MY PET WORLD: TRESPASSING LAB POOPS AT OUR YARD

Q: Our neighbor's Labrador Retriever runs through our yard, pooping. Is there some product, like a special whistle, that would keep him out?

A: Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Laurie Bergman doubts a whistle would "have the intended effect." "Listen, the dog is just doing what dogs do," adds Dr. E. Kathryn Meyer, president of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. "And dogs don't have a clue about property lines. This isn't a dog behavior problem; it's a people behavior problem."

Bergman suggests talking with your neighbor about a creative compromise. One idea, for example, might be to allow the dog in your yard, but only if the neighbor picks up.

Of course, there are probably leash laws where you live, as well as nuisance laws (after all, it is your property the dog is squatting on). So, the law is on your side.

Click here for more pet advice from Steve Dale