Couple slammed for stopping neighbours' children playing in garden because it annoys their dog

A woman has explained her she felt forced to stop her children playing in their garden for fear of annoying her neighbour's dog. Writing on Mumsnet, she explained that a couple in their late 40s had recently moved in. They came round "to complain that the sound of our teen boys playing in the garden was upsetting their dog who is a rescue, very nervous and reactive to sound."

"I'm really torn on what to do," she said. "I'm sympathetic to their situation and I really don't want to fall out with them. I know the dog has problems because it barks at us from his side of the fence whenever we go out in the garden. When they came round to complain they brought the dog with them to show us what it's like - the woman had it in her arms and it spent the whole time growling and baring its teeth."

But she added that while she sympathises with them: "I don't think the noise they were making was excessive - no screaming, no music blaring, just the sound of kids playing in the garden."

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

When her children play basketball outside, she added: "I get that the clatter would be annoying after a while, but I wouldn't say it was any more annoying than the noise of their dog barking at us through the fence and I wouldn't dream of complaining about that. It's just part and parcel of life.

Last set of neighbours never complained about the kids playing, but they did have grandkids of their own who came regularly and made a fair bit of noise so they were probably as immune to the noise of kids playing as we are!

They also said they were worried that the ball would come over and hit their dog, even though it didn't.

I've told the kids they're not to play basketball anymore to keep neighbourly relations cordial, but it is a shame as they absolutely love it and it will probably mean they're just inside playing X Box.

Reacting to the story, people sided with the woman.

"I wouldn't stop my children playing in their own garden," one said. "If the dog is distressed they should take it into the house."

Another commented: "Your neighbour is being massively unreasonable...Goodness me! The entitlement of some people."

A third wrote: "As a dog owner myself I would say the onus is on your neighbours. If the dog is nervous around noise then they need to desensitise it, so only a short time spent in the garden at one time etc.

"Don't stop your teenagers playing in the garden."

And a fourth said: "Their dog, their problem. If the dog reacts to the playing then they should take it in. Bloody dogs - owners get totally obsessional about them and lose perspective."

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.