Neighbour won't leave my bloody dogs in peace!

[Leavethedogsinpeace]

NC and some details changed.

I have 2 dogs, one male and one female.
My boy is a big softy but territorial in the garden and at the window if anyone approaches the house. He's also protective of me in the absence of my DH more so since I've been very ill. He doesn't bite or snap, he growls a warning and barks.
My neighbour is constantly antagonising him, the neighbour likes the female dog and throws her cooked meat and biscuits but not to my boy. He continually tries to talk to the female and approaches our wall and reaches over. I've told him to stop doing this. My boy gets increasingly wound up barking and the neighbour threatens to hose him if he doesn't stop barking, he has actually hosed him and his wife told him off.
Today I was out for a bit and when I came back the neighbour said my boy was scrabbling to get out the front window to him when he arrived at his home and was aggressively barking. The windows were a mess with snot and saliva, he said mmmm it's not a great situation is it, he could have gotten out the window (it was open on the latch about 2 inches and it cant open) I just ignored him, continued what I was doing but brought the dogs in and had a little cry. My health is shit, I am in a lot of pain daily and I don't want to deal with barking dogs and have my boy distressed on top of this. I suspect the neighbour has been standing in front of the bloody window antagonising the dogs. Before I brought them in earlier the neighbour was trying to get my girl to go to him but she started barking at him, probably because of the hose but also because my boy was barking. The neighbour said oh piss off then if your barking too. His wife said quietly leave the dogs alone.
My DH is on his way home and we will discuss adding an additional fence on top of the wall. The neighbour used to work away a lot but will now be home most days so it's going to be an ongoing issue.
I really don't know how to deal with this. I wish he would just fuck off and leave us in peace, stop feeding the one dog and trying to wind them up.
Long post and probably a complete ramble. Please be very kind, I've had the snotty hiccupy tears this afternoon.

[Random789]

Could you have a word with the wife, who seems more sensible? Perhaps ask her to tell her husband to leave the dogs alone and stop antagonising them?

Sorry this is getting you down

[Soubriquet]

Oh bless you. I think the only thing you can do, is block your neighbours access really

Put something up so he can’t see over the fence, block the windows so he can’t see in.

It’s not fair on you, and it’s certainly not fair on your dog who is going to get more and more stressed

[Feduplandlord]

Stick on security film. My dogs are loads calmer, as am I, since we put a strip up at the bottom of the window. We live on a street with lots of people passing by. It's opaque but lets light through, fab stuff.

It sticks on with washing up liquid, so comes off easily with no mess. Find it on the usual online stores!

[JayAlfredPrufrock]

I’d pop round and tell him to stop annoying your dogs.

[Bonbon21]

He absolutely should not be throwing any foodstuffs to your dog.
I would send your husband round...only cos you are feeling so unwell!!.... to have a firm conversation with both of them.
If the animals are in your garden and it is secure it is nobodys elses business.
If he didnt wind the dogs up they wouldnt bark.
The dogs are protecting their space and their people, but will accept passerbys if they are trained to do so.
This guy is a dick.
His wife probably knows that already.

[Premiumbondbaby]

Get cheap CCTV and gather evidence of him teasing the dogs via the front window whilst you are out.

[MrsCarson]

CCTV or ring doorbells front and back so you can see him antagonising the dogs and throwing food over. I'd probably approach the Community officer if you have one and talk about what's happening and what he's doing.

[Honeyroar]

I wonder if you could speak to the police on the non emergency line. Tell them that the neighbours are throwing food over for one and antagonising the other, ignoring your requests to stop. They may come and have a word with him, and if not the situation is logged in case he reports you. I’d consider speaking to the local dog warden for advice. And put up “please do not feed the dog” signs. Then you’ve done all you can.

[AnonyMenOhPee]

Get a ring doorbell - if you see him winding your dog up you can talk through it or turn the siren on. If he knows you’re watching him it might be a deterrent. He definitely needs to pack it in feeding your other one too.

[Honeyroar]

Cameras are definitely a good idea.

[GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut]

I wish he would just fuck off and leave us in peace, stop feeding the one dog and trying to wind them up.

I think you should tell him exactly this OP. He sounds an utter wanker.

[WhineWhineWhineWINE]

Next time he does it turn your hosepipe on him, see how he likes it.

[ActDottie]

I hate people like this! I think a higher fence is the best bet, then could you keep them upstairs when you go out? That way he definitely can’t be getting to the windows. If not definitely get a security camera so you can catch him.

[Leavethedogsinpeace]

Thank you so much for all the replies, I've suggested to my DH about the ring doorbells. I've priced them before and they are reasonable. He's looking at the wall for the fence now and he said he will speak to the wife when she's out later. There's absolutely no point talking to him because he is always right, one of those. I'm normally not shy with my tongue but the last couple of weeks I've been in agony and been frustratingly teary arghhh. I just like my own little bubble.
Feeding them is so bad, if meat goes over the wall and my girl misses it, there's a scrabble to get it. I think the neighbour just enjoys making a rabble.
Thank you @Feduplandlord I'm going to look at getting that film. Xx

[seratoninmoonbeams]

This stuff is great and easy to apply. I've had it on years and it still looks as good as when I put it on.

rabbitgoo Self-Adhesive Frosted... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M3RT7MT?ref=ppx%5D%5D%5B%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fdp%2FB01M3RT7MT%3Fref%3Dppx_pop_mob_ap_share&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 poppmobappshare

[ZeldaWillTellYourFortune]

Regardless of anything else, throwing meat and biscuit is beyond the pale. I am just speechless that anyone would think it is OK to toss food to someone else's dog.

The cameras/Ring doorbells are a good idea but can you write a stern letter saying that under NO circumstances must food be thrown over the fence, and that your dogs don't bark unless they are deliberately antagonized; from here onward you will be videoing ALL interactions and seeking legal advice should he continue to harrass, agitate and upset your dogs and your household.

I realize this is the nuclear option and might preclude a pleasant relationship but you don't have one now, anyway.

Do you think he is of sound mind? Is he elderly? What is the wife like? How long have you lived near them? It is just horrible that you and your poor dogs have to deal with this.

[Nopicplease]

I would do everything you can to block him from being able to antagonise your dog.
My neighbours (almost teenage) children have been winding my dog up for months, she flipped and jumped the hedge to attack their dog a few weeks ago and now I've had a community protection warning from the police and had to rehome my dog.
Unfortunately there are no mitigating circumstances that would be taken into account if something similar happens to you.

[Feduplandlord]

Yep, the Rabitgoo stuff, it's excellent.

Shit neighbours make everything miserable. Big hug.

[Cherrysoup]

Get the film, speak to the bloke and tell him to stop or you’ll be logging it on 101. Wanker, clearly. I’d bloody kill him for winding up my dogs. 🤬

[Leavethedogsinpeace]

@Nopicplease

I would do everything you can to block him from being able to antagonise your dog.
My neighbours (almost teenage) children have been winding my dog up for months, she flipped and jumped the hedge to attack their dog a few weeks ago and now I've had a community protection warning from the police and had to rehome my dog.
Unfortunately there are no mitigating circumstances that would be taken into account if something similar happens to you.

This is what I'm worried about. He's a big soft lump and is great outside the house anywhere we go. If anything happened to him I'd go mental. I'm so sorry this happened you must be heartbroken 💔 xx

[Leavethedogsinpeace]

@ZeldaWillTellYourFortune

Regardless of anything else, throwing meat and biscuit is beyond the pale. I am just speechless that anyone would think it is OK to toss food to someone else's dog.

The cameras/Ring doorbells are a good idea but can you write a stern letter saying that under NO circumstances must food be thrown over the fence, and that your dogs don't bark unless they are deliberately antagonized; from here onward you will be videoing ALL interactions and seeking legal advice should he continue to harrass, agitate and upset your dogs and your household.

I realize this is the nuclear option and might preclude a pleasant relationship but you don't have one now, anyway.

Do you think he is of sound mind? Is he elderly? What is the wife like? How long have you lived near them? It is just horrible that you and your poor dogs have to deal with this.

We've been here 8 years and wife is absolutely lovely. As I said he worked away a lot so we never really seen him, unfortunately he's now home most of the time. He's definitely sound of mind, he's a dog expert don't you know, been around dogs all his life apparently. They are both mid 60's so not old. X

[Leavethedogsinpeace]

@Feduplandlord

Yep, the Rabitgoo stuff, it's excellent.

Shit neighbours make everything miserable. Big hug.

Thank you for the hug, I've put the film in my basket so i know what one it is and I'll measure it shortly and get it ordered. That's a brilliant idea I should get it for the car. The windows are tinted and no one can see in but the dogs can see out.

[daffodilandtulip]

Get evidence now. A similar thing happened to me and it got as far as court so I had to rehouse my dog because I had very little evidence. Meanwhile they had created this entire portfolio of evidence of my "vicious barking dog" (who was responding to similar NDN behaviour).

[BungleandGeorge]

Do your dogs bark when other people approach your house?

[Leavethedogsinpeace]

You've all made me feel better, DH gave me a cuddle. I'll update on the fence situation when he says to the wife.