'My neighbour refuses to follow my garden schedule - but her dogs are outside too much'

A woman has been slammed for trying to dictate when her neighbour can let her dogs out into her own garden. She explained how she rescued a "severely reactive dog" who "freaks out" when she sees or hears other animals in the neighbourhood.

To help ease her dog's anxiety, she tries to let her out when the neighbour's dogs are indoors, otherwise she would bark the entire time she's outside.

However as they are constantly outdoors, it has left her own nervous pooch stuck indoors. Taking to Reddit, she said: "I have a severely reactive rescue dog. She's terrified of other dogs and freaks out majorly when she sees them or hears them.

"My partner and I have been working with our vet and a behavioural trainer and we've made some progress, but my dog is still not truly comfortable anywhere but her own yard. A new lady just moved in next door, and she has two big dogs. They seem like nice dogs, they are quiet and she works with them a lot.

"The problem is that she works from home full time, and her dogs are always outside.

"She doesn't leave them there for hours or anything, but I never know when she's going to let them out or for how long.

"She also spends a lot of time out there with them after work and on weekends.

"I can hear her training and playing fetch or she'll have them out with her while she's doing yard work."

She went on to explain how her neighbour takes her dog training seriously - making sure her dogs do not run up at the fence, and do not bark unless it's to warn of danger or something suspicious.

But despite them keeping themselves to themselves, their presence in their own garden is enough to set off her reactive dog.

"They're still out on the other side of the fence though and my dog is now scared and reacting in her own backyard," she added.

"When my dog starts carrying on, she is the one who has to go inside. She already can't enjoy walks and now she can't even enjoy being outside.

"To be fair to her, she trains them and she doesn't let them run up on the fence, and if they do bark, she makes them go inside."

Wanting to create 'equal opportunity' for all dogs, the woman came up with a garden schedule and asked her neighbour to follow it.

She said: "I asked my neighbour if she'd consider a schedule for the dogs so that my dog can enjoy her yard too without the neighbour's dogs freaking her out on the other side of the fence.

"She was polite about it but said no. She bought the house with the yard for her dogs, and they use it.

"She said she'd be glad to tell me when she's leaving with them for a period of hours, but otherwise she's not going to change what she's doing day to day.

"So nothing changed and her dogs get plenty of outdoor time and mine gets none except for the stray times when she takes one of her dogs to a training class or takes both of them for a hike.

"I'm really upset and want to insist that we adopt a schedule so that my dog can have some outside time too."

Wondering whether to pitch the idea to her a second time, the woman has taken to Reddit to ask users for their thoughts.

In response, one user said: "You decided to adopt a reactive rescue dog, knowing very well you'll have a load of work to do with her.

"You made that decision. Not your neighbour. It's your job to make this dog comfortable, and your neighbour shouldn't have to suffer for your decisions."

Another user added: "I honestly can’t believe anyone would expect someone else to schedule their lives around their needs like this.

"We have disabled twins - they are distressed by kids screaming, or loud noises like lawnmowers.

"I wouldn’t even think of asking neighbours to schedule their child’s play or lawn mowing around us. If there’s something that will upset them, I’ll take them inside."

A third user said: "You would like the world around you to adapt to your dog. The world has agreed to give you notice, not good enough. You insist it be done according to your demands.

"Your dog can have all the outside time it wants. There's a fence. If you need a fence with a sound barrier, have one installed."

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