Im not sure if I can do anything but here goes nothing, so my backyard neighbors have been purposely letting their dogs out at the same time I let my dogs out or if I’m out there they suddenly need to go outside as well. I noticed about 6 months ago that whenever my dogs went outside about 5-10 minutes later the back neighbors would let their dogs out as well. The problem is that their dogs aren’t trained, bark like crazy and don’t go back to their owners when called! My big dog is a German Shepard who is constantly having to be called back to my side so the dogs stop jumping on the fence but my small dog is old and she’s starting to forget her training so she sometimes stays and barks back at them or will sometimes come back when called. I tried talking to the neighbors by signaling them down but they just go back inside their house, ignoring me.
Recently I finally got to talk to them. Both of my dogs were inside but theirs were outside…barking up a storm as usual. I asked if they could possibly do something to get their dogs to stop barking. I offered them the number of the guy who trained our big dog but they simply said, “oh come on, let them be friends!” I was kinda confused because their dogs don’t look friendly and they always come running up to the fence and just bark at my dogs, so I said, “no, I don’t want our dogs to be friends. I want you to control your dogs so they don’t bark every time they see my dogs.” They didn’t like that, got huffy and carried their dogs back inside. It’s been about 2 weeks since that conversation happened and they’ve installed a camera overlooking their backyard and instantly let their dogs out (even late at night) when they see my dogs are out there.
Once my Shepard, Blue, had an upset stomach so I let him outside and just as he started doing his business I just start hearing barking coming from their backyard. I looked over and there were their 2 dogs, barking while one of them, not sure if it was the wife or husband bc I didn’t have my glasses on, was just standing by the door leading to their backyard. Since they’re renters my mom doesn’t want to make a big deal bc “they’ll leave soon enough” but I’m so over it. I just went outside to my little garden with Blue and I couldn’t even enjoy my time because I could just hear their dogs in the back barking at me.
Is there literally anything I could do? I’m not sure how long their lease is but id really love it if I could go outside or let my dogs out without hearing their dogs barking every time!
Edit: hi yall!! Thank you so much for the comments! I’ve talked with my parents and shrubs have become our plan B! We’re getting a camera installed that does NOT look into their yard, it’s just so we can keep a record of every time they let their dogs out as soon as we go out/let our dogs out (the camera will pick up the barking). We’ll be submitting our proof to the HOA so they can approve our fence permit. Thank you so much to the commenter who said I should get a dog whistle that activates with barking, I ordered one on Amazon and it gets here next week (I don’t have prime 😭)
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Im not sure if I can do anything but here goes nothing, so my backyard neighbors have been purposely letting their dogs out at the same time I let my dogs out or if I’m out there they suddenly need to go outside as well. I noticed about 6 months ago that whenever my dogs went outside about 5-10 minutes later the back neighbors would let their dogs out as well. The problem is that their dogs aren’t trained, bark like crazy and don’t go back to their owners when called! My big dog is a German Shepard who is constantly having to be called back to my side so the dogs stop jumping on the fence but my small dog is old and she’s starting to forget her training so she sometimes stays and barks back at them or will sometimes come back when called. I tried talking to the neighbors by signaling them down but they just go back inside their house, ignoring me.
Recently I finally got to talk to them. Both of my dogs were inside but theirs were outside…barking up a storm as usual. I asked if they could possibly do something to get their dogs to stop barking. I offered them the number of the guy who trained our big dog but they simply said, “oh come on, let them be friends!” I was kinda confused because their dogs don’t look friendly and they always come running up to the fence and just bark at my dogs, so I said, “no, I don’t want our dogs to be friends. I want you to control your dogs so they don’t bark every time they see my dogs.” They didn’t like that, got huffy and carried their dogs back inside. It’s been about 2 weeks since that conversation happened and they’ve installed a camera overlooking their backyard and instantly let their dogs out (even late at night) when they see my dogs are out there.
Once my Shepard, Blue, had an upset stomach so I let him outside and just as he started doing his business I just start hearing barking coming from their backyard. I looked over and there were their 2 dogs, barking while one of them, not sure if it was the wife or husband bc I didn’t have my glasses on, was just standing by the door leading to their backyard. Since they’re renters my mom doesn’t want to make a big deal bc “they’ll leave soon enough” but I’m so over it. I just went outside to my little garden with Blue and I couldn’t even enjoy my time because I could just hear their dogs in the back barking at me.
Is there literally anything I could do? I’m not sure how long their lease is but id really love it if I could go outside or let my dogs out without hearing their dogs barking every time!
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> The action I took to be judged was saying no to my dogs and the neighbors dogs being friends. My parents think I was rude to say that they can’t be friends because they aren’t trained. I personally don’t think I was wrong but probably came off as rude or pretentious but I simply don’t want to hear barking every time I let my dogs out
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
Cameras directed at your property have got to be violating something. It seems that there’s either not a fence or it’s a chainlink or other kind of fence where dogs can see each other between the properties? When the dogs jump on the fence might they damage it?
Might be costly, but maybe get a taller fence or taller shrubs so they don’t see into your backyard.
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So you think your neighbors can’t let their dogs out without you’re approval? Do you think you control the neighborhood? Honestly, I don’t tell you YTA and mind your own business.
Get your dog to growl and bark at command and bark back at them whenever they’re asleep 😭
NTA for the dogs not being friends, but YTA in other aspects. You’re anti social and you have an older dog, this is totally understandable. But don’t start drama where drama isn’t. Dogs bark.
You said it’s a chain link? Try getting something to cover the fence perhaps? Like black plastic sheeting attached to the fence so the dogs cant see through it anymore? I also second the guy saying tall shrubs, if the neighbors can’t see you letting out your dogs they can’t let them out at the same time.
NTA. Put your own camera up on the fence line, let your dogs out regularly and record the neighbours dogs barking and jumping up for a week, if you have neighbourhood ordinances about noise report it.
Alternatively, just approach the neighbours to advise them that their dogs are causing a disturbance and since they have not done anything since you last spoke you will be recording and reporting if the barking continues.
Sounds like something to have fun with when you’re bored. Take your dogs out, wait for them to come out, go back inside, wait for them to go inside, go back out. See how long the dance goes for.
NTA for not wanting dogs to be friends. But they’re entitled to do what they want on their property so long as it’s not breaking laws.
NTA. I had the same problem. My neighbors had a doggy door and just let their stupid yappy dog go outside whenever anyone walked by or I let my dogs out to bark nonstop. It made my dogs who had NEVER barked through a fence start doing so.
I was a responsible dog owner and worked on training mine to stop, but that was difficult when theirs wouldn’t. I tried talking to them and they said “well I don’t want to stop my dog from protecting the yard”. It was a 10lb terrier, that fucker wasn’t protecting shit, I could punt that dog two yards over. It was just annoying.
So I installed a tone emitter that makes a high pitched noise dogs can hear and people can’t that they don’t like that was activated by barking. I placed it where it would best pick up their dog barking and leave mine alone. It worked pretty well.
NTA. I suggest a six foot wooden fence.
Hmmmm sounds like the fence needs cleaned, time to pull out your hose and give it a good spray down! 😏
NTA these people sound ridiculous. Why are they so hellbent on making your dogs interact? Just why? What do they get out of it exactly? At this point they’re probably just enjoying pissing you off