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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ridiculous argument with neighbour

256 replies

KindleAndCake · 21/04/2022 15:24

Maybe IABU. My dog only ever barks at cats, that's it. Never at other dogs or people.
So, new neighbours at the back recently moved in and have cats, they have them on leads and put them up against our fence.
When I let our dog out and he sees the cats through the fence he'll bark at them. I will then bring him in.
Neighbour saw me today and challenged me over the barking. He said it was annoying. I just said there wasn't much I could do, he's a dog and he barks at cats and I bring him in as soon as I hear him.
Neighbour then responds with, "but my cat doesn't make any noise". I just looked at him, and said, but he's a cat. He doesn't bark.
Neighbour then threatened to call the police if this carries on.
Am I really being unreasonable? I don't know what else I can do?

OP posts:
oakleaffy · 21/04/2022 19:46

Yapping/barking dogs are really annoying.

Train not to bark. {It is possible}.
Seems strange for cats to be tethered when unsupervised, as a throttle risk, surely?

G5000 · 21/04/2022 19:50

Our neighbour has a dog that barks at everything. Cats, birds, other dogs, people walking by, cars driving past the house, probably bees or some leaves falling somewhere and taunting him. Natural behaviour it might be, but it's a bloody nuisance.

Watchkeys · 21/04/2022 19:51

Yapping/barking dogs are really annoying

Lots of things are annoying. Are we supposed to train away everything that might annoy somebody? Sometimes you just have to put up with annoying things, if you're not in a position to move to a remote location. And even then, the birds might be annoying. Who's going to train those, if we're not supposed to take responsibility for our own feelings of annoyance, as individuals?

oakleaffy · 21/04/2022 20:04

Watchkeys · 21/04/2022 19:51

Yapping/barking dogs are really annoying

Lots of things are annoying. Are we supposed to train away everything that might annoy somebody? Sometimes you just have to put up with annoying things, if you're not in a position to move to a remote location. And even then, the birds might be annoying. Who's going to train those, if we're not supposed to take responsibility for our own feelings of annoyance, as individuals?

You know full well that yapping isn't like birds singing.
Lazy owners buy dogs that are allowed to yap out of frustration and boredom.

A well exercised dog isn't given to yapping at the slightest thing.

A couple of barks is quite different to yapping that goes on and on.
Legally, it seems owners of yappers can be fined...So for such a law to be in place must show it IS a nuisance noise.

www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/pets/a37863537/dogs-barking-owners-fine/

Cryingintherain99 · 21/04/2022 20:04

There's not lot you can do.
I'd just ignore the neighbour if he says anything else.
You have a dog. Dogs bark at cats.
Is he claiming he can't let the cats off the leads because of the dog?

polynomials · 21/04/2022 20:06

This sounds stressful both for the cats and the dog. How silly of them to put them on leads. Police have more important things to do, so don't worry about that... I wouldn't do anything tbh, and wouldn't bring my dog in either unless noise levels got too high for other neighbours.

winterchills · 21/04/2022 20:12

They sound very strange!

Pyri · 21/04/2022 20:12

10HailMarys · 21/04/2022 16:32

Ummmm yes, put something up against the fence so your dog can’t see them OR teach your dog not to bark OR keep him in when they’re out there

Why should the OP have to make the change? Why can't the neighbours keep their cats in when the OP's dog is out there? Why can't they put something up against the fence, if it bothers them? Maybe they could 'teach' their cats not to sit on top of the fence winding up the OP's dog?

The neighbours are entitled to tie their cats on long leads to garden chairs if they want to (although frankly that doesn't seem like the safest way to exercise a cat - if another cat gets in and decides to start a fight, their cats are going to be tangled up in leads and unable to run away, for a start). But if their cats are going to be constantly peering through the fence or sitting on top of it, obviously that's going to wind up a dog and the neighbours need to accept that.

Because it’s not only those neighbours who will be irritated by all the barking, it’s everyone in the neighbourhood!

champagnetruffleshuffle · 21/04/2022 20:17

Absolutely batshit! Thank you for the cats don't bark comment, it was the laugh I really needed this evening!!

I totally agree; cover the fence then the dog will only bark when the cats jump up, at which point your neighbour will need to take their own steps to stop the cats doing it.

KatharinaRosalie · 21/04/2022 20:20

Hey your neighbour has posted here too:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2685931-Or-is-my-neighbour-being-ridiculous

Original poster
KindleAndCake · 21/04/2022 20:25

I meant 2 metres high/ 6ft high, ot 2ft high 🤣

OP posts:
BOOTS52 · 21/04/2022 20:32

She sounds nuts. who ties their cats up on a lead. Tell her you will report her to the rspca for having her cats tied up all the time on a lead. She can move them away from the fence. Do not let her bully you at all.

Nanny0gg · 21/04/2022 20:42

PriamFarrl · 21/04/2022 15:34

Why do they have cats on leads?

Presumably to let them outside without them roaming.

They sound a mad as a box of frogs

BrightOrangeOrange · 22/04/2022 09:38

A well exercised dog isn't given to yapping at the slightest thing.

The dog is not yapping at the slightest thing. It is barking at cats, which most dogs would. OP clearly says in her first post My dog only ever barks at cats, that's it.

Why do people not read things properly?

oakleaffy · 22/04/2022 09:43

BrightOrangeOrange · 22/04/2022 09:38

A well exercised dog isn't given to yapping at the slightest thing.

The dog is not yapping at the slightest thing. It is barking at cats, which most dogs would. OP clearly says in her first post My dog only ever barks at cats, that's it.

Why do people not read things properly?

I was referring to another poster who thinks it's ok for dogs to yap on and on.
RTFT yourself?

BrightOrangeOrange · 22/04/2022 10:20

oakleaffy

Fair enough but your input was nothing to do with the OP's post. Her dog is not yapping all the time (which would be annoying). It is barking at the cats because that is natural for dogs to do. Like cats catch birds and mice. Like birds shit on my garden furniture. It is what they do.

peachescariad · 22/04/2022 10:35

Not a police matter and LA noise abatement team won't be interested either.
Let your dog bark away at the cats.

Horst · 22/04/2022 10:40

Noise abatement team certain would take it seriously here depending on how often the dog was barking. They treat it the same as loud music. Depending on time, length it goes on for and how regularly. They won’t care that the dogs barking at a cat just that it’s a being an annoyance.

mid ask the neighbour the make it so the cats cannot get on the fence when on the leads, even if you word it so your trying to protect the cats from hanging themselves, and cover your fence if the dog can see though it.

CorsicaDreaming · 22/04/2022 10:48

@KindleAndCake

I meant 2 metres high/ 6ft high, ot 2ft high 🤣
...

2ft high fence 🤣

I was imagining a couple of kittens on one side and a chihuahua on the other Grin

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 22/04/2022 11:33

@Horst

Noise abatement team certain would take it seriously here depending on how often the dog was barking. They treat it the same as loud music. Depending on time, length it goes on for and how regularly. They won’t care that the dogs barking at a cat just that it’s a being an annoyance.

mid ask the neighbour the make it so the cats cannot get on the fence when on the leads, even if you word it so your trying to protect the cats from hanging themselves, and cover your fence if the dog can see though it.

They wouldn't be interested in a dog woofing a couple of times at a cat and being taken back in the house. Don't be soft
Horst · 22/04/2022 11:37

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 22/04/2022 11:33

@Horst

Noise abatement team certain would take it seriously here depending on how often the dog was barking. They treat it the same as loud music. Depending on time, length it goes on for and how regularly. They won’t care that the dogs barking at a cat just that it’s a being an annoyance.

mid ask the neighbour the make it so the cats cannot get on the fence when on the leads, even if you word it so your trying to protect the cats from hanging themselves, and cover your fence if the dog can see though it.

They wouldn't be interested in a dog woofing a couple of times at a cat and being taken back in the house. Don't be soft

I was referring to in general. Depending on how often the op is having to pull her dog back inside depending on the council they might. Ours is pretty hot on dog barking. After 10pm or before 7am they really don’t like, more than three instances of barking in an hour for more than I think it’s 1 or 2 minutes. All counts as an issue and they would deploy sound equipment. Obviously not all councils are so hot on it but some are.

Grrrrdarling · 22/04/2022 18:13

Why are they putting their cats up against the fence, especially if they know that it makes the dog bark?
Tell him to jog on & go live your life.
If he wants to call the police let him. He’ll get himself a name with them & it will be no-ones fault but his own.

Supergirl1958 · 22/04/2022 18:26

Pyri · 21/04/2022 15:25

Ummmm yes, put something up against the fence so your dog can’t see them OR teach your dog not to bark OR keep him in when they’re out there

Woofing dogs are a nuisance

From, a cat hating dog lover

@Pyri really?

We adopted a Romanian Shih Tzu who barks at almost anything. A helicopter, people walking past my parents house…anything!

The OP is entitled to use their outdoor living space how they see fit! I mean cats on a lead FFS? I wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbour is deliberately goading the OP!!

and as for barking dogs, that’s like asking a baby to stop crying!!

Mamabananananana · 22/04/2022 18:28

Your dog is reactive to cats. You have the issue.

Essenceandvibes · 22/04/2022 18:29

You're not being unreasonable, your neighbour sounds like a twat.

He can call the police all he likes, they won't do anything. They'll just refer him to the council who'll give him a journal log to fill out and then never follow anything up with him or you

No one has time to care about a dog barking these days with everything going on in the world.

Chill out and let your dogs be free 🙂