To get a dog or not?

[AnnieMay100]

Hi hoping for some advice.. I had a dog who sadly passed away aged 15 a year ago which was very difficult. I didn’t want to get another dog and ‘replace’ him so swore we’d never get another again. Lately I’ve been considering a new dog now my work hours have changed and I’m able to work from home 3 days a week and my friend is a dog walker who could help the other 2 days. My children always ask for a new dog so I know they would be happy if I finally agreed.
My problem is that I have an issue with ndn aggressive dog barking and growling at us when we’re in our garden and barking all night. It’s so bad that were constantly exhausted and I’m at a loss with how to deal with it. Complaints hit a dead end and the owners are unreasonable.
If I got another dog there is the risk the dog could cause further barking (teritorial reasons) growling at each other, barking back etc and the thought worries me of it getting out of hand and potential complaints. It’s the only dog in the area so I don’t know how it would react to another one so close, it never leaves the house.
Of course any dog i did own would be fully trained, walked several times a day and neutered - unlike ndn dog but the risk is still there.
Their dog is male so two males would be competing for ‘ownership’ through the garden fences in a way I guess but a female could make the dog want to get to her for mating pre-spaying?
In your opinion is it a bad move to consider a dog with this going on or would you forget about the selfish neighbour and get a dog regardless? I know it seems a silly thing to consider but their dog is making our life hell atm and I don’t want anything making it worse.
Would it be a good training opportunity to teach a potential new dog not to react to the dogs barking or is it asking for trouble?
Sorry it was so long thanks for making it this far!

[AwkwardPaws27]

Have you considered adopted a female from a rescue? She'd already be spayed (and house-trained, hopefully!), you could leave her longer than a puppy (with your dog walker coming in for a midday walk), and you could be selective for dogs that are not dog-reactive.
Obviously you'd need to ensure you had a high, secure fence to keep neighbours dog out still, but it could reduce the risk of the barking become a learned behaviour?

[AnnieMay100]

Thanks for the reply I haven’t considered age/breed/sex yet as it’s just something I’ve been considering for the past week, but it will be a rescue for sure as our last dog was. Fences are 6 foot but their dog is strong and has once forced it’s head between two panels to snap at my children, I bought new fences to block theirs so it shouldn’t happen again, it’s mainly the barking and ‘fence fighing’ that concerns me, and neighbours reporting us/labelling us as being poor owners like them/declaring ‘dog wars’ if we ever sold our house etc

[Fucksandflowers]

You could surely counter condition the new pup to ignore the barking from next door?

I am assuming it is a solid fence so they cannot see each other? Only hear?

If it isn’t a solid fence then I would definately install a solid fence on your side.

At any barking from your pup or any attempt to ‘run the fence’ I would immediately put the pup inside.

[AnnieMay100]

That would hopefully be the plan that our dog would ignore it and be well behaved - here’s hoping anyway. I would feel guilty always bringing our dog inside as if it’s being punished yet the other dog is rewarded by barking and staying outside. We have a new good quality fence so their dog can’t see us at all but scratches and growls to get through which the owners reward.
Maybe I’m overthinking it, I just don’t want to make a mistake and for the whole situation to blow up.

[Fucksandflowers]

Why feel guilty?

By leaving your dog outside to fence run and bark it will surely get quite agitated which isn’t a nice state to be in?

Much better imo to interrupt the barking, fence running etc right at the start before the dog has a chance to get too amped up.

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

You say your complaints hit a dead end but have you contacted your local district council? Environmental Health may be able to help you if the noise is unreasonable.