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?

And saying 'all the kids on our close love them' is akin to a single mum trying to make a new boyfriend dad saying 'oh but we all love him'.
You don't know-the ones who hate them probably daren't come out!

You could contact the local dog warden to ask for advice. That would also help if it gets brought to his/her attention after this petition nonsense as they'll know the background and context.

OP are you in England or Ireland? There are only 4 breeds required to be muzzled in public in U.K. but more extensively lost for Ireland-of which rotties are on the Irish list of needing to be muzzled in public. Just wondering if this is why she was taking pictures of the dog walker, is the dog muzzled in public?

She sounds unhinged anyhow but aside from making sure they’re chipped, registered, insured etc there’s not a lot more you can do.
Barb wire for the fences sounds extreme and quite hostile imo, you can get strips of little metal spikes(not pointed) that you lay along the top of the fence panel-this stops the cats going on the fences as it’s uncomfortable for the pads to walk on, maybe an option?

If by your own admission there is a one in 20 chance that your dogs will go after the cats, then I am on your neighbour's side...

If I lived next door to someone who already owned dogs that I thought might go after cats, you know what I'd do? Not get cats. Such an easy way of resolving the problem.

Oh and yes if she's renting I wonder if she has permission for pets... That might be worth finding out!

What utter nonsense, Onetime.

Nowhere does OP mention children, and even if she did what do you think should happen to the dogs if she did?

onetimeposter you're not half projecting. My dog gets out for a quick pee in the garden but never does anything else - if she did I'd clean it up instantly just as I do when she's out for a walk. I know some people don't but that's nothing to do with the breed of dog.

One of the Rottweilers I know is a pet therapy dog. I can assure you that the residents of the nursing home she visits adore her.

YABU for this phrase alone

my time to enjoy a smoke and a quick brew.

Yak.

You're not really unreasonable but why phrase it like that??

(I know I'm probably the weird one)

Dog haters are horrible people
Are we @quoadultra? How so?

As others have said I'm sure.... she needs to cat-proof her garden. Our NDN are currently doing this- both our neighbours either side have cats and we have a very non-cat friendly Greyhound. We've had him 5 years with no incidents, the only near miss has been when our neighbour's cat decided to start coming into other peoples' houses through upstairs windows! Our NDN are putting up catproof fencing in their garden so that their cat can't get out of their garden as apparently it gets lost.

If your dogs had already injured someone then I'd understand but I can't stand people who judge dogs purely based on the breed- it's ridiculous. I'm sure your Rottweilers are huge softies and at least your other neighbours don't seem to be following in her uneducated footsteps!

You're not really unreasonable but why phrase it like that
HTF is she supposed to say it?
I just pop for a cigarette (with holder of course) and cup of cha? It does me the world of good you know, I quite enjoy it!
I don't like dogs but a fag and a cuppa sounds ok to me

If she's that concerned that your dogs are kitten-eating savages, why get kittens in the first place? You are being totally reasonable, OP, and I say that as someone who is terrified of big dogs. I only wish all owners were as responsible as you clearly are.

Definitely log with the police that the NDN is harassing you and your dog walker by taking pictures without her permission.

Dog haters are horrible people

Ridiculous thing to say. What about people who have genuine phobias, or who hate them as a result of having been attacked by one?

She sounds horrid, screaming through your letterbox etc.

However

I'm scared of big dogs and if I saw them play fighting in your garden I'd be pretty afraid!

I bet you a pound to a penny those photos are winging their way to the dog warden with a screaming email about "dangerous" dogs right now OP. Don't sit on this - take the good advice you've been given up thread and get you and your dogs some protection.

And yes, I'd be letting her landlord know about her plans to have kittens in a rented property!

Only on Mumsnet would anyone suggest getting rid of your pet because the neighbour’s child is frightened.

OP she sounds like an absolute nutter and I would contact both the police and he letting agency/landlord as a matter of urgency because it does not sound like she will go away without a fight.

Some people are just utterly bizarre; carry on with your dogs and hopefully she will either stop or move on.

Also please do not put barbed wire on the top of your fence; it’s a ridiculous suggestion.

I was attacked and chased on to a car as a child by a "he's usually so friendly" dog. I watched another "lovable" family dog literally rip a cat apart in front of me as a child as well.

I do think that most dog owners are blind to how their dogs actually act and how they come across to strangers. I remember as an adult going into a friend's house to be greeted by a dog lunging and growling at me while my friend grabbed him by the collar laughing about how friendly he really is. Mmmhmm. That was just one of many similar incidents.

That being said your NDN sounds unhinged because who screams through someone's letterbox for 20 minutes??? You should have called the police then and nipped her crazy in the bud.

I don't have a problem with the breed but I know people are prejudice since my Mom always had a pitbull as a pet. Someone fed crushed up glass inside meat to one of them.

I would never hurt animals but my toddler was criticised for overreacting when I took him to a friends house and her dog was bouncing around barking. he was terrified and clung to me, practically climbed up me.
apparently he has problems with animals...…..

I just googled and discovered that there are just 4 dog breeds that qualify as dangerous. Rotties and staffies are not included.

In the last month or so Parliament rejected a call, backed by PETA and a 160,000 signature petition, to add staffies to the list.

So, I wouldn't worry too much about CFs petition.

YANBU and she's deranged, by the sound of it.

I'd be getting the dog assessed under KC Good Citizen scheme. It would be hard for her to claim they're dangerous and out of control if they've got their KC awards, even for the bronze award they have to be pretty steady and obedient.

She could cause problems because under the dangerous dogs act, someone only has to feel that they are in danger or your dogs are out of control to report you.

That probably wouldn't go anywhere once an experienced behaviourist or rspca officer or whatever they send out now assessed your dogs but you never know if you'll get a jobsworthy arsehole.

I'd get my report in to the police about her first and sow the seeds of a charge of harassment by her towards you.

You shouldn't have to do any of this OP but better to get you calm word in first, as if they know it will help them when/if this screaming nutter contacts them.

A quiet word with the letting agent. " just FYI as your tenant seems very concerned for the welfare of her 2 kitties, oh you didn't know, well...."

Contact the PCSO just to get it on their radar,
" It may come to nothing Officer but I wonder if you could pop round when you're in the area just so I can put you in the picture?"

Ditto the dog warden.

Some will come round & do a welfare check when there are complaints & can be very helpful with suggestions on hoe to adjust arrangements/fence heights etc when needed.(very much depends on area-our council uses the local Pest Express guys but luckily they are both very experienced dog owners & work closely with local recues so would probably know more than the usual wardens!!)

I'm sure everything is OK at yours & they will see that, it will go on record & you have the moral high ground should any official letters come though your door.

You can then say you have been proactive & have piece of mind.

I would also think about writing a short polite "Dear Neighbours" letter, once you have all these visits done saying you understand there have been concerns raised & just to reassure everyone xy z have visited & all is to the required standard etc etc

Would totally get on my wick as a dog owner & walker, who hates badly behaved dogs too- but I think I would get a P/A delight in spiking her guns with calm factual actions to counteract her hyserical behaviour.

“Doesn't matter who was there first”

It kind of does when it’s privste property. Considering that not only was OP there first but she’s the only person there as it’s her garden and house.
The neighbour has zero claim or right to dictate to the OP about pets, her kids or cats rights don’t trump the op because they have no right to be in her garden.

She could cause problems because under the dangerous dogs act, someone only has to feel that they are in danger or your dogs are out of control to report you.

That would only work if you have a reason to feel threatened. Getting anxious because you've read in some rag of a newspaper that Rotties are dangerous and you've seen one over your garden fence, or passed one in the street, won't cut it. It doesn't work like that.