So, my neighbors have a dog, rambo, that is constantly barking. He really has gotten better now that we've talked tto them a thousand times, and it's really awkward at times walking outside and seeing them glare us down, and at first, it really bothered me! I felt so bad for causing problems with our neighbors! I wanted to have a good relationship with them seeing as though we have a 30 yr. mortgage and so do they... lol.
At the begining when we first moved in, I didn't say anything becuase I didn't want to offend them. Then after a year and a baby later, things started changing... I now not only had to deal with a dog barking constantly, but he was waking Eamonn up from naps. I would literally sit in my room and sob becuase I didn't know what to do. I know that Christ is a peacemaker and loving person. He soothes contention and it does not flourish in His presence, but when is too much too much? After you go to school at six a.m. in the morning, work all day and finally have a few minutes to lay down and take a nap only to have the neighbors dog bark at every car that passes, waking your baby up and not allowing you to nap? Stressing out all day and FINALLY having a moment of peace with a baby down for a nap, only to have the neighbors sit and chat in their car on the phone while their dog barks at them for 45 minutes straight?
It got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I went over and asked them to keep their dog quiet, and all they said? he's a dog, he's going to bark. I went home and bawled. This was literally becoming a mental burden on me. Finally one day.. I snapped. I called animal control. They ended up leaving a notice on the neighbors' door saying that someone had called animal control. A few hours later, a fuming neighbor is standing on my porch yelling at me for being impatient and inconsiderate. At times, I would yell right back at her, and then other moments i would try to understand her and see where she might be coming from. Ugh. I hate trying to deal with other people. I just tell myself that one day, I will be a God, and I will have infinite amounts of children. Odds are, one of them is going to be like my neighbor so I'd better learn to love and accept this person now. Also, I kept on trying to tell myself, who am I to judge another? We worked it out that she would feed the dog one time in the morning to reduce the barking. It worked for a day or two. Then it's almost as if they forgot that we had even had worked out a "solution"
Ugh. Blogs are extremely therapeutic. I am feeling a little more calm about this... Anyways, after time and time again of trying to be understanding, I got to the point where I realized. Why in the heck am I working so hard to be understanding and not offending? They could care less about being courteous.
I am just so frustrated right now.
What a pain.
I'm already going through so much.. why me? Why do I have to deal with such rude people!? I am being completely walked on in this situation. Atleast that is how I am feeling. Most people would probably look at this and think that causing problems with a neighbor and ward member is not worth it, and at times I start to wonder myself. Is this worth it?
Last night at eleven thirty Rambo sat and barked while the neighbors came home from whatever they were doing.
Six a.m. this morning, rambo barked at who knows what waking me up from a very brief, pregnancy sleep, and I couldn't fall back to sleep until about five minutes from when I needed to wake up and trudge out the door to school.
Every morning around seven thirty when our neighbors leave for work, Rambo barks the entire time they feed him, she gets into her car, and drives away. Rambo then gets rowled up and barks at every school kid who passes to get to school. All the while I am sitting in my bed contemplating murder or suicide.
Eleven thirty to noon today, Rambo sat and barked at the neighbor's teenage son who sat in his car talking on the phone. THIRTY MINUTES OF BARKING. He didn't even have the decency to tell rambo to be quiet, or take him in the house!!! I snapped. I lost it. I went outside with my camera phone and recorded Rambo barking. When the kid saw what I was doing he pulled out of the driveway and asked me. I told him I was recording his DAMN dog barking so that when I took him to court, I would have proof. I know. Really and truly not some of my best moments. I even said damn. How innapropriate of me. But really? REALLY?
I didn't even mention that mason and I saved up fifty bucks to buy a birdhouse thing that lets out a high pitched noise everytime the dog barks which SHOULD deter him from barking. It worked the first two weeks and I was in heaven. It was amazing. Then, he became immune and it didn't work anymore.
I again, can't even tell you how annoyed and angry I am. I won't include some of the rantings that she gave me the few times she came over to my house to get mad at me for calling animal control on her dog. I just want to get my feelings out, not turn people against our neighbors. Although I sometimes feel I hate their living guts, and it pisses me off how inconsiderate they are, I do know that they are people. They are not perfect. They too have their own struggles. It's just hard trying to deal with people. It's hard finding the balance between peacemaker and floormat. Where is the balance? Am I too sensitive? Is what they are saying really true? Am I really just out to cause problems? I just don't know anymore.
I ended up calling animal control again today. Officer Swenson pretty much knows me by name and I he. He wasn't very happy to hear me calling. He kind of was upset with me for calling (or so I felt) but what am i to do? Talking to them doesn't work, reasoning, bribery with cookies, brownies, etc. doesn't work... jaslkjdfslkajdflkaj I really need some advice from all ten readers.. lol. What DO I DO? He said that he was coming over today to work this out and that he is going to just take their dog away and we can battle it out in court.
That just doesn't seem right to me. It just doesn't seem Christian or Christlike. Why does the barking drive me insane so much? Disclamer: the dog is MAYBE six feet away from our bedroom, Eamonn's bedroom, and living room windows. At nights, in order to keep it cool in the house and to keep the swamp cooler running, we have to keep the windows open. That helps nothing at all.
I need some advice. I need some experienced wisdom, I need some understanding I need some patience.
Me being a dog owner believe it is the owners job to make sure their dog doesn't make the neighborhood want to kill others or themself. Try spraying a house at the "fence" lol or yell out the window for the dog to stop barking.. maybe a fog horn?
ReplyDeleteMy heart aches for you. What an awful situation to be in. Here's my thinking: First pray about it, write a letter when you're thinking clearly, not angry about the dog barking and leave it at their door. Explain your situation kindly and give good examples like you did in this post. Kill them with kindness. After they have the note, wait for them to approach you. If talking face to face doesn't work, I think this may be the only way to get your point across. Love you.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Heather's hose idea! If you don't want to get the hose, you can try a super-soaker (or a spray bottle if you have really good aim). Peanut butter works for a little bit, but a good old spray to the face would probably make you feel better as well as make him stop barking.
ReplyDeleteThat totally stinks! I used to like dogs OK, but only little dogs that didn't shed and didn't bark a lot. But my hubby and his family are NOT animal people so I have even less tolerance for dogs now and I can't stand it when people act like their dog is their child, its a DOG! I personally think you have WAY more reason to be angry than they do. I don't understand how they can't see that you have a baby and are pregnant and a dog barking and waking everybody up is a serious issue and nuisance for you and your family. But I get why you wouldn't want to go to court or anything like that, it would be better if you and the neighbors could work out something on your own. I like Katrina's idea of writing a "kind" letter explaining your point of view and killing them with kindness, although that may not be the easiest thing to do! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this has been going on for over a year, it's gotten out of hand. While Christ believes in mercy, he also believes in justice. It's a balance Laur, but the situation has gone to a place where your neighbors are NOT going to listen to you anymore. You need a third party to figure this situation out, and since the RS president didn't work, maybe it's just going to have to be a judge. You should feel bad when they are pushing you to a place you don't want to be. Some people don't really want to get along with others, I'm slowly learning this. But it's just how it is with my mother in law. You can't force people to get along - - at least in this situation you have the law to fall back on -- too bad I don't! he he.
ReplyDeleteI may be a horrible person - but they don't deserve to have a dog if they can't control it. Their freedoms only extend so far as they are not imposing on the rights and freedoms of others. Like the right to a peaceful home and sleep. My parents have a similar problem with their neighbors. I say let them take the dog away - but that's just me. :)
ReplyDeletemaybe you could let him out and let him have a stand off with the nasty cats in the neighborhood that like to poop in the middle of my yard. I understand the barking thing though. there were some nearby dogs that woke me up from peaceful pregnancy slumber many a time as well. makes you want to swear. i totally understand. good luck. I hope it all works out. Maybe offer to help them buy one of those collars that zaps them whenever they bark. :)
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