I am an early riser I often get up at 5 or 6 am. My  dogs (obviously) get up at the same time as I do. They often want to play in the garden. I am aware that other people dont get up so early so they are only allowed to play if they are quiet.

A couple of them like to play tuggy and when doing so make a low level growly noise. When they are playing in the garden I cant hear them in the house so I don't believe it is overly loud. However next doors dog seems to be able to hear them and does bark. Mind you he barks at a lot of other things too such as my car door shutting and my front door opening and closing. His owners don't seem to make any attempt to stop his barking.

Anyway yesterday the said neighbours came round and told me I have to stop letting my dogs out in my garden so early as their dog barking wakes them up! To me it seems that their dog barking is their problem and they should teach it to be quiet and not expect me to stop my dogs to stop playing just because they cant train their dog. But am I wrong?

I'm afraid I would get annoyed if something my neighbours (or their animals) did woke me every morning; if I were you I wouldn't let my dogs play outside until about 8 am if they cause a disturbance. It's no more unreasonable to expect you to train your dogs to play silently than it is to expect them to train their dog to not react to the noise.

I wouldn't be happy if my dog barked at something my neighbour did on a regular basis, especially so early in the morning.

I wouldn't let the dogs play in the garden at that time of morning. I too am an early riser  but the dogs only go into the garden first thing to relieve themselves and then have to come back indoors so they don't disturb the neighbours. I don't think it unreasonable of your neighbours to not want to be woken up that early and why risk causing problems between yourself and your neighbour over something that is easily preventable. Being seen to be reasonable to their request  would stand you in good stead if a problem arose over something else in the future :-)

I would just let the dogs out for a quick wee and then bring them back indoors to play.

Agree with previous posts. My lot are allowed out to do their business then brought in straight away. I won't let them out until 7am if possible. I would be very annoyed if someone else in my close allowed their dog to disturb mine that early in the morning

>I wouldn't let the dogs play in the garden at that time of morning. I too am an early riser  but the dogs only go into the garden first thing to relieve themselves and then have to come back indoors so they don't disturb the neighbours.

Same here not allowed out other than to pee before 8am.

When I have pups which may want to rise earlier, having ascertained from nearest neighbour that their complaints can't be heard by them, (so they have to make do with their puppy pen) I don't allow pups out until 8am either, as the little yips by 6 - 8 weeks did disturb them whom were light sleepers.

I agree with the rest, that's too early, ok their dog might be particularly reactive to the small noises from your dogs, but why not just play indoors until 7.30 or 8am? :-)

I too am an early riser, and I am lucky now as I have no neighbours but if I still lived in my previous address I'd have to agree Smithy with others, I would not allow any dogs to play in a garden with neighbours at this time, people work/have children to care for and they need their sleep and most dogs are only being territorial in hearing noises they may well bark, other dogs and maybe even people will hear the slightest noise at this time when all is very quiet, I can hear a pin drop (unfortunately ;-) ) and would probably hear your dogs just running around if I lived next door.

I am out having a nice dog walk at this time, perhaps that could be an option? The dogs can have a good play on an early morning walk. Although to be fair I guess you going out of your front door and the dogs excitement at going out could also cause the dog next door to bark, maybe you can't win.........

But, no I wouldn't allow early morning play even if just a few noises, just a quick let out for a toilet break and then back in until later on, I've always been far too aware that other people are sleeping at this time.

I know for you this probably seems unfair, but alas it is one of the downsides to having neighbours, we have to be fair to others..... :-)

I'm the opposite, I'm up late. My pup often wants to play in the garden at 2 or 3am so I go out with him while he does the necessary and then bring him back in again. Sounds you wouldn't hear through the day, like a pup growling or breathing heavily are very loud through the night.

I know it's their dog barking that's waking them, but it wouldn't be difficult to stop yours playing outside till later just in the interests of staying good neighbours :-)

Well I am opposite.  We have a noise bylaw here; prolonged or exceptionally loud noise from anything is not allowed.  Sometimes people work nights so confining noise to daytime is not a solution.  I don't want the nurse or surgeon or income tax accountant working on me or my stuff at night to be suffering from lack of sleep.

I do not see this as your problem since your dogs are quiet and it's the neighbours' who bark.  However I suppose if it was easily within your ability to comply with their wishes it might be the best thing to do.  But, don't their dogs bark in the daytime and doesn't that bother someone, you or another person?  I think it would be good to see if you have noise bylaws and what they say.

Generally in the UK noise outside of 7am to 11pm is considered antisocial/nuisance.

Generally in the UK noise outside of 7am to 11pm is considered antisocial/nuisance.

>I am out having a nice dog walk at this time, perhaps that could be an option? The dogs can have a good play on an early morning walk. Although to be fair I guess you going out of your front door and the dogs excitement at going out could also cause the dog next door to bark, maybe you can't win.........

And this is why I stopped walking them early in the morning because next door moaned about me going out with them early so no I cant win.  They do need to do something before I go to work and leave them

It is interesting all the people who think I am the one at fault even though my dogs are quiet and it is the neighbours dog that is barking. I have always thought it was my responsibility to keep my dogs quiet and would never have dreamed of asking someone else to modify their behaviour because it was making my dogs bark. I have always taken it upon myself to to train my dogs to behave rather than expect other people to work around my dogs. I hadn't realised I had been doing it wrong all these years!

>I am out having a nice dog walk at this time, perhaps that could be an option? The dogs can have a good play on an early morning walk. Although to be fair I guess you going out of your front door and the dogs excitement at going out could also cause the dog next door to bark, maybe you can't win.........

And this is why I stopped walking them early in the morning because next door moaned about me going out with them early so no I cant win.  They do need to do something before I go to work and leave them

It is interesting all the people who think I am the one at fault even though my dogs are quiet and it is the neighbours dog that is barking. I have always thought it was my responsibility to keep my dogs quiet and would never have dreamed of asking someone else to modify their behaviour because it was making my dogs bark. I have always taken it upon myself to to train my dogs to behave rather than expect other people to work around my dogs. I hadn't realised I had been doing it wrong all these years!

>I am out having a nice dog walk at this time, perhaps that could be an option? The dogs can have a good play on an early morning walk. Although to be fair I guess you going out of your front door and the dogs excitement at going out could also cause the dog next door to bark, maybe you can't win.........

And this is why I stopped walking them early in the morning because next door moaned about me going out with them early so no I cant win.  They do need to do something before I go to work and leave them

It is interesting all the people who think I am the one at fault even though my dogs are quiet and it is the neighbours dog that is barking. I have always thought it was my responsibility to keep my dogs quiet and would never have dreamed of asking someone else to modify their behaviour because it was making my dogs bark. I have always taken it upon myself to to train my dogs to behave rather than expect other people to work around my dogs. I hadn't realised I had been doing it wrong all these years!

It's not that your doing anything wrong, but it is better where at all possible to keep peace with your neighbours, life can be very unpleasant if bad feeling is allowed to build up.

It is interesting all the people who think I am the one at fault even though my dogs are quiet and it is the neighbours dog that is barking. I have always thought it was my responsibility to keep my dogs quiet and would never have dreamed of asking someone else to modify their behaviour because it was making my dogs bark.

To your neighbours' dog, your dogs are making noises in the middle of the night/during sleep time, and that's a time when any dog will naturally guard more as they expect silence, and therefore they bark. It is out of the ordinary. Surely you would feel annoyed if your neighbours made some noise that made your dogs bark, when YOU were asleep? Yes if it happened every day, always, the dog/s would no doubt get used to it and not react, but it's getting through that time period that isn't always possible if you have neighbours.

I was going to say I would not let them in the garden early if it disturbed there dog but if there dog barks at your door opening and closing and you feel you cannot even go a walk then as they have broached the subject you need to say "Look my dogs need some form of something before I go out it is in the garden or walking your dog barks regardless" I need to let you know I will be doing one or the other the least of both evils I imagine would be in my own opinion a walk they cannot object to you leaving or entering your own house with your dogs whereas the garden could be an issue, as could be classed as being antisocial in this day and age.

I am so glad my neighbours are great, I am end of row but the man next door but one walks Bella for me twice a day and next door love Bella (all my dogs actually) as she gives a little woof when someone rattles her back gate but not if it is her daughters or sons in law she seems to have sussed them out as acceptable visitors.   

>It's not that your doing anything wrong, but it is better where at all possible to keep peace with your neighbours, life can be very unpleasant if bad feeling is allowed to build up.

tell me about it. I am getting rather p**ed of that the neighbour doesnt train his dog, lets it bark at mine and instead of doing some thing about it moans at me. I am trying to move but not going well atm

>Yes if it happened every day, always, the dog/s would no doubt get used to it and not react,

How long does that take? I haver lived here 7 years now and I still cant go through my front door or shut my car door without their dog barking!

>Yes if it happened every day, always, the dog/s would no doubt get used to it and not react,

How long does that take? I haver lived here 7 years now and I still cant go through my front door or shut my car door without their dog barking!

Well then presumably their dog would bark even if you just left for work, even if you had not had your dogs out at all? (Or indeed did not have dogs.) If they bark at your car door shutting? In which case I'd just take the dogs for a walk again and ignore the neighbours as there is no way they can complain about you leaving your house when you have got to go to work. Dogs playing in the garden is different as it is not just seconds.

Your neighbours can count themselves lucky they don't live in Sweden, where we get the newspaper delivered between 3 and 4 am!! (Yet I never heard any dog bark at the paper delivery person.)

for that matter that daily milk deliveries are a thing of the past.

Not everywhere. :-)

I think we can still get milk delivered (though no-one on my street has it) but I believe it is not daily.

Generally in the UK noise outside of 7am to 11pm is considered antisocial/nuisance

I think Brainlees's point above say's it all. Making a noise however quiet you consider it is before that time is causing a nuisance. Dogs have much more acute hearing than humans, so the neighbours dog will hear the dogs playing.
Personally I would just let them out for a quick toilet and go with them so they are not playing and then keep them inside till after 8am weekdays and probably a little later on the weekends, when people are trying to have a rest.
Not worth upsetting the neighbours, not everyone is an early riser and if they have worked all week they are entitled to a bit of a lie in especially at the weekends.

> I was going to say I would not let them in the garden early if it disturbed there dog but if there dog barks at your door opening and closing and you feel you cannot even go a walk then as they have broached the subject you need to say "Look my dogs need some form of something before I go out it is in the garden or walking your dog barks regardless" I need to let you know I will be doing one or the other the least of both evils I imagine would be in my own opinion a walk they cannot object to you leaving or entering your own house with your dogs whereas the garden could be an issue, as could be classed as being antisocial in this day and age.

This.  There is a limit to how much you can accommodate other people and some people - and believe me, I speak from experience - will not be happy no matter what you do.  If their dog barks no matter what then there's no more you can do about it and in the interests of keeping your dogs happy, I would just go back to walking them.

With some people, as I think you are finding, the more you give, the more they will try to take.  My neighbours are like this - very demanding, very temperamental, and they think everyone else should live by their schedule, including school holidays.  The more I try and accommodate, the more demanding the woman gets.  The other week I finally lost my temper after the last (utterly ridiculous) demand and she's since backed off, and been round to apologise.

Now I'm not saying that's the way to handle it - certainly not, and it's so out of character for me (I haven't lost my temper like that with anyone for over 20 years) that it shows how stressed I had gotten with it.  What I'm saying is don't just give way to every demand - it will get worse.  stand your ground as above - explain to them that your dogs need input and they will be getting it, seeing as your neighbours' dog is going to bark anyway.  His barking is clearly a much bigger issue than just your dogs setting him off playing quietly, so by the sound of it, it's time they stopped blaming you and addressed it.

Obviously try and keep it quiet - I'd be walking them if they were mine, especially if you have to then go out to work, but try to keep them quiet as you go.  But beyond that, just carry on with your life.

>Personally I would just let them out for a quick toilet and go with them so they are not playing and then keep them inside till after 8am weekdays and probably a little later on the weekends, when people are trying to have a rest.

I would also do the above. The alternative is to take them for a walk so they can let off steam, rather than play in the garden. If the neighbours' dog barks when you leave you can at least claim the moral high ground by saying that you were taking them out so that they didn't disturb anyone. Whatever you do, don't blow your moderate stance by making excessive noise by slamming doors etc when you leave! :-D

I am an early riser I often get up at 5 or 6 am

Is that because you have to go to work early or just that you dont sleep much after that time?

I've always fed my dogs around 10pm so they have never had/have the 'need' to go out early, I wake up around 5-6am & guzzle coffee.
.

>Is that because you have to go to work early or just that you dont sleep much after that time?

It always suited my routine to get up early as I would walk the dogs before work. However the neighbours made so much fuss about me making their dog bark when I went in and out I stopped walking them and now walk them in the evening. Their dog still barks at me coming and going but presume it is not such a problem as they are awake then. They tend to stay up until 2:00 in the morning playing music etc so presume that is why they don't like their dog barking in the morning.

Even though I am not walking the dogs now I still wake up early even at weekends and without an alarm clock. Dont seem to be able to get out of the habit. I always tried to be quiet when walking my dogs in the morning. They had to sit quietly to get their leads put on and leave the house quietly. but as I do 2 walks, one for the youngsters and one for the oldies it means the door opens and closes at least 4 times. and so their dog would bark 4 times. I suppose I should not be surprised that he hears my dogs playing as he seems to hear me opening my front door no matter how quiet I am

I bought this house because I thought a detached house would be better suited to the dogs and they would disturb people less. Obviously I was wrong. It is now on the market again and I am looking at a semi, but out in the country. It cant be any worse than this! Anyone want to buy a house?? :)

It is now on the market again and I am looking at a semi, but out in the country. It cant be any worse than this! Anyone want to buy a house?? :-)

No thanks, not if it has neighbours closer than a mile away!

Seriously though, do look at detached without neighbours -it is so much easier. You do get awkward people everywhere. My husband often has to get up at 4 am to get ready for work, and initially he would let all the dogs out then, as they wake up and then need to go for a wee. And the two oldies (well they weren't the oldest then, but are now) would run out and bark a couple of times, no more. We got a complaint from a farmer half a mile away!! Since then never let those two dogs out before 8 am and they have been fine. The others go out quietly.

>Seriously though, do look at detached without neighbours -it is so much easier.

I would love detached but unfortunately I live in an expensive part of the country so will  cost too much. I spent a lot of money getting this house right expecting to live here for many years but am now facing starting over once again.

>would run out and bark a couple of times, no more. We got a complaint from a farmer half a mile away!!

There is no hope if there are people like that around. I thought farmers got up early?

You shouldn't have to move, people are way to quick to complain :-(

It is so difficult. Personally I think if the dog barks as you open your door that's their problem not yours. What if you worked shifts and had to leave early every morning, would they expect you to change jobs ?? If your dogs are quiet leaving the house for a walk and it is just the door opening that is the problem then I would consider it to be acceptable on your side. If however your dogs bark on leaving the house then it is your problem. I often work 7 - 3pm and leave the house at 6.30am  (Weekends) I open my gates and start the car, drive out close the gates and must make some noise but it is just the noise of living. I cannot avoid it. I would accept the same, in fact one of my neighbours also works earlies and she occasionally wakes us up but I would not dream of complaining. My girls sometimes bark but I just quiet them, they are my problem if it is just the sound of people living their lives. If someone let their dogs out to race about bark and play that would be something else.
Aileen

I think you should carry on as you are. If they come round to complain again, explain - calmly that you have already stopped walking your dogs early because their dog was barking. If he's still barking, then its them and their dog with the problem and perhaps thry should look at their own problem dog before pointing the finger. If it bothers them so much- perhaps they should consider getting up earlier!

>If it bothers them so much- perhaps they should consider getting up earlier!

Or better still, perhaps they should be the ones to move house.  :-(

Well said Jean. Am I the only one who is sick and tired of people who are quick to blame and point the finger?  If I were the neighbour  I'd think twice before complaining when my own dog is making the disturbance.

Why don't people realise that when they point a finger, three fingers point back at them!