OMG (with a big cuss word thrown in there)!!! DH spent 2 days raking and raking all the topsoil for the lawn areas (like 15,000 sq ft!) to be perfect. Then yesterday spread the seed. Told the neighbors the other day we cannot have their 4 dogs running through it. Just can't. Earlier today DH talked to neighbor again and reiterated, the dogs can't run through it. It can't be disturbed or the seeds won't be spread evenly again. DH can't be walking out on it to rake again, now that the seeds are down.
So, we are just sitting out on our back patio enjoying our dinner and suddenly here come 3 of their 4 (all big dogs) running through all the seeded area. DH started yelling at them. I can hear neighbor guy calling them back. DH was SO PISSED. He has worked his butt off getting all this ready and then he's been watering it all, by hand, with hoses, for the past 2 days. That's a lot of work, too. Neighbor guy calls and says he's so sorry. The dogs saw something on our back patio....I'm like ya...we were sitting back there (like it's our fault you let your dogs out and they came over?). I didn't say anything like "oh, that's ok". I just said ya, it's not good. He says "I'm so sorry, I just don't know what to do".
Neighbor lady asked me yesterday how I was keeping our dogs off of it......well...I take them out to the 6 vacant acres on the other side of us. The first time I took them on a leash so they knew where we were going. After that they just listen to me. Our black dog has instant recall. Our older yellow lab is slower to come, but he listens and will come and won't go to a spot if you say "leave it" (that command works for a lot of things with my dogs).
They have 22 freaking acres on the other side of them! Take your dogs over there if you need to let them out of the HUGE fenced in area they already have to run around in. DH has put in several lawns in the past. He's says just trying to "re-rake" where all the dogs ran through just won't work, because now the seeds are messed up and not spread evenly and the raking just makes it worse, at this point.
I just don't get people........
OY! Trying to start a yard is the worst. I'll keep my fingers crossed that when the seed comes up you'll be pleasantly surprised.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed too
DeleteI would ask the neighbor to pay for re-seeding the lawn. I really would. Sometimes if it hurts his wallet that is how he will learn. To let his dogs run on your property is so irresponsible and disrespectful. ESPECIALLY after you clearly asked him not to.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but our main issue is we are literally down to the wire (and maybe even too late) to get the seeds to germinate now (and not in spring) so trying to reseed just pushes us out farther from it taking hold. We need it to take now (had 2 nice warms days and 3 more next few days). One of our friends said hand him the rake!
DeleteOh, no! They ran all over it when your DH spread the manure, too, didn't they? Your neighbors sound very irresponsible. I agree with the poster above - have them pay for reseeding!
ReplyDeleteThey did, and also almost did when we poured concrete! and he knew it was just poured and drying.
DeleteOh wow! Just wow! You guys have told them twice and yet they let the dogs loose in your yard. I am sure they have seen your DH working on the area too. So irresponsible! Yes, please do ask them to pay for new seeds. I understand your land is pretty big but, are you planning to fence it? When you have flowers or vegetables in the future, you may run into the same problems.
ReplyDeleteoh ya, they've seen him working, for sure. And he knows his dogs do not listen to him if they are running free. Two of his dogs will almost always take off and eventually come back (I guess his wife doesn't like it). Several times different people (who live like a mile away) have pulled in their driveway to tell them they saw their dogs a mile down the road. He'll hop in his pick up and go looking for them. Stupid.
Deleteoh and yes, we will be fencing. We have already paid for the fencing material and it's sitting here. The stupid guys who brought in the topsoil we got dumped it right where the fence was going, so the fence guy couldn't get it done these past 2 months. Just one thing after another causing delays.
DeleteI would be ticked! While I'm sure you hate to have issues with the neighbors, you might also want to get animal control involved. We had to do this at our old house with new neighbors. After asking them twice to keep their dog on their own property, I warned them that the next time would result in a call to animal control. I ended filing several complaints but after the second one, they were hit with a fine. Eventually, they put in an electric fence. Makes my blood boil just thinking about those dogs have done to your brand new lawn.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any animal control whatsoever. We barely have a sheriff's office. They own 4 acres of land. On the other side of them is 20 acres of state land. Across the road is acres and acres of state land. We have 2 big dogs too and neither have even stepped a toe on the topsoil! They've just had too many years of them being the only house here so they got to do whatever they wanted. If we really wanted to be snots I suppose we could enforce the covenants of only 2 dogs per house! Of course we wouldn't, we do love their dogs, but they have to have some control and responsibility for them.
DeleteThis is so awkward because you get along well enough with them except for the dogs. I hope this is the last time, otherwise at least your fence will go up once you get the other stuff out of the way.
ReplyDeleteit really does make it awkward because we really do like them and their dogs. I guess what makes it so hard to understand the the guy would just let his dogs run out like that, when all of their property/house is super nice. They obviously understand what a lot of work it is!
DeleteHe must just be so absent minded, it unfortunately has not clicked in to him that the dogs can't just be let out where they used to be right now. Yeesh!!
Deleteyou know, I kind of think that might be part of it! It's always him that does it, not his wife.
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