To let my dog bark for an extra half hour even though the neighbour was already annoyed

[Candlestand]

I have 2 dogs, DH usually takes them to work so Mon-Fri they're never here during the day. Due to a bit of excess faffing yesterday morning he forgot them. Normally he puts them in the dog box in the car and sorts out DD and they all head off to nursery then work but somehow yesterday he just forgot he hadn't already put them in the car and I got a text from DH to tell me the dogs were still in the garden. Fine. I'm up in my office, WFH, the back door is open as it was such a nice day, they can mooch in and out as they please and we'll just walk them tonight instead.
I work for the local authority and we've had a nasty incident occur with a safeguarding issue for a child and I was part of back to back meetings so I never even went down for a cup of tea. I'm then in a meeting that I have been volunteered as minute taker for and there are over 20 people in this meeting and that's when my neighbour starts banging on my door. Initially I ignore him thinking it's a delivery and I can't leave this meeting but he is now practically pounding my door down so I race to the other room to open the window to ask them to go away whatever it is and he starts swearing that the dogs are barking and its really annoying. I shout down that I'm sorry but I'm in a meeting and I will sort them out as soon as I'm out of it. I can see he's furious and he storms off still swearing but the meeting is still going on without me and I have to be in it. I'm now vaguely aware that my younger dog is barking because it's been brought to my attention but honestly I just hadn't noticed before because it had been such a busy morning so I don't know how long they had been barking for. I didn't want to disrupt the meeting by asking for a break because there was a lot going on in it and we were, I hoped, almost finished but it turned out we were still going half an hour later before the meeting actually finished and because I'm now aware of it I can hear the dog still barking on and off for that time.
The thing is, we have a big garden and they don't come in when called straight away because it becomes a game to them so although me being out in the garden with them stopped the barking it takes me over 5 minutes to get them to come into the house (which I knew it would and why I didn't want to stop in the middle of a very large meeting to chase around my garden for ages). I appreciate it must have been annoying and I could see my neighbours over our fence so when I could go get them I apologised properly and tried to explain that I couldn't leave the meeting to come and get them and they were furious with me and said I was ruining their day. They are retired and are always in their garden. My dog was actually barking at their dog who was sat with them and my little dog could smell him, the older one wasn't actually barking. I tried to explain that he was just excited by their dog and if they had taken their dog in, he would have stopped barking but this just made them angrier (I meant it to try and break the tension as a discussion rather than a criticism of them, though clearly I misjudged how to say that) as they said why shouldn't their dog be allowed outside when he's being well behaved. I apologised again and just got back to chasing the dogs into the house and went back to work.

I appreciate it was annoying but I'm not sure they needed to be quite so angry. It was the middle of the day, this never normally happens at all because the dogs are not here during the week and at the weekend we're both able to be much more atuned to them if one of them starts barking at another dog or a squirrel or something and it has never been an issue before. We live rurally so other than the house on the other side of our neighbours theres no one else to be upset by the barking.
WIBU to put work before my neighbours enjoyment of their garden for half an hour?

[StormzyInaDCup]

I work in the same field as you @Candlestand. I can understand how it happened and I don't think there is alot you could have done. You can't just leave meetings and the stress is overwhelming at times... Ignore them, you've apologised and they have no right to bang your door like that.

[BakedTattie]

Darks bark. It’s not new information.

I’d just apologise to your neighbours and move on.

In the real world, you aren’t a dick head like everyone saying yabu.

And please learn never to post something like this on mn, unless you want to feel like hanging yourself after the replies.

👍🏻

[Iwouldbecomplex]

Your dog sounds like it needs more training and it's probably more annoying than you think it is. I can't stand people's dogs barking in the garden. It's very inconsiderate and I can understand why your neighbour got so irate. As others have said I think you should write an apologetic note and leave it with a gift at their door. If this was really a one off and they still want to be angry after another apology then it's on them. But you should be very careful to not allow your dog to be noisy and also not to make noise shouting them to come in etc as this would also be very annoying. Just because something doesn't bother you doesn't mean it doesn't drive someone else mad.

[Undisclosedlocation]

The vitriol in this post is astounding. To be fair, so is the over dramatic response from the OP. I can’t tell if she’s being sarcastic or serious but either way, a total over reaction all round

Just bring your dogs in before starting work in future and train them a proper recall. Apologise properly to the neighbours if you haven’t already and move on with your lives

[user1493494961]

It can't be much of a life for the dogs going to work with your DH every day, unless he's a Shepherd.

[4cats2kids]

Next time put your dogs away before you get tied up in something you can’t be distracted from.

[Jaichangecentfoisdenom]

Look, here's an interesting thread to compare with. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4222150-To-despair-of-new-neighbours-shrieking-children

Whilst I was looking at this thread yesterday, I was suffering with a reaction to the first AstraZeneca jab, which I'd had on Friday, and had a stonking headache and the chills. It being a beautiful day where I am, numerous neighbours were out in full noisy mode, mowing their lawns for a couple of hours or more. Far worse than dogs barking on a one off, at least for my headache. Did I have a hissy fit and go and knock on their doors and yell at them because their noise was making my headache a lot worse? Did I heck. That's community living for you.

[Peaplant20]

Some comments on here wow! If you were my neighbour I’d probably have been annoyed but really it’s not the worst thing in the world is it, think they’ll get over it!! When you live that close to other people you have to accept there will be dogs barking, as will there be children screaming and babies crying from time to time. It’s also rich how many people say you need to train your dog better... everyone on the internet apparently has the worlds best trained dogs who never bark or do anything wrong... I’ve yet to see evidence of this in the real world 😂 but it would be good if you could train them not to do that if possible. I agree with some of the other posters that in future don’t leave the door open during meetings if you know your dog barks in the garden. Personally also I would have muted and turned off my video and gone to sort it out. I’m sure your colleagues would have understood as it’s all a bit different now working from home and everyone is doing their best... the number of meetings of DH that I’ve heard babies crying in the background and no one minds x

[AbbieLexie]

I would just leave them to fester - you have apologised - the dogs aren't normally at home - this is an unusual event. Ignoring muscles need to be used.

[murbblurb]

Lawn mowing is something useful and constructive. A dog left to bark because the owner is too idle/ has gone out is just a selfish irritation.

[Jaichangecentfoisdenom]

Lawn mowing, children shrieking, bulldozers digging - equally annoying to me as dogs barking and goats and sheep bleating. One form of noise pollution is no better or worse than another.

[Memedru]

If someone came round my house banging on the door and swearing like you said because of a bit of barking, I would of left them out there all day!

[WilsonMilson]

There is nothing more annoying than a barking dog. You are being very unreasonable and antisocial. My entire sympathy is with your neighbour.

[Jaichangecentfoisdenom]

See, that's your own opinion, @WilsonMilson. I completely disagree, there is nothing more annoying for me than the sound of a drill, a kango-hammer, a motorbike revving, or a lawn-mower mowing for hours on end. So there you go, neither of us is right or wrong.

[Peaplant20]

@Jaichangecentfoisdenom agree. My neighbour who is around 50-60 has had many a weekend sat revving in the driveway in his old classic car and it wakes me up as he does it at about 9am in the morning. That to me is more selfish (although who knows there’s two sides to every story maybe he has a good reason!) than what OP has done as she couldn’t help it and it was a one off, it wasn’t early morning weekend or late at night.

[memberofthewedding]

As it was your DH who caused the problem by neglecting to take the dogs then I would send him round to the neighbours to explain this. At the same time he could forcefully make the point that he does not appreciate people being verbally abusive to his wife and advise them to be more conciliatory. Its often amazing how much more humble neighbours can be when confronted by a man/men.

[Astella22]

I think as a once off yanbu, if it was happening everyday I could understand their level of anger.

[mummabubs]

I'm both a dog owner and someone who is also involved in child/adult protection meetings... YABU. Sorry OP, but it really is both antisocial and irresponsible as an owner to knowingly let your dog annoy someone else like that. I know you've acknowledged that maybe your solution wasn't well-thought through but I almost literally face-palmed when I read that you'd advised them to put their (well-behaved) dog inside as a solution. If it were me, proper apology is due to your neighbours and additional training for your dog that barks. It's 100% a behaviour that can be reduced with the right support.

[mummabubs]

Just seen your last post. Glad you've "sorted it" OP. I agree with someone else that I think most of the reactions you're eliciting are due to the tone you took up with your neighbours and then your more recent posts on this thread. All feels a bit chaotic and dichotomous. No need to get rid of the dogs, just train them or adapt your own actions so that they aren't left to roam outside if you know they may bark and or won't come in when called (as your OP states you already knew!?) We all make mistakes in life but it's how we learn from them that counts and your replies are a bit... Extreme??

[dontdisturbmenow]

So there you go, neither of us is right or wrong
But most of your examples are unpreventable. Land need mowing, DIY is essential.

A dog barking can be prevented or at least reduced by taking them in. Motorbikes or cars rivving is selfish too and not necessary, but likely to be seconds rather than long minutes.

[Pugdogmom]

I have 2 dogs and also have to attend important meetings, so I make sure my dogs are settled beforehand. I have trained my two not to bark at stuff, but occasionally they do though. Appreciate it was an accident and I do believe you both could have handled it better. See you have got it sorted now.

[Pugdogmom]

Jeez, I really hope you haven't rehomed your dogs over a one off incident, because of some of the vitriolic posts on here. 😳.

[TedMullins]

Is anyone concerned that “I’ve sorted it” sounds a bit like the dogs are......dead?

[OrangeRug]

I think your neighbour shouldn't have sworn at you but YABU for letting your dogs bark. My neighbours regularly shut their dogs out in the garden and let them bark for half an hour+ so I know how torturous that can be to listen to.

[OrangeRug]

If it's a one off fair enough though, I'm sure you won't do it again after this!