To move over a dog?

[Renovationhell]

I literally can’t stand it any more. NDN have a dog with separation anxiety. It howls every second that they leave it. It starts as they drive away and continues till they return. If they go out for tea or whatever I can’t go to bed until they get back, my life is ruled by what time they are in the house.

I live in an old Victorian semi. I love this house and will loose money on it. If I sell tomorrow it’s not finished so I won’t get a good price. I have no money to finish it either so will have to sell as a project. I love the location. But I’m being driven insane and driven from my home by a fucking dog. I’m a dog lover and have dogs myself but this is something else.

Neighbors are sympathetic but can’t do anything to change it. Apparently they have tried many times. They have to leave the house and it does nothing but scream like a posessed wolf until they come back. They know it does it and don’t care.

Soundproofing is too expensive. I have no money and the party wall has 4 shared fireplaces so apparently it will be next to impossible.

So moving is my only option isn’t it? Has anyone else made this decision and regretted it? It’s a young dog so waiting it out isn’t an option I think I’ll have lost my shit by then. 😭

Make it clear they stop leaving the dog, by using daycare/sitters as appropriate, and ideally, address the issue properly with the aid of behaviourist support... or you will start action with the Environmental Health over the noise nuisance.

Record it and contact the dog warden too, get teh dog warden to hear the racket and go round and speak to them about the distress their dog is experiencing.

Local authorities can take action but you do have to be the squeaky wheel.

Fixing SA takes a fucking long time and I say that as someone who works with SA dogs all the time, but at NO point does it involve the dog being left to howl/bark. Ever.

None of us like conflict, but moving house for me would be awful. I would press them to address the issue. Ultimately the dog would need to go.

I totally understand why you haven’t reported OP, if you do make sure you’re really sure and can cope if you need to stay put.

I think it’s laughable people saying oh they can rehome the dog, I don’t think that will realistically happen. So many people are selfish and can’t be arsed to train their dogs.

I guess you need to try and decide if you think they’d turn nasty if you involved the council, because even if the howling was sorted it could permanently damage neighbourly relations.

I moved from a house with a barking dog, and tried soundproofing my bedroom as it was waking me early in the morning. It only muffled the noise slightly as barking is so loud. Even with earplugs it was still waking me.
I know the effect intrusive noise can have on you so I really feel for you.

Hope you can figure out a solution.

When I had this problem I called local council. They told me to download an App, press record when the noise as happening and then I just had to press send. It as time stamped and the decibels reversed. Neighbour received a warning over the noise, problem stopped.

They could take the dog with them when they go out to tea. Lots of pubs have dog friendly areas and provide meals. My dog goes out to tea regularly with us.

This is madness, to up root your family for the sake of a howling dog?

Poor thing. Totally unsuited to it's environment.

Report them to environmental health. You shouldn't have to put up with this.

I would feel like recording it and then playing it at that volume to your neighbours when they are in - for as long as you endured it that day.

doubt you can do that sadly,

so either report it or move.

Not sure about where you are but most councils have a dog warden that will go out and speak to dog owners re this type of thing. I have a dog and although he doesn’t do this I know I’d be heartbroken if he did. They will be able to access a behaviouralist via their insurance with a referral from the vet and may need to medicate the dog while they are out of the house to help it relax. A behaviouralist would give other recommendations also. Hope you don’t need to move over it OP! Feel awful for the dog as well tbh.

Have they heard how bad it is and how it lasts?

I think they assumed because they had 3 dogs it would be ok but its not. They need to give it a toy or some thing to chew to keep it busy. And they need to go through a routine of leaving but staying in the garden for 5 minutes. Then go back home and repeat.

Have you actually gone around and told them what it's like OP?

Honestly OP I am like you and would probably rather sell up than get into a dispute with neighbours about this.

I think you need to have a proper face to face conversation about it. Invite them round and talk it over rather than just a quick mention over the fence or whatever (making assumptions here I know). If you can record some of it then great.

This thread is terrifying me because I would love a dog but would just die if it upset my neighbours.

This is a great idea

I’d try talking to them again. Take a recording, keep a diary, go around with the evidence and spell it out just how badly this is impacting you. Make it clear that you will be making a complaint if they don’t do something.

I wouldn't tell them I'm going to. I'd just do it. Don't give them any warning. Most places, the council can't tell them who made the complaint. It could be another of their neighbours for all they know.

You shouldn't bloody be paying for it! If you don't like confrontation then write them a solicitor and tell them what soundproofing needs doing and why it needs doing and it will cost £X and they need to either pay or find a solution for their dog. That it is destroying your mental health and it rules your life and they need to do something about the situation instead of just going out and pretending it's not happening. Also record the dog to play it back to them. You need to get proactive!

Agree I would not be moving. You won't be the only one suffering and it's better for you to stay put and refer the problem to Council.

It sounds really stressful for you. And poor dog too 🥺.

You’d have to declare the issue if you were selling, so you probably couldn’t sell anyway. Why would they buy it with that issue.

Answer must be sound proofing, that might be the same cost as moving anyway? And you love the house.

Proper research into soundproofing required!

THIS ^
Don't move but do get in touch with Council.

Neighbors are sympathetic but can’t do anything to change it. They can do lots to help but suspect it is not been done effectively or successfully. A knock on the door and say out of concern for the dog it sounds distressed and the noise is unacceptable. Record it one day and play it back. I would say they are 'fur baby' owners who do not understand dog behaviour and are actually quite cruel.

First of all the poor dog it must be so distressed it’s an awful thing for them to do to just leave and ignore it in the state. Secondly yes council, ours you can create a noise disturbance log- no they won’t bother coming out straight away but you log every single time then it builds a picture and they can see how much it’s affecting you. It’s totally unacceptable of them to just ignore the issue. Oh and buy your dc some drums and a trombone. But please don’t sell your lovely house

This!!!

You have my sympathy. We moved because of an arsehole neighbour, I absolutely do not blame the dog. She had 2 golden retrievers and one had separation anxiety and she worked 8 hour shifts and it would cry and bark the entire time, didn't pause for breath. The poor thing sounded so distressed, I put a very polite note through asking if she was aware and could she get a dog sitter or something.
Well that backfired she decided to bang doors every opportunity she got, we involved the council, they did write to her but it was during lockdown so nothing happened. We recorded the noises she banged the door 40 times in a 2 hour time period.
Anyway the dog died so she got 3 more and it was horrific she just didn't care. We would all be sat just waiting for a dog to start barking. So we downsized, we were always going to move but did it sooner than we wanted to.
One of the downsides is that 4 of us are all really anxious about making noise and bothering people. Sorry bit of a rant but it was awful.