Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To complain about my neighbour's dog.

20 replies

Applescruffle · 23/07/2023 15:27

The people across the road from me have a small, sausage-type dog. It's VERY loud and barky and it's aggressive. It snarls and bares its teeth from behind their gate if you walk past, even if you're on the opposite side of the road. They keep it in the front garden a lot as they are always out there faffing with their roses.

Out the back, they have a massive garden, with a gate at the end which opens up onto a lovely cycle path next to a canal, where most local dog owners including myself, walk their dogs. They never go there

Instead, they "walk" their dog out the front of their house. I say "walk" because they don't actually walk it, they put it on a lead, go out their front gate and walk about two houses down, or across the road, and then they just stand there, before going back again. The dog barks and barks while it is stood still, I don't know why, maybe its frustrated. It even barks while pissing. They do this once every two hours, the first walk is at 6:30am, and the last is at 9:30pm, and it is the same every single day of the year. I am often woken at 6:30am on weekends and bank Holidays, by this dog, stood at the end of my drive, barking its head off. She's not doing anything to stop it, she's not even walking it. It's just stood there.

I know this is long but I want to make it clear exactly what I am dealing with. I really want to complain but I've been told elsewhere that I am unreasonable because

  • walking a dog is essential pet care and can't be helped (they're not walking it, and there is plenty of other places they can stand stoll with a dog that aren't directly outside my house)
  • 6:30am is not unreasonable, even on weekends and BHs
  • I live in a town with all its conveniences, and should therefore put up with the annoyance of neighbours.

I don't want to go over there and speak to them because they have an aggressive dog and because when I went over to say hello when I moved in I heard her say to her husband "omg she's coming over" in a really condescending voice so I doubt they will be very kind or understanding.

So with all the information, AIBU?

OP posts:
Mindymomo · 23/07/2023 15:37

You can complain to your local Council and they will investigate and call on neighbour, they won’t tell them where the complaint came from. We did this with a neighbour across the road from us. Her dogs just barked all the time when in the garden. It did improve massively after they contacted her, she called her dogs in after a short time in the garden. We were asked to contact them again if barking didn’t improve. We have a dog who does bark outside if another dog comes along, postman or delivery driver is outside, but we always call him in

Fizzology · 23/07/2023 15:43

It sounds specifically targeted at you. They are - every day, numerous times per day - standing outside your property with their dog? Like, not in front of anyone else's house, just yours?

Original poster
Applescruffle · 23/07/2023 15:47

Fizzology · 23/07/2023 15:43

It sounds specifically targeted at you. They are - every day, numerous times per day - standing outside your property with their dog? Like, not in front of anyone else's house, just yours?

No, not just mine. Sorry if i was unclear.

They walk approximately 2 or three houses away from theirs. These are average sized three bed semis, not huge. Sometimes they go left, sometimes they go right, sometimes they cross the road abd end up at my house which is slightly diagonally opposite. It's completly random which house they end up standing at, there's no pattern to it. But they do just stand outside for at least a few minutes before going back. The dog barks the entire time and they do this 8-9 times a day, every day starting at 6:30. So it's often my house the dog is outside and I often cop the early shift.

OP posts:
Curledupwithabook · 23/07/2023 15:53

Sausage dogs are by nature, usually very reactive and bark at everything. It takes a lot of commitment from owners to train them to reduce this. Unfortunately their size means that some people buy them because they think that a small dog will be easy.

I'd agree with others though to put in a complaint to the council if you don't feel they're approachable.

MillWood85 · 23/07/2023 15:57

One of our neighbours had a dachshund. It barked incessantly from first light to last as they have a footpath running next to their house. Made your teeth itch, it was such an irritating noise. All day, every day. Yap yap yap. The woman next door would be regularly screaming "shut up, shut up" at it.

We suddenly noticed about a month ago that peace reigned. The dog had been put to sleep. Hallelujah!!!!!!! I'm shocked that there wasn't a village party, it was that bad.

Wobblywibblywoo · 23/07/2023 15:58

Our next door neighbours have a sausage dog too, it barks at everything, I really do feel for you, for a tiny dog they have the loudest bark, I’ve considered complaining to the council too.

Fizzology · 23/07/2023 15:59

Yes, complain to the council. It's anti-social and frankly very poor dog care!

I would also be out there every day at 6.30 a.m. with a garden hose until you have trained the humans.

Dachshunds are barky and territorial, bossy little things.

Rowgtfc72 · 23/07/2023 16:06

We have a sausage dog. Yes he's barky, they are by nature. Ours is corrected and then rewarded for less barking. Yes he does still bark on occasion but he doesn't have free reign.
He's accompanied in the garden till a reasonable hour to make sure of no antisocial barking( can't say the same for the other dogs round us who seem to start around 330am)
He also walks about 4- 5 miles a day so is quite content.
Walking two houses down would frustrate him.
Definitely report.

tonystarksrighthand · 23/07/2023 16:08

It even barks while pissing.

Not helpful but I'm howling at this Grin

Jongleterre · 23/07/2023 16:13

Does it have a medical problem such as a spinal problem so that it can't be walked far?

I know of a sausage dog who has a bad back and must not be walked far. She takes it out in a carrier with her other dogs and it leads a happy life.

I have never once heard it bark and have spent many hours in her company.

If there is nothing wrong g with it the dog has probably gone insane from lack of exercise and mental stimulation.

electriclight · 23/07/2023 16:15

I'd have to say something and wouldn't care whether they were kind about it or not.

If it bothers you, it bothers your other neighbours.

If you really don't feel like you can, could you do an anonymous note?

Council will ask you to keep a diary so you could start that now.

Original poster
Applescruffle · 23/07/2023 16:18

electriclight · 23/07/2023 16:15

I'd have to say something and wouldn't care whether they were kind about it or not.

If it bothers you, it bothers your other neighbours.

If you really don't feel like you can, could you do an anonymous note?

Council will ask you to keep a diary so you could start that now.

I don't want to go anywhere near their house, the dog is aggressive and there's a "beware of the dog" sign on their gate.

OP posts:
MillWood85 · 23/07/2023 17:18

You could noise aversion on the dog?

Loud horn or an airhorn? Press it every time the dog barks, especially when it's near your property.

WiddlinDiddlin · 23/07/2023 17:36

I wonder if the dog has a back injury and thats why the frequent but short walks.

Does sound as if they have no clue on how to deal with the barking though.

I'd ask before making a complaint, it maybe they are following veterinary advice to manage a health condition, but are clueless on behaviour modification/training - many people are!

Original poster
Applescruffle · 23/07/2023 17:38

Thanks to everyone that's confirmed I'm right to be pissed off. I don't know why everyone on the other Internet forum I use said otherwise. I've been there years so maybe they just don't like me 🤷‍♀️

It's the STANDING there. Why don't they walk it properly??

OP posts:
DarcyProudman · 24/07/2023 17:23

Having had four Dachshunds between the 70s and the 2000s, I can confirm they’re not all barky. What people (who buy them because they’re fashionable) don’t realise, is that they are hunting dogs and love to run and run for miles!! The poor thing is probably bored stiff, if it’s not ill. That just isn’t enough exercise to keep a Dachsie happy and stimulated. They’re not handbag dogs.

Quveas · 24/07/2023 17:32

Jenasaurus · 24/07/2023 17:09

Well I guess the neighbours know who reported them now!

I know it isn't funny but there's a dog owner of a Dachshund who occasionally walks her dog in the local park. It's a huge park but we all know when she's there as there is a 30 minute litany of "bark, bark, bark..." "shut up, shut up, shut up..." "bark, bark, bark..." "shut up, shut up, shut up..." "bark, bark, bark..." "shut up, shut up, shut up..." which was only once interrupted when a helpful soul tried to point out that telling the dog to shut up for 30 minutes staright at the top of her lungs wasn't helping and perhaps she could try a different strategy, and said helpful person (not me) was told to "F... off". We could then see where the dog got it from.

LovelyBitOfSquirrrel · 24/07/2023 17:32

I’d do abit of gardening out the front and put a little sign up saying you’ve used weed killer that isn’t pet friendly so best to keep dogs away

nalabae · 24/07/2023 17:41

Do you want the dog to be rehomed? Destroyed?
What would be the purpose of complaining because I know your neighbours are stressed their dog is an ahole

New posts on this thread. Refresh page