As many of you know I've recently moved and have builders in renovating the new property, well when I came home yesterday one of the guys told me he and my youngest had caught one of my neighbours throwing stones at my fence where the dogs where in a pen and at the veteran dog who he has been harrassing for years so he knew the dog would bark.  They shouted and he squated down in the hope they wouldn't see him but they did and told him so - he ran off into the house. 

My question is now that I have proof that he is throwing things at the fence to make the dogs bark to try to get us in court via the council what can I do about it?  I've kept a diary since I moved in due to the threats from the neighbour on the other side who said that they'd gang up on me and get me out with my dogs - the police sorted him out and I've not seen or heard anything of him since, this other one has 7 dogs of his own and a friend of theirs wanted to buy the house but I'd already brought it so we know the motivation but I'll be damned if they're going to drive me or the dogs out I'm really happy here despite their behaviour lol.  Told the dog warden I'd got copies of letters from the Council here showing that the previous owner had nothing to answer as far as noise complaints were concerned and that people who visited before I moved here and since have all noted how much quieter the dogs are when they come onto the property as I won't have any barking if I've allowed them onto my land and to be honest they'd been on her back for almost 30 yrs and not made it to court so I consider it all a waste of public funds, I do realise they have to follow up every complaint.  I even had a lady on the doorstep at the weekend asking me to take the dogs in as they wanted to 'enjoy' sometime in the garden - showed her the dogs where already in and had been for a couple of hrs as it was too hot for them to be out she had to apologise and go next door to ask him to keep his dogs quiet - must admit I liked that one lol.

So anyone any idea how I can get this situation sorted so my poor dogs can live in peace other than getting CCTV installed which I might do anyway as the dogs keep getting a mild dire rear and always the same 2 in the same pen - if it helps he races whippets so I would expect he know's a thing or two about making dogs bark/excited and sick?

Arn't some nieghbours very annoying,we had terrible problems with our neighbours and they used to get there kids to kick footballs etc up our fence to make our dogs bark,and then they decided to inform the council, rspca,the dog warden etc.We kept a diary of events to and eventually we did move,but to a better area.
All i can advise is that you are doing the right thing and installing cctv would be a good idea that way you have proof of what is actually happening,don't forget to record everything especially times and dates,how long it carried on for etc.

Schip,

I'd go with the CCTV ;)  you can get tiny cheap ones from diy stores ;)  Personally I'd prefer to move ;)  but then I like a quiet life, but I'm still stuck here dreading every sunny day :(

Feel for you.I have had moaning neighbours for years,not about the dogs,but anything petty like the smoke from my barbeque or my chicken on their garden.I got to the point where I had to move but the day I put my board up,the next day their for sale sign went up!So they are going and I am staying.I felt like a prisoner in my own home and it is very stressful when the place you should feel safe and relaxed is threatened.It comes to something when you have to have CCTV installed but maybe its a sign of the times.I think I would for peace of mind,but resent it deeply.I would love a neighbour with lots of dogs it would be fantastic,but then everyone is not like us.I use to spend allday twittering making sure the dogs were quiet etc,but I dont really care anymore.There are dogs barking allround and nobody else seems to bother so Im not going to get overly stressed about it anymore.Take a look at the Neighbours From Hell website.I posted my story on there and felt alot better afterwards and they are very helpful.If you take a look,you suddenly realise that the country over large numbers of people are deeply affected by neighbour problems.Its an awful situation to be in.

There is an amusing side to this as the guy causing the problems has 8 dogs and has been now realised his whippets bark all night long so I've made sure other neighbours know I've sound proofed the dogs cellar to keep the noise down if they should happen to bark at night, which they don't - he's now had a letter from the Enviro about a noise complaint tried to harrass me to see if I'd sent it but I didn't take the bait.

I've only been here 9 wks and am in the process of renovating the house and have the advantage of builders about when I'm not so I have witnesses to his behaviour, caught him yesterday squatting on his side of the fence barking behind the dog runs - always the dogs are facing his side when they bark but when I'm in the cellar or garden they don't bark even if he tries to get them going.  They had a barbie yesterday afternoon and he started to shout 'shut up' whilst non of the dogs were barking and we'd got a visitor from Holland viewing the schips so she went to the fence and asked him which dogs he was shouting out as non were barking but loudly enough for the whole neighbourhood to hear as she thought he'd got tinnitus - his face was a picture and I just fell about laughing so he put his heavy metal music on really loud to upset us but to be honest we enjoyed it as it was a CD I'd got just saved on Electric.

My friends fiance had his own security company and is going to instal 2 camera's so we can see what is happening at the fence when the dogs start to bark for no reason - that way I've got taped evidence for the when the council come back if they do and I will make copies to send to the neighbours if they come a knocking - I'm not moving as I love it here but will get the better of this little idiot.  On the otherside the guy started as I was moving in and threatend my dad so I got the police on him and all of a sudden the pub his daughter is the tenant of with his money has gone and it is under new tenancy word is they lost the license cause he was cautioned by the police for his behaviour --- opps.

I really do feel we need to fight back as dog owners we have enough bad press as it is without false claims coming our way too.

Hi Schip
I think I must be very lucky.  I have wonderful neighbours who think my dogs are little angels (little to they know!!!).  Poor you.  It must be really hard living in such conditions.  Good luck.

Kind wishes
Annie