I am in a lovely little terraced house, walls are like paper. I live as quietly as a mouse (both neighbours have commented on this with amusement in the past) not perfect I'm sure but rarely make much noise. I also really really struggle with certain noises in general (sloppy eaters, slamming doors etc etc) but I'm not an arsehole about it, I know people have to live their lives so I'm not some constant nag. Plus I haven't done well enough in life to buy a castle and live in the sky so there it is. My problem. Shit happens. I'm only saying all that because when I get pissed off with things I'm never quite sure if it's just me being intolerant. Neighbour 1 I get on well with, he's similar to me very quiet friendly but mainly keeps to himself. Neighbour 2... I hear her shouting on the phone or ruffling around in the kitchen but it doesn't bother me. She is in all ways but one a really good neighbour. She messages me if I'm not around and she can hear someone in my house (it was the cat feeder I was out of town!) she's a human burglar alarm! She never has blasting music or parties etc and always apologises if say there's workmen in her house, she even apologised once when she had a massive row with the other half (I don't expect her to do this and have told her there's truly no need!)
Then... the one bad thing but unfortunately... it's very bad.
She got a puppy. A very high maintenance, energetic puppy. Expensive breed. Not a lockdown one it was a couple of months before this. I admit I do NOT like dogs at all another reason why I'm not sure if it's just me. From day one the fucking thing has been a nightmare. She is out the house 11 hours PLUS a day during the week and it's alone. I honestly don't know what she was thinking. Yet another idiot thinking a real puppy is a cuddly toy. It barked, howled and cried all the live long day. Proper separation anxiety. Drove me fucking mental and we ended up having several conversations about it. Some of which I initiated some of which when she would ask about it. She was bothered at first, threw all sorts of toys at it. Full of apologies. Gave it bones to grind on, left a radio on, got a webcam (he smashed it up). It is one year later still totally untrained, she can't handle him at all she just shouts at him. She doesn't seem to understand or care that this dog is a live animal not an asset, with very high needs. It needs human supervision and a lot of exercise not some fucking bones to chew on. I am WFH full time and it was really stressing me out sometimes the barking would start as early as 5.30am if she was doing a certain shift. Things got more and more heated and in the end we had a massive row and she pretty much said she was sick of me "moaning" and there was "nothing I can do about it" and we stopped talking... I wasn't pestering her everyday I probably sent her a total of 4/5 complaints including a recording so she could hear it herself, over a space of 3/4 months. Any other time I told her how bad it was, was when she asked me.
We made civil but not overly friendly peace over Halloween time. Exchanged Christmas cards. Things improved as she got a lodger in who WFH so was there in the day, the dog is very quiet when a human is with him. However she (lodger) has moved out so here we fucking go again. The dog isn't AS bad but he still makes a lot of noise. She is fully aware of the issue she just no longer cares about it the whole "oh well I tried you'll just have to get used to it" mentality. I think someone pops in mid morning to check on him for all of 15 minutes let him in the garden etc. But that's it, no other company until the evening. If I'm at home my heart sinks everytime I see her leave the house... because I know it will be constant fucking barking and crying for at least half an hour before it calms down... then a bit of normality for half an hour, a full hour if I'm lucky. Before anyone says "report it" what's the point? The RSPCA will do absolutely fuck all the dog is under a warm roof and fed, she isn't doing anything illegal and it's me who will have the discomfort of a neighbour war - she would know it's me. If you work full time and you decide to take on a dog of that breed you need either doggy daycare or a house sitter. Or see fucking sense, put his welfare before yourself and rehome. It absolutely baffles me and I am so fucked off that someone can be so cruel to the dog and so selfish and inconsiderate to neighbours because of their shit, irresponsible life choices. We both own, I could NEVER sell up with that shit next door. All I want is to come home and not have my heart in my mouth thinking whether that dog is alone or not. I've had to go back to a 20 mile commute to an office I don't want to be in a lot more now just for some fucking peace. I'm not going to raise the issue again there's no point, she doesn't give a flying fuck and there's nothing I can do about it so I'm not really asking for advice just ranting I suppose. Am I being unreasonable for being totally fucked off with it?! Why are people so selfish?!