social dilemma with my pond

[bagsmom]

OK folks. This is an interesting one. My new pond is going in the front yard, so I can enjoy it from our screened in porch. My yard is up hill from the sidewalk, with no sidewalk access. You have to go up a long concrete driveway to even get up near the house. You have to go along a brick walk to get to the house, then through some bushes to access the front yard, and go around the front of the house through the grass to get to the pond. Bottom line: you have to make a deliberate effort to get to the pond.
We have some great folks in my neighborhood -- and some that are nice, but a little quirky. There is a very "quirky" guy across the street who makes me nervous. He has come over before after drinking heavily -- talked in the driveway. Brought his inherited dog who needs obedience school. Guy next to him has a big dog as well.
(And for the record -- I do like dogs!)
So - there is another fella who has two very sweet dogs -- he walks them around the neighborhood with their leashes dragging. I don't know him except to wave hello. (He often has "playdates" with the dogs across the street, so I'm sure that's how he has noticed the pond build.) Yesterday, he shows up in my yard with both dogs. He is just being friendly and curious. Dogs are same. Dogs ran all up, in and around through my flower beds. Had a drink out of the lotus pool.
I want this pond to be my private sanctuary. I will have it heavily planted all around to make it less visible (but not at that stage yet.) I was kind of surprised this guy came all the way up into the yard and brought both dogs with him. He was pleasant and complimentary, so I don't want to come across as mean or rude, but I don't want the dogs thinking my yard - and pond - are part of their walking route. I am a really non-confrontational person and hate the thought of offending or hurting anyone's feelings.
I guess I will wait and see if he does it again. But I don't know a good way to say -- hey, dude - please don't bring your dogs in my yard - without sounding like a curmudgeon. Thoughts?

 

[mrsclem]

How about suggesting that when he brings the dogs around that they stay on leashes? Maybe say that you use lawn and garden chemicals that could harm the dogs. I have used that with one neighbor here.

 

[bagsmom]

How about suggesting that when he brings the dogs around that they stay on leashes? Maybe say that you use lawn and garden chemicals that could harm the dogs. I have used that with one neighbor here.

That's a good idea. I'm still just kind of taken aback that a total stranger went to all the effort to just show up in my yard like that. Another person (who I know better) called up to me from down at the mailbox the other day to ask if I minded if they came up to look around. Again, it's not just a yard you can casually stroll into. I was a little weirded out he just sort of popped up there behind me.

 

[Tula]

Depending on your local codes and your personal taste, you could consider some of the decorative fencing at Lowes ( or other home improvement stores) that you put together easily, in sections. You could train pretty vines to grow on it , adding to the privacy of your sanctuary.

 

[TAHOE]

I had similar problems, my small pond in my front yard. Never really had a dog problem, but I constantly caught neighbors cats going fishing. I just scared them away every time I caught them.
Now the neighbors who let their dogs constantly poop in my yard.....I needed a camera to catch them

 

[bagsmom]

I had similar problems, my small pond in my front yard. Never really had a dog problem, but I constantly caught neighbors cats going fishing. I just scared them away every time I caught them.
Now the neighbors who let their dogs constantly poop in my yard.....I needed a camera to catch them

When I first skimmed over this, I thought the NEIGHBORS were fishing in your pond!!!!!!!

 

[MitchM]

What about a basic decorative wire fence at your property line or around the perimeter of the pond?
If your neighbour lets the dogs run with their leashes dragging, they can't jump the fence in case their leashes get caught.
Depends on your front yard layout.
No confrontation needed.

 

[barryian]

OK folks. This is an interesting one. My new pond is going in the front yard, so I can enjoy it from our screened in porch. My yard is up hill from the sidewalk, with no sidewalk access. You have to go up a long concrete driveway to even get up near the house. You have to go along a brick walk to get to the house, then through some bushes to access the front yard, and go around the front of the house through the grass to get to the pond. Bottom line: you have to make a deliberate effort to get to the pond.
We have some great folks in my neighborhood -- and some that are nice, but a little quirky. There is a very "quirky" guy across the street who makes me nervous. He has come over before after drinking heavily -- talked in the driveway. Brought his inherited dog who needs obedience school. Guy next to him has a big dog as well.
(And for the record -- I do like dogs!)
So - there is another fella who has two very sweet dogs -- he walks them around the neighborhood with their leashes dragging. I don't know him except to wave hello. (He often has "playdates" with the dogs across the street, so I'm sure that's how he has noticed the pond build.) Yesterday, he shows up in my yard with both dogs. He is just being friendly and curious. Dogs are same. Dogs ran all up, in and around through my flower beds. Had a drink out of the lotus pool.
I want this pond to be my private sanctuary. I will have it heavily planted all around to make it less visible (but not at that stage yet.) I was kind of surprised this guy came all the way up into the yard and brought both dogs with him. He was pleasant and complimentary, so I don't want to come across as mean or rude, but I don't want the dogs thinking my yard - and pond - are part of their walking route. I am a really non-confrontational person and hate the thought of offending or hurting anyone's feelings.
I guess I will wait and see if he does it again. But I don't know a good way to say -- hey, dude - please don't bring your dogs in my yard - without sounding like a curmudgeon. Thoughts?

My pond is in my backyard, gated on both sides since I have a pool. Locked much of the time. Without pictures, it's difficult to visualize in totality but can you consider the pond going in the back? Never see ponds around here in the front, mostly do to codes and ordinances. If affordable for you, can you gate both sides of the house assuming you put it in the back? You don't need an excuse but an easy one is, you have a pond that if children wander in, could fall in and drown. That's the truth as in my situation. My landscaper, a friend, comes once a week and they know the combo. So question is, why the front, not the back? Tao Te Ching ... better not even discussing the dog situation with any of these folks. Less is more! Perception is complex as are people. If they perceive what you say in a negative manner, as diplomatic as you sound and will be, it might still be taken with an attitude. No, I'm not a psychologist !!! Lol ...

 

[bagsmom]

My pond is in my backyard, gated on both sides since I have a pool. Locked much of the time. Without pictures, it's difficult to visualize in totality but can you consider the pond going in the back? Never see ponds around here in the front, mostly do to codes and ordinances. If affordable for you, can you gate both sides of the house assuming you put it in the back? You don't need an excuse but an easy one is, you have a pond that if children wander in, could fall in and drown. That's the truth as in my situation. My landscaper, a friend, comes once a week and they know the combo. So question is, why the front, not the back? Tao Te Ching ... better not even discussing the dog situation with any of these folks. Less is more! Perception is complex as are people. If they perceive what you say in a negative manner, as diplomatic as you sound and will be, it might still be taken with an attitude. No, I'm not a psychologist !!! Lol ...

It's ready for water! I can't do it in the back -- barely was able to dig this time. (Too old for this.) I put it in the front -- lots of people have them in the front around here. I know my description made it hard to visualize, but you can't just wander up to my yard. It requires effort and conscious intent. It's sort of set back up in the corner by my front porch, which is well away from the the sidewalk. The front yard is long and deep and the house is set quite a ways back. Also, it is up a hill covered with juniper. You really have to come up and on and into our private space to get up near there. Not easily accessible. That's why it sort of weirded me out that this stranger came up there at all. Made me uncomfortable that the man came up there, not to mention he brought his unleashed dogs with him. Gave me the heebie jeebies...

 

[bagsmom]

What about a basic decorative wire fence at your property line or around the perimeter of the pond?
If your neighbour lets the dogs run with their leashes dragging, they can't jump the fence in case their leashes get caught.
Depends on your front yard layout.
No confrontation needed.

Well, he's not really a neighbor. He lives somewhere not far away, but no idea where. I don't think his dogs would come without him. It's not easy to get to and well up and away from the public area of street and sidewalk. That was sort of the whole thing that was weird -- that he came up here at all -- and brought the dogs with him. I do like the little fence deterrent idea! I'm also hoping to plant a bunch of stuff to sort of use as a living fence, so you won't really be able to see if I'm outside if you're down in the street. But I don't know how to stop him if he decides to "visit." That's sort of the thing that is troublesome. I do not know this guy. He made an effort to come up to where I was working, which is definitely up on our private property, far up from the sidewalk -- in a sort of tucked away nook. My husband said he would never dream of coming up into a person's yard like that -- and definitely would not approach a woman outdoors alone in a private area like that. He wasn't threatening or anything -- but it was a bit of a strange situation.

 

[bagsmom]

I do appreciate the feedback, everyone!

 

[Faebinder]

Fence the pond with a small decorative fence. Nothing that would truly prevent anyone from coming in if they want to but enough of a barrier to make strangers not want to "ruin" a neighbors fence by making the dogs jump over it.

 

[bagsmom]

I like all these ideas. I appreciate the feedback, because it got me thinking... After reading everything and responding, I realize the whole discomfort of the situation was not just the dogs. It was that this guy came that far up into my private space uninvited. Again, I think he is harmless, but he is a little strange and it did give me the heebie jeebies. Even friendly acquaintances always call up from down on the street to ask if they can come up and see. This situation was just weird.

Also made me analyze the yard. Before building the pond, I gave the location careful thought and checked into ordinances and codes and such. All is good with that. Not to mention -- you simply cannot access my yard without effort. (In fact, the front yard is safer than the back, in that no one is ever out in the back. In back, several big back yards come together in a large, wild wooded area. The front is much more visible to me -- for my viewing enjoyment and for me being able to "patrol" it.)

In thinking about all of this, I realized there is really only a 2 foot wide brick path by which you can access my front yard. That brick path is blocked on one side by my front porch and by a holly bush on the other. The brick path is the only way to get up into the yard. I think I might put up a little section of picket fence with a gate. It would be cute and decorative, but would also be a visual deterrent. That way, a person would have to A. open a closed gate, B. climb up a hill completely covered in juniper, or C. climb up and over a stone wall -- to get into my yard. I think the little gate could be cute -- I could hang a wreath on it or something and let my jasmine grow up on the side sections.

At that point, if a person comes up into the yard that way, they are simply obnoxious, and I'll have no problem telling them to go away!

 

[barryian]

It's ready for water! I can't do it in the back -- barely was able to dig this time. (Too old for this.) I put it in the front -- lots of people have them in the front around here. I know my description made it hard to visualize, but you can't just wander up to my yard. It requires effort and conscious intent. It's sort of set back up in the corner by my front porch, which is well away from the the sidewalk. The front yard is long and deep and the house is set quite a ways back. Also, it is up a hill covered with juniper. You really have to come up and on and into our private space to get up near there. Not easily accessible. That's why it sort of weirded me out that this stranger came up there at all. Made me uncomfortable that the man came up there, not to mention he brought his unleashed dogs with him. Gave me the heebie jeebies...

Ok, now I've got the picture. Yes, strange that someone would travel that far up your yard. Were they just checking out the pond out of curiosity? Possibly? I still wouldn't say anything unless it became a habit! Get a Mossberg 500 Tactical !!! ... Take it out of the trunk of your car as they pass by next time and carry it in the house .... Just kidding !!! ... All is good!

 

[bagsmom]

Fence the pond with a small decorative fence. Nothing that would truly prevent anyone from coming in if they want to but enough of a barrier to make strangers not want to "ruin" a neighbors fence by making the dogs jump over it.

Thank you for this idea! It led to a solution, I think.