Should I keep dogs in because neighbour is WFH

[poodlelocks]

I have 2 dogs.

Bark when postie knocks, van pulls up etc When told to stop, they do.

If in garden they'll bark at cats, or if someone comes up back alleyway (no pun intended)

Again they shut up if told

Last week neighbour asked if we could keep dogs In before 12pm as she does nights and is sleeping - fair enough? Agreed to that.

Now today she's asked if we can keep them into 4pm as husband is WFH and barks disrupt him.

Any advise before I return my answer to them!?

I think you were generous to agree to keep your dogs in for her daytime sleeping, and now they're just going to take the piss as so many people do once an inch is given.

I've worked nights, and have never asked for any consideration from others (outside of household) to allow me uninterrupted sleep. I also WFH permanently. Have been a OU student for years and now am starting up a small business. There's a garage and a pub on the small road, and someone who might have a woodworking workshop as a hobbyist.

I understand the WFH dilemma. There are more people in their houses at the moment, both working, and off and with the weather warming up doors and windows will be opening. Those working desire quiet, those living their lives might want (amongst other things) the kids out playing in the garden, to listen to music while they do gardening, do a few household DIY projects involving power tools etc etc.

I'm not a dog owner, but I consider the odd woofing session to be a completely normal neighbourhood noise. Not barking all day everyday, but isn't it usual for a dog to bark, and the owner respond to that and the dog to shut up after one more grumbling woof? I think your neighbour might need to learn that they are not at the centre of the universe and no one owes them a perfect(ish) WFH life.

I was going to say until 4pm is excessive and 12 was sufficient, but they do sound like a pain in the arse. I think the timing is possibly a bit of a red herring.

Do you think neighbour is mistaking the barking of other dogs for yours?
I think you have been accommodating to keep them in until 12, I wouldn’t keep them in all day

After reading your update about the car, I don’t think the dogs are the issue.
Please expand on her request about your car.
NDNs sound slightly mad.

I can't tell who is being unreasonable. There are people who demand complete silence and who can't stand one bark per morning, who are unreasonable, and there are people who genuinely think their dogs' reactive barking to neighbours going in their own damn garden, pigeons, cats.on the fence, the postman, deliveries next door, next-door-but-one's sprinkler and so on is "just one bark per morning".

Keep a count of all of your dogs' barks and be scrupulously honest about it.

The car request is
Her theory is if I park front ways in I can put my passenger door right up against the wall, giving her more space to get out of her husbands car.

So she wants you to reverse out of your driveway?

Our dog is taken out was walks and to go to the toilet, it isn't free range.
This means we can manage its behavior.
I find barking annoying enough it must be even worse if you didn't choose to have a dog in the first place.

Ffs, ignore her, she sounds like an entitled CF.
Put a fence up the driveway plus it’s much safer to drive out than reverse out a driveway.

As does Frostedviolets

Do I?!?!

This means we can manage its behavior.

My dog spends the majority of his days in the garden at the moment and doesn't do anything except chew his horns, sunbathe and sleep.

You don't need to be with your dog 24/7 to ensure it behaves.

I wouldn't leave them to go out by themselves and bark. Of course it's going to be annoying to everyone else. I'd go out with them and police it. And bring them in if they started barking.

Your neighbour sounds like an arse. My dog has full access to the garden practically all day and she comes in and out as she likes. Why keep them trapped indoors when the weathers lovely and they've got the space to run and play? We've just been a 2 hour walk with ours and guess where she wanted to chill out when we got back.. the garden. I've only ever heard her bark about 5 times since we've had her.

My neighbours dog barks whenever my kids are in the garden, which is a lot at the moment! I would never complain as my kids are probably much more annoying for my childless neighbour. Our only trouble is it is making my daughter frightened as she doesnt like the barking so she is becoming very nervous around the dog.

They’re really taking the piss now. Barking is only considered anti-social behaviour it if is persistent. I have read suggestions for this to mean anything from at least 30 mins constantly 5 times a week to 20 mins constantly a few times a day. Either would drive me to distraction if it were my own dog.

It doesn’t sound as if this is happening in your household. If this ever becomes the case you would perhaps need a trainer to help. It sounds though as if your dog quietens quite quickly. No, I would not acquiesce. These people are working on you doing more and more of what they want you to do. The more you say yes, the more unreasonable they will believe you to be if you do say no.

Her theory is if I park front ways in I can put my passenger door right up against the wall, giving her more space to get out of her husbands car
It doesn't sound like a theory but a fact. You made it appear as if her request had no foundations initially. She does have a good reason, you don't have to agree though.

It does make me wonder if there's more to it with the dogs too. Two dogs barking loudly can be a very decibel sound enough to trigger an adrenalin rush, which can be quite unpleasant if it happens quite a bit in a short time.

It might also take longer to call them to stop than you realise.

We have two dogs and the neighbours have two dogs. Theirs bark all day and if left outside all night. Our older dog barks/reacts through the fence when the neighbours two fight. My DP is working from home and I have early starts. I wouldn't dream of asking them to keep the dogs locked in all day (they need to wee for a start!!) just like I wouldn't keep mine locked up (our patio doors are open all day when I'm home). Just like I wouldn't tell the other neighbours to lock their children in because they're screaming is interrupting DP wfh (and believe me, they scream ALL DAY)

No - I think you are being very accommodating by keeping them in until 12. Now they are just taking the piss.

See OP you made two mistakes here. First was to agree to keep the dogs in before 12, thereby inviting even more "requests", and then the second was to write about it on here, because whilst there are a few reasonable people on the thread, others are piling in saying YOUR DOG BARKS ALL THE TIME and it doesn't matter whats in your OP, or what you explain subsequently.

My dog goes out in the garden for "toilet" only. If he sees something interesting like a cat he barks at it, I have my work desk immediately next to the door, I call him in, that's that. Most of the time its woof woof woof. He probably asks to go out and wee maybe half a dozen times a day sometimes a lot less.

My neighbours at the rear object to me having a dog so they have explained that he is not to bark at all. I did point out that sometimes other dogs bark and they said they don't care, if its barking, "its you". They scream obscenities at their little boy, play loud music all day and had building work that took nearly a year (also with music, we called them the Disco Builders).

Someone said very early up thread that on MN the only noise allowed is birdsong and children playing quietly. You might just as well have ended the thread there for all the joy you'll get out of it!

Dishing,
I have learnt the hard way!

Her theory is if I park front ways in I can put my passenger door right up against the wall, giving her more space to get out of her husbands car

She wants you to park for her benefit? I hope the answer to that was a short and succinct DFOD.

No I wouldn't keep them in until 4pm.

I have 3 dogs. They bark if someone knocks on the door. That's it. I don't want them to stop doing this either.

Somewhere in a garden behind me there are 2 dogs who bark all day. Sometimes is for 20 mins plus. Starts around 8am and goes on until the evening off and on.

I work shifts including nights and I have to just get on with it 🤷🏼‍♀️ same way when people mow their lawn or do diy on a Sunday morning when I've just finished work.

@Mummyoflittledragon you are correct - its normally 20 minutes at a time regularly (at least once a day every day) to be considered a nuisance. I would always encourage neighbours who are worried about noise to record it and ask their local authority to act, and then see what happens. That way you can weed out people like the OP's neighbours very early on.

I usually find though that complaining neighbours don't want to do this as its too much like hard work and they know they are in the wrong, they'd rather start an argument in person! (They do like fisticuffs were I live [confused)

@poodlelocks - see? Whilst I was typing that someone has come on and said the parking "request" was entirely reasonable as well! (You've only yourself to blame what with living in your house and all that you provocative fucker!!)

I wouldn't keep them in because of an occasional bark. They'll just have to suck it the fuck up, how precious are they? I would love the neighbours to keep their screaming children in until 4pm, but that would be a very unreasonable request.