To own an indoor only dog in one bed flat?

[JusWunderin]

I’ve noticed a couple over the road have a dog, at first I wasn’t sure if it was actually theirs as I never saw it come or go so assume it was a visitor.

But since I’ve had a doorbell camera that picks up movement from their front door opposite my house I’ve never once seen them take it out, not once. I work from home and my office faces their front door too so I’ve become a bit of a nosey neighbour if I’m honest. But I feel sad for the dog, it never goes outside, they occasionally open their ‘patio’ doors (barred in doors with no balcony on upper level flat) and the dog just stands there with its nose poking through the bars.

It looks healthy, it’s a relatively young dog/puppy, large breed and doesn’t look uncared for but I would have thought it doesn’t have much room to get much exercise in a one bedroom flat?

and I know what you’re going to ask.. what about toileting? No idea.. I’ve literally never once seen them take it out on a walk, or just outside for the toilet. I’ve seen them come and go.. just never with the dog.

Is it cruel? Should it be reported? I don’t want to be ‘that’ neighbour but?

How do you know there's not a back way out you big weirdy, watching someone for hours is very very odd!

Theres a physiological aspect to this: If a dog doesnt have acces to outside grass it will be susceptible to CANCER ..Grass contains Vitamin B17 which flights Cancer.

@rainontherooftop

You take puppies out straight away, just avoid the park and other dogs. My vet was very insistent that ddog was allowed off leash a week after first jabs before he ran too fast for me to catch him! Was fine (her advice was to avoid fresh water though due to risk being higher)

Yes very sad, I guess it could have a health condition but from what you’ve said it doesn’t sound like it.

Could you speak to them and ask if it’s getting walked? Or post an anonymous letter through the door.

I have heard of someone who doesn’t take there dogs out because they ‘don’t like walks’ but her dogs have so many behaviour issues undoubtedly as a result.

Isn’t it illegal to have a camera trained on a neighbour’s house?

I know that people have been taken to court over having ring doorbells showing neighbours’ property and lost.

If you can’t not be recording your neighbours’ front door then you need to get rid of the ring doorbell.

Yes, it can be.

OP needs to get a different brand, which can be more closely targeted and excludes other people's doors. If that is not possible, then she should revert to an ordinary doorbell

There is no such thing as an indoor dog only. Anyone who says so is a neglectful dog owner. Dogs needs mental and physical stimulation that comes from outings outside.

I have worked in rescue and a vets. If you have concerns I would suggest you contact your local council. Not that they will do much unless they have had heaps of complaints. If you are in Scotland contact SSPCA or England RSPCA. Again if dog has food, water , shelter and has no obvious neglect they won’t do anything but advise. But again at least it is noted. Even if the dog is young or unwell it still needs out in garden at least. Many people adopt dogs with good intentions that fail very quickly. Possibly with it being a large breed it is strong and perhaps not well socialised so it’s hassle for them to walk. It is no life for a dog to be stuck indoors all day every day.
good luck

I live in a flat with a dog and we walk him weird times of the night. My downstairs neighbour have a ring doorbell and I take great delight in trying to avoid it, in different ways because its drives me nuts that it basically monitors anyone going up the stairs to me.

Just before I get jumped on, we got the dog before we moved, I would never recommend getting a dog in a flat

They should be taking the dog out but there’s no way the rspca will be in the slightest bit interested in a dog that looks healthy and is being cared for.

It’s very sad but there isn’t anything you can do except to offer to walk the dog yourself. It’s a struggle taking out a dog who’s never been outside though because they’re likely to to terrified.

They absolutely are and in fact must be allowed out, for socialisation reasons - the caveat is their paws should never touch the ground until all vaccinations are done. Usually this means carrying the dog / using a carrier of some sort, but to never take out a puppy is to set them up for a lifetime of behavioural issues.

Awe poor dog.

We had a dog in a flat but we were on the ground floor with a big enclosed shared garden which permitted dogs being in there. We took her out daily on long walks and also shorter trots around the neighbourhood.

We now have a house with a garden and I have to say it is a lot easier! I’m so sorry for so many dogs in this country who are neglected or abandoned. I don’t know how people have it in their heart to act like that!

I was going to suggest you offer to walk the dog on your dinner hour. Make an excuse that you need the exercise.

but then I had the same thought- the poor animal will be terrified being taken out by a stranger if it’s never been out before. So probably not a good plan.

You can normally set it so it only picks up movement on your driveway/front of house.
If I left mine in the full mode it came with it would pick up movement across the road and next door. I've set it so it only triggers if someone steps into our drive/garden area.

If I click live view I can see further afield, but not for the triggers.

I always thought it was good etiquette to only have it trigger for your own property, not the public road/paths and other people's property.

If nothing else it would drive me mad to have notifications coming through so regularly every time someone walked or drove by in the road or going in and out of other people's property.

And it is probably using more battery to keep having to notify and record.

I can’t offer to walk the dog. I have a long time fear of dogs so that would be too far out of my comfort zone. But it doesn’t mean I don’t care for the welfare of them.

If there’s no point in me reporting because the dog looks healthy enough then I’ll just mind my own business for now. If anything more untoward crops up like it starts looking unhealthy, constant barking ect then perhaps I’ll look to report it then.

But by the looks of the majority of comments there wouldn’t be much done at this point so there isn’t much I can do.

If your ring doorbell is recording your neighbours’ comings and goings, you are likely to be breaking the law. You are not allowed to do this.

Adjust your camera and leave them alone. You are that neighbour.

I hope adjusting your doorbell setting so you can't see their every coming and going is part of your decision to mind your own business

Yes it usually is. The Information Commissioner’s Office can take a very dim view as this is effectively stalking and breaches GDPR.

This is a GDPR breach.

I’m not adjusting my doorbell. I got the door bell because a male resident in the flats once tried my front door when I was home alone with the kids. It was only when my neighbour arrived home that she text me to let me know what she saw.

We’ve had multiple incidents with children damaging surroundings also. So no, I won’t be adjusting my doorbell. I like to know that if something happens I’ve got it on camera.

It’s not focused on their door, it just picks up movement from any of the areas on or surrounding my property. Cars driving by, people walking their dogs past my house, people parking in visitor spaces ect.

A lot of people here acting like I have cctv specifically aimed at my neighbours when that isn’t the case, their door just happens to be in the vicinity of where my doorbell camera picks up movement 😂

Plus, doesn’t anyone else get so many “does anything have a doorbell/cctv footage on X street, Y area as ABC happened and we want to find the person who did it”.

All dogs should be taken for a walk even if people have a garden, even more so if in a flat!
Reporting them won't get anything done though if it is healthy looking and has access to food and water.

No a dog can't be indoors at all times especially not a large breed theor muscles will literally waste away and the dog will become destructive due to boredom

Isn't this illegal?

Oh is it? That’s interesting. Off to have a google!