To be getting sick of my next door neighbour?

[lineylane]

NDN moved in 6 weeks ago. We have only been here approx 4 months ourselves.

We have three dogs- 2 Rottweilers (honestly the softest, most dopey dogs you will meet- all the children on our close adore them and will come up and pet them etc) and a very old, feeble staffie who couldn’t even catch a fly if he tried.

Rotties are walked three times a day- once by DH in the morning, dog walker in the afternoon and me of an evening. Our staffie cannot walk long distances so either both me and DH go on a walk and one of us turns back with our staffie or he doesn’t come out with us.

Aside from this, they get let out in the garden for a play/pee a couple times a day by me (work from home) fully supervised as it’s my time to enjoy a smoke and a quick brew.

Approx a week after NDN moved in, we got a knock on the door at 8am- hysterically screaming at us that are “dogs are out of control” and are dangerous and may attack their DC if they are playing in the garden.

I insisted they were all incredibly friendly, well trained and while like rough and tumble with each other- are impeccably behaved around humans and suggested NDN brought her DC round to meet them which made her even more hysterical. I ended up shutting the door in her face, resulting her banging on the door for 20 minutes screaming through the letterbox while I was on a conference call. I will admit, I ended up losing my temper and ended up opening the front room window and asking her what the fuck she thought she was doing and to get off my property. Looked very taken aback and sulked off.

Anyway- two weeks ago, NDN brought two kittens. Got a knock on the door saying we would have to either keep the dogs indoors, or get rid “because no doubt our dogs would choose to savage them”. Of course no dog can be 100% trusted, but I can say with 95% confidence that if said cats came in the garden the dogs would come to me if recalled.

This wasn’t good enough for said neighbour. I suggested my DH put barbed wire on top of our shared fence so cats wouldn’t be able to jump over. Apparently we are now cruel to animals

Anyway things have come to a head this morning. Another neighbour has come and knocked to say NDN has started a petition for us to get rid of our dogs because they are all of “dangerous breed”. Most people have told her to fuck off, one or two others have sided with her.

I’m close to ringing the police for harassment.

AIBU?

I know it is easy for me to say- but the dogs are well behaved. We hate ill behaved dogs too. The do bark occasionally, but if it’s repeated they are told to stop. Don’t jump up at the fence, don’t misbehave on walks even when off the lead- if you watched them in the garden it may cause some alarm as they will all play fight together but given the chance people find they actually are lovely dogs. Even our cleaner who doesn’t like large dogs has grown to love them.

I’m just scared to let them out because she’s the sort of person to throw poisoned food or something over the fence- me and DH don’t have DC yet so our dogs are very much our babies.

I honestly hate having bad blood but I’ve had enough. I think she rents as well so might even try and track the letting agent down and make a complaint to them. I feel horrible doing it but she isn’t going to stop.

Her kittens, Her problem.

I had similar with a holiday home guest nextdoor to me when her chihuahuas crawled under the few inches gap of my six foot fenced property and my Belgian malinois promptly chased them back out again.
I would certainly report it to the police as harassment.

I'm instinctively wary of Rottweilers simply because I've heard a few scary stories, but this lady is being ridiculous. You've done everything possible to reassure them, offering to introduce the dogs to their Dcs, etc., and she's rebuffed every attempt at reason.

Let the police know you're being harassed and I'll bet she'll be really taken aback that you're calling her out on her behaviour.

Send her this and ask which one she is going to install to keep her kittens out of your garden.
protectapet.com/how-it-works-cats/

Ndn is clearly bonkers for banging on your door like that but how realistic are you about your dogs behaviour? Seems strange that some of your neighbours have sided with her on the petition. I'm have two big dogs so I'm not against dogs at all but I have a neighbour with 3 dogs who is oblivious to how bad they are.
When we first moved in the dogs were crazy barking and growing at us. Neighbouring said ' oh, my dogs are big babies and won't hurt anyone, they love other dogs and kid's. They way our gardens are laid out means I can hear how aggressive his dogs sound. We live next to a common area for dog walking. Got chatting to lots of other dog walkers there and several of them have warned us to stay away from neighbours dogs if we see them because he has no control over them and they are aggressive and attack other dogs! I've actually seen people leave the common when they see my neighbour coming with his dogs and we go in the opposite direction to him now just in case. But every time I've spoken to him he tells me how lovely and gentle his dogs are. So as long as your dogs really are as good as you say they are then your neighbours are being bonkers. Also I think it's her responsibility to keep her cats safe provided your dogs ate contained within your garden and can't escape and roam free

I'm a cat lover who is nervous around dogs, but she is bonkers!

but is there anything in their behaviour that you can see might worry someone who doesn't like or know about dogs?

Yeah they are apparently 'dangerous breeds'... That's all some idiots need to take offence.
I would contact the police, non emergency obviously and seek their advice in terms of this harassment and to make them aware of the situation. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the cats doesn't return immediately one day and she's on the phone to the police stating she's seen your dogs eat it.

I know, OP, I don't doubt how well you know your dogs. I was asking in the nicest possible way, just trying to see her point of view.

If you're confident about this and she carries on harassing you, I'd be tempted to call 101 for advice (I found them very helpful on the one occasion I called them, albeit not for this kind of thing). They may even suggest that you talk to her letting agent, as you've mentioned.

We have aggressive dogs next door (3 of the fuckers) and the only time I’ve ever had cause to speak to NDN about it is when one of his bit our elderly staffie through the fence and cut her face.

Your NDN sounds like a jumped up arsehole, and she’s just got kittens to bait your dogs. Not only incredibly stupid, but also cruel to the kittens.

I’m not usually of the “log it with 101” types, but in this instance it’s harassment so I would.

FWIW I’d rather live next door to two rotties and a staffie than the supposedly posh breed I do live next door to that are actually out of control!

She sounds like an utter dick who thinks the world revolves around her. I would definitely report her for harassment and also to her letting agent.

She sounds horrible. Complaining to her landlord is definitely called for at this point, and not something you should feel badly about. Her approaching neighbours to sign a petition about your dogs (who she's never actually had a negative encouter with - she's just fearful of doing so) is malicious and completely unacceptable.

It's making me angry on your behalf even reading this thread, so I can only imagine how stressed and infuriated you feel at having to deal with.

I would contact my local PCSO and discuss this from a harassment/antisocial behaviour angle. They will probably go and speak to her, pointing out that your dogs are perfectly legal and under control and warning her to leave you alone. That may well be enough but if not it’s all on record with PCSO and the police can then escalate the complaint.

I wouldn’t leave it though, it’s too easy for certain breeds to be demonised when they’ve done nothing wrong so get your side in first so it’s obvious you’re a responsible owner. I’ve yet to meet a rottie who wasn’t a big softy and have 2 staffs myself, I also have cats and they’re more than capable of evading/dealing with dogs so don’t worry about the kittens, they will learn quickly to avoid your garden.

thisis I felt the same. Especially about the screaming through your letterbox for 20.mins. Who on earth does this??

As both a dog and cat owner and lover it’s entirely her fault if your dogs did happen to kill her cats on your property. Everyone has responsibility of their own animals and if she wants to ensure their safety against any dogs she needs to keep her cats indoors or cat proof her garden. I would speak to your local dog warden and explain the situation. That will be who she would complain to so making them aware of the harassment would give you a head start on prevent any escalation. The whole situation sounds mental TBH. If your dogs are well behaved and controlled and playing in their own garden she doesn’t have a leg to stand on. I’m not really sure what she’s hoping to achieve tbh? As if you’d get rid of all your dogs just because she says so??

Dog haters are horrible people

I thought your post was so sensible and informed until I read this last line.

That's simply not true and an awful generalisation. Some people have very unpleasant past experiences with dogs and do - as a result - strongly dislike them.

To say that makes them 'horrible people' is just not true.

Deffo get PCSO advice, the NDN knew what she was doing getting the kittens.

Incidentally... does she have LL permission for kittens???

Yes I wouldn’t leave it go now.

She needs a warning incase she does anything to your dogs which I am sure she wouldn’t but a shot across her bows from the local pcso might be advisable.

I would contact the letting agent too.

I would report her for harassment - if they are safely contained in your garden they are not her concern. She need to train her kids to keep out of your garden - and keep the kittens in hers

I think I would be getting some CCTV in your garden just in case she does attempt something to either harm or antagonise your dogs....

As apriljune12 says, is she allowed to have pets if she's renting?

Just on the subject of Rottweilers:

1. They are great family pets. Really good with children. Their reputation is undeserved.
2. The only rotties I come across when walking my labrador (a very submissive dog) are gentle and playful.

OP - don't give in to those who, in their ignorance, think otherwise.

Hey OP. I’m a truly horrible person as I really dislike cats AND dogs (clearly going to hell) but YANBU at all. She sounds bizarre and I think you should just let her carry on. You have nothing to fear and she will run out of steam eventually when she realised she’s on a path to nowhere.

I’m with the posters who have said why on earth did she get two kittens if she thinks that they might meet a terrible demise in the jaws of your dogs?!

Also she can’t control her cats. Once cats are out and roaming that’s it. They will go where they please. Therefore she has made the decision to potentially put their lives in danger if she truly believes your dogs are dangerous. Therefore she is bonkers and also irresponsible.

On a more hopeful note, there are plenty of cats round here that know not to come in my garden because I have a dog. The cats will learn.

She's bonkers. She has no jurisdiction over your dogs in your garden. If she's that bothered there is a type of wire mesh cat fence you fit to top of existing one that cats can't navigate due to its being curved over. Ignore her, if you log & report further stuff to community police officers.

I would take the wind out of her sails promptly by asking the community PCSO to come round to discuss her harassment of you. Once he knows the dogs, and your set-up (all microchipped, id-tagged and insured presumably), he'll be best placed to respond to any complaints from neighbour's without further reference.
I'd also stick some cctv on the back garden, at worst she could do the poison thing but she may also try to goad/tease the dogs to prove her point.