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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:32

@FootballisgoingtoRome

You sound like a joy OP you are out for a fight with your neighbours especially the way you get all superior when you talk about them. Lots of things are going to wake your precious baby up. God forbid what you will be like when someone cuts the grass and it’s your baby’s nap time. Entitlement .

🙈😂😂

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:34

@FootballisgoingtoRome

I don't think cutting the grass is reportable under the environmental protection act. So don't worry the grass cutters are safe Wink

OP posts:
FootballisgoingtoRome · 19/07/2021 04:36

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:36

OP should try and deal with the neighbour directly first but she can always make a noise complaint to the council.

Wish me luck ... I will attempt the first part later today 😬

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:39

@FootballisgoingtoRome

  1. Point out where I say I am going to report the woman's dog. If you'd bothered to read my posts properly you would see that, by finding out that this is reportable to the council, I am reassured that I am in fact not being unreasonable. Nowhere do I say that I plan to report. Just that it has helped me to rationalise it in my mind a little.
  1. I don't think derogatory phrases about a person's mental health are warranted. It really does show your level of intelligence.
  1. No, I am not suffering from postnatal depression. But I thank you kindly for your support with that.
  1. It's 4am. I can't be arsed arguing. Do have a lovely day. Smile
OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:46

*I would keep your baby indoors for the next while but get a pet coyote and let it run free in the garden especially at night. When the dog missing posters go up, maybe get rid of the coyote.
*
😂

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:47

@Uramaki

I'm pleased you can see from my (pretty rubbish) diagram that there's only really so far from the fence I can get before I'm back inside my house yes, it's a good diagram!

Haha thank you! It's not my best work. I cheated a little with Google maps and some simple edits 😬

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 04:49

@badacorn

Yes it would upset me too (I also have a 3 month old so I know exactly what you are saying). I hope that family take the dog for a walk instead of letting it bark at people Angry

I haven't seen them walk it. Doesn't mean they don't. I just haven't seen it. Make of that what you will...

OP posts:
FootballisgoingtoRome · 19/07/2021 04:54

@soirritating

*I would keep your baby indoors for the next while but get a pet coyote and let it run free in the garden especially at night. When the dog missing posters go up, maybe get rid of the coyote. * 😂
Again laughing at violence towards an innocent animal. You sure you are ok hun ?
chickensouporwine · 19/07/2021 06:11

There was a thread here the other day where someone said the neighbours dog barked every time they left their house to walk down their path. People were horrified - terrible dog owners, you should be able to leave your own house, badly trained dogs!!

You made the mistake of mentioning your baby op. You will only get the 'PFB', 'you sound hard work', 'I feel sorry for your neighbours', 'do you have PND' type responses now. You should never mention having a baby on MN, it automatically makes you precious and unreasonable.

You could perhaps do a search for barking dogs on MN where the op doesn't have a baby and apply the normal responses to yourself.

chickensouporwine · 19/07/2021 06:14

Oh I see you've also had 'you sound unhinged' 😂😂😂

Oh dear op. You've got the MN groupies out in droves.

Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 06:14

@chickensouporwine

There was a thread here the other day where someone said the neighbours dog barked every time they left their house to walk down their path. People were horrified - terrible dog owners, you should be able to leave your own house, badly trained dogs!!

You made the mistake of mentioning your baby op. You will only get the 'PFB', 'you sound hard work', 'I feel sorry for your neighbours', 'do you have PND' type responses now. You should never mention having a baby on MN, it automatically makes you precious and unreasonable.

You could perhaps do a search for barking dogs on MN where the op doesn't have a baby and apply the normal responses to yourself.

Haha thank you - point noted! I will have a search for those threads Smile

Also... the fact that a site called Mumsnet is so intolerant of, well, mums with babies.. is a little bizarre?! 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 06:15

@chickensouporwine

Oh I see you've also had 'you sound unhinged' 😂😂😂

Oh dear op. You've got the MN groupies out in droves.

😂

And I've been diagnosed with PND. By an Internet stranger. Awesome.

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 06:26

You should never mention having a baby on MN, it automatically makes you precious and unreasonable.

Bizarre.

You would think I'd said "I want my baby to never experience any minor inconvenience ever in her life and be wrapped up in perfect bliss in the sanctuary of our precious garden, forevermore. How do I stop people from breathing near her?" 😂

I mean, I literally just don't want a badly trained dog yapping right near her when we are morning our own business in our garden. Doesn't strike me as big ask.

Folk are strange.

OP posts:
Original poster
soirritating · 19/07/2021 06:27

*minding. Not morning

OP posts:
Elys3 · 19/07/2021 07:46

Yes you’d think it would be ok to mention you have a baby on a parenting website Grin Some of users are weird. Just ignore them as there are others who offer good advice.

junebirthdaygirl · 19/07/2021 08:01

I haven't read everything so this may be suggested already. You can buy a little zapper and every time the dog barks you press it and it gives the dog a very tiny shock which will gradually stop him from barking as he will associate barking with the little shock. It's so annoying a dog barking like that every time you are in the garden even if there was no baby involved. You have my sympathy. Get the zapper. I don't know what it's called but should be easy to find online.

LST · 19/07/2021 08:05

@junebirthdaygirl

I haven't read everything so this may be suggested already. You can buy a little zapper and every time the dog barks you press it and it gives the dog a very tiny shock which will gradually stop him from barking as he will associate barking with the little shock. It's so annoying a dog barking like that every time you are in the garden even if there was no baby involved. You have my sympathy. Get the zapper. I don't know what it's called but should be easy to find online.
Never read anything so ridiculous in my life! How the hell do you think the op is going to manage to zap her neighbours dog!?
iBrows · 19/07/2021 08:08

I once had to tell the council about a noise complaint and the first thing they ask you is if you’ve tried to speak to the neighbour (you haven’t yet).

They then asked for a diary of when and where exactly the nuisance was happening so somebody could come at that time and listen - at this point you would look really unreasonable if you picked up your baby and sat down right next to the fence to trigger the dog so they could see the “problem”. They’d just tell you to move away from the fence. If you explain it they’ll mention buying a parasol / something else for shade.

I know you aren’t saying you’ll go to the council but if your neighbour ignores you then you’ll either have to accept the noise or start the process.

Also if you do piss your neighbour off and you live in rented accommodation they might start complaining to your landlord about you.

Best bet is to knock on their door and say the dog has been barking for a couple of hours so you just wanted to check that they’re home as you’re worried. Makes you seem nice and they will probably be embarrassed.

Conchitastrawberry · 19/07/2021 08:14

I’ve got two dogs that bark at everything. It drives me mad and if they bark in the garden id definitely bring them inside.

maddy68 · 19/07/2021 08:17

Put a fence on your side. But frankly waking up a baby isn't their issue. You are being very precious. Your crying baby probably disturbs them too

Conchitastrawberry · 19/07/2021 08:17

@junebirthdaygirl

I haven't read everything so this may be suggested already. You can buy a little zapper and every time the dog barks you press it and it gives the dog a very tiny shock which will gradually stop him from barking as he will associate barking with the little shock. It's so annoying a dog barking like that every time you are in the garden even if there was no baby involved. You have my sympathy. Get the zapper. I don't know what it's called but should be easy to find online.
You can’t buy anything like that. Electric shock collars are illegal. There are citronella collars (which don’t work) that is controlled by the owner.

How on earth would she be able to “zap” the neighbours dog through a fence anyway?!

BoomChicka · 19/07/2021 08:24

My old neighbour had a yappy terrier that went insane every time I stepped into my garden - for 5 years - until I moved. You would think it would eventually chill the fuck out, but no. This may have been an especially stupid dog though.

thecognoscenti · 19/07/2021 08:42

Why post in AIBU if you don't think you're unreasonable, OP? I mean you're absolutely convinced that you aren't being, and that your baby should be your neighbour's top priority (spoiler alert: it isn't).

bongbigboobingbongbing · 19/07/2021 08:43

I wonder if playing music or the radio would mask the sound of you/baby in the garden so that the dog doesn't pick up on every tiny little noise. Just some quiet Radio 4 or something. (If your neighbours notice it and ask you to turn it off I think you could just explain why you've felt the need to try it!)