Blinds/ curtain that don't block light

[irishfarmer]

Can anyone point me in the right direction. I need to get a blind that blocks the view but not day light. I have a little dog who loves to sit on the windowsill but barks like crazy when anyone walks by. It's annoying but we live on a very quiet rural road so only happens a few times a day. Once I see the walker/ jogger has passed I let him out to 'check his territory'.

But I am due a baby this July. I know you can't always have complete silence when a baby is sleeping, but the dog barking will wake him every time!

I don't want to have curtains blocking out all the light closed all day. Any ideas? I can't find anything online.

Also the dog is 8, so I think we are passed re-training him. I am well aware this is a problem of our own making! Also we can't move the couch away from the window to stop him jumping up there.

I sympathise as a I have a dog that loves to bark if anyone dares walk down the street! Although mine has such good hearing she does it even if the curtains are closed so that wouldn't help at all! Also if something lets light through it's also going to show figures walking past surely?

If you think not being able to see the people clearly will help then look up privacy blinds. Lots of people used them to block a view or to stop people being able to look in. But as@Mmmmdanone says no blinds which let in light are going to be opaque so he may detect movement - just much more blurry.
Good luck though.

Thanks, our house is maybe 15 meters back from the road but he has a good view up along. He would see through a net curtain but I think with the distance a light blind might work, they would be too far away to see through. I could only find 'zebra' blinds with one clear/one opaque stripe but he would look though the clear stripes!

I found those half curtains like you'd see in old style movies on kitchen windows, valance curtains. They are not pretty, well none I can find. But prob better to sacrifice aesthetics to let the baby sleep!

@Mmmmdanone I know it's so funny! He is like ahhhhhhhhhhhh how dare you walk passed my garden!!!! But then when I walk him and we pass neighbours on the road there isn't a peep out of him, it's not his territory.

Is this really bad? www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08BJ4RLRJ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?s=sports&pf_rd_p=828203ef-618e-4303-a028-460d6b615038&th=1&pd_rd_wg=nN7VT&pf_rd_r=3NXBKNQRXM5JEH4CTJSX&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRTlJQUhEMlZaV01FJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzM0NDUzSzY0QjNFTkUxMFNHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4MzA3OTMzUklYTDYxOUlRUDMxJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&pd_rd_i=B08BJ6CPT7&pd_rd_w=ieZm2&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&pd_rd_r=ae8b3517-7e46-4d26-ae67-7ba91c8b2b83

At the bottom obviously. I think I will go for wire not a pole too

@Irishfarmer - I have learned over the years that sometimes house things need to be practical and just get something which looks smart enough & does the job ( I do not mean to criticise that choice because I can absolutely see the problem you are trying to fix. ) Also if they give you two - you could perhaps buy narrower ones on same pole so when baby not sleeping you can pull them apart & have most of the window exposed.

I have a young border terrier & I reckon he would jump up - he is very springy) so he see could out over that but but if your dog will just sleep on the sofa and not be able to see out I reckon that could achieve what you want it to. I can absolutely see where you are going with it.

One other idea would be to buy a really cheap bit of sheer / semi-sheer fabric & pin it to the window to see if privacy blinds would do the job. If Irishdog still barks - you know there is no point in getting privacy blinds.

All best

Oops just saw you said a wire - in which case if they are not heavy you could just unhook the whole thing and shove it behind sofa when baby awake .

What about a bottom up or upside down blind?
This is one I just found googled www.bottomupblinds.co.uk/

@Chasingsquirrels and @irishfarmer - that looks like a very good idea to look at

@BasiliskStare didn't think you were criticising, just being helpful :)

@Chasingsquirrels they look good.

DH has bought some sticker stuff that you put on that will make the windows that will give it a nearly opaque frosted look. As you said, sometimes it is being practical. I'd imagine once DS is no longer baby I can take it down and just close the curtains when he has a nap during the day.

This is the 'offending' dog btw, sitting in his perch. Surveying the land! (the couch is L shaped so cannot be pulled away from the window)

@Irishfarmer I am not surprised Irishdog likes the view - mine is more 2 feet and on to the pavement but my dogs bark - they do not have such a glorious view but sometimes think someone going about their perfectly legitimate business is "their job" to guard the house. I have in the lower ground floor a proper blind so they cannot see outside but not in the main room.

If it helps I once had in one house the sticking stuff which makes it look like semi opaque glass - the light I think was about 20% less but hard to see out - so I think DH has come up with a good idea & I do believe you can take it off when no longer needed,

All best to you & guarding dog - he has a slightly Churchillian air about him - as does my little one.

All best and obviously for July.

Basilisk x

I got the stickers. I must say I am very pleased. Irish dog however is not! The poor guy sat on the window and actually cried. He then got angry. Now he has taken to sitting at the gate. But at least he will be well used it before baby arrives and can't blame the baby!

Btw the grass normally looks a lot nicer, we developed some moss over winter and it will take a few cuts before it looks good again.

The bottom valence BTW is called a cafe curtain.

Night and day blinds are the answer. You can get them from dunelmn in standard sizes but I had mine from blinds2go. You can have them closed or open or all the way up so you doggy can still sit on the window cilil and enjoy the view.

You have a gorgeous garden and a gorgeous (if slightly pissed off) dog

My dog is the same, we got some of the obscure glazing film and put it over the bottom half of the window. Worked a charm