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Original poster

Please help me stay friends with my neighbours

26 replies

Cutecat78 · 08/06/2016 23:24

My neighbours rent the semi next door. They moved in a few months ago.

We own our house.

They are really nice.

BUT they have a little tiny dog that they leave there all day and when they are not there it yaps CONSTANTLY and TBH is beginning to spoil my life.

I can't chill out in my bedroom because there is now a small dog yapping noise.

WTF don I do?! Sad

OP posts:
BeckyMcDonald · 08/06/2016 23:25

Have you told them? They may be unaware.

Stillunexpected · 08/06/2016 23:27

Have you told them? If it yaps when they are out they won't know unless you tell them. Dogs are not solitary creatures though, they shouldn't be leaving it home alone all day :-(

Original poster
Cutecat78 · 08/06/2016 23:29

I asked if the dog was OK as it yapped all day and she said yes it's fine Confused

OP posts:
Canyouforgiveher · 08/06/2016 23:32

BUT they have a little tiny dog that they leave there all day

he isn't fine. he yaps all day. and dogs are social animals, they shouldnt be 8 hours on their own.

Tell her her dog's yapping is bothering you and ask her what she intends to do about it.

April2013 · 08/06/2016 23:34

You could offer to take it for a walk or be with you at your house.

Blondie1984 · 08/06/2016 23:35

I would go round and say that you have noticed the dog barks all day and that you are concerned about it - hopefully when they heard that they will do something about it - and they will think of you as the neighbour who is genuinely concerned about their precious pet... ;)

katemiddletonsnudeheels · 08/06/2016 23:40

I think you need to be politely honest about how much it bothers you.

Lost as to the renting/owning significance, though!

whois · 08/06/2016 23:42

Lost as to the renting/owning significance, though!
That it's harder for the OP to move than if she was renting? That's what I thought she meant.

HiddenMeaning · 08/06/2016 23:45

I think you need to be honest with them too. I hate yapping. It's a really irritating noise. I'd be straight about how irritating you find it but you could also mention that you are worried about the dog. There are plenty of dog barking monitoring apps, some record the dogs and allow the owners to speak to the dogs remotely. You could suggest they try one of them.

mizuzu · 08/06/2016 23:46

that is annoying maybe she is one of those people who dont take hints go round again and just say it blunt but not rude

HiddenMeaning · 08/06/2016 23:48

EXAMPLE remote DOG monitoring APP

Please help me stay friends with my neighbours
Savemefromwine · 08/06/2016 23:50

Poor dog. Clearly he's not fine as digs need company. My little dog is almost like another child and nothing like our cats.

tell them straight it's a problem they. Need to address

Smurfit · 08/06/2016 23:51

Just tell them it's bothering you. I have a small dog and I'm constantly worrying about whether or not she's bothering the neighbours. I've talked to the ones I see and I know the ones I don't would come and say something.

BirthdayBetty · 09/06/2016 00:15

I feel sorry for the dog too, a dog shouldn't be left all day alone.

BoatyMcBoat · 09/06/2016 00:17

Dogs are distressed when they're left at home for long periods. Tell her to get him a pal to keep him company.

Iknownuffink · 09/06/2016 00:18

He is suffering from separation anxiety.

My dog got so bad that I could not leave him alone.

That said I have a friend whose dogs bark constantly only in her company. They are silent when she is not about.

If I were you I would record the dog and speak to your neighbour. Let her hear the recording.

She is obviously unaware of how distressed her dog is.

Does she have a dog walker for the dog whilst she is at work?

EttaJ · 09/06/2016 00:33

I would tell her she's bloody cruel to leave him home alone for that long. Poor pup.

SeaLionsOnMyShirt · 09/06/2016 00:35

You could offer to take it for a walk or be with you at your house.

There's always one, eh April? And what if the OP doesn't actually want to spend her day looking after someone else's dog?

OP, please mention it seriously to your neighbour, she honestly may not be aware of it. Failing that.... well, DH occasionally uses an app which shuts up the dog next door which is left outside to yap every morning from 6-7am....

Iknownuffink · 09/06/2016 01:39

Can I also add that my indoor cat gives me shit vocally when I am in the garden. I do take her into the garden, she is terrified of being outdoors.

She really gives me a mouthful of abuse when I come indoor.

Dogs crave company, they are pack animals.

Do speak to your neighbour.

Marsaday · 09/06/2016 01:59

sealions what is this app you speak of that stops dogs barking?

Our neighbours have a jack russell that barks constantly when it is let out in the Garden, and tonight it woke the baby and the toddler at 11pm.

VioletBam · 09/06/2016 02:34

Our dog barked a lot and the neighbours complained. Ours was a new puppy though so we were actually in the process of training him.

We worked with the neighbour to help the dog learn that the neighbour's posed no threat and we apologised a LOT.

They need t not leave it! Simple as that. They need a dog sitter...or some place to take it in the day.

Let them know it barks all day and you don't like the noise.

Our dog is never alone...they simply don't like it a a rule.

DownUnderBound · 09/06/2016 07:28

Violet bam can I ask how long it took before your puppy stopped? Ours is howling and the neighbours have complained and my anxiety is through the roof! Which breed is yours? I think some bark more than others as a rule

Wizzles · 09/06/2016 08:06

We had this with our old neighbours' Jack Russell. Every time we told them how awful the noise was she would reply "yes it's terrible isn't it" ! And continue to do nothing about it!

This dog had company - they had a black lab too who they'd had for years. He was lovely, but ever since the Jack Russell arrived he looked really fed up, poor thing.

In the end they moved - thank god !

LunaLoveg00d · 09/06/2016 08:19

You could offer to take it for a walk or be with you at your house.

Ridiculous "solution" to the OP's problem. The yapping mutt is not her responsibility, it is her neighbour's problem!

If it continues to be a problem, report her to the Council's noise department and her landlord.

VioletBam · 09/06/2016 08:32

Downunder he's a Maremma...so very barky. They're a guardian dog and think they need to protect the property all day.

It took about three months and he still has the odd failure.

A bark collar meant nothing to him. It would spray him with lemony stuff when he barked and he didn't flinch.

The only thing that worked was as SOON as he began barking, I'd call him to come and sit...he'd already learned that meant a treat. So he would bark a couple more times and then come and sit. As soon as he'd sat nicely and wasn't barking, I'd tell him he was a good boy and give him a treat.

Then he began to realise that as soon as he stopped barking he got a treat. Now I just need to call him and say "Sit!" and he stops.

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