Yup, they certainly are loner joners, they seem to get confused almost if you start fussing round them. They enjoy regular play fights and like to see who can lay on the spot the other one likes best just to provoke a chase, quite entertaining.
The missus has her own views now as to what may be the trigger to all of this: we've had some pretty bad rain recently and some of it during the daytime, ergo it could be possible that someone passing by caught a glimpse of the "i'm sad and lonely and should be on a PDSA advert" stare one day whilst the dogs were out in the garden. The garden is currently a pathway, a patio, a circle of grass maybe 8ft diameter, and mud...it's been turned and weeded and is awaiting the paving slabs so that we can pave it all (less my funky circle anyway :P). So rain + mud + 2 dogs having a mental fit playing with each other + "grrr get away from my yard" = CALL THE RSPCA THIS IS JUST DRASTIC WOE IS ME!

Hi, I had the exact same problem as you. We leave Ayla outside when we go to work so she can be left outside for up to 6 hours maybe once a week, the other days just an hour or 2. (my neighbour has a key and will keep an eye on Ayla) She also has lots of space, a large kennel, huge bowl of water, food, bone and toys. A few weeks ago I was sitting watching tv when the RSPCA knocked at the door. They asked to come in so I let them in and they said they had reports that Ayla was mis treated, neglegted and always forced to stay outside day and night with no food water or shelter Well one look at her lazing on her huge bed they could see she is far from neglected and very well looked after, they had a look outside and saw her bowls and kennel and were happy with what they saw. They were fine with her being in the garden for a few hours as the garden is secure and cannot be seen or accessed by passers due to the other houses.
It was just someone being malicious but it didnt work,
ayla is very happy being outside, if we leave her in the house she will become very destructive, and will howl. We tried everything to stop it and ended up with the choice of allowing Ayla to stay in the garden or being forced to re home her.
Hope it all works out ok, as soon as the RSPCA see how well the dogs are looked after they are fine,

I'm actually quite impressed to hear that the RSPCA is acting on the phone calls tbh!!!

Whilst I completely realise that no-one here is mistreating/neglecting their dogs & have made every effort to ensure that their dogs have what they need in the way of shelter, water, food, toys etc. there are some people that do just shut their dogs in the yard for hours & hours, with no food, water or shelter. Maybe some well-meaning neighbours were concerned, possibly got the wrong end of the stick, were too frightened of reprisals to approach you first etc etc. Hopefully all the neighbours were doing was what they thought was the right thing for your dogs & there was no malicious intent at all? It would be nice to think that other people are actually doing something when they see what they think are neglected dogs ~ even if they are wrong in this case.

Hopefully a visit from the RSPCA inspector will clear it up & the concerned neighbours will be reassured that all is well with your dogs.

This is a very refreshing viewpoint!
Thank you
Itching for the Inspector to call round now, really want to get this settled!

But thankfully there are people out there who do report what they see as abuse (even if they get it wrong) otherwise more dogs will suffer at the hands of irresponsible owners.

Maybe your neighbour considers ..

Mon....6hrs
Tue.. 3.1/2 hrs
Wed .. 7hrs
Thur.. 9hrs
Fri.. 5hrs.... to long for a dog/s to be left alone !!

BTW, you did not state that in your firstpost, you said.. The dogs are kept outside say 8am - 4/5pm and nobody can get home to them.

you also said...

We spent a couple of weekends watching from afar to see what their behavior was like.

What does that mean, does that mean you were just testing to see if they barked when you are out, or do they live outside when you are home also

I dont know maybe its as Trouble says just someone being malicious, or maybe its a true concerned neighbor.

To be honest , if you lived next to me , I would be that concerned neighbour, and my bet is (as we have had these sort of situations here before ) if most of the members here saw dogs being left in a yard/garden all day every day, they would be posting their concern here!!

I`m assuming the concerned neighbour doesn`t sit there for 24 hours watching your garden - so as far as he / she knows your dogs are permanently on their own outside.
Maybe it`s time to make friends with a couple of neighbours and chat about how you adore your dogs. The word will get round.

Oh dear, people like you make me tired...

Ok let me try to alleviate your concerns:

The dogs are not being mistreated. There is no-one suffering. Being outside is not suffering.

Did i now, said that this happened everyday did i...let me have a look-see...no, no i did not.
I gave a worst case scenario, i deal with the legal in my job and had i mentioned a shorter period and someone like you (obviously with an axe to grind) established that longer periods of time exist, well, we know exactly what the reaction would be.

It means exactly what it says.
We watched from afar...
We wanted to see if they would bark and become distressed...
They did not...
*hand to forehead* (i cannot believe that i am repeating and elaborating on such a simple sentence)
They have constant access to the back garden when we are home via the back door as it is left open, they do not live outside continuously nor for any unsuitable lengths of time.

Well, that is your opinion. Please raise it in another thread if you feel so strongly about the matter. I appreciate that you are trying to tell me what i am doing wrong, but what you are telling me is based on your own beliefs and has little/no backing, unless you have some authoritative paperwork you care to point me in the direction of that limits the time a dog/s may be left outside with food / water / shelter / safety?
My opinion is that this does not warrant a claim of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment as the dogs are as another member posted about their own dogs; destructive when left indoors and much prefer to be outside.
Outside they have ample food / water / shelter / safety and therefore my opinion being based on these facts is strengthened.
I truly am thankful that i do not live next to you.
But heyho, tell you what, let us see what the officials have to say about the matter, we can throw opinions around this thread all day long if it helps you to feel better, but i am certain that no issues will be highlighted, primarily because none exist (oops there goes another opinion) but we'll see what they say when they get here, after all, they are the educated and certified people in this field, not you or I.

Thanks for the help.

I started this on day one, and it went well.Nearly everyone has dogs here as i have stated previously and the feedback from conversations whilst out jogging with the dogs or walking them has been nothing but positive.
I'm very well known here already (only by mishap though) as a tree blew over and collapsed onto a wheelchair bound neighbour who suffers from MS, i saw this happen one morning whilst he was out with his dog, ran to collect the dog, and pushed him home where his family took over; subsequently i became some sort of neighbourhood hero overnight and found people delivering gifts the, i've never been so embarrassed!
I'm thinking of someone to leave a key with (new neighbourhood etc means this needs some careful deliberation) and we've been on this task since we got here...narrowing it down quite well now though.

It is not considered advisable that dogs are left, for up to 9 hours a day outside, that's a fact.

Can you not get a dog walker, sitter to come in and break the day up for them? A dog flap so they can be inside and toilet when they need to?

Please read the post above