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.

This is mad - all you’re doing is training the dogs to bark to get a biscuit. I’d bark if there was a thank you Hobnob on the way.

It's up to owners to train their reactive dog not for neighbours to make life easier due to their laziness. The OP was doing nothing to encourage the dog and no reason why she shouldn't enjoy her garden how she sees fit. The dog owner is just an entitled idiot, having a dog doesn't work on the basis that people can't move around their property for fear of him making absurd requests over the fence. Dog barking is a statutory nuisance if it goes on for too long, a t night/early morning and is at a certain level. If it carries on, my advice would be to contact Environmental Health in your local council.

I know and hence why I stopped. None of her dogs ate trained. They grab the biscuit, don't sit and she lets them out thr back for ages and tbh i often go back inside. . The worst one is deaf so probably doesn't understand. I got one of them high pitched button things (anti barking) and that doesn't work either.

The man is a fucking idiot.

"ddog" and "dpuppy".. seriously?

Ridiculous entitlement. Glad you refused to move. He needs to train his dog.
I've met dog owners like this. A few months ago was walking on a local bridleway, two big dogs came running up to me, and ran around me, barking. I asked the owner to call them off. Of course they said (from a distance) 'They won't hurt you, they're just being friendly'.
So I said 'I don't care, I don't like dogs, you need to keep them on a lead in public if you can't recall them.'
Then dog owner said ' You shouldn't be walking here if you don't like dogs'.
These people are entitled morons who don't understand their legal responsibilities.

Your neighbour is a pillock! I have a dog as does my neighbour- their dog kept barking at me every time I so much as opened the back door (this is before I got my dog). My dog sometimes barks - that’s what dogs do. If mine reacts I deal with it (mostly conditioning the dog to get used to whatever it’s reacting to) - I don’t make demands of my neighbours. They however are like your neighbours- entitled and an absolute pain in the bum. Not once have I complained to them about their dog barking, but they do about mine - huffing, puffing, making passive aggressive comments for me to hear but not once reflecting on their behaviour. You said and did the right thing.

If the man's garden is as long as yours why cant he move his dog up to the other end then where you aren't sitting? If the dog is barking at you then clearly the dog has a problem and the man needs to address it by training him not to bark at people. You are certainly no threat as you're there drinking your tea, quietly minding your own business.

You pay for your space just as he does. He has no right to be asking you to move. Its not like your playing loud music or hitting the fence.... If my neighbour asked me to move from where I was sitting comfortably in my own garden because their dog was barking at me. There would be a big problem!

Dogs have to get used to neighbours, we have had a influx of neighbours getting dogs, their dog has to get used to you being there.

The neighbour needs to have something in place to teach the dog not to bark at the fence.

I've always spoken to my neighbours dogs, 'hello noisy, just your neighbour' so its clear im there and a few times I shhh them and they stop.

You did nothing wrong, your neighbour is entitled.

The dog next door started out barking at me, but once I "met" him with the owners and learned his name, I was able to just call him by name and let him know it was me and he "knows" me now.

no idea why people think this is a lie?!

OP @Motnightyou have every right to sit where you want in your own garden to drink your tea. He’s bonkers!!!

he needs to train his dog not to bark.

Try this.

Incessant barking drives me insane.

The audacity of your neighbour asking you to move. He needs to train his dog.

I would love to live in a dog-free community; I don't find dogs appealing in the slightest.

If you own a dog you are responsible for its behaviour. If you can't control it, you shouldn't have it. You are perfectly entitled to sit ANYWHERE in your garden in peace.

Funny how some dog owners think their dog is more important than other people. The man should take inside if it barks / train it not to do so.

😂😂😂😂😂😂 your neighbour is out of his mind

I like dogs but they are very much the owner’s responsibility. One of my neighbours has two border terriers who bark hysterically whenever a fox / cat / squirrel walks along the high wall at the back of the gardens (so repeatedly throughout the day). Sometimes their daughter comes out and shouts at them.

The most deplorable of neighbours.

I would spend the morning walking around the garden to get the dog barking. It clearly pisses off the owner.

And a few choice words back to him as well. Arrogant prick!

It’s not a dog problem it’s an entitled NDN problem.

I had a similar situation in our first home.

Marigolds, lavender and a powerful hose pipe solved the issue.

Your neighbour needs to restrict his dog to a space in his own garden, away from your fence if it's so reactive. He has no right to restrict your use of your own garden. Better still, put some time into his dog and train it not to be so reactive. Wonder what it's like when he walks the dog in public??

The way I would have invited all my nieces round for a tea party at the bottom of my garden!

😮😮😮

Touche', dear. That's exactly how it's done! 💃

No it still wouldn't be reasonable. If a dog hasn't been trained to be quiet when told, it shouldn't be outside barking at neighbours, When that idiot of a man pays OP;s rent or mortgage he will get a say as to when she can and can' use the garden.