A homeowner has faced backlash online after trying to control when her neighbour can let her dogs out into her own back garden.
Posting to Reddit, the anonymous woman explained that she had recently rescued a "severely reactive dog" who "freaks out" when she sees or hears other pets and will bark the entire time she is outside. To minimise her dog's stress, she tries to let her out when the neighbour's dogs are in the house.
However, as her neighbour works from home, the dogs are constantly out in the garden - meaning her nervous pup has to remain indoors. As reported by the Mirror, the woman explained: "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."
The woman goes on to admit that her neighbour's dog are very well trained and don't run up to the fence or bark unless it is as a warning of danger. Despite this, their presence alone is enough to trigger her dog's anxiety, leaving her 'too scared' to go out in the backyard.
She continued: "They're still out on the other side of the fence though and my dog is now scared and reacting in her own backyard. 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."
In the interest of creating 'equal opportunity' for all the dogs, the woman devised a garden schedule that she asked her neighbour to abide by.
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 approach her neighbour again with the plan, the woman asked Reddit users for advice on the issue.
One user commented: "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 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."
While a third person 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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