neighbor has called the authorities

Question:
 http://www.petpeoplesplace.com/community/images/smileys/angry.gif I'm having a tough time with my neighbors and my dogs. We live out in the country on 3 acre lots and my neighbor has called the parish authorities on my two dogs (rat terrier mix and jack russell). They are mainly outdoor dogs and sleep in during the night. We have no surrounding fence, no post, no kennel or anything else to keep them contained on our property. The initial time that the neighbor called and requested that we not let our dogs onto their property because her youngest was allergic and she didn't want the dogs around explaining the reason they gave away a giant lab that was kenneled and indoor dog. When we first moved here we had no animals and for as long as they had theirs the big lab would come over on our property and poop and do his business. We never complained because that's not who we are. This dog was very big and sometimes hard to walk by as he passed. We never complained not liking the fact he would come and do his business on our property. So now we have dogs and I have gotten this official calling as a final warning. We will get fined and cited and our dogs will get picked up if they are caught off leash. When she called and asked if I would contain them we totally understood and the measure we took was to put them on a leash at 5:00pm and weekends when we were not outside with them when the family was at home. I leashed the oldest and the youngest jack russell would stick around--he's a follower and sticks by her. Anyways obviously it was not enough. I feel as though the neighbors have the right to call the authorities, call us, protect the child who has the allergy. However, I do no feel it was very neighborly for them to call the authorities when we did not even complain to them about their dog when we moved in who also barked crazely at times because he stayed in the kennel for exteneded amount of times and when he was out he acted bezerk! I have a very bad taste in my mouth concerning my neighbors. We are in the works in installing an underground fencing system and hopefully during training the dogs will not get out and cause us to be fined and such. It does appear that she tried to contact me two days before the authorities called only I wasn't here to answer and no message was left so when Monday rolled around she called the authorities. I could count on my one hand the number of times the dogs were both off leashes after her initial phone call. My intentions were not "Hey, I'm going to let my dogs run free to bother the neigbor". I felt as though my attempt was not good enough and as thouugh my effort and thoughts were not appreciated when I did lock my dogs up. How do I handle this other than to put them on my non-existing list?
Answer:
 I know feeling as have neighbor just like that..She kept saying our dogs pooping on her lawn.We made a 12 x24 kennel run with attached deck and all..She was still picking up poop on her lawn and when was not our dogs she decided to come out in morning when first let dogs out at 5 am (before installed doggie door) and stood on property line to get them howling so she could call cops. I fixed that problem by doing my routine but one day not let dogs out went and mooned her. They just want to be bad neighbors that have to complain and no matter what they will try something..Mine last year blew all her leaves into my lawn (I mulch) so when raked em back to her lawn she called me in for harassment. Officer told me let it go but if she kept doing it call her in for harassment...She blew leaves into my kid's face when playing on our property,drives her mower on my lawn and say something she says stop harassing me.. Underground fence will work I hope for you. I thought about putting wood fence on property line but in this town need neighboring landowners permission at 6 feet or more so not gonna try as she will say no. She will always find a comlaint that is what makes their lives go on, just sucks we have to put up with them.
Answer:
 You are not only antagonizing your neighbors but are a totally irresponsibhe pet owner. How can you let your dogs just run loose to be killed by cars, other dogs or grabbed by a hawk or an owl. You are clearly in the wrong but yet you see yourself as the "poor" victim! Your underground fence is not a good idea at all. It does not stop stray dogs from coming in attacking your dogs, or someone coming in stealing them. Many dogs will just take the shock & keep on going - & they aren't coming back while the fence is on. There is a lot of traininig involved as well as periodic re training. The plain simple fact remains that your dogs should not be outside at all ever - unsupervised.