Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Out of control dog disturbing baby in garden - help?!

602 replies

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:37

I'll keep it as brief as possible. Basically I have a 3 month old baby and we are often out in the garden in the pram in the nice weather. Sometimes she falls asleep whilst out there (obviously I put her in the shade and stay with her just rocking her etc).

My issue is that next door have a small noisy dog which seems to have some sort of motion sensor on it. Literally every time there's any sort of movement, like me standing to rock her from sitting, the dog runs to the fence (I can see through the small slats) and starts yapping very loudly. And it's constant, continual yapping, until the neighbour eventually comes and retrieves it and what I would describe as half heartedly tells it off, eg. "stop it, come inside". Dog ignores her and continues. By this time my baby is wide awake and crying. This is every single time we are in the garden and make any sort of movement. Her "tellings off" are also few and far between - sometimes she just leaves the dog to yap at us through the fence.

As well as waking her sometimes when she's asleep it has also given her a shock and made her cry her on one occasion when we were out in the garden on her playmat - the best shaded area is right by my garden fence so that's where I was sitting with her lying on her mat. Next thing the dogs comes bounding over and is yapping inches from where we are. She startled and cried instantly. I was so upset on this occasion I just went back inside.

I know dogs bark. I get that. But i have owned a dog previously and if it was barking through the fence every single time a neighbour and her small baby were out there I'd be taking it inside. She doesn't seem to do that. So often we just end up back inside so baby isn't upset and can sleep, which I don't think is fair.

I don't expect silence in my garden by any means. But a dog constantly up at the fence, inches from where you know there's a small baby?? I just wouldn't let this continue. I'm starting to feel like I can't use my garden.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Monsterjam · 18/07/2021 14:41

I think you may be being a bit precise to be honest and others are not going to necessarily worry about your child as much as you are. Babies cry, the neighbours may be unaware this is dog related and so don’t know there is a issue. Have you spoken to them

WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor · 18/07/2021 14:41

Most dog can be trained to stop this kind of behaviour but it takes work. Telling it off isn’t really going to do much.
You can talk to them but they know what he’s doing already so I don’t know if it would help.

SpindleWhorl · 18/07/2021 14:41

I'd be putting a better fence up on my side. One that's sturdy, with no gaps, and anchored securely with fence posts so that the dog can't see through or claw through it.

Geamhradh · 18/07/2021 14:42

It's going to be a long 18 years.
Put a high fence up.

MaskingForIt · 18/07/2021 14:42

You’re being PFB. If you don’t want dogs next door you need to move to a detached house in the country.

You are going to face far worse things than a yapping dog through a fence, I think you might need to toughen up a bit.

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:42

@SpindleWhorl

I'd be putting a better fence up on my side. One that's sturdy, with no gaps, and anchored securely with fence posts so that the dog can't see through or claw through it.

We don't own the property, it's privately rented

OP posts:
PurpleMustang · 18/07/2021 14:43

For starts your best bet is to get something to cover the gaps on your side so that the dog can't see any movement/shadows through the fence. Then it will be only down to sound which you can't do a lot about unfortunately. Could you also by something like a gazebo or a shade tent so you can put it on the other side away from the fence, control where the shade is yourself

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:43

Sorry what's PFB?

OP posts:
Notapheasantplucker · 18/07/2021 14:43

Could you put some kind of tall plants, hedges or screening near the fence so the dog cant see into your garden?

Hankunamatata · 18/07/2021 14:44

Put up a fence so you cant see the dog

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:44

@Geamhradh

It's going to be a long 18 years. Put a high fence up.

We plan to have bought own own place within the next 5 years so it won't... thankfully!

OP posts:
Monsterjam · 18/07/2021 14:44

PFB = precious first born

Hankunamatata · 18/07/2021 14:44

Stick some plants or something in tibs to block dogs view

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:44

@Monsterjam

PFB = precious first born

She's my second. But thanks

OP posts:
valentinoandme · 18/07/2021 14:45

Is there any way you could put some sort of screening or fence in front of the existing one to cover the gaps in the slats?

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 18/07/2021 14:45

They have to listen to your baby crying all the time, including at night, so I wouldn't quibble about occasional barking.

mynameisbrian · 18/07/2021 14:45

Can you pop your head over the fence and tell them the barking when your in your garden is no longer acceptable and they need to supervise there dog.

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:45

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

They have to listen to your baby crying all the time, including at night, so I wouldn't quibble about occasional barking.
They don't, we are detached from their house
OP posts:
YellowBellyCat · 18/07/2021 14:46

Get dog treats, make friends with the dog so it stops yapping. I know you shouldn’t have to but it seems like the owner can’t be arsed.

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:46

@mynameisbrian

Can you pop your head over the fence and tell them the barking when your in your garden is no longer acceptable and they need to supervise there dog.

I'm trying to find the courage to pop round and have a word but.. I don't what I'd say. I don't want to start a neighbour war, I honestly haven't got the mental or emotional energy for that!

OP posts:
mynameisbrian · 18/07/2021 14:47

What is with folks comparing a crying baby to a dog? babies grow up, barking dogs unless trained continue to bark. So when does the owner get told that you should be able to use your garden withou a dog yapping at you behind the fence?

Viviennemary · 18/07/2021 14:47

I wish they would make neighbourhoods with dog free zones. Barking dogs are getting a worse nuisance as time goes by.

soirritating · 18/07/2021 14:47

@MaskingForIt

You’re being PFB. If you don’t want dogs next door you need to move to a detached house in the country.

You are going to face far worse things than a yapping dog through a fence, I think you might need to toughen up a bit.

We do live in a detached house. In a small village that is generally quiet apart from this bloody dog!

OP posts:
BumBurnerBum · 18/07/2021 14:48

If you want your baby to sleep in the garden, you probably need to accept garden noise.

Uramaki · 18/07/2021 14:48

Screen off the fence somehow so the dog can't see the baby. Is the fence high enough that you are reassured dog can't get over it? Can you sit in a different bit of the garden?