To ask someone not to walk down a footpath at night ?

[Nearlyoldenoughtowearpurple]

We live in the country, at the end of a private lane. This is also a footpath.
For the last few months our dogs have been barking madly about 11o clock at night. We put it down to foxes but I find it really unnerving, especially if dh is away.
One night, just before Xmas, the barking was worse and it sounded like the dogs had got out. It was about 11.30. Dh went downstairs and opened the front door to see if he could see our dog but there was a guy standing on the doorstep. He said that he had come to apologise because he had been walking his dog in the lane and it had got through the fence into our sheep field and he thought it might have chased the sheep . ( sheep all fine in case worried).
He gave dh his card and said that he walks his dog at night as its not good with other dog. From his business card I think he is a bit of a techy up late at night gamer type anyway, who probably doesn't find it weird to be walking at that time.
Since then we have realised that it's his walking down the lane that upsets the dogs as they bark, shut up and then bark again in the amount of time it would take to go past the house to the end of the lane and then back again.
I have his email address, do you think it ok to send him a polite message, just explaining how much this freaks me out and ask him to not walk past the house after a certain time, pretty please ? There is a big field , with a footpath in it, just before the start of our drive so it's not like he couldn't walk anywhere, just not the ten minute walk up the lane past the house and back. Obviously I appreciate I can't stop him, just point out its a bit antisocial?
Am I being precious ? It just really scares me ( and dd)

OP, the replies you are getting here are weird.

I think if anyone's being unreasonable it's this man for his dog having got in to your sheep and him continuing to walk it off leash near them. What a dick.

I live in the country and I often walk my dog last thing at night. There is no way I would walk (twice) past a house where I knew I would set dogs off barking. It just manners and a bit of country etiquette. On one of the walks we do there are dogs that often bark actually and without really thinking much about it we don't go that way after dark.

Send your email. I think you are being very nice by not having reported him for the off leash dog around sheep thing.

Oh and your dogs look gorgeous and your curtains perfectly adequate

Beachcomber I agree with everything you say.

Gwen - well said

Are your dogs indoors? I hope so in this weather - but surely you can train them not to bark? Presumably they bark madly at everyone who passes with a dog so it would be in everyone's interests to encourage them not to. Perhaps have a word with your vet or look up some helpful advice about training? Seems a bit much to expect someone to not use a public footpath when the problem isn't actually his...

Yabu.
When his dog got into your sheep... he was causing a problem.
If your dog are barking whenever people go past... youre causing a problem.
In the day not many people mind... in the night you mind and others might mind.
If you were in a built up area... you'd be he getting complaints.
This guy might be a techy type... but techy types do great jobs... like stay awake all night making sure hospital computer systems work, or personal alarms for the disabled get answered... he might be about to start his night shift and be out doing his thing... his wife might be a midwife who goes on call at 2am...
Leave him to do his thing...

Am gobsmacked by this thread. Why buy a property next to a public right of way if you don't like people walking on it?

So zip- did you do it? What did he say?

Goodness me, what a lot of chippy comments! Op, you have mentioned two things which definitely bring out the worst in the British public: dogs and footpaths! I live in a rural area and grew up on a farm and completely see what you mean. Of course you want the dogs to bark if there is a need for security reasons; of course it is unusual to walk the dogs at 11.30 every night (it would be v rare in our small village); and it sounds as though there is enough surrounding countryside space for him to alter his route. I'd say ask him politely - offer him another of your fields to wander around maybe - and if he says no, no skin off anyone's noses. Just a daily annoyance you would have to put up with. Hope it goes well.

I've just read the thread and agree Scamp

The OP says Have lived here for twenty years and this has never been an issue, am not some kind of moved to the country moaning about church bell type

Regardless of anyone's Rights, wouldn't most people try and be amenable if possible?

The dog walker sounds polite and approachable so nothing to lose by speaking to him with a request. If he accommodates you, problem solved and if he doesn't want to change his route, then you're no worse off than you have been of late.

How about putting up a sign requesting dogs be kept on the lead between 9pm and 8am?
I don't think you're being that unreasonable.

The dog got into the field because there was a gap in the hedge. It was being walked off leash on a footpath, perfectly legally. It wasn't the mans fault and he could reasonably expect the farmer to maintain the boundary to safeguard the sheep

I think VVVU. It's a public footpath. He gets to take his dog on a late night walk. And you don't know why he picks that time - maybe it's because he has caring responsibilities and has to go after someone else is in bed, maybe he works shifts, maybe he just likes that time.

And he's totally entitled to do this. He shouldn't have to change his behaviour in a public place to suit your dogs.

Of course farmers maintain their boundaries in order to protect livestock
But I am a sheep farmer. I don't have dog repelling hedges just ordinary fences. Dogs which are not our sheep dogs don't go into our fields full stop.
The OP doesn't sound too worried about the sheep incident but I would be incandescent with rage.

I live in a small area that I call "Battersea branch of Barnardos" as for every child there seems to be a dog. A lot of the dogs are kept outside and are set off barking at the slightest noise. Training your dog not to bark unless they have someone approach their domain, I mean your house or their kennel is what should happen really. Being practical, no you can't stop the bloke walking where he does or when he does (note his dog is a bit antisocial not liking other dogs so perhaps you could find a card for a dog trainer for his dog so that he doesn't need to go out at late hours). Try and meet with the guy and just say it's a pity his dog has this problem, kind of throw in, just as well there are no children in the house as they would be disturbed so or that someone in the household works very early hours and is awakened with dogs barking. He may take the hint, but really nothing you can do as it is your dogs doing the barking, not his.

Frances I'm sorry about the angry face. However we live right next to a town with lots of dog walkers. There usually isn't much trouble except for the local C of S Minister's wife whose dog killed a sheep and there was a court case.

I always think put yourself in the other persons shoes. Would you be offended is someone asked the same of you? I certainly wouldn't. I would feel bad for waking you all up and go another way.

You can just as easily turn that on its head. Putting myself in his shoes - would I feel offended if someone asked me to keep off a section of a public footpath because their dogs were waking them up, whereas other people were able to walk the same section without being asked the same thing? No, I wouldn't feel offended - I'd feel pissed off, and probably very concerned that if I said no they might make things very unpleasant for me. I would consider myself to be a very decent person - as demonstrated by the fact that I had owned up to my dog getting into your sheep and giving you my card in case one of your ewes aborted - and had my reasons for walking at that time of night.

I think it's your dogs that are being antisocial rather than the man who legitimately walks down a path.

Crikey OP YANBU at all!
What's wrong with politely asking him? If someone asked me the same politely I'd alter my dog walking route.

As for the man's right of access to footpaths, there are loads of public footpaths near me that go through farmyards near farmhouses.

AFAIK I am "entitled" to go on them but I confine my runs and walks on those paths to daylight and avoid them when I'm out running with a headtorch on in the dark because I'm not a twat I can guess people probably don't welcome randoms running about on their property after dark.

Unless its private land he can walk where he wants when he wants!

Gwenhwyer "should be trained out of it" hilarious. Dogs trained out of barking. What next cats trained out of meowing 😂 dogs are suppost to bark and WILL bark if they think someone is a threat to their owners or property