There is a boy in the neighborhood that I do not want my five year old daughter playing with. He is eight and is out of control. The kids in the neighborhood are great except this one boy. He has walked right into my neighbor's house before. Now he has been coming over to my house and playing with my dog without asking. I have a fenced in yard, and my dog loves the nice weather. He has come into the yard and just starts play with the dog. My dog is mostly friendly and has not bitten, but you never know! He also wants to play with my daughter allot. I have told him a number of times not to come into the yard with out asking. I have told his dad my concerns as well. I have been very nice and polite about this. I don't want to be the "mean dad of the neighborhood", but I am losing my patients! What can I do in a nice way to keep this boy from coming around?

I understand why you don't want to be known as the mean dad of the neighborhood, but you have to do what's best for your daughter. What did the boys father say when you told him your concerns? I think that you need to sit the boy down with the father present and tell him that he is not welcome in your home. Can you give some examples of how he is out of control?

Put a lock on your gate, that way your dog and the child will hopefully be safer. I would also try talking to the parents again. This is a safety issue.

He almost got hit by a car because he just went running into the street. The one time I did let by daughter go over to his house he opened the upstairs window and was yelling at people out side. I have seen him throw rocks at passing cars as well.

When I talked to the dad he said he did not like his son playing with the dog with out asking either, and he would talk to him. It did not help.

Thanks redpepper, that was my next step

Then something else needs to take place. Maybe there is something going on at home to upset him. Like I said the best thing to do is to talk to the boy and his father and tell them the boy isn't welcome at your house, or around your daughter.

Sounds like it is time to be the mean dad in the neighood, the other parents most likely would like to be that way also.v

We have a very similar situation I even found the neighbor kids in my shed one day when I walked outside, they have taken my cat dish from my yard ( along with the cat) and they came over playing on our swing set when we were not home. ** people remarked to me after we moved in what a wonder son and daughter we had, we don't we had one young boy. It was neighbor kids that came and played in your yard when we were at work.

For two yeasrs we said almost nothing, bikes left in our yard, another boy riding his four wheeling inside our property line. Well I finally lost it one day, and most of it has stopped.

I heard from other neighbors that kids were playing at my house (outside) when we weren't home. We had a 50 lb tire swing that could kill a small child w/o proper supervision. I sent a letter to ALL the parents in the neighborhood who had children that had ever been to my home stating that NO ONE was permitted to play at my home if I wasn't there, or with out their parent or another designated adult present. I wrote that it was unsafe and my husband and I could not be responsible for anyone's children apart from our own. All but one family were understanding, and to be honest, I don't mind that I offended anyone. Safety is number one, and you are the one who would be suffering a law suit if your dog decided to bite... BE TOUGH!!

Thanks everyone for the advice. I put a lock on the gate today. If that doesn't discourage the boy from coming over, I will be stern and tell the boy and his parents that he is just not welcome.