Living with large dog breeds and cats in public houses in Singapore is forbidden by the HDB. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) only allows smaller dog breeds licensed by the Veterinary Authority and Agri-Food.
With the license, you also need to follow stringent rules and regulations set by the authorities in regards to owning pets in public houses. This includes ensuring your dog remains quiet and not cause any form of inconveniences to neighbours.
You also need to keep your dog indoors, within your flat, or yard. If you prefer that your dog spends most of its time outdoors, it is important that you get the best fence for dogs.
You can also have a leash with you all the time. Also, you need to train and ensure your dog does make noise or fight with a neighbour’s dog causing a disturbance in the hood. Dog fighting is without a doubt a major and common nuisance in most dogs.
See more: Pets you can own in a HDB vs Private residential
While it may appear that your dog is just playing, you need to be considerate of your neighbours as per HDB regulations. Therefore, you can stop dog fighting by;
Building a good fence
If you are using a chain link or a visual barrier to maintain privacy in your home, you need to change it. Build a barrier or fence that makes it hard for your dog to see or engage in a fight with a neighbour’s dog. A fabric cover is also recommended, and you can interchange with vinyl strips because it blocks vision.
Manage undesirable behaviours
In some cases, dogs fight as part of their gameplay. However, this can be unruly behaviour that needs to be tamed. Management of dog fights is, therefore, your first important step.
Let the dog know that fighting is not acceptable, and it makes it hard for it to practice the same. Start small and with time, the process will be smooth and successful.
Consider an airlock
An airlock can also help you to stop your dog from fighting with neighbours. This can be your second fence, it works by preventing fights completely.
A pallet fence is quite ideal because it is a safe fence for most dog breeds that are approved by HDB.
Supervise your dog
While fencing is an excellent way to manage to fight in dogs, you too need to supervise your pet. If your dog is a fierce fighter, do not leave it unsupervised. Whenever it is out in the yard, keep it on a leash.
Make a back yard schedule
Try to make a schedule with your neighbours. Try to find out how they feel about the situation. This will help in scheduling yard time. Your dog can play in the neighbourhood during morning hours and that of your neighbour in the afternoon.
Bring dog out for walks in your neighbourhood. Picture: unsplash
See more: 12 Dog-friendly parks in Singapore to bring your best friend
Train your dog
Training your dog to stop fighting is equally important, especially after the management of the behaviour.
If possible, consult a professional dog trainer in your area for lessons because it helps to efficiently get rid of the behaviour. There are also handy skills that a trainer can recommend to keep your dog in its best behaviour.
Picture: unsplash
A recall, for example, is an excellent way to teach the dog to stay away from fights. In this case, you can consult with your trainer on how you can practice, teach the dog recall, and how to capitalize on the same.
The rule of thumb here is with regular practice. Whenever the dog starts to fight, recall it. Use treats and other rewards if the dog responds well.
Similarly, you can teach your dog to simply relax in your backyard or to be calm around other dogs. This is good behaviour that a dog can master with time.
This article is written by Duncan Kingori, an author at Authenticdogs.
