Neighbour looking over our fence making our dog bark

[Candy155320]

Hi our neighbour for the past week has been looking over our fence into our garden and is constantly making our dog bark and growl every single day even at weekends while we are in our garden. What’s the best way to tell her not to look over in our garden getting our dog to bark and growl - it’s her fence not ours -

IMO it is unreasonable to ask someone to stop looking over their fence in their own garden.

I would suggest growing some tall screening shrubs if space allows. You can buy pleached trees for instant impact, however they can be pricey so a fast growing hedge might be better.

And consider seeking support on how to train your dog to not bark if someone looks over.

Train your dog not to bark
Your neighbour sounds nosy

What do you mean by looking over? If she's going up to the fence and sticking her head over then fair enough asking her to stop, if she's just standing in her garden and looking over I don't think you can.

Id plant a big row of tall conifers and block her, and the dogs view of her.

How tall is the fence?

Yeah, you have to train your dog not to bark. I appreciate that this is a pain because it's not of your own making but it'll be worthwhile. You really can't stop your neighbour looking wherever they want to look whilst on their own property. And I agree with PPs about buying some screening plans.

How tall is the fence?

When you say looking into your garden, is she sitting in her garden and just looking in your direction or is she resting her chin on the fence and having a good nose?

The former - train your dog not to bark.
The latter - train your dog to wee on the fence. 🤣

A cat may look at a queen. A neighbour may look at a dog. I guess you could point out that it's making your dog bark, but be prepared for a so-what-shrug or worse.

‘Rover stop barking, it’s just Sarah looking in at us!’ Really loudly each time

Set up some sprinklers along the fence line on your side... Tell ndn you have planted some seeds...

My neighbour ( an arsehat) told me that he didn't like my cat looking at him from my garden. I'm afraid I laughed.

This all sounds very strange. How long is she looking over for? Or is she just in her garden pottering around and because the fence is low you can see each other. Are you in the UK? Where I am in the south east it hasn't been warm enough to spend a long time in the garden. Or do you shut your dog out in the garden all day. So many questions!

My ndn told us he was lowering the wall between our houses... The way he was describing it was like he wanted a gap in the middle which would give him a great view of my 3 small dc playing out - weird in itself..
More weird was the day he took a sledgehammer to the LISTED BUILDING WALL that actually belongs to my landlord...
Sometimes there is no logic to batshit behaviour..

slightly different circumstances..neighbours children pulling back hedging and watching me in the garden (I'm not interesting) I started to say loudly "are you spying on me?"
"are you bored why are you watching me? "do you need help, why are you watching me?" The parents finally tool the hint.

If I was dealing with your neighbour, I would bore her to death. every time she's out, go and force a dull conversation...politics, gender/sex politics...anything that makes her uncomfortable (you will soon work it out) Make it really uncomfortable for her..she will stop popping her head over, if she has to listen to a monologue 😁
Your monologue might be what your dogs shrink thinks, how she needs a safe space, like humans......

Train your dogs not to bark if you're out there with them or don't just leave them in the garden. I hate people who just dump their dogs in the garden. Your neighbour is perfectly allowed to be in their garden looking over their fence. If you don't want them to see in yours you need to put something up to block their view.

My dog is not dumped in the garden he’s only out when we are out & he’s not there all day he also goes on 3 walks a day

5/6 foot panel fence...
Normal hight chain link fence?

I'd have to know if there's a valid reason first.
Have you asked if everything's alright.
"Hi neighbour is there something you want"

If they're only wanting to chat then fine.
If its just to antagonise the dog that's a bit different.

It’s never that she wants to chat with us in particular she’s just there standing right up to fence looking at our dog & when he starts barking growling she calls her children over to look at the dog barking 😠 so not sure how to address this with her

So she isnt peering over the fence, she is just standing in her garden looking in that direction?

Simple solution - 6 foot panels.

Yes she’s literally right at the fence looking at our dog

How long does she do that for?

In that case I’d have a word with her. Do you mind not looking over the fence at the dog? It really spooks him and we don’t want him to bark or growl at children.
If she doesn’t take the hint add we’d really hate him to start jumping at the fence. Imagine if he went over it.

I can recommend evergreen honeysuckle which grows very quickly ( 6 feet in a summer)

Next time you see it happening, just say:

"You don't seem to realise that if you didn't look over the fence, the dog wouldn't bark; she's protecting our privacy. Shall we try you not looking over for a bit so we all get some peace and quiet?

We’ll just tell her to stop! She’s nuts! Or buy a nice big water pistol.