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Original poster

Law around soaking neighbours pets?!

173 replies

TurmericFan · 08/07/2022 17:17

My next door neighbour's large dog always barks extremely aggressively when I go out of my side-return door and then down my garden path. This is very disturbing and is negatively affecting my ability to enjoy my garden.

There is a gap in the fence which it runs to, and it looks straight at me barking with full intensity aggression. So now I carry a water-bottle and I will get it right between the eyes whenever this happens. (This gap is where the fence goes around a protected tree which is on the boundry line).

I intend to continue soaking it until the owners stop the dog from doing this.

I understand that legally speaking the dog is the neighbour's property. Am I 'damaging' it in some way by doing this?

It is not in my garden when this is happening. But I don't think there's any kind of trespeass because although the water is going into the neighbour's garden, I am not.

Am I legally safe to keep on doing this, until such time as the neighbours pay to send their dog to doggie behavioural classes/to live on a farm somewhere?

Also, as I embark upon this course of behaviour, I find myself wondering about my own cat, who goes where he likes into other neighbour's gardens.

Would a neighbour who didn't like cats, whose flowerbeds were being trampled, etc, be permitted to soak my cat? Because I'm sure I wouldn't like it if that happened...

OP posts:
Charlize43 · 08/07/2022 17:59

I wouldn't recommend this as all you are doing is provoking the dog into more aggression.

Is there any way you can cover the gap in the fence so it cannot see you?

caoraich · 08/07/2022 18:00

My dog would probably enjoy this....

I have told my neighbours to give the cats a skoosh with the hose if they get in the way. Thankfully (for the neighbours) they shit at home in their litterbox but they do have a habit of lounging around on other people's patio chairs. Water won't hurt them but would dissuade them

I have no idea what to make of your approach here and am quite confused

Itsbackagain · 08/07/2022 18:02

What a horrible person you are, get a life and keep your cat shit in your own garden.

AngelinaFibres · 08/07/2022 18:05

We fire our jet hose at all the neighbourhood cats that come and poo all over our garden. Rarely see them now. Shoving your fingers in cat shit is horrid. Wearing gloves mean they get covered with cat shit. Horrid.

AmaryIlis · 08/07/2022 18:06

Why don't you just cover the gap in the fence? Surely that's the simplest answer?

LetMeInYourWindow · 08/07/2022 18:08

DisforDarkChocolate · 08/07/2022 17:36

I chuck water at the cats that come in my garden. It's never got them yet because cats aren't stupid.

Speak to your neighbours.

There was a phone in on Radio 2 a while back where squirting an unwanted cat visitor to your garden were discussed.

The legal guy advised it was not acceptable to cause stress and suffering to a cat by squirting it with water! I was surprised as I am a cat owner and thought this was pretty much an an okay thing to do. Seemingly not.

If it’s not acceptable to a cat then it won’t be to a dog either.

Original poster
TurmericFan · 08/07/2022 18:09

Charlize43 · 08/07/2022 17:59

I wouldn't recommend this as all you are doing is provoking the dog into more aggression.

Is there any way you can cover the gap in the fence so it cannot see you?

It's their fence so I can't nail anything to it without asking them.

I did think of getting something made that fits tighter around the trunk of the tree, so that the dog cannot see me. A piece of plywood and a couple of posts should do it. I could hammer it in to the soil on my side.

That would stop the dog from being able to see me, and it would stop me from squirting it with water when it is attacking me (albeit across the fence).

But I don't think it would stop the barking which is based on its very good hearing. It starts the moment it hears me opening my side-door and walking down the side return. It would bark at my breathing even if I was wearing shoes made of candyfloss.

Right now I am inside at the front of the house and I can hear it out there barking at something or other!

OP posts:
Hawkins001 · 08/07/2022 18:10

TurmericFan · 08/07/2022 17:17

My next door neighbour's large dog always barks extremely aggressively when I go out of my side-return door and then down my garden path. This is very disturbing and is negatively affecting my ability to enjoy my garden.

There is a gap in the fence which it runs to, and it looks straight at me barking with full intensity aggression. So now I carry a water-bottle and I will get it right between the eyes whenever this happens. (This gap is where the fence goes around a protected tree which is on the boundry line).

I intend to continue soaking it until the owners stop the dog from doing this.

I understand that legally speaking the dog is the neighbour's property. Am I 'damaging' it in some way by doing this?

It is not in my garden when this is happening. But I don't think there's any kind of trespeass because although the water is going into the neighbour's garden, I am not.

Am I legally safe to keep on doing this, until such time as the neighbours pay to send their dog to doggie behavioural classes/to live on a farm somewhere?

Also, as I embark upon this course of behaviour, I find myself wondering about my own cat, who goes where he likes into other neighbour's gardens.

Would a neighbour who didn't like cats, whose flowerbeds were being trampled, etc, be permitted to soak my cat? Because I'm sure I wouldn't like it if that happened...

I Understand your perspectives, but why not cover the gap ?

zafferana · 08/07/2022 18:10

I'd be blocking up that gap in the fence, if it were me! But no, you're not doing anything wrong OP and I'd squirt it too.

Picksomethingatrandom · 08/07/2022 18:11

You are likely making this dog's behaviour worse. It will now see you as a threat. Try chucking dog treats over to it, so it sees you as a friend and someone to look forward to seeing.

Hawkins001 · 08/07/2022 18:11

You could always put something your side that would still cover the gap but not be on their fence, as long as you can peg it into the ground so to speak

Hawkins001 · 08/07/2022 18:12

Picksomethingatrandom · 08/07/2022 18:11

You are likely making this dog's behaviour worse. It will now see you as a threat. Try chucking dog treats over to it, so it sees you as a friend and someone to look forward to seeing.

That's a more productive idea to try

K8Shrop · 08/07/2022 18:12

My dog would 100% love this, and think it's a game.

If I found out a neighbour, or anyone, was spraying a dog with lemon juice I would be straight to RSPCA, cannot believe anyone would consider something so cruel.

Look, just cover up the gap. They're barking more because they see you. Cover the gap, rather than gleefully punishing a dog that isn't yours (although as I said before, it's likely the dog sees this as game...therefore causing more barking).

Have a conversation with your neighbours. Be a grown up, and try to get it sorted.

rickandmorts · 08/07/2022 18:13

Have you tried making friends with the dog? Ie talking to it nicely so it doesn't think you're a threat. My neighbour used to lean into my garden and bark back at my nervous dog which made her bark 10x worse. I had a polite word, gave him some treats and asked him nicely if he'd say hi and give her a treat when he went past. After about 3 days of doing that she no longer barked when he went past.

Spanielsarepainless · 08/07/2022 18:14

Trespass isn't only by humans. An overhanging gutter can also be in this category. Try and obscure the dog's view with something near the fence.

I haven't missed soaking a cat for years. All honeyed voice then when they are nice and close...

Suedomin · 08/07/2022 18:14

Yes if every time you go out to your garden the neighbour's dog is barking like WW3, it's extremely disturbing wouldn't you agree?
Yes it's disturbing but no more so than having to clear up cat poo every time you go into the garden. Or a toddler playing in the garden walking in cat poo

K8Shrop · 08/07/2022 18:14

Just seen your most recent post... so you're saying you can't nail anything to the post because it's their fence and you'd have to ask them. Yet you have no problem with punishing their dog. You'll not touch their fence, but their dog is fair game.

This has to be a wind up.

Ps, a roaming cat shitting everywhere but it's own garden is a million times more annoying than a dog barking.

Original poster
TurmericFan · 08/07/2022 18:15

Hawkins001 · 08/07/2022 18:10

I Understand your perspectives, but why not cover the gap ?

Show quote history

Covering the gap woud be a good idea in that it would stop me from soaking the cat, which might get me into trouble. And yes it would remove one particularly disturbing aspect of this which is where I can see the dog barking at me, and I find myself freezing in anxiety.

(Or at least I did, before I started carrying a water-bottle for protection).

I don't believe it would stop the barking itself, though, which is based on the dog's hearing.

OP posts:
Original poster
TurmericFan · 08/07/2022 18:15

"soaking the dog", obviously!

OP posts:
Happenchance · 08/07/2022 18:16

Talk to your neighbours! If you get into a dispute with them because they find out what you are doing, you will legally need to declare the dispute if you decide to sell your house (assuming you own it). It's better for everyone if you have a civil conversation.

I would ask them what treats you can throw into their garden when you go into yours. That way the dog views you coming into the garden as a good thing, so will stop barking.

If you continue to squirt water in his face, there's a risk that you will make him more aggressive towards you, because you've taught him that a scary/annoying thing happens when you come into your garden. Worse still, you risk making him aggressive towards innocent people on the street who look like you, or who he thinks maybe about to squirt him, e.g. a child holding a bottle of drink. I wouldn't want that on my conscience.

A cat that's sprayed with water in someone else's garden can escape the garden and choose whether or not to risk coming back. The two aren't comparable.

bluelavender · 08/07/2022 18:17

Why don't you just block the gap in the fence?

ScribblingPixie · 08/07/2022 18:17

I'm not convinced this is real but what's the point if it doesn't stop the dog barking? Read up on some training techniques and do those instead.

onmywayamarillo · 08/07/2022 18:17

I live in terraced housing and have a dog, she wouldn't dare bark at our neighbours!
So it's bloody awful training tbf

Only time my dog barks is if someone knocks on the door,.

Yes I think you are well within your rights to teach the dog that a quick squirt of water in the face is fine if it's being an utter bellend

CornishTiger · 08/07/2022 18:17

Stop worrying about “the law” and actually be an adult and talk to your neighbours!

LightSpeeds · 08/07/2022 18:18

Your neighbours know full well that the dog is barking at you and they are happy to do nothing whatsoever about it. Maybe they haven't trained it or have little control over it.

Whatever, it's now your issue and it's clear from many of the posts on here just how many pet owners are unwilling to 'own' the consequences and bloody misery that their pets bring other people.

Good luck sorting out.