Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in California

You can always sue your neighbors.

Personal responsibility is important also, you could simply buy leashes the next time you have dogs.

Your neighbor sounds like a jerk, unless he asked you more than once to keep your dogs off his property. If you chose not to keep your dogs off his property, then you may need a lesson in manners. Of course, it sounds like your neighbor thought your dogs needed some training also.

Regardless, if you sue your neighbor, and are victorious, you will likely only get the value of the dogs, as they are considered personal property.