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Original poster

AIBU to apologise after DH barked at the neighbour's dog?

345 replies

Greyblankie · 23/04/2026 13:48

Last year the neighbour behind us got a small dog. It yaps.

Anyway DH has been complaining to me about this irritating dog ever since she got it and admittedly it is very annoying but what can you do? It’s during the day and it’s not constant.

He’s been away with work for 3 days and has come back grumpy and tired - last night he went outside to check on his plants and the dog started yapping. DH went absolutely bonkers, started running up and down the fence barking and snarling like a dog until the woman came out and hastily took her dog back inside. Mortified!! I know he was tired but Jesus he was acting like a psychopath

Hes back at work today and she’s sat outside in the sun - do I pop my head over and apologise/explain or leave it and assume we’re no longer on good terms 😬

OP posts:
Gettingbysomehow · 23/04/2026 23:31

My cat loved to torment next doors handbag dogs from the fence.
She would send them into a wild frenzy. They have moved now.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 23/04/2026 23:28

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 23/04/2026 22:49

Is she very young? (Like 5-6 years old)

Show quote history

Clearly not. HTH

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 23/04/2026 22:49

AhMh67 · 23/04/2026 21:21

My daughter barks back at annoying dogs as well.

Is she very young? (Like 5-6 years old)

AhMh67 · 23/04/2026 21:21

My daughter barks back at annoying dogs as well.

Charltonstrek · 23/04/2026 20:40

Sorry but that would have amused me

mathanxiety · 23/04/2026 20:37

I would have applauded him and poured him a nice drink.

There's nothing as grating as the owner of a yappy dog.

Emmz1510 · 23/04/2026 20:29

Haha that’s hilarious! He was a silly twat of course, but if I were you I couldn’t be too mad at him- yappy dogs are a proper pain in the ass. If you want to remain on good terms with the neighbour you could say something like ‘sorry for Joe’s behaviour last night. The dog barking annoys him but he shouldn’t have done that’. That way you acknowledge his twattiness while also making it clear the dog is annoying. Who knows, maybe she’ll appreciate your candour and do something about it.

ByUniqueViper · 23/04/2026 20:29

Whilst his behaviour was crazy, it is annoying to hear a dog yapping. Neither of you need to apologise. It may have actually made the dog owner realise how much the dog is annoying the neighbours. She might do something about it now!

Noodles1234 · 23/04/2026 20:11

No. If anyone they should apologise to you, might make them think how blo@dy annoying it is.

TheLurpackYears · 23/04/2026 20:04

I would mention nothing, but maybe offer your dh a gravy bone with his coffee sometime very soon, and maybe call him a good boy a few times.

mantez · 23/04/2026 20:01

Get a parott to mimic the dog, DH can have a little rest then.

HamToasties · 23/04/2026 19:58

Haahahahhahahah this is brilliant! Team DH! 🙌🏻 🤣

OriginalUsername2 · 23/04/2026 19:53

He can come and do it to my neighbours if he wants.

1HappyTraveller · 23/04/2026 19:52

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

honestly I’ve had such a shit day.
thanks for this!

MusicalRocks · 23/04/2026 19:47

Do not apologise! Hopefully your DH has exhibited a level of weird that will encourage your neighbour to train her dog. However if she does ever mention it, you both need to act very confused and deny all knowledge of what shes talking about.

Quine0nline · 23/04/2026 19:45

Neuter him.

cadburyegg · 23/04/2026 19:45

ladymalfoy · 23/04/2026 17:50

He snapped and barkted.

Crying 🤣🤣

MissRaspberryRipples · 23/04/2026 19:42

pinkyredrose · 23/04/2026 13:50

Omfg I would've loved to have seen that! 😂

I'd say something, it's always good to remain on good terms with the neighbours.

So glad I'm not the only one who'd love to see that performance 🤣🤣

Kokonimater · 23/04/2026 19:16

It might have taught her a lesson. I have a dog. I do not let him bark in the garden. It’s not acceptable. She needs to know.
she’s in the wrong and he was at the end of his tether. He came home tired. Wanted a bit of quiet time in his garden and the dog ruined it. I’d do the same !

Tessisme · 23/04/2026 19:09

Your DH is my hero😃 I might try barking at my sister-in-law’s yappy mutts next time I visit. At the very least she might take them out of the room to get them away from the madwoman. The barking is absolutely relentless and just seems to hit my eardrums at a certain frequency that makes me want to cry real tears.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 23/04/2026 19:02

He shouldn’t apologise because it’s himself he’s embarrassed

Charlize43 · 23/04/2026 18:43

I used to have a neighbour like this (rental) with a yappy Pomeranian. In the end I'd have to wear noise cancelling headphones in my garden or else I'd have ripped down the garden fence and strangled the mutt with my bare hands.

Noise cancelling headphones for your husband for his Birthday / Christmas so he can enjoy his garden in peace?

I'd use the opportunity to talk to your neighbour and ask it the dog has had any training. She'll be oblivious to the barking as dog owners are always obtuse. Also mention that it is probably a nuisance to the other neighbours around her, especially those with small children that are put to bed early.

My yappy dog owning neighbour eventually moved as everyone around her became so hostile, especially after someone accosted her on the street with 'Are you the owner of that non stop barking dog?' She used to leave it in the garden during the summer and go off to work - so it used to be barking out there for 7-8 hours.

AuntChippy · 23/04/2026 18:38

God, how embarrassing and what a prat!

He’s behaved exactly in a way to encourage the dog. Idiot.

beethecrackon24995 · 23/04/2026 18:37

Ffs OP get a grip. So wet. They should be saying sorry to YOU. I'm team DH all the way.

BreatheAndFocus · 23/04/2026 18:35

ChrisTheBastard · 23/04/2026 17:25

She takes it in if it barks... This sentence is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Takes it in 5 seconds later after 2 yaps - well done, good sensible owner.

What I suspect happens is that the fucking thing yaps incessantly at literally anything for about 25 minutes before it gets moved indoors. In that circumstances, I don't blame the poor guy for getting irritated

Show quote history

Clearly if she did leave it barking 25 minutes before getting it in, that wouldn’t be acceptable, but nowhere has OP said this, and, by her comment, she has implied the neighbour gets the dog in in a timely manner if it’s barking.