Don't let the dog out
You all remember the "Twilight Bark" scene from 101 Dalmatians? Well, it isn't as charming in real life. Actually I suppose in real life it is "Late Night Bark." Our schedule has been a total disarray with hubby gone and we have had some late nights here. So if we are not in bed, puppy is not in bed and asks to go out... a lot. While he is pretty quiet when he is in the house, when outside he finds it necessary to communicate with all of nature. Granted, there are other creatures out there communicating as well... but I don't think they live next door to someone who has to get up at 4:30 a.m. I was unaware that we lived next door to someone who had to get up that early until they rang my doorbell at 11:00 last night. (This was just after I had sent one of the kids to make the dog come in, as I had just become aware of his barking, myself.) He was angry... livid... and said he wasn't going to put up with it any more (or something along those lines... I was in such shock, I can't be sure what he said.) I apologized profusely, but he didn't seem to really hear me. I told him I would work to make sure the dog did not go out late at night any more. I really am sick over this. I never wanted to be one of those neighbors you want to strangle. I mean, I feel physically ill and am having a hard time typing this without crying. So now we have to be supervigilant about letting the dog out and make sure we listen for his first sound, making him come in right away.
Where's Uncle Matty when you need him??
3 comments:
Remember this: if it was that much of a problem, he SHOULD have come to you the second or third time the barking disturbed him. The opportunity to correct the matter before it became a problem was never offered to you. You apologized, and there's nothing else you can do other than keep an ear out for the dog when he's outside (or get a Barker Breaker.) If he wants to "do" something about it, he's pretty much out of luck since he's never complained before; if he wants to file a formal noise complaint, he'll be told they'll take the complaint, and that's it. He'd have to file 2 or 3 more times before it would be considered nuisance barking.
I know you don't want to be one of "those" neighbors, but you *aren't.* You are a neighbor who would make every effort to be accomdating to your neighbor's needs. So please try not to worry about it. If it were really the problem he vented about, you would have heard about it long ago.
Face it, I have really noisy neighbors. If I want them to quiet down I need to ask--nicely--and only get really ticked off if they get rude about it. That they still bother me is my own fault, and I have no *right* to get ticked because I've never asked them to be aware of the noise they make. If I'd asked and they refused...then I could be ticked. Then I could take it to management.
Being a good neighbor works both ways...
Posted by Thumper
Thumper said it beautifully. You're neighbor lost control of his sanity for a brief moment and took it out on you! There's never any excuse for that kind of behavior in my opinion, and it just shows a lack of grown up problem solving maturity on his part. I understand how you are feeling though. I would feel the same exact way! It's hard to imagine why people can get so nasty.
don't worry! hug hug.
Posted by Suzanne
Thanks for the kind words... I am feeling better about it and am being more vigilant about the dog. I stayed near the back door at all times when he was outside today and made him come in as soon as I heard him bark. Takes all the fun of having a fenced-in yard (being able to let him out and not worry about him). Last night I didn't let him out after 9:30 pm. I hope the neighbor noticed.
Posted by Karen
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