babsi

Let's start this off that I have a big fear of big dogs, always have since I was little plus I am no an animal lover.

We have had some neighbours move in next door, we currently rent in a triplex. They have a big dog, if it is in the garden and it sees someone it barks and tries to get to you. The fence is just about at waist height.

I had actually heard it a few weeks ago but saw it firsthand yesterday and was pissed off.

The weather is getting better now and I want to be outside more and more and there is that big dog next door barking. And then I am scared if it could somehow get over the fence.

Does anyone have any suggestion about what to do?

Almost Canadian

You need to move. Unless they are breaking some form of by-law or the terms of their tenancy (if they are tenants), I would imagine that there is very little you can do.

You have the phobia, not them

Purley

I don't really think its a phobia. Many, many people are scared of big dogs they don't know! I had a golden retriever that loved everybody, but I still understood that she was a big dog and I could understand that people were leery of her.

However, I do agree - there is NOTHING you can do. Some people are just stupid, like the folks next door to me. They have a dog the size of a small horse and a narrow part of their garden runs about six feet down the side of my driveway. So people visiting our house get to the top of our driveway when this enormous dog leaps up and barks like crazy with its front feet on the top of the fence. Understandably people are startled and often scared.

If it were my dog, I would realize that and I would get my husband to put some across the garden so they dog couldn't get to the front. But they don't care. He told me his dog is friendly. Maybe it is - its obviously friendly to them -- its their dog. But other people don't know that. But I have a 5 foot wooden fence and I have screwed 6 foot wooden boards on top of the original fence - so I doubt the dog can break it down.

If you owned the house, then you could do as I did at the back and have a six foot chain link fence built. If you rent - I think you do have to move.

babsi

9 times out of 10 when I have been to a home with a dog, the people have no problem moving the dog out of the way while I am there. The only time I had issues was years ago with my Grandmother, she actually found it funny I was scared, but that is going way off-topic.

The reason we decided to stay a little longer was because of the garden in the summer but now because of that dog that sometimes is barking for around an hour, I don't want to go there.

I thought I didn't have any rights but just testing the waters to see if there was something.

TheGrizzlyHattons

What type of dog is it? Just wondering as obviously many dogs bark but are not aggressive. Is it the barking that bothers you or the size of the dog? It sounds like both but maybe it would be less of a problem if the dog was not barking. Do the owners just leave the dog outside then? I myself love dogs and we have a boxer puppy so once hes fully grown he will be a big dog! He does not bark at all he is a very quiet boy. However our next door neighbour has a little toy dog and she barks like crazy. It annoys me especially at 11pm when we are trying to sleep!!

babsi

I think it is an Alsation but I am not 100% sure.

The barking does bother me, especially when it can be around an hour or so non-stop which happened the other day.

What bothers me more is that I just don't feel comfortable in the garden now, every time someone goes through the garden, it barks and tries to climb the fence and the fence is only waist height.

macadian

Try socialising with the dog...if possible..have a word with the owners...see what can be worked. .The dog probably senses you are afraid of it...and acts accordingly

Piff Poff

You can complain to the bylaw people about the barking - no one should have to put up with a dog that barks all the time. We have some neighbours that have a dog that barks and barks and barks, we hadn't realised how bad it was until the wife moved out and took both dogs away - she brought back the dog that barks two weeks ago, we will be complaining pretty soon. You know if my dog barks it's because he either wants to come inside, or he's seen someone walking at the front of the house or someone walking along the back lane has stopped, I can tell you this - as soon as we hear him utter a woof, he is brought inside or we go outside to see what is going on and as soon as he knows we've seen what the deal is he either comes inside or he settles down. He's not allowed to bark and bark, it's not fair on other people.

Although I have a fairly big dog - not as big as a Lab/Alsation I get worried about other dogs, especially when I'm walking mine. When you go past other peoples gardens and you get this viscious sounding lab snarling and snapping at you when you go past, trying to jump the 6 foot fence trying to get at you, it's scary and intimidating so I really feel for you, feeling unsafe in your own space. Can you have a chat with your landlord about getting the fence made higher or with your new neighbours? I'm guessing that as the dog barks so much it doesn't get walked or much attention.

Whatever you decide to do I hope you resolve the situation.

Auld Yin

The barking does bother me, especially when it can be around an hour or so non-stop which happened the other day.

If neighbours allow a dog (regardless of size) to bark for an hour then they are inconsiderate jerks. If you wish to continue living there you must approach the un-neighbourly boors and ask them to please control their dog. There are usually municipal bye-laws against such disruption of peoples' lives, and if they don't voluntarily control the animal then you should report the matter to the appropriate authorities. What about other neighbours? Do they complain about the dog?

babsi

I never realised with barking, that has given me something to think. I just thought that is something dogs do, you can really tell I know nothing about dogs at all.

Maybe I will try and talk with our landlord and see what they think, I think I would feel a lot better with a bigger fence. Also to give a bit more privacy as well.

Thanks for all your replies, glad to feel that I am not overreacting.

babsi

I've taken 2 photos of outside, they aren't the best because I can't get outside atm. But it explains it better, the fence is tiny and their garden is small anyway.

TheGrizzlyHattons

Oh wow so not only is it waist high its a wire fence. I understand why you may be scared - if it is a fear you've always had then that isn't a good set up! I agree with previous posters see if you can talk to the landlord. Do the new people own or rent their house? Maybe you could appraoch them if they seem like nice people. And yes it is very inconsiderate of them to leave their dog out barking and poor dog too!

rgilbert

Regarding the by-laws there may be one relating to responsible pet owners. These sometimes give restrictions on how long a dog can bark before it is considered a nuisance. Where I live if a dog barks for longer than 20 minutes it is considered a nuisance. If there is no animal owner or pet by-law there might a noise by-law which has some restrictions. If trying to resolve it with your landlord or even the neighbour doesn't resolve the problems you could check the local by-laws.

dbd33

It's not likely to be very much help though. Our neighbour's dog gets loose, comes over to our place and kills chickens. I catch it, call the animal control, they take it away, the neighbour bails the dog out and, some weeks later we go around again. This'll go on until I shoot the dog. babsi isn't likely to get anymore satisfaction from animal control enforcing a noise bylaw and might get into an unpleasant dispute with the neighbour.

Piff Poff

If you neighbours dog is in fact a german shepherd or something that size, then it could clear the fence in one jump if it wanted too - something to mention to your landlord when you speak to him. Around here the bylaw officers do take notice of complaints against dogs and their owners.