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Location: uk
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 128
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i've also got the been there done that t-shirt
We went through it while we were fostering arrow's brother. Our next door neighbour who promised he would inform us if any of the foster dogs were causing problems, didn't. he went straight to the EH and complained about constant barking. Bear in mind, i do not work, i'm home all day except for twice a week when i pop down to the shop for an hour or when i do the school run..5 mins! Now this particular dog in question did bark continuously if we went out, so i'll give him that, but i organised going out when the neighbour went out so that he wasn't at home to be bothered. There was one day i was out for two hours because i'd had to go into town and i couldn't take the dog with me, and he came home about 20 mins before i did. He left me a threatening message on my phone and rang EH
When i received the letter i rang them up and spoke to a lady who informed me that what is called a nuisance is continuous barking for hours on end, not the odd hour here or there a couple of times a week. So that means if it isn't all day everyday or every other day, its not a problem. Obviously we have to be considerate to neighbours, and because our neighbour then became really viscious and did everything within his power to make our lives a living hell we sadly had to take the dog to the dogstrust as a home was not forthcoming and there were no other foster homes available to take him. It was such a shame, but he was lucky he found a good home so quickly. Our neighbour still refuses to talk to us and still tried his hardest to make things difficult for us, in fact he was so determined to get rid of the dogs ( by now we found out he was scared of large dogs) he called social services in the hope they'd think the dogs were a danger to the kids
...we are lucky the dogs are completely sound and greeted them with a big grin and waggy tails then went and laid down. Our neighbour is the lowest of the low, our dogs will bark when someone comes to the door, which is not very often as i don't get alot of visitors, or when they are playing in the garden. All in-between the hours considered the reasonable times. So he has nothing to complain about. But obviously we are so fed up with him we are always on our guard just in the case the dogs bark a little too much, which in my opinion is no way to be, constantly worried you might upset a neighbour.Everyone has a right to live and if we want dogs in our lives that is our choice and we shouldn't be made to feel bad about it. We have now put in to move as we need a bigger house anyway, but we are hoping for a house a bit more in the country-side where people seem less concerned if a dog has a little bark every now and again.
I really wouldn't worry too much. I've stood outside my house on numerous occasions for over 3/4 of an hour just to be sure they weren't creating. It's a complete waste of my time but i constantly worry about it now. If you worry they bark while the other is out get a video like someone suggested, i always make sure when i take my dogs out( i take them all individually) the others have something to do, although generally they will either play or sleep. Don't get too worried unless you really think they can prove it is a nuisance in which case you will have to do something to stop the noise, but until then just keep track of when your dogs bark, and try and keep their normal barking to a minimum. If possible have another word with the neighbour if you feel comfortable doing so, but some people can change suddenly from what seems really lovely to someone really mean, which is what happened with our neighbour....turns out our neighbour has had a rather sinister side for some time according to his previous friends, he just kept it under wraps
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