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AIBU?

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Original poster

My dog and my neighbour’s dog

59 replies

Springersrock · 07/08/2020 09:54

The neighbour behind us has a dog that barks all the bloody time. I think it has a dog flap or they keep their doors open or something as it’s in and out of the garden all day/evening and they just ignore/can’t hear the barking

It seems to completely detest my dog, as soon as she goes out into our garden, it’s barking and hurling itself at the fence between our gardens.

I know that some of the other neighbours on our road and the road behind have complained about the barking to the neighbour but the neighbour just blames it on my dog winding it up. The other neighbours come and see me, every time I point out that it’s not my dog barking and that she is allowed out in our own garden, they agree with me but moan that the barking is pissing everyone off (I know, it pisses me off too!) and that I need to work with her to find a solution

Our dog usually goes to work with DH, but during lockdown I was on furlough so she was home with me, the weather was nice so we were doing stuff in the garden, had doors open and our dog was outside with us so the dog was just barking on and off all day.

Neighbour behind was working from home and kept complaining to me that I should keep my dog in as it made hers bark and she was trying to work and couldn’t concentrate.

Anyway, it came to a bit of a head this morning. I let my dog out in our garden for a wee at 7:30am, she got the zoomies (as she does every morning), and was doing laps of our garden at 100 miles an hour.

She wasn’t barking (she very rarely barks) or banging and crashing around or anything like that, but wasn’t completely silent. Neighbour’s dog starts barking its head off and hurling itself at the fence, so I called mine in.

Just as we’re leaving for work, the neighbour appears and starts complaining, that if my dog can’t stop winding hers up we need to keep it in, that she’s fed up with the other neighbours complaining at her when there’s nothing she can do if ours keeps making hers bark.

I pointed out that my dog isn’t barking or making unreasonable noise, she is simply going about her business in her own back garden, that there was no way I was going to ban my own dog from our garden so we needed to come up with a more reasonable solution.

She completely blew her top, started shouting and screaming, threatened to report us to the council and all sorts, wouldn’t even entertain the idea that our dog was allowed in its own bloody garden, so we’re no closer to finding a solution and I have no idea what to suggest.

It doesn’t matter what time we let our dog out, as theirs is always out so we can’t even let her out at certain times to avoid it - and why bloody should we anyway? It’s not our dog that’s barking. I mean I’m happy to try and work with her, but never letting my dog out is not an option

Would the council actually expect me to?

OP posts:
Nottherealslimshady · 07/08/2020 10:27

It's got nothing to do with you. Any neighbour that complains just agree and say it's doing your head in too. Its not your dog. You've tried talking to her to no avail. They're choosing to conplainctocyou because they dont have the balls to complain to her.
Definitely report her to the council and encourage the other neighbours too although I worry what might happen to the dog.

justanotherneighinparadise · 07/08/2020 10:28

A camera in your garden is a great idea. Plus tell her you are doing it. That will stop her abusing you on your doorstep over it.

KingOfDogShite · 07/08/2020 10:29

Good idea to record the next couple of mornings so that if the council do contact you you can show them the evidence. I’d report any neighbour to the council who’s dog barked all the time tbh. It’s the worst noise.

FlySheMust · 07/08/2020 10:30

If your dog isn't barking the council are not going to say it can't go into your garden.

The mad woman will have to keep hers in.

mineofuselessinformation · 07/08/2020 10:31

I'd get in there first and report her to the council.
Make a point of telling them what your neighbours are saying too.
If she carries on complaining to you, just tell her over and over she needs to keep her dog in until it's trained not to bark.

Frlrlrubert · 07/08/2020 10:37

I have one that's a bit of a reactive barker, usually when she's in the bloody house and hears a car pull up, it drives me mad. If she does it outside I call her in (sometimes she'll shut up if I tell her off so I give her one chance to stay out)- no one else wants to listen to that!

Mine will 'join in' if they are out and another dog is barking, I call them in every time.

Her dog is barking, so it's her problem.

Notfeelinggreattoday · 07/08/2020 10:41

Her dog making the noise so her problem to sort , my neigbours dog does this as well when we let ours out but they always take him back in , but really they should work on the dog and teaching him as they mutter and complain and go back in
My dog does bark back once but stops when we tell him
My other neighbour has a dog and they are both out they take no notice
But whoever dog it is that barks has the problem and the one who needs to sort , report her first and for abusing you etc

Original poster
Springersrock · 07/08/2020 10:44

Thanks all!

I am happy to try and come up with a reasonable solution with her. It does my bloody head in and I’m hardly at home.

The neighbours know it isn’t mine barking and agree it’s not on me to keep my dog in, but they are pushing me to work with her.

OP posts:
Sunrise234 · 07/08/2020 10:45

Can you set up a a cctv camera with sound in your garden to record your dog so if it does escalate you have proof your dog rarely barks but hers does.

Sunrise234 · 07/08/2020 10:45

Just realised it’s already been suggested sorry.

Original poster
Springersrock · 07/08/2020 10:50

Sorry, meant to say good idea re the CCTV.

I’ll definitely record on my phone next time our dog is out in the garden

OP posts:
Chloemol · 07/08/2020 10:50

Report to the council. It’s her dog that’s barking, she needs to be calling her dog in if it starts, not just leaving it.

problembottom · 07/08/2020 10:51

This is just not your problem. Besides she is clearly not reasonable so I wouldn't waste time trying to come up with a reasonable solution with her. Tell the neighbours to stop involving you.

BadDucks · 07/08/2020 10:52

You can’t really create a solution because you are not doing anything wrong. I’d keep a diary, some video footage and report her to the council. I’d be polite but firm with your other neighbours that they need to direct their complaints to the source of the issue which is certainly not you.

My neighbours dogs will bark if mine goes out in the garden but their owner brings them in straight away. My dog would bark too but we never let him up that part of the garden unattended so he does get the chance. If he’s just going for a pee he goes down the side path which is gated off from the main garden.

BadDucks · 07/08/2020 10:53

Doesn’t get chance that should say

tankflybos · 07/08/2020 10:55

If your dog is out most of the time then how is it anything to do with you or your dog that her dog barks all day?

Your neighbours are pushing you to work with her (whatever that means) despite the fact your dog isn't even at home?

That doesn't make sense at all. What is making the dog bark the rest of the time then?

SurreyHillsGirl · 07/08/2020 10:55

ha what a loon. No way would my dogs be banned from their own garden due to a neighbour's reactive dog. Utter madness.

Next time she launches a verbal attack, call the police, it's harassment and against the law.

Original poster
Springersrock · 07/08/2020 11:02

If your dog is out most of the time then how is it anything to do with you or your dog that her dog barks all day?

I think my dog has just become a convenient scapegoat.

She just blames my dog for winding hers up whether my dog is home or not. The neighbours just want it to shut up so come and see me.

They agree that it’s not my problem, but then try and make it my problem if you see what I mean

OP posts:
Jenny70 · 07/08/2020 11:04

If she's prepared to ask/make your day stay inside, is she willing to do the same?

Ask her to keep her dog inside, won't hear/smell your dog = neighbourhood peace.

FlySheMust · 07/08/2020 11:26

I'm not sure how the neighbours expect you to work with her. I think they are saying keep your dog in because they are afraid of her.

Tell them they need to talk to her, you've done your best.

ThisLittleLady · 07/08/2020 11:29

Record on your phone when you let your dog out and it will show it’s not your dog barking. A few minutes every day will soon give you the ammo you need to either show your neighbour, the council, or anyone else you need to. I would also try and discreetly fin when your neighbour approaches you. She sounds rather threatening.

tankflybos · 07/08/2020 12:03

Set up a neighbour WhatsApp. Every single time her dog barks and yours isn't at home, text them.

My dog isn't in
My dog isn't in
My dog still isn't in
Not my dog making it bark, he's not in.
My dog isn't in
My dog is still not home
My dog isn't in
Dog still not home

And finally, sorry for the bombardment of messages this afternoon but I hope you all can now see that it's bugger all to do with my dog so no, I won't be able to "work with her".....whatever that entails. Thanks

MiniCooperLover · 07/08/2020 13:00

Our old Neighbours had a really yappy schnauzer and it would always bark when our silent dog would go in the garden. Our dog would just look bemused and ignore the barking, never bark in response. Difference was as soon as neighbours dog barked neighbour told it off or called it back inside (I never asked her to but she was training it and being a good neighbour). When new neighbours arrived they were very relieved to find our dog doesn't bark (howling mind you when upset is another (though rare) thing 😊

Original poster
Springersrock · 07/08/2020 14:19

Thanks all, will definitely film her next time she goes out in the garden and will speak to the council.

Our dog would just look bemused and ignore the barking, never bark in response

Mine never barks in response either. She just ignores it.

She very rarely barks - never barks when someone knocks on the door, doesn’t bark or anything when she wants to go out - just stands by the back door which is a nightmare if you don’t happen to see her do it.

She’s 18 months old and I’ve only heard her bark a handful of times - it’s always a bit of a shock when she does

She wouldn’t keep hers in - we already had that discussion when it was barking and my dog was home during lockdown - she was working from home and needed to concentrate Hmm

It either has a dog flap or they keep their doors open all the time as it’s in and out as it pleases

OP posts:
Original poster
Springersrock · 07/08/2020 14:22

Also, I did wonder if getting the dogs to meet might help?

But then it barks even when my dog isn’t home so it’s not as if my dog is the only trigger

OP posts:
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