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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask new neighbours to keep their dog in?

29 replies

AllesAusLiebe · 01/08/2021 21:06

OK, so just moved house (semi-detached) and all day I've intermittently heard neighbour's dog. I'm not too happy about this, but it's not especially intrusive as it's not especially loud. We must have pretty thick walls.

However, the dog has been barking in the back garden for the last hour and this keeps waking DS up.

I really don't want to make enemies as we've just moved in, but WIBU to have a polite word and ask that they don't put the dog out on a night?

OP posts:
Polmuggle · 01/08/2021 21:07

Surely the obvious thing to do is to ask them not to leave the dog out unattended while it barks, rather than to not let the dog out in the evening?

TheSkatesOfCoachBombay · 01/08/2021 21:13

Could be a one off, could be all the time I'd watch and wait.

I had to put dog out when paramedics came and because he was anxious and unsure what was going in and objected to being shut out he barked for the 40minutes they were here. Because obviously nobody is as important as him in the household and how dare he be shut out in the cold 🙄

But if it becomes a constant thing like every night for hours then yes I'd say something to them along the lines of "I've noticed dog is out in the garden for a while in the evening, can he be supervised please so he doesn't bark non stop as it's disturbing our sons bedtime."

Darbs76 · 01/08/2021 21:16

Agreed wouldn’t do it after 1 or 2 evenings but if it’s a regular thing yes a polite note might be the best approach

MrsSkylerWhite · 01/08/2021 21:18

YABU to ask them not to let the dog out at night.
Completely reasonable to ask them to supervise it so it doesn’t bark for a long time.

xoJellyBean · 01/08/2021 21:22

I was playing with my dog out in our back garden, at 7pm, on a summers evening when my neighbour asked my dog to shut up because her child was waking up.

I never forgave her 🤪 I'd wait and see if it's a regular thing first.

toocold54 · 01/08/2021 21:34

Honestly this is probably the worst thing you can do if you want to stay on good term with your neighbours! There’s no nice way to say it.
If the dog is constantly barking all day every day then fair enough but I would leave it a while before you start moaning to the neighbours!

WhatsTheEffingPoint · 01/08/2021 21:37

We had a couple, one neighbours dog would start barking any time from 4.00am, the other would be from 6.00am.
This went on daily for weeks, and other close neighbours were getting fed up, our bedroom window faces their back garden, so a rather loud 'shut the f**k up' a few times soon got the point across. It did end up stopping.
(They are not neighbours we talk to as its only our gardens that back on to each other and their front access is in a different road).

pilates · 01/08/2021 21:40

Is it a one off or a regular thing?

vodkaredbullgirl · 01/08/2021 21:43

Well you could ask, but I wouldn't expect them not to let their dog out at night.

MrsBungle · 01/08/2021 21:45

If they haven’t realised it’s anti social then, unfortunately, they probably don’t give a shit. My neighbours dogs bark all day long. I’ve asked them politely and not very politely but they don’t care.

LolaSmiles · 01/08/2021 21:46

If you've just moved in, as in moved in within the last day, and you start asking your neighbours to use their garden in a way you deem acceptable on an evening then you're not going to stay on good terms.

If it persistently barks all evening over several evenings then I'd ask them if they could bring their dog in when it's barking persistently, not try to tell them they shouldn't have their dog out.

atlastifoundit · 01/08/2021 21:48

If they are anything like my ndn, they are so used to the dog barking that they probably don't even notice, let alone realise that it is annoying other people.

Freddiefox · 01/08/2021 21:49

No really don’t, your dc is likely to make a lot of noise over the years particularly as they get older.

Wineat5isfine · 01/08/2021 21:52

Such a shame that some dog owners aren’t more aware of how annoying a dog barking for a long period of time can be.

We try our best to keep our neighbours happy. Our dog is obviously let out multiple times during the day. Is walked at 6am and 7pm.

We live rurally, so he will often hear / smell animals and will bark, so he isn’t allowed out on his after 9pm. We walk him around the garden on a lead…so he doesn’t go off on one at the wildlife and wake the neighbourhood.

He also isn’t allowed into the garden on his own before 8am. (But he’s already had a walk by this point, so he isn’t desperate to go)

Dixiechickonhols · 01/08/2021 21:53

If you’ve just moved in so carrying furniture in, banging about, removal men etc then dog could be unsettled because of you.
Personally I’d give it a few days.
I’m sure you will be being noisy - hammering pictures up, putting furniture together etc, your child might be unsettled and crying more with move. If you complain re dog then don’t expect any consideration back.

ginghamstarfish · 01/08/2021 21:55

Ä°n my experience and many house moves later, I would say you'd be fortunate to find dog-owning neighbours who would do anything other than ignore you.

BMW6 · 01/08/2021 21:56

I'm a dog owner and it is totally unreasonable to leave a dog barking outside for more than a couple of minutes.

I summer the door to our back yard garden is open. Dog can come and go as he pleases.

Unfortunately we are plagued by cats - at least 12 - that often walk along the 6foot wall and basically give our dog the finger - cue furious-beyond-reason barking, at which point DH or I will bring him indoors immediately.

However there are at least 5 other dogs in our vicinity, one of which seems to be left outside while the owner is at work. Piteous barking/whining for hours, in all weathers. I've never been able to ascertain exactly which house has this poor dog. If I knew I'd certainly be knocking their door and telling them it has to stop, or else.

Charlize43 · 01/08/2021 22:03

I hope it's not one of those small yappy dogs (like a Pomeranian) otherwise you have just moved into a living hell!

SemperIdem · 01/08/2021 22:10

If it’s only happened the once thus far, I’d definitely not say anything

Original poster
AllesAusLiebe · 01/08/2021 22:22

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'll leave it for now and see how things go. We just moved on Friday.

I'm not saying that we don't make any noise (DS certainly does), but we're very considerate and it really pisses me off when other people aren't. DS isn't allowed to shout in the garden, for example, or have the TV on too loud.

I also find noise more disturbing than other people. I don't know what it is, but it puts me on edge. I think I'm just struggling to adapt!

OP posts:
vodkaredbullgirl · 01/08/2021 22:24

So you only been there 2 days and you are annoyed by the dog barking.

Original poster
AllesAusLiebe · 01/08/2021 22:24

@Charlize43 I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds like a small yappy dog, so possibly. . . Can see the house going back on the market if that's the case!

OP posts:
Original poster
AllesAusLiebe · 01/08/2021 22:26

@vodkaredbullgirl that's the essence of my first post, in a nutshell, yes.

OP posts:
Frenchforkids3 · 01/08/2021 22:29

I also find noise more disturbing than other people. I don't know what it is, but it puts me on edge. I think I'm just struggling to adapt

OP, if this is true why did you move to a semi attached house???!!!!

idontlikealdi · 01/08/2021 22:32

Ddog will bark if there is thunder or fireworks or exceptional wind. Given the weather has been white across most of the uk it could be a one off. I expect your child will scream or cry occasionally. Give and take in a semi or terrace, or flat.

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