AIBU to refuse to move in my garden so that a neighbour's dog stops barking?

[Motnight]

I'm fairly certain I am not but my neighbour's attitude has made me wonder.

Earlier today, just after 7 am, I was sitting at the bottom of my garden on the bench drinking tea and just listening to the birds and looking at my flower bed. Our garden is that of a typical London Victorian terrace, surrounded on 3 sides by other gardens. I was probably 2 feet away from the fence separating our garden from opposite neighbours.

The neighbour's kids were out playing, Not particularly loudly but I could here them (I often do and it's not a problem at all, we are all living in close proximity, that's part and parcel of it). Suddenly their dog starts barking very loudly. It goes on for a couple of minutes. I then hear a male voice saying "is there anyone there?". I say, yes, your neighbour, hi (we've never spoken before). The man then says my dog is barking at you. He knows you are there. I don't know what to say so say nothing. The man adds can you move further up your garden please so my dog stops barking. I say, sorry, what did you say as I can't quite believe he is asking me to move. I have been completely quiet, minding my own business and just enjoying my garden. He repeats it. I say no, I am having my tea (!). He says, but your garden is as long as ours, there must be space for you to sit elsewhere, and if you don't move we will have to take the dog in. I reply, look I am sitting in my garden and I am going to stay here for as long as I want.

The man sighs loudly and says thank you for nothing, I'll return the favour some day. I hear a bit of rustling and muttering and then silence. Kids and dog and man have obviously gone back into the house. And I am left thinking WTF.

Bark back 😝

I made dog friends by doing that in one neighbourhood 😅

I give my neighbours dog beer and carrots.

But that’s because I like my neighbour.

YANBU

I have barky dog. She barks at neighbours and I am mortified. We either shout her in, go out and get her or if we are in the garden, put her inside. Every time apologising profusely.

Your neighbour is a prick

If only it was. Our dog is 8 and she's been brought in when she barks since she was a puppy. But she still does it every time our neighbours go out or people walk past the bottom of the fence. And still we bring her in.

👍🏻and if he was mine, you'd be welcome to.

but he wouldn't be mine as I don't do small yappy dogs or untrained dogs!!

a bit if water vent harm him & may work in stopping the tapping.

@Motnight you are in the right, he's lucky you weren't complaining snout the kuds ir the barking, both woukd be justified at 7am!!

He needs to train his dog, end of.

What breed is she?

Buy her a hose as a summer treat 👍🏻

Ah see I'm torn. I was brought up with animals and the rule was very much that we were to respect our animals. If i wanted to groom the dog and it didn't want a brush, I wasnt allowed. If I played near to where the dog was eating, I would be removed. If we were hanging out in our garden near a fence, and our presence was clearly winding up the next doors dog, we would get told to go do something else. However, equally if our dogs were to bark at a neighbour, I imagine my parents would have removed the dog. (Mind you, they'd have removed us too if we'd been loud!) Now if my own dog barked, I'd definitely remove her, but if was in my garden amd next doors dog was barking and me moving a few feet away meant everyone was happy, I'd just go with that. Unless the whole rest of the garden is in shade or is boggy grass or something you can't sit in, was it not worth trying to see if you moving a few feet away resolved the issue possibly for the entire rest of the dogs life with no drama? Obviously it may not work but would you not just give it a shot for the sake of making a minor adjustment? I would but it's fine that you wouldn't.

A spaniel

Sending the dog inside for barking is a valid way to train them not to bark. My dogs are brought in if they bark. The rule is if you want to look at things outside, you do it with your mouth shut.

I despise barking dogs. I lived next to two border collies I would have been happy to see the end of. Owners home. Zero attempt to shut them up. Barked to hear the sound of their own voices. I cannot say how much I hated those dogs. Moved from the cul de sac to a 4 lane road and the peace is blissful. Apparently a decade on and the bastards still bark incessantly.

Maybe your neighbour has a problem with his dog and if you work with him vs against him u can both be happy.

dog is barking because he is advising his owner you are there. Dog does not understand you are in ur own property.
talk to ur neighbour get to know dog so ur smell if familiar. No warning barks will follow. Everyone happy!

Obviously to add to that he was a bit cheeky to ask you to move. I guess if he'd said something like "im sorry, it's just because youre so close. Would you possibly mind moving back from the fence a wee bit?" The whole tone of the situation may have been better. Asking your neighbour for a favour is one thing, (and accepting their decline) but acting like they should do something for you is very rude and I can see why you didn't feel inclined to help him.

Funny you say that - and aren't otters just gorgeous with their favourite rocks!

When I had my staffy, we were renting. When we would move, I'd make a point of taking him to meet the neighbours and introducing ourselves and saying to let me know if he barked etc. He didn't, he was a lovely dog. But from that it seems he learned who the "allowable" people were. If he hadn't been introduced to you, he'd bark. The neighbours loved him (as did the postie at one placed - he'd stop for big cuddles) as when he barked they knew there was a stranger around.

Yes. Same here. Absolutely not on for the dog to annoy people.

He was an asshole to ask and to react too but saying that if the dog next door starts barking too much and it’s because of us being too close/ loud, I’ll tell everyone maybe it’s time to move on to let their dog settle

I used to have a really yappy dog, miss her despite her being unable to be in the garden without going apeshit if she knew my neighbours and their dog were out. I never regarded it as their responsibility to sort my dog out and would never have asked them to do anything differently! Sounds like they are in denial about their own dog training abilities tbh and find it easier to blame you x

if you don’t move we will have to take the dog in

He can’t have been serious?? Please move so that our dog that we can’t be fucked to train properly doesn’t have to move instead??

Your dog sounds gorgeous 😍
They are intelligent, and not just bark and poop machines. The owner needs to make them aware of who the safe people are.

They can do no wrong 🥰

I think it's hilarious he's decided it's easier to train you rather than his dog. CF.

I don't own a dog due to being allergic to dog dander. If I did & it barked at my neighbour sitting quietly in her garden I would be highly embarrassed. I don't get this man's attitude at all.

Couldn't move my bench....

Well then, as I say, you're fine to stay where you are!

🤣