Real flying visit, but best decision I think. Dogs killed.

[HUG]

My buddy had recently settled in Santo Domingo, just bought a place on the other side of the river, nice new build, decent area. Decided to fly back to get the dogs and tie up a few things back home. Just before they went back they were robbed at gun point leaving their house, as he get out to slide the gates back 2 on a moto came up and took their personals.
A bit dramatic for them but they got over it and put it down to experience. Now they had been back less than 3 weeks and both of their dogs were killed, poisoned. These are not young dogs and so not stupid, but stupid enough obviously to take from strangers, if that is how they do it, I presume so. Anyway, that was a final straw, and so they have left again and are selling up.
All this investment and commitment, I understand they cut many ties back home.

This place is destroying lives on another level these days. Work all your life to be able to afford early retirement and then ............................................................

Anyway, point is, train your dogs not to eat anything that is not in their bowl, and even when on your own doorstep, be prepared.

 

[PeteyPablo]

That is a very sad story, I feel for them. Poor dogs and owners

 

[Contango]

My buddy had recently settled in Santo Domingo, just bought a place on the other side of the river, nice new build, decent area. Decided to fly back to get the dogs and tie up a few things back home. Just before they went back they were robbed at gun point leaving their house, as he get out to slide the gates back 2 on a moto came up and took their personals.
A bit dramatic for them but they got over it and put it down to experience. Now they had been back less than 3 weeks and both of their dogs were killed, poisoned. These are not young dogs and so not stupid, but stupid enough obviously to take from strangers, if that is how they do it, I presume so. Anyway, that was a final straw, and so they have left again and are selling up.
All this investment and commitment, I understand they cut many ties back home.

This place is destroying lives on another level these days. Work all your life to be able to afford early retirement and then ............................................................

Anyway, point is, train your dogs not to eat anything that is not in their bowl, and even when on your own doorstep, be prepared.

location location location, where we live in a gated resort area, we don't even lock our doors, and are 1 mile off the road ( with resort security) at the front gates, and 5 minute walk to la playa, sure its a compound of la la land fantasy. But we are here for the WEATHER and BEACH...
Only if I was a DOM would I live in a DOM community... You are flirting with potential problems all the time... to each his own...

 

[HUG]

Never a truer statement was ever made 'you are flirting with potential problems all the time'. Exactly what life is like in and around inner city barrios as a foreigner, maybe everywhere is the same these days. It's very tiring these days, living within such a run down society.

 

[chic]

i was opening gates once and a bike w/two on it got behind me and i got scared....lucky for me a car turned the corner and the would be 's took off and saved me...in santiago...

 

[malko]

How do u train dogs not to eat stuff, other than what u feed them ???
The rottie does it on his own ( I havent trained him to ), but I suspect it is only when I am watching.......

Anyway these days ( the 2 months leading up to xmas ), I do a turnover at night........ 2 dogs outside, one in the house, one in the outside kitchen and rotate every so often......

Strangely enough I have noticed a change in the dogs behaviours.
The older dog ( a killer, the one who bit me ), barks at anything that walks past at night when it is his turn on night guard.......like they all used to...
The other night he was off duty ( in the outside kitchen). The husky mixed breed was in the house with us. The rottie and the small yapping one were outside....
My wife said she didnt like that configuration, the small dog was yapping at someone/something behind the walls and the rottie was silent.
I went to observe from the balcony ( lights off of course ). 2 borrachos deceided to take a peak over the wall from the house under construction next door ( SIL, has 2 dogs but tied up....... dont ask....... ).
Anyway, the 2 guys, bold with the help of brugal and the yapping of the small dog, stood up on an empty paint bucket to take a peak......
Bad idea. The rottie was lying in wait..... and launched himself up the wall........ I think one of the guys soiled himself.......

My take is the rottie wants to blood himself, show us he is now capable of defending us ( he is coming on a year and a half ).......
I had a good laugh...... especially since the 2 guys were locals ( and not out to rob us....... I hope ).

 

[malko]

Oh and yes, the worst moment is taking the car out/in the sliding gates.
Since the gates will not work on the inversor, I do it manually........

Coming home is ok. Outside in the car, u can see who is on the street. And if the dogs are not behind the door greeting me, I would not open the door ( in case somone is inside waiting to jump me ).

Leaving the house is more problematic.......most of the time we leave togother, my wife opens the gate I stay near the SUV, gun handy and the rottie in the sit and wait for my command mode.
But I agree that when I have to take the car out on my own that is the most risky moment if tigres are in wait......
I never do it on my own after sunset....... unless there is a dire emergency.......

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

It is unfortunate that the reality of life in the DR for foreigners is not always the Shangra-la that we envision or expect. Newcomers should seriously consider (if possible) a secure community to live in for the first little while as they adjust to their new country. It takes much longer than a 4 hour plane ride for one's decision making to catch up with one's body. It is very difficult to really understand all the practicalities of living here from a comfy chair 3000 miles away.

Fact is, bad things can and do happen to people here and at home. Here, the likelihood of such hardships seems to be more prevalent on a per capita basis. Not only feeling more secure but actually being more secure than totally exposed in the middle of a local neighborhood I now see as a big benefit while gaining the experience and knowledge to be able to make better long term decisions.

I am glad to say that in retrospect the decisions we made with respect to living arrangements at least on the surface seem to have been the right ones versus the alternatives that were were seriously considering. Time and experience will dictate our next move.

It is always saddening to hear the tribulations of others. We must endeavor to learn from these situations and make sure others hear these stories so that they can arrive here informed and with the best possible chance of success.

Thanks for the story. My sympathies to your friends.

 

[dv8]

malko, my rotties are the same. they do not bark at strangers. they make no noise. they just launch themselves at the throat. they can get quite high up the wall. locals find it a bit discouraging.

poor poisoned dogs. shame. i feel for the owners.