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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect the neighbours to shut their dog up?

34 replies

youkiddingme · 24/03/2021 08:44

Neighbours have two dogs. They seem to let them out to play in their garden early on a morning and leave them out there most of the day. One dog is fine, if it sees us it just stands wagging its tail. The other barks from the moment we go in our garden until shortly after we leave it. Every single time. Atm I'm only going out to peg washing out and potter, but it gets on my nerves now; it will drive me nuts when I want to sit out.

Have tried talking to the dog in a friendly fashion but it just carries on barking. Have tried telling it to shut up, same - although sometimes this will prompt one of the owners to come out and tell it to shush by making a fuss of it - briefly - then they go back in and leave it to resume barking - their tone is very much along the lines of 'oh did the mean neighbour tell you stop barking.'

I have no idea how to get this dog to shush.

OP posts:
steppemum · 24/03/2021 08:46

Talk to them.

Just say that their dog's constant barking ia a pain and effecting your use of the garden.
Ask them to either teach it to be quiet (perfectly possible) or put it inside when you are out.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 24/03/2021 08:50

Have you actually gone around and spoken to the neighbours about it?

malmi · 24/03/2021 08:52

Ultrasonic Dog Silencer

ConstanceGracy · 24/03/2021 08:53

You are going to have to talk to them as I had the same situation with a neighbour and it was only then that they bothered to do anything . It still barks but they are quicker to come out and shut it up.
I just can’t understand how owners don’t find their dog constantly barking annoying? Like, how can they just tune it out ?
Good luck .

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 24/03/2021 08:53

Water pistol works on mine when they are being wee little gobsheits!

RaspberrySocks · 24/03/2021 08:54

They're making a fuss of the dog? So they're basically rewarding it's bad behaviour! You need to have a diplomatic word!

minniemoocher · 24/03/2021 08:54

If you are out for longer, particularly sitting still it is likely to get used to you quicker. If not talk to your neighbour because it's not acceptable. Fair enough initially if the dog wasn't familiar, it's useful they are alert to strangers but it needs to accept you live there!

LookItsMeAgain · 24/03/2021 09:03

The poor thing is probably bored out of it's mind. Does the dog get exercise? Is it walked?? Do they actually play with the dog while it's out in the garden or just when you're in yours do they come out and speak to their barking dog?
You need to speak with the neighbour and say that they need to do something more than 'reward' their dog for barking while you're in your garden. You are not a threat to the dog and they need to make that clear. That might be one of the reasons it is barking when you're in your garden and stops when you go back inside. It sees that the threat has gone so it no longer needs to bark.

Tal45 · 24/03/2021 09:13

Perhaps ask to be introduced to the dog and talk to it so it knows your voice and that you're friendly when you go out? Might not work as might just be barking because it's excited to see you and wants some attention. Can they hear the constant barking indoors? Are they aware of it?

skirk64 · 24/03/2021 09:14

Get a high-pitched noise machine and put it on whenever the dogs are outside. The noise can't be heard by humans but can by dogs and make them quiet because they just want the noise to stop.

Iris27 · 24/03/2021 09:35

Seems a bit mean on the dog!! Just speak to your neighbour

MissDollyMix · 24/03/2021 09:37

I suggest reminding your neighbours that there has been a spate of dogs being stolen from gardens and that their dogs shouldn't be left unattended in their garden.

steppemum · 24/03/2021 10:17

@MissDollyMix

I suggest reminding your neighbours that there has been a spate of dogs being stolen from gardens and that their dogs shouldn't be left unattended in their garden.
I just don't understand comments like this.

Most gardensround here are secure enough for this not to apply, you just can't get at them unless you go through the house.

But even leaving that aside, if the neighbour is in the house, the likelihood of the dog being stolen from a back garden is tiny

BoJoHoNo · 24/03/2021 11:07

YANBU, people who are too lazy to train and supervise their dogs properly are irritating. Next door's dog is like this, barks at absolutely everything constantly whilst it's in the garden and noone ever makes any attempt to bring it inside or discourage it from being so noisy. I had to let my dog out for a 5am toilet trip a few days ago and their dog started barking at the top of it's lungs as soon as it heard us go inside. I ended up ushering my quiet dog inside as I felt sorry for our other neighbours.

Lolwhat · 24/03/2021 11:51

As a dog owner I hate people who let their dogs out all day to terrorise the neighbours, mine goes on a nice big walk and then maybe goes out for 10/20 minutes a day but if he even barks once I tell him to get in, i can’t stop him from barking (believe me I’ve tried🤣) but that’s not my neighbours issue to deal with, I would ask them to bring the dog in when it barks

Gensola · 24/03/2021 11:57

I feel your pain. My neighbours dog has been barking for two hours this morning. We live in a terrace and it sounds like it’s in the room with you! It barks when we move around, enter or leave the house or use our bins. we have spoke to them but they were defensive and just said they were “working on it”. They never seem to walk the dog, it’s just permanently in the front room barking. I don’t know how they stand it. Am currently keeping a diary to report them to the council.

MiscUser9823 · 24/03/2021 12:03

I used to have a yappy dog - Jack Russell. The trick is to completely ignore them and they'll eventually stop.

The more annoyed vibe you give off, the dog will keep barking.

No science behind this, just my experience.

FTEngineerM · 24/03/2021 12:04

Our neighbours dog does this, they’re outstanding neighbours so we don’t say anything but the tiny little white fluffy thing yap yap yap every time he sees us which is quite a lot since we’re both outdoorsy.

Our enormous bumbling old rottweiler does absolutely nothing, they sniff each other over the super low wall but ours just walks off whilst this dogs still yapping 🤣 tried treats, everything, nope.

They really need to take some responsibility for this, especially if it’s affecting your life. Just record it and send it to the council.

MiscUser9823 · 24/03/2021 12:09

Live and let live id say. Yapping dog isnt the end of the world. My ex neighbour used to be a pill popping alcoholic with mental health issues / was a danger to others.

As long as neighbours dont give me grief, play music at early/late hours, or are violent/dangerous, I can manage.

Twistered · 24/03/2021 12:11

Water pistol

Original poster
youkiddingme · 24/03/2021 13:01

I am hoping to have a polite, 'your dog doesn't seem to like me being in my garden, how can we fix this?' kind of chat. The neighbours garden abuts the end of mine and is really long, so their house is a good distance. Atm they just chuck the dogs out and only go to the back door, I don't really want to shout at them from 40 ft away, and going round seems a bit confrontational, as I'd have to trail round a big block to get to the front entrance - plus social distancing. The dogs are probably closer to me up this end than to the neighbours own house so maybe the noise doesn't bother them, but the dog comes right up to the end where I sit, grow veg and peg washing out (only sunny bit so I can't alter how I use garden).

In the meantime I will try ignoring it and look into the dog silencer thing. I was also thinking if I left a radio on (quiet chat type) in the garden from time to time (while I get peace indoors) it might get the dog used to ignoring us.

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 24/03/2021 13:16

ask your neighbours to get the dog to stop, train the dog etc

if not get a machine to train the dog not to bark whilst your in the garden - you get hand held machines on amazon and just use it when the dog barks - as the dog stops you don't use it

Chimeraforce · 24/03/2021 15:44

I've had 2 years of 3 yappy mutts barking in the day and at 11pm, 1am, 3am and 5am. Bloody noise ffs. Bloody owners.
I've started playing a high pitched you tube vid during the day if they start when I'm out. Couldn't care less they don't care about my welfare.

Flowerlane · 24/03/2021 15:55

How can they see you is there a gap in the fence you can fill? Or some kind of trellis with greenery to put up so their view is blocked?

Stellaris22 · 24/03/2021 16:01

Do the dogs not get any exercise or walks? That seems odd so they are likely bored which isn't helping.

I have a hound whose bark is huge, so maybe I was more aware of the barking so worked on it. But I don't think excessive barking like you're describing is acceptable. This is because not only is it a nuisance but it means that dog must be extremely stressed.