that was very dog aggresive and when ever mine would go near the fence the Akita would just go mental. Cali never bothered about her until she was in whelp then she started to fight back which isn't good while carrying puppies. What I did was put up some of that bamboo stuff to fence of the fence if you know what I mean so that they couldn't get near each other at all. I was lucky that I had 6 foot solid fencing around 3 sides so it didn't cost much and didn't take too long to do.