To still expect neighbours to sort it?

[Chefpig]

My neighbours have a dog that barks at regular intervals through the day. No longer than ten minutes goes past without her barking. She sits in the window and is triggered very easily by anything that goes by. It drives the owners mad because the man and woman shout at the dog and then the woman ends up screaming at her too. They're always in and the dog barks when they're home. If they go out it tends to be silent after a few barks. I was due to send council logs to the environmental noise team today.

Things have been frosty for ages but the other day we finally got talking. I was invited in and the dog barked at me non stop for half an hour. It didnt take a breath. I also found out during that visit that the woman has cancer and the man has heart problems. Really sad. He also takes shopping round daily for his MIL who is elderly and frail. The woman also said the dog loves to sit in the window watching the world go by (where it barks at everything and nothing). Female neighbour also said dog is untrainable now. We left on a good note. This.was friday. Yesterday I was out all day but there was some barking in the evening. Its fine, I dont expect silence. Today is a different matter. Since my weekend visitors have left, the dog has been barking a lot. They always quieten it down when I have visitors.

I cannot go on like this though. I pay a shitload for the property and can't watch TV, read, relax in the garden or eat a single meal without it being interrupted by the damn dog barking. My mental health is on the floor to the point I've almost quit my job and I've gone on antidepressants.

Today I saw male neighbour out and asked in a very friendly way if they've done any training with the dog (I've been there a year and the dog has always barked but lately its just awful). He said no because of their health and his MIL but that he'd start this week. I did say that my compromise is that I don't mind some barking, after all its what a dog does but they need to meet half way and offered to get some dog training resources if needed. I also said i really didn't want to take this further with the council and appreciate anything they can do, but I reportedto the council mid may and nothing has yet been done by them. I was really upbeat and friendly but he was obviously pissed off.

Aibu to expect them to train the dog in light of their health?

They are not going to train it.

It surely has.

They let the dog out for a few minutes in the garden and then end up bringing it rather than let it stay out on the nice days. It doesnt bark as much outside neither.

The dog barks through fear or anxiety I feel and it must be a huge fear or anxiety for it to bark as much as it does.

They are not training it and it's cruel not to walk it. At least try what a previous poster suggested and tell them not to shout at it, as that might be encouraging it.
But maybe call the RSPCA about a dog indoors that hasn't been walked for a year (!!)

It was just words to keep me quiet so neighbour can get on his way, wasn't it? I had a word with him this morning when I saw him because the dog had been barking so much since my visitors went home it was making me really anxious that I fucked off out in the end when I bumped into male neighbour.

I do feel bad putting the log in to the council now that I have learned she has cancer and he health issues too but they've had ages to sort this.

They don’t need to train it, they need to walk it. Dogs that have good walks and enrichment are tired and rest and calmer. You’re doing the dog a favour too bringing it up.

Not that you should have to but if you ever offered to walk the dog and it was then calmer it might make them realise.

I would 100%
You shouldn't have to live like this with it affecting your mental health etc

Absolutely. When they invited me in their home, i asked if it gets walked and it doesnt. She couldn't walk it but he can. He walks with a stick but walks multiple times a day at a decent pace.

I will send it. It's made me feel like I need to move again. I can't afford to but I've been desperate to escape it. I love everything about where I live apart from this.

Yes they were just trying to be placate you. It sounds like their health problems are preventing them looking after it properly. It needs to go to a home where it will be looked after properly.

Could you offer to walk the dog, for the dogs sake, not theirs? And yours. I know you shouldn't have to but if you have problems with neighbours then you have to declare it when you or they look to sell in the future.

Another suggestion you walk the dog. I know you shouldn’t have to but it might bark less and therefore improve your life.

I don't have time to walk the dog unfortunately, whereas theyre retired and could walk the dog if they choose (the male anyway).

Hi everyone, thanks all so much for your replies and advice. Its much appreciated. I've decided to go ahead and send the council the logs with a note that the neighbours said theyre starting training this week so im willing to give it a few weeks to see if things improve, and if not, I'll be in touch to see how things can proceed to the next stage.

I must be very soft because I feel awful for taking this to the council and potentially proceeding further given their health conditions.

On Friday, I flipped. The dog had been barking all day whilst I was trying to work. Stress from that and from work honestly made me feel like ending my life. I ended up screaming at the neighbours to shut the fucking dog up, which prompted the conversation between neighbours and I, which was very friendly in the end and then I spoke to male neighbour yesterday when out and about.

They kept it mostly quiet yesterday after I'd seen him. Well, the dog still barked frequently, but they shut it up soon after it started, which I was grateful for. It did bark for a while at around 9pm though, despite their attempts to tell it to be quiet. They're not very good at doing that because most of the time, the dog doesnt give a shit what anyone says. I did go upstairs, put white noise on so I wouldnt hear it, but should I have to do that in my own home?

Anyway, we'll see what happens over the next few weeks. Im not bothered to proceed with the council complaint if they don't make strides though, especially seeing as I complained first to the council more than a month ago and if anything, its got worse. I understand with their health issues it might be difficult to sort the barking out and she said that she doesn't think the dog is trainable, but something has to give.

The dog isn’t enjoying looking through the window. If it did, it would be the same when they are out but you said it’s quiet then.
Also, he’d enjoy a walk, but they aren’t doing that!
He’s protecting them by warning off all the randoms passing by.

We put up that vinyl that obscures the view, just at the bottom where our dog could see. He really settled and relaxed.

It is a hard issue to train out- we tried.

I wouldn’t say anything to the council about the training. I wouldn’t believe your neighbour at all about that. He’s simply trying to shut you up.

If neither of them walk it, what chance is there of them getting it trained.

Whilst this will sound heartless, their health issues are their problem, not yours. You need quiet enjoyment of your property and them playing the “health card” shouldn’t stop you and I say that as someone who has a chronic illness. My illness is my problem, not anyone else’s.

I am sorry you are living with this. I imagine even when the dog is quiet you can’t switch off from it because you know it will soon start again.
just forget about the training the amount of effort and consistency that would be needed to redirect that dog is never going to happen.
The noise clearly doesn’t really bother them and they are not in the best of health they sound as if they are struggling.
i think you need to push for it to be kept away from the window.
do what you need to do.
good luck

I feel really sad. Im never going to have peace and quiet at this property am I?

I also feel the council aren't going to bother with my complaint as the neighbours called them when they received the letter from them saying there had been a complaint and they told the council about their health conditions and why the dog isn't trained. I wonder if the council will feel sorry for them.

What breed is the dog?

Next time you see them can you ask them to look into anti bark collars. I had to get one for a foster I had, it was just constant and I was glad I didnt have neighbours. The one I had vibrated when she barked. It was not electrical pulses before anyone starts, just vibration.....I tested it on myself. It did work, and took it off when she was inside.

The barking inside was to tell me she was hungry or wanted a blanket lifted so she could get under it.

The law is the law. It's a fucking nuisance ad affecting YOUR health. Keep pushing op.

Would you feel equally triggered by a child who shouted constantly? It’s the nature of terraced houses, noise and smells travel, is it possible to move to a detached property? Or, controversial, why don’t you offer to walk their dog for an hour each day? Might be good for your mental health and anxiety?

Thank you @CombatBarbie and @Gardenisablooming. If the barking is as bad, im going to keep going round and asking if they've started training. Im also submitting the council logs so hopefully they'll be able to help.

The collar is a great idea. I will suggest that to them.

The dog is a chihuahua.

I agree to a certain extent but also feel there has to be some give and take and at the moment theyre doing nothing.

Just an update. Since my chat with the neighbour in the street on Sunday, they've kept the dog so quiet apart from a bit of barking earlier, so they absolutely can keep it quiet! I knew they could!

Today has been shite as ever so far. The dog didnt shut up all morning. I dont know how one day they can keep it quiet and one day they can't or won't.