If possible, move.
If that is not a possibility:
1. Fence front and back yard, keep it closed and locked.
2. Put your dogs in a dog proof room when you are not home, baby gate them against the front windows where they are in danger of going through and hurting themselves as well as your stuff.
3. Drive you dogs to a neighboring community where there is more discipline and walk them there.
4. Stop trying to make everyone conform to your idea of how life is supposed to be in a small town. Or go about it differently. Just telling them that they are violating the law or to leash their dog will only cause them to be angry and retaliate against you.
5. If you have a lot of persistance and patience, go to your town meeting, ask to be put on the agenda. Discuss not only the nuisance that neighborhood dogs are causing by their owners not controlling them, but that if you or any of your family or friends is attacked by a dog, you will sue the village as well as the owner of the dog. I am not sure if this is possible, but if any organization is aware of a safety issue and chooses to do nothing, I think this is grounds for a lawsuit.
6. Ban together with any other people that seem to be reasonable when it comes to dog ownership.
7. Shut your windows and crank the AC. It will usually drown out the voices of your neighbors dogs.
8. Continue to plague your town committee members, Dog Warden, or peace officers. Make yourself as much of a nuisance as these dogs are. Who knows whether it will work or not.
It is a crappy situation, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
It is still up to you to keep your dogs safe. If that means crating them during the day, then crate them. Please do not let your dogs go after any of the maurauders, shoot the dogs first. Allowing your dog to attack another dog not only puts your dog at risk of injury, but may also cause your dogs to be untrustworthy around other dogs. Start now with documenting every time you contact anyone about the problem.
The only thing I would worry about with getting the town to do anything is that they can become so insensed that they comply, but to get back at you, they pass legislation banning breeds and makes sure your breed is included. That is a stretch, but I would worry about it.
Mostly I try to get along ok with my neighbors. When in Rome, do as the Romans do and all that. At least, I try to tolerate what others do in my area. When my dogs or I am endangered though, I am going to act. Starting with the authorities is the best bet. Improving your defences, solid fencing, pepper spray, etc. As a last resort, you may need to be willing and able to take care of a threat yourself. If you can safely capture the animal, you can take it to some type of shelter in the county. If the owners bail it out fine, hope they had to pay a fine. If that isn't a possiblity, then you may have to drive it off or kill it. As I said, as a last resort, and if it is a serious threat to your or your dogs, your responsibility is to your dogs and yourself. You may be able to scare it off with bird shot. I wouldn't bother with a bb gun, maybe a pellet gun. I would try pepper spray first. If that doesn't do the trick, aiming for the hind quarters with the pellet gun or birdshot would be the next choice.
Another thing you could try is an electric fence running along the outside of your fence. The wire is mounted on insulators about 12 to 18 inches above the ground and completely visible to the dogs. Once they hit it they will avoid it.
If that is not a possibility:
1. Fence front and back yard, keep it closed and locked.
2. Put your dogs in a dog proof room when you are not home, baby gate them against the front windows where they are in danger of going through and hurting themselves as well as your stuff.
3. Drive you dogs to a neighboring community where there is more discipline and walk them there.
4. Stop trying to make everyone conform to your idea of how life is supposed to be in a small town. Or go about it differently. Just telling them that they are violating the law or to leash their dog will only cause them to be angry and retaliate against you.
5. If you have a lot of persistance and patience, go to your town meeting, ask to be put on the agenda. Discuss not only the nuisance that neighborhood dogs are causing by their owners not controlling them, but that if you or any of your family or friends is attacked by a dog, you will sue the village as well as the owner of the dog. I am not sure if this is possible, but if any organization is aware of a safety issue and chooses to do nothing, I think this is grounds for a lawsuit.
6. Ban together with any other people that seem to be reasonable when it comes to dog ownership.
7. Shut your windows and crank the AC. It will usually drown out the voices of your neighbors dogs.
8. Continue to plague your town committee members, Dog Warden, or peace officers. Make yourself as much of a nuisance as these dogs are. Who knows whether it will work or not.
It is a crappy situation, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
It is still up to you to keep your dogs safe. If that means crating them during the day, then crate them. Please do not let your dogs go after any of the maurauders, shoot the dogs first. Allowing your dog to attack another dog not only puts your dog at risk of injury, but may also cause your dogs to be untrustworthy around other dogs. Start now with documenting every time you contact anyone about the problem.
The only thing I would worry about with getting the town to do anything is that they can become so insensed that they comply, but to get back at you, they pass legislation banning breeds and makes sure your breed is included. That is a stretch, but I would worry about it.
Mostly I try to get along ok with my neighbors. When in Rome, do as the Romans do and all that. At least, I try to tolerate what others do in my area. When my dogs or I am endangered though, I am going to act. Starting with the authorities is the best bet. Improving your defences, solid fencing, pepper spray, etc. As a last resort, you may need to be willing and able to take care of a threat yourself. If you can safely capture the animal, you can take it to some type of shelter in the county. If the owners bail it out fine, hope they had to pay a fine. If that isn't a possiblity, then you may have to drive it off or kill it. As I said, as a last resort, and if it is a serious threat to your or your dogs, your responsibility is to your dogs and yourself. You may be able to scare it off with bird shot. I wouldn't bother with a bb gun, maybe a pellet gun. I would try pepper spray first. If that doesn't do the trick, aiming for the hind quarters with the pellet gun or birdshot would be the next choice.
Another thing you could try is an electric fence running along the outside of your fence. The wire is mounted on insulators about 12 to 18 inches above the ground and completely visible to the dogs. Once they hit it they will avoid it.
